After not getting to Alliance Bank Stadium in our baseball travels last season, my girlfriend and I made sure we got there this season as we spent our week-end in sunny Syracuse, New York to catch a pair of Chiefs games against the Yankees new Triple-A affliate, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The trip was also an attempt to take our minds off the struggling and all of a sudden, less than truthful, big club. However, Saturday's game at the Bank didn't help matters. Here's a rundown of what went on during the week-end along with some pictures too.
Update: I had some earlier problems with the photos link but it appears to be fine now!!
Syracuse Saturday Night
With apologies to Canadian icon Stompin' Tom Connors, I felt like getting stinko after watching this debacle on a chilly evening. Ty Taubenheim got the start for the Chiefs. I remember a Ty Taubenheim with the big club last year and he had his moments. There's no way that was the same Ty Taubenheim, was it? Sadly, it was.
I won't lie to you about this game. It was over after the first 5 hitters, they all scored to give Scranton a 5-cob lead. If you want to skip ahead to Sunday's game, I wouldn't blame you.
For those of you sticking around, the following is rated "R" and is not suitable for children or anyone who's a non-Yankees fan.
Ty Taubenheim settled in the 89-91 MPH range with his fastball with the odd 92 and 93 and his slider was about 83-84. Not that it mattered because he wasn't fooling anyone. He gave up a single, double, single, double, double before getting an out and then gave up another double before getting out of the inning. The key blow was Shelley Duncan's 2 run double which bounced past Chiefs 3rd baseman Brad Hassey, who didn't seem to make that much of an effort to get to the ball but then again, why dive on the turf! It was 5-0 after 1.
After the Chiefs went down in order as a couple of fly balls were knocked down at the warning track thanks to the swirling winds, Ty Taubenheim tried to settle down in the 2nd as he faced leadoff man Kevin Reese for the second time. This time, Taubenheim retired Reese, issued a walk to the next batter, but got Andy Phillips to foul out to first for the second out. Any thoughts that Taubenheim was over his rough spot were quickly dashed as the SWB Yankees put up 3 runs thanks to a pair of singles and a double to up their lead to 8-0. Taubenheim got the elusive 3rd out on a 6-3 groundball, helped in large part by Kevin Barker stretching his frame on a less than perfect throw from Ray Olmedo.
Taubenheim enjoyed his best inning of the night in the 3rd, punching out two batters with a slider at 84 and an 86 MPH offering for a 3 up, 3 down inning. The Chiefs finally got their first of the night as Curtis Thigpen led off the 3rd with a single off Scranton starter Ross Ohlendorf, acquired in the Randy Johnson trade from Arizona. He got to 2nd on a Ray Olmedo groundout but didn't make an attempt to tag up at 2nd after Brad Hassey flied out to right. Sure, it's 8-0 but it's still a bad baserunning error on his part. He would be left stranded.
In the 4th, Scranton was back at it again as a single, a walk, a fly ball, and a sac fly from Shelley Duncan, his 4th RBI of the night, off Taubenheim made it 9-0. After issuing another walk, Syracuse manager Doug Davis finally gave "double T" the heave-ho. His line, 3.2 IP, 10H, 9R, 9ER, 3BB, 2K with an ERA ballooning almost 3 runs to 6.12. Jordan De Jong came on in relief and used a 91 MPH fastball to induce an inning ending groundout.
The Chiefs got their first extra base hit of the night in the bottom of the 4th as Ryan Roberts hit a 1 out double followed by a John-Ford Griffin walk. However, Kevin Barker struck out swinging and Chad Mottola lined to 2nd.
Jordan De Jong had a nice 5th inning, getting two batters swinging with 78 and 77 MPH pitches to begin and end the frame. He only surrendered an infield single to 2nd baseman Russ Adams, who made a nice effort on an off balance throw on a high bouncer but he couldn't get the Yankee catcher, Omir Santos, in time. In the bottom of 5, Curtis Thigpen collected another leadoff single but that was all for Syracuse.
