posted September 5, 2008
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Todd Redmond (here pitching at AT&T Field) has been named the 2008 Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher. |
Two of the best hurlers in the Southern League faced off Thursday night at Regions Park in Birmingham, AL. Mississippi’s Todd Redmond took on Birmingham’s Justin Cassel, the Southern League’s ERA champion in game one of this best-of-five divisional series. Both pitchers were phenomenal, but in the end it was Redmond who got the upper hand.
Thursday night Redmond scattered five hits over eight scoreless innings while fanning nine and surrendering zero walks. Redmond earned his 14th win of the season and his first of the playoffs.
The M-Braves were able to plate a run in the top of the ninth. With the two teams locked in a scoreless tie, Kala Ka’aihue led off the top of the ninth with a single to left-center. It was only the Braves second hit of the game. Quentin Davis came in to pinch-run and he
moved to second on a sac-bunt by Jordan Schafer. Willie Cabrera then ripped a double through the third baseman that scored Davis from second with the game’s only run.
Cassel also threw eight scoreless innings, but he surrendered only one hit while fanning seven. He did walk five in the outing.
Mississippi and Birmingham will face off again Friday night in Game Two of this best-of-five series. The Braves will send righty Tommy Hanson to the hill against Birmingham’s lefty Aaron Poreda.
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In the North Division, the Carolina Mudcats moved to within one win of their fourth Southern League Championship Series appearance, destroying first-half champ West Tenn 11-2 on Thursday night at Pringles Park to take a commanding two games to none lead in the best of five series.
Carolina assaulted Jason Thorpe for four runs on three hits in the top of the first inning to set the tenor for the game. Gaby Sanchez collected his first extra base hit of the season against West Tenn pitching in his 35th at-bat, doubling in John Raynor, who had reached on an infield single. Later in the inning, Thorpe walked consecutive hitters to force in a second run before Chris DeLaCruz drilled a two-run double to left-center to give starter Aaron Thompson a 4-0 lead before he made his first pitch.
Thompson permitted a two-run double to slugger Mike Wilson in the first inning, then blanked the Diamond Jaxx over the balance of his five-inning start. West Tenn was only 1-9 in clutch situations against Thompson over his outing.
For the second straight game, the Mudcats bullpen was stalwart. In the two road victories, Carolina's relievers have worked eight scoreless innings allowing just four hits.
Carolina will have its first opportunity to advance to the Southern League Championship Series on Saturday night, eyeing a three-game sweep of West Tenn. Brett Sinkbeil (5-9, 5.02) will start against Luis Munoz (1-2, 5.83) at 6:15 PM ET.
) Photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo) Carolina's Gaby Sanchez (here hitting at AT&T Field) has been named the 2008 Southern League's Most Valuable Player. |
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