The Danville Braves defeated the Elizabethton Twins 5-0 and sweep the best-of-3 series two games to none!
From our friends at the Danville Braves:
On the strength Matt Crim’s four-hit complete game shutout, the Danville Braves won the 2009 Appalachian League title with a 5-0 win over the Elizabethton Twins in Game 2 of the Championship Series. It is the Braves’ second-ever title and their first since 2006, capping a season in which they won 47 regular season games and led the East Division for all but three days.
The Braves tallied a trio of runs in the third inning all with the help of an error by Elizabethton second baseman Reggie Williams. Jordan Kreke and L.V. Ware singled to start the inning and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Mycal Jones.
Matt Weaver stroked a line drive to the left side, but shortstop Brian Dozier robbed the Braves of at least one run with a perfect diving stab in the hole. Cory Harrilchak’s walk loaded the bases, though, for Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg, who grounded to second. Williams, though bobbled the slow-roller, allowing Spanjer-Furstenburg to reach and Kreke and Ware to score. Osman Marval singled in Harrilchak to make it 3-0.
Crim (1-0) did not need any more than that, as he surrendered just four hits over his nine dazzling innings. He walked one and struck out five in the championship performance. At one point, the Braves’ left-hander retired 11 in a row.
The Braves added a run in the fifth on Osman Marval’s second straight RBI single. Danville tallied one more in the seventh as Harrilchak doubled with one down to start the rally. Spanjer-Furstenburg grounded to shortstop, but the throw went a little wide and first baseman Michael Gonzalez dropped the ball as he tried to apply the tag on Spanjer-Furstenburg. All of this allowed Harrilchak to score all the way from second.
With arms revving up in the ‘pen, D-Braves manager Paul Runge stuck with Crim for the ninth inning. He surrendered a one-out double to Tobias Streich, but Crim got Gonzalez to fly out to Ware in center and struck out Anderson Hidalgo swinging to send the Braves to their second championship in four years.
Crim allowed just six baserunners on the night and only one reached third base. Twins starter Edgar Ibarra (0-1) took the loss, surrendering four runs (one earned) on seven hits.
Marval led the way offensively with two hits and two RBI. Six other Braves tallied a hit in the game. Harrilchak scored a pair of runs and stole a base.
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