In the 6th, Jordan De Jong gave up 2 singles, one of the bloop variety to Shelley Duncan, who was better half of the Duncan duo with Eric on this night, but De Jong would strand the runner. The Chiefs got their 3rd leadoff man aboard as Jeff Duncan at the top of the order reached on an infield single to 2nd but that was all for Syracuse.
The top of the 7th saw Jordan De Jong strike out Angel Chavez looking with a 90 MPH fastball but a double, a grounder, and a single later would give Scranton a double digit lead at 10-COB. De Jong would uncork a wild pitch but struck out Andy Phillips looking with a 91MPH heater to end his night.
The Chiefs tried to get the offence chugging after the 7th inning stretch as Kevin Barker led off with a double and was pushed to 3rd on 1 out walks from Curits Thigpen and Ray Olmedo. With a tenous 10 run lead, Scranton skipper and former Reds manager Dave Miley clearly saw this one getting away and called to the pen as Ross Ohlendorf gave way to the Pope, first name Justin.
At this point, I asked my future missus if she thought the Chiefs would finally score. She said "No!" quicker than a Joel Zumaya heater. I knew that was a bad sign because she's always more optimistic than me, and as usual, always more right than me. Brad Hassey flied out to right but Kevin Barker did not attempt to score on the medium fly and Jeff Duncan lined out to the mound with a broken bat in his hands to leave the maximum on the basepaths.
Jason Scobie took to the mound as the Chiefs 3rd pitcher in the 8th and it looked like Scranton wanted to get to 20 runs after a lead off single and an error by Ryan Roberts at 1st. He dropped a throw from Scobie after a comebacker to the mound from Shelley Duncan, who could do no wrong on this night. The few fans that were left on this chilly night really let Roberts have it. However, Scobie delivered when it really counted with the biggest strikeout of his career. Bronson Sardinha was chosen to be the Taco Bell K-Man for the night and Scobie delivered! He got the Yankee right fielder swinging on a 91 MPH fastball for the first out and more importantly, a free taco! Scobie then got out of the inning with a 6-3 double play ball. The Chiefs tried again to get on the board as Russ Adams singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. However, he was left with Chad Mottola's walk on the basepaths and it was still a converted touchdown and field goal deficit for the hometown nine.
In the 9th, lefty Jim Crowell put up a goose egg for the Chiefs as he stranded a 2 out single. Brian Bormaster pinch hit for Curtis Thigpen to lead off the 9th for his first Triple A at-bat. He worked the count to 3-and-1 but appeared chased ball four as he reached out and pulled one to 3rd for the first. The Chiefs then decided to end the agony and pull the plug on this one by going down in order as Scranton hammered the 'Cuse 10-0.
Three Stars........
3. Jason Scobie - Yo quiero Taco Bell!! One inning of one hit, scoreless relief with a K and GIDP.
2. Jordan De Jong - soaked up 3 1/3 innings in relief of a shaky Ty Taubenheim, giving up a run on 5 hits but did strike out 4 and didn't walk anyone.
1. Curtis Thigpen - got on base all 3 times with 2 leadoff singles and a walk.
Honourable mention - Jim Crowell
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Syracuse Sunday Afternoon
Mike MacDonald, winningest pitcher in New Hampshire Fisher Cats franchise history, was called up to make his first Triple A start. He would go up against the portly Colter Bean in a spot start for Scranton. MacDonald, who surprisingly signed autographs before the game and even allowed me to take a picture of him, was being watched carefully by rehabbing starter John Thomson. I had a chance to see MacDonald in Savannah, Georgia 3 years ago when he started with the Charleston Alley Cats and earned the victory that night with a shut-out performance over the Sand Gnats combined with some relief help.
Top 1st - MacDonald broke out his bag of tricks in the first, throwing first pitch strikes to 3 of the 4 batters he faced. His first three pitches were 87, 87, and 85 before getting a ground ball to 3rd baseman John Hattig. However, Hattig booted it and it looked like Saturday's shenanigans were going to carry over into this one. However, MacDonald settled down by throwing a 60 MPH curve (according to the gun, anyway) for a first pitch strike and induced a 6-4 fielder's choice for the first out and it only took two batters this time! Woo hoo!! MacDonald started off Andy Phillips with a 59 MPH curve and amped it up to 86-88 along with an 82 before getting a flyout. MacDonald induced another grounder to get out of the inning.
