ONE DAY MORE...ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DESTINY!!!

Nelson Figueroa wins game by himself to setup "One Game Playoff"

Nelson Figueroa had a 2 hitter going through 7 full innings last night in Indianapolis. The Barons and Indians were deadlocked through six innings with the Barons scattering 6 hits and the Indians only having reached once via basehit. In the 7th inning Nelson scored a run to give us a 1-0 lead. He reached base on a double and was driven in by Reggie Taylor who singled up the middle. Figueroa allowed a hit in the 7th but no runs as the Barons turned a 6-4-3 to end it. In the top of the 8th, with one out, Jimmy Rollins hit a double over Lyle Mouton's head which prompted Kent Westling to make a crack about Rick Muntean's weight. Kent said that Mouton weighs 240, and while that's extremely hard for Rick to carry around, Lyle is a professional athlete. WOW, that's low! David Newhan followed up with a base hit! Jimmy Rollins was waved in, but was thrown out at the plate by Kurt Bierek. P.J. Forbes came up short in a homerun bid and the inning was halted.

Chris Pritchett came in to play 1st base for the bottom of the 8th. Figueroa continued his mastery by striking out Fernandez. Pickler then hit a single and Brad Tyler came in to pinch-hit. Nelson sat him down, his 8th strikeout victim of the night. This brought up the dangerous Santiago Perez with the tying run on base. Perez grounded out to David Newhan and the Red Barons were 3 outs away from evening the series!

In the Barons ninth, Fausto popped out and Figueroa slammed his 2nd hit of the night to left field. Indy's manager Steve Smith came out to remove Reggie Harris. Tom Fordham came in to face Taylor. Nelson got thrown out trying to advance to 2nd on a pitch in the dirt and Reggie popped out to 3rd. This sent us to the most nerveracking inning of the 2000 season. Here it was, pitch-by-pitch:

Nelson Figueroa was still on to start the 9th. The first Indianapolis hitter was Chris Jones. Swung on and missed! Strike one! ...in there for a strike! 0-2! ...a little dribbler for a foul...swung and fouled off to the right...a little looper toward Rollins OVER HIS HEAD A BASE HIT...
The next hitter was Lyle Mouton. ...Fastball at the knees for a strike...bouncing ball to Rollins! goes to second for the lead man, out, no relay throw!
The next hitter was Kurt Bierek. ...soft curve is a strike... a bouncing ball foul toward Pritchett at first...Figueroa's pitch, HE STRUCK HIM OUT!!!!
The next hitter was my sworn enemy Creighton Gubanich. ...stretches, throws, SWUNG ON AND MISSED! A big breaking ball... Wide, 1 ball and 1 strike...soft curve, IN THERE! 1 and 2 the count...check swing, bouncing ball to 2nd! Newhan has it!!! WE'LL HAVE A GAME 5!!! BARONS WIN!!! BARONS WIN! 1-0!!!