Yankees edge Fleetwings 5-3

Landon Parker has big day, but the setting sun sets up a decisive 2-run 7th for NY.

By Steve Smull

    SCHERERSVILLE -- With the score tied entering the top of the seventh, a lost throw in the setting sun at first-base to start the frame led to two unearned runs for the Yankees,  and they held on to win 5-3 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 semifinals series.

    The margin of error for winning in this series is microscopic.

    Going into the seventh inning of Game 3, Part Deux, the Yankees and Fleetwings had split their four regular season meetings, split the first two games of this series, tied last night's original version of Game 3 and then were tied 3-3 in this game.

    Hard to get much tighter than that.

    And error is the operative word in "margin of error" for this game as the Fleetwings committed five of them, leading to their eventual demise.

    Although early in the game, a couple of Volpe's miscues did not hurt them.

    After Dan Hemberger (who went the distance for the Fleetwings) wriggled out of some first-inning trouble, he encountered some more problems in the top of the second. Marshall Garger reached on an error to start the inning. He was promptly erased at second base on a tailor-made double-play ball, but the throw to first sailed high, enabling J.R. Graver to take second base. After a walk, strikeout and another walk loaded the bases, Hemberger got a ground-out to end the threat.

    The Yankees would go on to strand seven baserunners through the first three innings. But another Volpe's miscue in the fourth would give the Yankees a run.

    Pinch-hitter Mike Venarchick got a one-out walk and Landon Parker singled to left to put runners on first and second. A grounder to third ended up being a force-play at second base, but when a snap throw behind the runner at third got away, the Yankees took a 1-0 lead.

    The Yankees would get a "clean" run in the fifth as Jeremy Faust lined a one-out single to left. One out later, Graver singled and then Ryan Birkenstock lofted a shallow, sinking fly-ball to center-field that a diving Mike Cudwaddie just missed hauling in, scoring courtesy runner Dan Johnson and it was 2-0 Yankees.

    The Fleetwings looked to get at least one run back in the bottom half of the fifth as Justin Godusky and Jeremy Arner ripped singles to start the inning. But a failed bunt attempt led to a strikeout and instead of a ground-ball to shortstop scoring a run to make it a 2-1 game, Graver started a 6-6-3 twin-killing to end the frame.

    Parker then stepped to the plate to start the sixth and launched a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.

    But the Fleetwings, who have had numerous late-inning postseason come-back victories, answered immediately in the home half of the sixth.

    Scott Garger, Cudwaddie and Ben Swatsky all singled to start the inning to load the bases. Scott Matejicka then lofted a fly-ball that ended up in foul territory down the right-field line that Parker hauled in with a nice running catch. Garger scored on the sac fly to make it 3-1, and when the throw into the infield skipped out of play, Cudwaddie scored from second base and Swatsky moved up to third base and the Yankees' lead was cut to 3-2. Dave Toth's grounder to second scored Swatsky and the game was suddenly tied at 3-3.

    Then came the fateful seventh for the Fleetwings.

    Faust led off the seventh for the Yankees and he hit a grounder between short and third, which Godusky cut off, scooped up and threw accurately to first, where Matejicka stepped out of the way as the sun had obviously gotten in his eyes for a two-base error. Matejicka would say after the game that when he got to first base on the play, he could not even see Godusky, let alone the moving baseball.

    Another Fleetwings' miscue followed on the next play and it was not even one of their five errors in the contest.

    Dave Sandt pinch hit to lay down a sacrifice bunt, which he did perfectly, but the Fleetwings tried to nail Faust at third base, which would have worked if it was a force play, but Faust clearly beat the tag and the Yankees were in business with runners on the corners and nobody out.

    Graver followed with a sharp single to left and it was 4-3 Yankees. After a fielder's choice and a pop-up to first, Parker then came up big again with his third hit of the contest, a single to left, scoring Graver for a big insurance run to make it 5-3 Yankees. With runners on the corners, Parker stole second, but a strikeout ended the inning.

    Yankees' pitcher J.D. Wyborny, who went the distance without allowing a walk, gave up a single to Adam Ganser in the seventh and nothing else to earn the victory.

    "These games are dog-fights against this team," said Northern Yankees manager Brian Polaha, who still did not feel safe even after his team went up two runs in the top of the seventh. "I wanted those last two runners that we stranded on second and third in the seventh. We left a lot of guys on base."

     The Yankees left 12 on base, to be exact, which was a bit disconcerting to Polaha, who has seen the Fleetwings beat him many times late in games the past few seasons. The game that was undoubtedly still fresh in Polaha's mind was a June 17, 2007 tilt at Scherersville #5 last season where the Fleetwings erased a 4-0 seventh-inning deficit to win 5-4 against the Yankees.

    "They have a veteran team and are accustomed to being in the playoffs every year," said Polaha. "They never panic and they don't get rattled."

    But Volpe's did commit five errors and failed to execute on other plays Wednesday night.

    "We played a very sloppy game," said Fleetwings' player/manager Jeremy Arner. "They can hit the ball. So when you make mistakes with them, they can make you pay."

    And the Yankees did just that for the victory.

    But the good thing about baseball is that there is usually another game right around the corner to regain momentum. And fortunately for the Fleetwings, they will be right back on the field on Thursday for Game 4, hoping to keep their season alive.

    "We don't expect to lose three games in a row," said Arner. "We'll come ready to play."

    For the Yankees (28-8-2), Parker finished 3-for-4 with a home run and Graver was 2-for-4. For Volpe's (26-9-1), Garger finished 2-for-4 and Cudwaddie was 2-for-2.