And so it ends. All three playoff runs ended Sunday. Dunedin lost three straight games in the final as their pitching just wasn't good enough. Lansing had struggled in the second half and injuries in the pitching staff left them weak, they lost both games by six runs. Auburn lost both of their games by a single run, one in the eighth inning and one in the ninth. This brings an end to the 2006 minor league updates, look for our top 30 and other features in the next few weeks.

Dunedin 2 St. Lucie 6

Eric Fowler started and pitched five innings giving up three runs.  Dunedin were down 3-0 heading for the seventh but they had their chances, they had ten baserunners through six innings but couldn't get a key hit.  In the seventh they scored a run when Robinzon Diaz doubled home Chris Gutierrez.  But in the bottom of the seventh the Dunedin achilles heel came back to bite them when Yesson Berroa gave up four hits, hit a batter and gave up three runs to put Dunedin down 6-1.  Dunedin got one back in the eighth as Eric Arnold singled in Cory Patton, and loaded the bases in the ninth but once again couldn't get a run scoring hit.  Dunedin had twelve hits in the game, Patton went 3-5, Diaz was 2-3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch.

Lansing 2 West Michigan 8

Pitching wins championships and the Lugnuts were just too short of pitching at the end of the season. Billy Carnline and Russell Savickas were promoted mid-season while Aaron Tressler, Kristian Bell and AJ Wideman were injured. That left Sean Stidfole to start this deciding game and he gave up six runs in 4.2 innings although Ted Serro gave up a couple of hits to let the last two Stidfole runs score. Lansing had only five hits in this game, David Hicks and Brian Bormaster each doubled and scored a run.

Auburn 3 Tri-City 4

In a tight playoff game Auburn went down 3-2 in the fifth and the game remained tied until the eighth. Adam Calderone drew a lead-off walk in the eighth and was sacrificed to second. Scott Campbell singled but Calderone had to stop at third. Matt Liuzza doubled to tie the game and Campbell stopped at third and when Tri-City walked Chris Emanuele the bases were loaded with one out. Tri-City changed pitchers and Raul Barron and Luke Hopkins both struck out swinging and the game was tied. Patrick McGuigan pitched a three up, three down eighth but gave up an infield single to start the bottom of the ninth. A sac bunt moved the runner to second and a line drive single put runners on first and third with one out. Ben Harrison came on in relief and got a ground out to shortstop for the second out. But then the magic ran out as the next hitter singled to win the game and the series. Matt Liuzza went 3-4, Kyle Ginley had started and allowed two runs in three innings.

Stars

3 Robinzon Diaz

2 Cory Patton

1 Matt Liuzza