Bottom 1st - Compared to Saturday, things were going great and they were just getting better (apologies to Timbuk 3). Wayne Lydon grounded out to 2nd but DH Russ Adams doubled to right and he scored the Chiefs first run on the week-end series thanks to a Ryan Roberts double. Kevin Barker would draw a walk but Syracuse had to settle for the 1-0 lead after one.
Top 2nd - Mike MacDonald would set down Scranton in order in the 2nd and hit 90 MPH a couple of times but settled in at 85-88 with an 81 and 77 along the way.
Bottom 2nd - Curtis Thigpen got on base 3 times last night and made it 4 in a row with a leadoff walk. Ray Olmedo got a piece of that action with a free pass of his own. Number 9 hitter Jeff Duncan moved the runners over with a bunt back to the pitcher and even better, he beat it out to load up the bases with nobody out. Wayne Lydon brought home Thigpen with a 4-3 groundout and also moved up Olmedo and Duncan to 3rd and 2nd.
Colter Bean was then yanked for former Oriole Chris Britton, who also has a portly build like his predecessor. Russ Adams got his 2nd hit of the day as he greeted Britton with a single to right to score Olmedo. Ryan Roberts also joined the 2 hit club with an RBI single to deliver Duncan and make it 4-zip Syracuse. With runners at 1st and 2nd, the Chiefs had a chance to really put this one away with the 3-4 hitters coming up but John-Ford Griffin and Kevin Barker both struck out looking to end the inning. Both Griffin and Barker voiced their displeasure with home plate umpire Rob Healey. Barker also struck out on a 64 MPH curve, which I'm sure didn't help matters, while Griffin watched a 90 MPH heater go by for strike 3. That wouldn't be the last time Barker would have words with the ump. I found it strange that Syracuse skipper Doug Davis didn't even bother to get involved and stand up for Barker. 4-0 Syracuse after 3.
Top 3rd - It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the park and Mike MacDonald made sure it stayed that way with another clean inning of work. He hovered around 83-88 with a pair of 79's as well. However, his slowest pitch, a 64 MPH curveball struck out Kevin Reese swinging to end the inning.
Bottom 3rd - The Chiefs were held scoreless despite a John Hattig single and a Jeff Duncan walk. Curtis Thigpen and Wayne Lydon both went down swinging against Chris Britton. Still 4-0 Syracuse.
Top 4th - Mike MacDonald stretched his hitless string to 3 1/3 innings but the middle of the Scranton order began to figure him out. Andy Phillips and the Duncan duo, Eric and Shelley, all picked up singles to bring home the first run and a fielder's choice led to the 2nd Scranton run. Ray Olmedo ranged well to his right to throw over to 2nd with Ryan Roberts doing well to hang on to the ball despite being hammered by 6-5, 215 pounder Shelley Duncan on a hardnosed play. MacDonald settled down by getting a fly ball to end the frame. Syracuse 4 Scranton 2.
Bottom 4th - 3 up and 3 down, short but not sweet.
Top 5th - Mike MacDonald's bubble began to burst as the 8 and 9 hitters wound up at 2nd and 3rd after a Raul Chavez double. Chavez somehow ambled into 2nd despite displaying the speed of Bengie Molina with a piano on his back but Jeff Duncan couldn't get to the ball quickly enough to make a play. A sac fly cut the Syracuse lead to 4-3 and a Chris Basak double brought home the tying run. Basak got to 3rd on a wild pitch and Eric Duncan drew a 2 out walk but Chief killer Shelley Duncan did not come through this time as he grounded out to 3rd to strand the runners at the corners. Scranton 4 Syracuse 4.
Bottom 5th - Kevin Barker doubled to lead off the inning off Scranton's veteran lefty, Ron Villone. That was it. Still tied at 4-4.
