Trappers Make Use of Earl Weaver Baseball to Sweep Mountain Men

Commish Office --- Today, the North Bay Trappers became the second team since the Sao Paulo Tri Color to repeat as Belted Deep Champion. The Trappers, taking a page out of the Earl Weaver strategy guide, used the 3 run home run in three of the games to sweep the Mountaineers, who were making their first appearance. Jim Edmonds was named series MVP going 9 for 14, scoring 6 times, knocking in 6 with 2 doubles and 2 homeruns. This MVP was particularly special to Edmonds, as had a disastrous season in 2005, only hitting .206 but adding 30 HR. Congratulations goes out to all teams as they look forward to BDB 2006 to see if any team can prevent the Trappers from becoming the first three peat winner. Also of note, is that this was the first series played live with both owners being present for the series.

Game 1: Trappers 9, Mountaineers 2. The Trappers wasted no time getting on the board, managing to score 5 times in the bottom of the first, aided by JD Drew's 3 run home run. The Trapper hitters did not quit after the first inning, cruising to a convincing 9-2 victory. The Trappers hit four home runs in the contest, including Jason Giambi, Travis Hafner and Lance Berkman. Johan Santana earned the win, going 8 strong innings, striking out 10 whole only allowing 2 runs.

For Half Moon Bay, Hideki Matsui gave all his fans in Japan something to cheer about, as he went 3 for 3, with a home run and scoring 2 runs. Carlos Zambrano got tagged with the loss, his third of the post season.

Game 2: Trappers 13, Mountaineers 4. Again, the Trappers used the three run home run to put away the Mountaineers as Jim Edmonds hit one in the first inning and Mike Piazza in the 4th to give North Bay a 2-0 series lead. Also adding Homeruns was Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi. Edmonds and Piazza both knocked in 4 runs each int he contest. AJ Burnett coasted to an easy win, going 7 innings, giving up only 5 hits and walking 4. He also struck out 3 hitters.

For Half Moon Bay, the loss went to Doug Davis, who did not make it out of the second inning. For the Mountaineers, veteran Larry Walker went deep, going 2 for 3 in the game and knocking in two, and Morgan Ensberg also hit his first dinger of the season. The series now moves to Half Moon Bay for the next three games.

Game 3: Trappers 8, Mountaineers 5. In what was a closer contest, the Trappers managed to stake themselves to a 3 win series lead in front of a very loud Half Moon Bay crowd. The Trappers were unable to get them out of the game until the top of the 8th and 9th inning where they managed to score 2 runs in each inning. The Mountaineers did not go down easy however, scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth to give their fans some unmanageable stress.

Barry Zito pitched a fine game until running out of gas in the last inning. Zito struck out 9 batters in the game and only gave up 5 hits. In what was becoming an easy game, Trevor Hoffman was needed to put out the fire before Half Moon Bay got any closer. Jason Giambi and Jim Edmonds both hit their second home runs of the series.

Josh Beckett pitched a great game in a losing cause, going 7 innings, striking out 8 and scattering 9 hits. Al Reyes was unable to hold the Trapper offense, giving up 4 runs in less than 2 innings pitched. Johnny Gomes hit a HR for Half Moon Bay. Placid Polanco went 2 for 4 at the plate.

Game 4: Trappers 6, Mountaineers 2. Using the three run home run again, the Trappers jumped out to a quick first inning lead as Alex Rodriguez hit his second home run of the series. Joe Blanton, the rookie in his first post season start, threw a solid 8 innings, giving up two runs and giving up 8 hits. Travis Hafner aided the Trapper offense by going 2 for 5.

The only thing the Mountaineers were able to muster was two solo shots by Bobby Abreu and Morgan Ensberg (his second of the series). Carlos Silva was handed the loss, unable to stop the vaunted Trapper offense, giving up 4 runs in 5 innings pitched. Derek Jeter went 2 for 5 in a losing cause.