Season Ends Disappointingly for Pioneers with 6-0 loss in Game 5
Published on September 8, 2002 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Elmira Pioneers News Release
The Elmira Pioneers dropped the 5th and final game of their divisional series with the New Jersey Jackals Sunday afternoon 6-0. The loss concludes the 2002 campaign for the Pioneers while the New Jersey Jackals advance to the Northern League East championship round to face the winner of the Quebec vs. Adirondack series. New Jersey will host games 1 and 2 of that best-of-5 series on Monday and Tuesday nights at Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls, NJ.
The defneding league champion Jackals went 10-9 vs. Elmira overall this year and went just 2-8 at Dunn Field. Last year, after eliminating Elmira in the 2nd round, NJ went on to win the league title 3 games to 1 over Winnipeg.
The loss ended a wonderful post-season comeback run for the Pioneers who overcame a 2 games to 0 deficit to force a decisive game 5.
Joel Bennett picked up his 2nd post-season win with another 8-inning shutout performance. In game-5 he allowed 6 hits with 1 walk and 6 K's. Former Pioneer closer Ryan Halla closed it out in the 9th for his 3rd post-season save. It was also the 6th straight time that New Jersey has come out on top in a Bennett vs. Keagle matchup. Bennett also won games 1 and 5 of their East finals series vs. Keagle in 2001 and Bennett took a pair of regular season decisions over Keagle in 2002. Bennett was the league's top pitcher for the 2nd season in a row setting a new league mark for victories (14) and leading the league in K's (141).
David Kennedy and Travis Bailey both homered to spark the Jackals offense.
NJ struck in the 3rd inning on Keagle with Billy Brown's RBI double off the top of the screen in LF scoring Craig Conway with the game's first run. Brown advanced on a sabunt and then scored on a sac-fly by Dave Callahan. David Kennedy followed with a solo HR to LF to complete the 3-run rally in the inning.
It stayed 3-0 until the 8th inning when the Jackals would strike again. Sean Brummett had replaced Keagle in the 6th inning but allowed a single and a walk in the 8th. Keith Forbes came on and surrendered back-to-back walks, the 2nd of which to Billy Brown came with the bases-loaded and forced in a run to increase the NJ lead to 4-0. The Pioneers players showed their disagreement with the call and Mitch Lyden came out a few moments later to argue the call with HP umpire Sean Francis. Lyden got ejected in the heated discussion. Forbes induced a fielder's choice ground-out from Chas Terni as 3B Osmani Garcia got an out at home. Reliever Donnie Thomas got a ground-out of Dave Callahan to end the inning.
The Pioneers had great chances to score in the 7th and 8th innings. After firing 6 innings of 2-hit shutout ball, Bennett started to get hit a little harder. In the 7th, Alvarez and Coleman hit back-to-back lead-off single but 3B Ryan Kane made a nice play on a hard-hit grounded by Pedro Quero to turn a 5-4-3 double-play. Brian Jones flied out to end the inning. Elmira got back-to-back singles again to lead off the 8th as Cesar King and Osmani Garcia reached. Rolando Bello hit a sharp come-backer that Bennett was able to knock-down. He spun around to get a force-out at 2nd but threw wide of the bag. SS Chas Terni went diving to his right to make a terrific stop of the ball and from his hands and knees was able to get back to 2nd in time to record the force-out. Brandon Pernell then bounced into a 1-6-3 double-play as Joel Bennett barely preserved the shutout.
Donnie Thomas gave up a 2-run HR to Travis Bailey in the top of the 9th to make it 6-0. Thomas had allowed only 1 HR all season. Bailey was the league leader in RBI's and it was his 2nd shot of the playoffs.
Elmira went down in order against Ryan Halla in the 9th to end the game. Michael Coleman's groundout to Ryan Kane at 3B was the last play of the season for the Pioneers.
Several fans cheered and made noise right up until the very last out and stayed to congratulate their Pioneers on a terrific 2002 campaign and thank rookie manager Mitch Lyden who led the team to a franchise record 54 victories.
Opening day 2003 is approximately 240 days away. We'll see you next season Pioneers fans. Thanks for your terrific support all season long!!!
Canadian American League Stories from September 8, 2002
- Season Ends Disappointingly for Pioneers with 6-0 loss in Game 5 - Elmira Pioneers
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