Top 6th - Jamie Vermilyea, 3 inning veteran of the bigs, took over for MacDonald. His pitches were around 83-88 MPH. He gave up a pair of one out singles, including a hard smash off Vermilyea's glove that went high up in the air but by the time the ball came down in his glove, the runner was safe. However, he kept the Yankees off the board by getting the next two batters.
Bottom 6th - The Chiefs tried to retake the lead and it looked promising as Wayne Lydon singled with 1 out and Russ Adams executed a hit and run to perfection to put runners on the corners. Lydon was cutdown at the plate on a 5-2 fielder's choice by Ryan Roberts and John-Ford Griffin struck out to pick up the hat trick. Still knotted up at 4-4.
Top 7th - Chris Basak was, in my humble opinion, charitably given a double after John Hattig had the ball bounce off his glove. Andy Phillips made it back to back two baggers off Jamie Vermilyea to give Scranton their first lead at 5-4. Phillips was moved to third on a sac bunt by clean up hitter Eric Duncan!?! for the first out. Shelley Duncan reached on an infield single to short but Ray Olmedo at least prevented Phillips from coming home to score. Then John Hattig redeemed himself as he started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. Scranton 5 Syracuse 4.
Bottom 7th - 3 up, 3 down, and an ejection. Kevin Barker struck out looking to begin the frame against Scranton reliever and former San Francisco Giant Jim Brower and was ejected by home plate ump Rob Healey after the frame. I remember Healey from a game last year when he ejected Rochester's Chris Heintz after Heintz told him to bear down on a missed call. It's not a good sign about an ump's ability when I remember his name.
Top 8th - Beau Kemp took over on the mound for Syracuse, John Hattig moved to first, and Brad Hassey came in at 3rd. Kemp's fastball was around 91-92 MPH while mixing in some breaking balls at around 78-79. He gave John Hattig some infield practice as he induced 3 ground balls to the third baseman to come out of the inning. Still Scranton 5 Syracuse 4.
Bottom 8th - Jim Brower set down the side in order but I thought Syracuse was robbed of an infield hit or two by the first base ump. Jeff Duncan was thrown out by the catcher after dropping down a bunt and Wayne Lydon was nipped at the bag on a close play. The ump was really deliberate with his calls and seemed indecisive. From our upper deck seats on the 1st base side, the missus and I agree he missed at least one of those calls. However, Duncan and Lydon didn't argue.
Top 9th - Beau Kemp set down the Yankees in order to give the Chiefs a chance in the bottom half.
Bottom 9th - Russ Adams delivered his 4th hit of the day by blooping a double to center field off Jim Brower. Ryan Roberts failed to advance the runner as he grounded to 3rd. Next up was John-Ford Griffin. After striking out 3 times in an 0-for-4 afternoon, JFG delivered with a single to right to bring home a sliding Russ Adams to tie the game at 5-5. Griffin pumped his first afterwards, he needed that one! Griffin would be left at 1st as Chad Mottola, pinch hitting for Brad Hassey, fouled out. Lefty Charlie Manning relieved Brower and got John Hattig to fly out to end the frame. We're tied at 5-5, free baseball coming up.
Top 10th - With Chad Mottola manning 1st and John Hattig back at 3rd, Beau Kemp had a couple of base runners get on, with one of them stealing 2nd, but he kept Scranton off the scoreboard.
Bottom 10th - Ray Olmedo's 1 out single was all the Chiefs could generate off Charlie Manning.
Top 11th - Blaine Neal took over for Beau Kemp. He threw around 88-91 MPH fastballs with breaking balls around 82-84 MPH. He racked up two K's on the last two hitters he faced for a clean frame.
Bottom 11th - John-Ford Griffin got his 2nd single of the day with 2 out but Chad Mottola whiffed to end the inning.
Top 12th - Andy Phillips singled with 1 out against Neal but he would be stuck there as Neal struck out Shelley Duncan to end the inning with a 92 MPH heater to end the inning.
