Went to The Triple-A Baseball Championship Tonight

Nelson Atwell · Sep 19, 2006

Had dinner with my daughter and a co-worker and his wife at Abuelos, and then took in the game. Perfect night for a baseball game, and the tickets were free too, courtesy of the Services Squadron at Tinker AFB. We were sitting five rows back from the third base line. Saw the OKC Hornets Honeybees as they were signing autographs. The game was on ESPN2.

You just can't beat good food, baseball, beautiful women, perfect weather and time spent with friends and family. Oh yeah, and cold beer too. Life in OKC is good.

Tucson 5, Toledo 2

JEFF LATZKE

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY - Micah Owings won his 13th straight decision and the Tucson Sidewinders broke open a close contest in the ninth inning, beating the Toledo Mud Hens 5-2 Tuesday night in the Triple-A championship game.

Juan Brito led off the fifth inning with a home run, a line drive into the left field bleachers that snapped a 1-1 tie and put the Sidewinders in front for good.

Brian Barden and Robby Hammock started the ninth with back-to-back singles, and Brito reached when third baseman Mike Hessman threw wildly to first after fielding his sacrifice bunt. Matt Erickson snapped an 0-for-20 slump with a two-run single, and Donnie Sadler added an RBI single to give Tucson a 5-1 lead.

Toledo's David Espinosa drove in Max St. Pierre with a two-out double in the ninth, but Mike Koplove got Dustan Mohr to line out to first to end the game.

The Sidewinders - the champions of the Pacific Coast League - gathered between first base and the pitcher's mound to celebrate their title with hugs and high-fives.

Owings gave up one run in five innings in his 22nd consecutive start without a loss. He won his final two decisions at Double-A Tennessee, and then went 10-0 after joining Tucson in June.

Tucson, the Arizona Diamondbacks' top minor league affiliate, staked Owings to a lead when Sadler led off the first inning with a triple to the gap in right-center. He scored on Scott Hairston's sacrifice fly to center.

Toledo, the International League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, tied it in the fourth when Ryan Raburn doubled down the left-field line and St. Pierre followed with an RBI single.

Mike Schultz followed Owings with two hitless innings of relief, and Koplove pitched two frames for the save.

Toledo starter Eulogio de la Cruz took the loss after giving up two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out three and walked three.

It's the first time there has been a Triple-A champion since Indianapolis beat Memphis in 2000 in the last of three best-of-five World Series between the Pacific Coast League and International League.

The championship game was reborn this season and will be played the next two seasons in Oklahoma City, the home of Texas' Triple-A affiliate.

Tommy VanNess · Sep 20, 2006

Nice, looks like fun.

Hal S · Sep 20, 2006

Big todo here in Tucson over the outcome.

TrainTrac · Sep 20, 2006

That's one thing I'll miss about leaving the Norfolk area. We loved going to the Tides games. Triple A baseball is great. Much cheaper than a MLB game, and I like the atmosphere of the smaller ballparks. I think I'll have to make a trip over to Indianapolis next summer when the Tides come to town.

A K · Sep 20, 2006

Dang International League. The Red Barons ran the regular season table, but because Philly is still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, the Phils took the Barons strengths and let the Barons falter in the IL playoffs. Such is minor league baseball.

Tim Turner · Sep 20, 2006

My family loves to go to minor league games when we go on family vacations in the summer. The Charleston Riverdogs out of Charleston, SC have been the most popular with us, but we've also gone to the Norfolk Tides games a few times, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and West Virginia Power.