The 2001 Dodgers - Game Reports

Championship Series
Game 2
Dodgers 14 - A's 3

The Dodgers won their third consecutive city championship crown in convincing fashion Wednesday, bettering the A's 14-3 in 5 innings. The game was shortened by an inning due to the 10 run rule.

The visiting Dodgers got out of the gate quickly. Keith Neuberger led off with a double down the left field line. After Trevor Foss walked, Tanner Davis hit a sacrifice fly to score Neuberger. Foss scored on a single by Sam Markham who was driven in on a triple by Matt Weaver. Chris Petranek hit a 2-1 pitch up the middle for a single driving in Weaver. Cam Hanson doubled to deep center field to score Petranek. Bryant Richards ended the scoring for the inning hitting a deep double of his own to drive in Hanson.

The A's responded with a single run in their half of the first on a two out double by Mitch Karleski and a single by George Cullen. Isaac Smith grounded into a force to end the inning for the A's.

The Dodgers extended their lead to 9-1 by scoring three more runs in the second inning. Brian Crawford led off the inning and was safe on an error. He scored on a double by Neuberger. After Trevor Foss was safe on another error, Sam Markham drove in Foss and Neuberger on a double to left center.

Brandon Coakley got things started for the A's in the second inning leading off with a double to left center. After a strike out, Ben Gartland singled to center pushing Coakley to third. The Dodgers then caught the A's off guard on a perfectly executed defensive play to end the A's threat. Gartland attempted to steal on the first pitch to Bobby Reise. Catcher Trevor Foss threw a strike to shortstop Tanner Davis who met Gartland in front of second base for the first out, and then caught Coakley, who broke late, in a run down between third and home. Third baseman Cam Hanson quickly got the ball to Foss who gunned Coakley down on his way back to third.

The offense settled down for a bit with neither team scoring in the third. The Dodgers had a chance to put the game away in the fourth when Matt Weaver hit a two out, two strike, two run home run over the center field fence to put the Dodgers up 11-1. But, the A's chipped into the lead scoring twice with some timely hitting and some ill advised defensive decisions by the Dodger fielders. With the bases loaded and two out, the A's had a chance to get back in the game when Ben Yaucher hit a sharp ground ball just inside the first base line. With the defense set up for Yaucher to go the other way, it looked like the bases would be cleared before right fielder Nick Dawald would have a chance to run the ball down. However, first baseman Matt Weaver reached back and snagged the ball that was already past him and beat Yaucher to first to end the threat.

The Dodgers put the game away in the fifth, scoring three times to go up 14-3. The inning was highlighted by Bryant Richards' second double of the game and some nifty base running by Mike Hanson who got on base in both plate appearances in the game.

Matt Weaver then officially made it his day, working through the heart of the A's batting order without allowing a run. Ben Furhmann hit a soft line drive to first on Weaver's first pitch of the inning. Weaver then sangwiched a walk to George Cullen between a pair of strikeouts to end the game and give the Dodgers their third straight title.