Bottom 12th - Down to the last inning on my scorecard and the future missus hoping to get to Target before the doors closed, it was clearly now or never for the Chiefs to win this thing! Lefty Ben Kozlowski was the new Scranton pitcher. His first batter was John Hattig, who lifted a fly ball to right center that was hung up in the wind for a bit. Center fielder Kevin Reese and right fielder Kevin Thompson could not decide who should catch the ball so they let it fall between them, allowing the hustling Guam bomb to reach third with a triple. Curtis Thigpen had a chance to be the hero but he grounded to 3rd with the infield drawn in for the first out. However, "Rayzor" Ray Olmedo picked up Thigpen by lifting a deep enough fly ball to left to score Hattig with the winning run. Chiefs Win! Chiefs Win! 6-5 in 12 innings.
Three Stars........
3. Beau Kemp- Only issued 1 walk in 3 innings of relief to keep the Chiefs in the game.
2. Blaine Neal - Only gave up 1 hit in 2 innings and punched out 3 batters and picked up a well deserved "W", 17 of his 21 pitches were strikes.
1. Russ Adams - 4-for-6, 2 doubles, 2 singles, 2 runs scored including the game tying marker.
Honourable mentions...
Ryan Roberts - 2 for 6 with 2 RBI
John-Ford Griffin- 2 for 6 and drove in the tying run John Hattig.
John Hattig - bounced back from a shaky game at the hot corner by hustling in for a triple and scoring the winning run, going 2-for-6 on the day. Also had to man 1st briefly after Kevin Barker's ejection.
Ray Olmedo - SF GWRBI, 1-for-4 with a walk and stolen base and had a strong game at short.
Jeff Duncan - bunt single, walk, run scored, went 1-for-4 officially.
Mike MacDonald - not a bad first start at Triple A. He threw 61 of 93 pitches for strikes but only struck out one batter in his 4 run, 5 inning performance. He just doesn't seem to have a reliable strikeout pitch.
Random Thoughts........
I know I was on record saying I didn't care for the SkyChiefs reverting back to their Chiefs nickname or their new logo but I've changed my mind. I really like it now! The train motif is pretty evident at the stadium with all the employees dressed up as conductors. They have a C Train logo, a train logo, and a conductor logo. The first two logos are on their caps and I hope they put the conductor logo on a cap eventually. It's a shoulder patch on the jersey right now.
Of course, the place was dominated by Yankees fans but the impression I got was that most people were still cheering for Syracuse regardless. I'm just glad it wasn't like the RC during a Jays-Yankees tilt.
The Chiefs really need to replace the astroturf and their main scoreboard pronto. That turf with all the soccer lines through it looks terrible and the scoreboard has some lights burned out and some that won't shut off. It may give Ottawa a run for the money as far as the worst scoreboard in the IL.
For those who haven't been to the "Bank", there is a manual out of town scoreboard for International League games as well as a MLB scoreboard for the Jays and the two New York teams. It's the neatest touch about the outfield wall but would it kill whoever's in charge of updating the scores to do it more than twice a game? There is a wonderful thing called the internet nowadays, Chiefs management should look into it.
I have adopted the NFH motto when it comes to buying souvenirs - only buy them after a victory. I was prepared to get a new Chiefs cap after Sunday's game but the "Whistle Stop" souvenir store was closed. Granted, it was a 12 inning game and there were not a whole lot of people left but wouldn't you think they'd keep the store open for a little bit longer? Wouldn't they capitalize on the fact that the team won a big game in extra innings and maybe some fans, as a result, will be in a good mood and buy some souvenirs? I guess Chiefs management didn't want to be on the hook to pay overtime to its employees. That wouldn't be the first time the Chiefs would be accused of not paying up, just ask the local government officials.
Regardless, it was an entertaining afternoon at the yard. I like watching the trains roll by beyond the outfield and the upper deck seats are pretty decent. For $5.00, you can't go wrong. It's no Frontier Field but it's not a bad park to go watch a game.
Finally, here are some pictures I took over the week-end. Granted, compared to NFH, my VORP (Value Over Replacement Photographer) is well in the minus range but some of them didn't turn out half-bad! Special thanks to Pistol for giving me the idea to post these photos on www.kodakgallery.com.
Thanks for reading!
