The game started well for Hickory on Friday, September 6. The Huskers jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff hitter Albert Chavez doubled and shortstop Pierre Moya followed with two-run homerun. Unfortunately, for the hometown nine, Hickory accumulated 51 outs over the next 17 innings without plating another run in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the mighty Seattle Monarchs.
Seattle tied the game in the top of the third inning, before the two sides settled down for a long, long pitchers duel. The Monarchs finally pushed across a run in the top of the 17th to claim the victory.
Seattle used nine pitchers and seven Husker hurlers took the hill. The loss went to Jeff Blevins, who had come up in the Seattle organization before signing a minor league deal this offseason with Hickory. The 16 pitchers combined for the following line:
34 IP, 17 hits, 5 runs (all earned), 7 walks, 20 Ks, 1.32 ERA.
The hitters posted a combined .148/.194/.200 batting line. Seattle's sole extra base hit was a meaningless double in the second inning. The two teams' #5 hitters (Lowell Maclin and Alan Callahan) had the worst line of the nights as a combined 0 for 13 with one walk.
All in all, Seattle may have won the game, but the two teams' pitchers were the clear victors on this night.
12,000 fans in the ballpark. None of them heard my cry.
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