8

After three cautious starts due to pitch count restrictions, he hadn't exactly swept me off my feet. He had given up three earned runs in five innings in each of them. But this was the day that changed all that.

It was a soggy Sunday evening at the Joe. There was a one hour, thirteen minute rain delay before the game started and it stayed cloudy. The rain had cooled the air to 71°, a quite unusual drop in temperature for this time of year in Huntsville at this time of day, but with the wind coming from the north, it was actually quite comfortable.

It became anything but an ordinary evening as the game transpired. The Stars, who had been on a five-game roll against Mobile, had few scoring opportunities. Mobile had picked up a pitching prospect the Red Sox had given up on a month earlier in a four-player deal. Once a 95 mph fastball pitcher, all he had going for him now was a plus-plus changeup. But the Stars had never seen him before, and the results weren't satisfying. Brad Baker had the Stars under his spell for seven innings, giving up just two hits, scattering three other baserunners. The Stars had their best chance in the 2nd inning when they had runners on first and second with one out, but Jason Fox struck out on a 3-2 pitch and .170-hitting Todd West fouled out.

But if Baker was tough, Ben Hendrickson was tougher.

Ben had not allowed a hit, walking just two batters. Mobile found themselves in a situation with two runners on in the 1st inning, thanks in part to an error by Keith Luuloa, but it became inconsequential. He retired 12 batters in a row until he walked Luis Lorenzana on four pitches in the 5th, then four more mowed down, thanks to Keith Luuloa, who climbed the ladder to snag Ben Risinger's liner in the 6th.

The unknowledgeable fans who came to the park were critical of Kremblas when he removed Ben from the game, but he had thrown 86 pitches. According to Kremblas, "... it was time to get him out of there on a good note."

It was a good note that would turn sour.

Doug Dent and Jack Krawczyk had kept the no-hitter alive until Mobile's leadoff hitter, Bobby Scales beat out a Baltimore chop over the head of Mike Penney for an infield single. Scales managed to reach third --- the first time anyone in this game had done that, but no damage was done.

Everyone was on the edge of their seat now, with the game still scoreless in the bottom of the 9th. It was about to become nail-biting to the nth degree. Bryan Gaal was the new pitcher for Mobile.

A leadoff walk to Pete Zoccolillo on five pitches was followed by a double to left-center by Lance Burkhart. Bill Scott was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Nobody out and the bases loaded. All the Stars needed was a fly ball to the outfield. Up stepped right-hander Jeff Deardorff, fresh off a .313 June, but 1-for-11 in the Mobile series. Still a player on his way to a 19-HR season who could do some damage. Mobile manager Craig Colbert brought the infield in on the corners, but Jeff was up there to swing and swing he did --- nothing but air on a 1-2 pitch.

But there's still only one out and a fly ball still gets Zoc home. Jason Fox, hitting less than a buck and a half was up. On the bench, Frank Kremblas had Jared Mathis, who had been in many clutch situations before and could come through once in awhile. IMHO, he would have been the one I would have sent to the plate. Ryan Knox and Cristian Guerrero were already out of the game.

Colbert brings his infield in, and for good measure, brings in the left fielder, too. A squeeze is written all over the diamond. The third baseman and is so close, he could be sharing dinner with Humberto Quintero at the plate. The outfield looks like the Great Divide and I'm thinking, "Jason. Just find your pitch and take one good swing and it's all over!"

Nope. Kremblas for some reason wanted to go by the book. He gave the signal to bunt. Fox got it down, but it died right in front of the plate. Quintero came in just a few feet, made an easy tag on Zoccolillo coming in, and a routine throw to first for an inning-ending double play.

Some of the fans I know from the Booster Club, who never particularly cared for Krem's aggressive, sometimes reckless style of managing, were climbing the walls, red with anger, and so was I. It's just my opinion, but I think it was the dumbest move he ever made in two years. (Is it going on three now?) The first mistake was not going to the bench to get Mathis, who could play any position when you needed the pitcher to hit in the number 9 hole, if it came to that, and the odds at the moment were in the Stars' favor. Then .150 average or no, every Mobile player on the diamond was ready to climb inside Fox's uniform. Awfully tempting it must have been to disobey Krem's orders and whack that pill.

In any event, the Stars' golden opportunity was over. Darren Blakely and Ben Johnson hit back-to-back HRs off Penney to start the top of the 10th. Cliff Bartosh came in to close the deal and register his 9th save. The Stars fell to 11-11 in the 2nd half. Mobile likewise.

Out of the Huntsville players who appeared in this game, only Ryan Knox and Ben Hendrickson are still in the organization. Jeff Deardorff will most likely playing for the Yankees' Triple-A farm club, Jason Fox was released a month later, and Cliff Bartosh, who picked up the save for Bryan Gaal, will play for the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A farm club at Buffalo this year. 

This game became my pick as the best game of 2002.

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