[Alsfastball] Aurora Leghorns Defeat Toronto Champion Indians: Martin bests Patterson in classic pitching duel,

[Al Doran]

Toronto, Ontario.

On a beautiful September evening the Aurora Leghorns travelled
to the legendary Dieppe Park
to take on the Toronto Champion Indians in the first game of
a best-of-three semi-final in the 
Oshawa City and District League play-offs.

Before a rather large and raucous pro-Indian crowd the Leghorns
came away with a 1-0  
8 inning victory thanks to the right arm of Todd Martin.

Martin, formerly of the ISC's Farm Tavern, was dominant from
the outset.  
He gave up 6 hits, 5 of the infield variety.    Martin struck
out 18 while issuing no walks.
What made Martin's effort even more remarkable was the fact that
he had been battling a virus for 
the better part of a week and could hardly keep any food down.
 He even passed up a beer!

Hard luck loser was Grant Patterson, who took over from an ailing
Tom Berube in the 4th.  
Patterson gave up no hits in his four and two-thirds innings
but was the victim of the dreaded 
'lead-off walk' in the 8th.

Aurora's second sacker Steven Paul led off the 8th with the walk.
 
With one out Steven took off for second.  The Indians catcher,
either guessing 
correctly or picking the signs of 3rd base coach, called for
a pitch out.  
Unfortunately for the Indians, his throw sailed into centrefield.
 The centrefielder, 
in an effort to pick up the ball quickly and make a play at third,
overran the ball and the quick-footed Paul 
scored all the way from first for the game's only run.

Patterson and Berube combined to strike out 19 (Patterson 13,
Berube 6) and gave up only 1 hit.

Offensively for the Indians, Don Burnett and Jamie Murchison
had two hits each while the Leghorns' 
only hit was a double off the bat of leftfielder Ricky Green.
Don Burnett was the only player on either side not to strike
out.

Game 2 of this semi-final will go tonight, September 23 at 8:00pm
in Aurora 
(half an hour North of Toronto).   For those interested and in
the vicinity, James Lloyd Park is 
located on Stone Rd.  just South of the Aurora Rd. and Bayview
intersection.

Although both managers were keeping their cards close to their
chest, rumours abound that the 
pitching matchup for tonight's contest will be Martin and Patterson
again.

Game 3, if necessary, will be at Dieppe on Tuesday September
28.

Regards,
Paul Papulkas

Als Fastball List
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