Miami Division Bests Buckeye Division 9-4

  The best MVABL players took to the field Sunday afternoon, July 31, at Fifth Third Field for the 2011 All-Star Game. The Miami Division, comprised of players from the Athletics, Rangers, Royals, Indians, Shockers, Tigers, and Thunder defeated the Buckeye Division, which included members of the Sox, Slammers, Cardinals, Redlegs, Bats, Mariners, and Blue Jays, by a score of 9-4.

Athletics starter Joey Watson was called into duty on the mound, as Indians’ Matt Spradlin was scratched due to a sore shoulder. Watson held his own over three scoreless innings of work, allowing two hits and striking out one, as the Miami Division took an early 1-0 lead. Tigers second baseman Ryan Smith led off the second inning with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Shockers catcher Thomas Fluty sacrificed Smith over to the third with one out before Rangers first baseman Shawn Schmitt laced an RBI single to plate Smith with the first run of the game.

The Miami team built a 2-0 lead in the fourth off of Sox starter Jon Venters. Fluty led off the 4^th inning with a double. Schmitt singled to put runners on the corner. Royals outfielder Kevin Reynolds then laced a sharp grounder to second baseman Darren Himsworth of the Cardinals who made an outstanding play to get to the ball in the hole and turn and force Schmitt out at second. Meanwhile, Fluty scored to make it a 2-0 game.

The Miami squad opened up the scoring in the fifth inning as A’s third baseman Kyle Combs doubled and Shockers centerfielder Matt Stiffler followed with a two-run home run to right field. Spradlin singled with one out. Watson followed with a pop fly that was misplayed. With two outs, Shockers outfielder Taylor Hause doubled home Spradlin, and as the relay throw was mishandled, Watson scampered home to finish off the four-run inning. The visitors made it 8-0 in the top of the sixth as Stiffler doubled home Combs, and Spradlin singled in Stiffler.

A’s reliever Jared Ramsey got into a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the sixth after loading the bases on a pair of walks and a single by Slammers outfielder Deane Grandfield. Bats second baseman Forrest Wright drew a walk to force in Sox CF Phil Kosier with the first run of the game for the Buckeye Division. The Miami side got the run back in the top of the seventh as Royals OF Chris Jergens doubled and stole third base before Combs came through with his fourth hit of the afternoon to make it a 9-1 ballgame.

The Buckeye squad chipped away in the last couple innings. Cardinals catcher Zach Hembree doubled home Kosier in the 8^th inning to bring the score to 9-2. The lone highlight for the home team came after Forrest Wright doubled to start the bottom of the ninth. Mariners’ Gabe Thomas was asked during the HR Derby to fill in the All-Star roster spot vacated by teammate Dan Holtzman who succumbed to an injury the night before. Gabe obliged and promptly came in to pinch hit in the ninth and tattooed an Aaron Lawson fastball deep over the Dragons Lair in left field for a two-run home run.

The Miami Division was led offensively by Stiffler’s three hits, including a double and a home run and 3 RBIs. Kyle Combs added a 4-for-5 night with two runs scored, an RBI, and a double. Matt Spradlin was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a run and an RBI in his first All-Star game. Shawn Schmitt and Chris Estepp were the other multi-hit performers for the Miami team. The Buckeye Division did not have a single batter with multiple hits, but Gabe Thomas added 2RBIs to his stat sheet. Joey Watson picked up the win and Jon Venters suffered the loss.

NOTES from the Game:

- Since 2004, Gabe Thomas is the only All-Star to have homered in more than one All-Star Game. Thomas also homered in the 2004 game at Miamisburg H.S.

- Taylor Hause has doubled in all 3 of his All-Star Game appearances. Hause is 6-for-11 in three All-Star games.

- The Redlegs' Brad Clark has the longest active streak of All-Star appearances as he attended his 5th straight game.

- Redlegs' teammate Jacob Robinson is the only other player on this year's roster with 5 All-Star appearances.

- Veterans Shawn Schmitt (Rangers) and Rick Anderson (Slammers) each appeared in their 4th ASG.

- 18 of the 36 players on the All-Star rosters played in the event for the very first time.

- 3 head coaches played in the game: Rick Anderson (Slammers), Jacob Robinson (Redlegs), Thomas Fluty (Shockers).

Matt Stiffler took home Offensive Player of the Game honors with his 3-for-5 night including a double, home run and 3 RBIs.

The Defensive Player award was practically decided early in the game as Jacob Robinson sprawled out for a diving snag of a Kevin Reynolds’ liner to right field in the second inning.

Previous All-Star Award winners: MVP – David Moss (Thunder) 2010; Taylor Hause (Shockers) 2009; Brennan Glass (Sox) 2008; Chris Tabler (Sox) 2007; Gabe Thomas (Woodpeckers) 2005; Ron Runyon (Royals) 2004

Defense – SS Brian Duffy (Royals) 2010; Steve Dunlap (fan) 2009; P Dustin Lacy (Sox) 2008; SS Jacob Robinson (Rangers) 2007; P Toby Stewart (Woodpeckers) 2005; SS Mike Leach (Astros) 2004

Results of the 2010 HR Derby:

Thirty participants took their shot at the title of HR Derby King. This year’s format saw two players from each team competing in one round, with a wild card tandem including HeroBox CEO Ryan Housley. Ten players hit home runs, but only one person was talented enough to hit 4 home runs, and that was Aaron Lawson of the Springfield Indians. In fact, the duo of Lawson and teammate Jason Moore combined to hit 7 home runs, three more long balls than the next closest pair. Here is the list of those players that hit home runs during the Derby with their totals: Brandon Ward (Sox) 2, Jason Holmberg (Royals) 2, Chris Jergens (Royals) 2, Josh Jaynes (Bats) 2, Forrest Wright (Bats) 1, Matt Stiffler (Shockers) 2, Chris Ranstead (Mariners) 2, Ryan Housley (HeroBox) 2.