Playoff round 2: 5th ranked Plug Uglies knock off #2 Isotopes, earn trip to final

Plug Ugly left fielder Chris Scanlon contemplates the American pastime and the Canada goose

Plug Uglies 6
Isotopes 3

WP: Greg Elbaum, Sv. Jeff Whitehead. LP: Gary Webber.

The Plug Uglies scored the upset victory over the upstart Isotopes Wednesday night at Szot Park in Chicopee, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the 9th to earn their second trip to the finals in 3 years.

They now wait for the winner of the Thursday game between the sixth-ranked Phillies versus the first-seed Wonders.

The Plugs broke out to a 3-0 lead after three, scoring one run in each of the first three innings on Isotope miscues. They extended the lead to 4-0 when Chris Scanlon led off the 4th by being hit by a pitch, moved to 3rd on a single to center by Bill Evans, and then scored on a single by Greg Elbaum.

Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the 5th, the Isotopes scored 2 runs to cut the deficit in half. David Leslie led off by being hit with a pitch, and Ken Young singled. Both runners moved up on a ground out, and then each scored on a John Harrington's infield groundout as the Plugs boxed the ball around for a bit before getting Harrington at first.

The Plugs scored two in top of the 7th when Jeff Whitehead doubled to right to score two.

The Isotopes went down fighting in the 9th, ultimately coming up short.
Leadoff hitter Steve Youngberg launched a booming sky-ball to left that sailed above the top of the light towers before falling in for a double. He scored on a single by Young to make it a 6-3 game.

The 'Topes loaded the bases with no outs. But after a strikeout for the first out, third baseman Morris "Mo" Partee came home on a grounder to force the runner for the second out. The game ended on a 4-6 force out at second.

Elbaum went 6 for the win, with Whitehead pitching the final three for the save. Isotopes starter Gary Webber went the distance in the loss.

The Phils meet the Wonders Thursday night at Szot, beginning at 6 p.m.

Playoff schedule

Round 1	Round 2	Final
Sun, 8/16, 4 pm	Weds 8/19, 5:45 pm
Goats 4 (5)	Plug Uglies 6
Plug Uglies 12 (3)	Isotopes 3 (2)
Whalley Field	Szot Park	Weds 8/26, 5:45 pm
Sat. 8/15, 4 pm	Thurs 8/20, 5:45 pm	final
Phils 12 (6)	Phils	Szot Park
Grays 8 (4)	Wonders (1)
Whalley Field	Szot Park