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THE 2005 STAUB CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES -

COMPLETE 7 GAME SUMMARY

As befitting the legendary divisional rivalry within Dawson since the CBA's inception,

between Jeff Boutet's Limoilou Wendigo and Dennis Concepcion's Longue-Pointe Loggers,

now in their second season after seven years as CBA founder Claude Lamarre's original

Hitmen, one can expect only the best and most exciting action both on the field, on the

mound, and at the plate.

The 2005 Staub Championship Series, with the winner being crowned as the Conference's

representative in the 9th CBA World Series, not only showcased the talents of these perennial

opponents, but somehow managed to intensify the managing and game play as well.

Each team had a lion's share of moments of elation and heartbreak that ranged from the

unbelievable (Ramon Hernandez 3-run blast in the 9th inning of Game 1, and Jayson Werth's

13th inning 2-run shot to end Game 2), to the improbable (2 pairs of back-to-back 1st inning

homers by Hillenbrand & Sosa, and then Monroe & Martinez off the HR-stingy Jason Schmidt

in Game 6), from the comedic (Third base Coach John Boccabella waving Hillenbrand in to

score a critical run in Game 3), to the tragic (Jason Michael's dual errors costing Game 7).

This was a Series filled with high drama and amazing action:

Game 1: The Loggers break out to an early lead with Zambrano on the mound against

Curt Schilling, outpacing Lim after 7 1/2 innings with a secure 9-2 margin. An 8th inning

bullpen implosion by the normally reliable Logger tandem of Tucker & Calero and clutch Wendigo

hitting dissolves the 7-run margin to a single tally. In the 9th, Calero walks two of the first three

Wendigo he faces. All it takes is one pitch from closer Jorge Julio to yield both a dramatic

Wendigo 11-9 victory AND their first lead in the game with Hernandez's walk-off clout.

Lim-11, LP-9

WENDIGO LEADS 1-0

Game 2: The Wendigo's "It ain't over til its over" season-long approach is plainly evident here.

After being down 7-2 after 7 1/2 innings, Lim scores 3 runs in 8th, ties the game in the 9th,

surrenders the lead run in the top of the 12th. In the Limoilou 12th, facing Andy Pettitte, Game 1

nemesis Ramon Hernandez doubles, scores on a Cristian Guzman single, and then pinch hitter

Jayson Werth, batting a mere .125 after the Montreal Royals Round 1 series, proves that

Limoilou lightning CAN strike twice as he lofted his own 2-run walk-off shot to give the

Mighty Wendigo a 10-8 victory and a commanding 2-0 SCCS lead. Lim-10, LP-8.

WENDIGO LEADS 2-0

Game 3: The scene switches to Molson Yards after a day off with Lim's Jason Schmidt locked

in a scoreless duel with Logger Kelvim Escobar until the top of the 6th inning. After Jeff Kent

reaches 1st after a strikeout wild pitch similar to Mickey Owen and Tommy Henrich in 1941,

Kent steals second base and comes around to score on yet another Hernandez RBI.

The Loggers tie it in the 7th on some daring Hideki Matsui basestealing (1SB for entire CBA2005)

and clutch pinch hitting by Frank Menechino. The Loggers finally get their 1st win on the strength

of a very close call at the plate involving a Sammy Sosa single, a chugging Shea Hillenbrand,

and a singular traffic control job by third base coach John Boccabella. Final score: LP-2, Lim-1.

WENDIGO LEADS 2-1

Game 4: Its a rematch of Game 1 starters Schilling and Zambrano. A nagging severe cough

from manager Concepcion seems to also have hit starting catcher Jason Kendall, who is subbed

at the last instant by back-up Doug Mirabelli. Normally used throughout the season as a pinch hitter,

Dougie single handedly demolishes the Wendigo moundsmen going 3 for 4, with 1 run scored and

3 RBI. He was batting an astounding playoff .646 avg. at game's end. Lost in the stellar performance

by Mirabelli was Staub 2005 and newly-crowned All-Time CBA Batting Champion Ichiro's

routine 3 for 4, and awesome .348 avg. A Nomar solo homerun in the 6th proved to be the winning

margin. Despite homers by Thome and Ramon "There's That Man" Hernandez, Zambrano went

all the way to notch his first victory this series and bring the Loggers up even overall. LP-4, Lim-3.

WENDIGO & LOGGERS TIED 2-2

Game 5: The rubber match at Longue-Pointe and their fans' hope for a 3-game sweep was decisively

shattered as the Wendigo reverted to the winning form they had shown in Games 1 & 2 by pulling

away in the late innings to defeat C.C. Sabathia and the Loggers by the score of 7 to 2. Knuckler

Tim Wakefield held the Loggers to a pair of runs tallied in the first inning and the rest of the Wendigo

bullpen denied them any further scoring by stranding 10 Loggers on base. Limoilou runs were

provided by Cristian Guzman who went 4 for 4, 1 HR, 1 RBI and 3 runs scored, with the usual

Wendigo suspects Ramon Hernandez and Jim Edmonds with additional help from Jose Hernandez

and 3 Logger errors by Reyes and a pair by Alfonzo. The games will now return to Limoilou with

the Wendigo needing a single win to clinch the Staub pennant. Lim-7, LP-2.

WENDIGO LEADS 3-2

Game 6: All of the elements were in place for another Limoilou pennant: The Wendigo were back home

where they enjoyed a 6-5 record against the Loggers during the regular season, had defeated them in the

second-ever CBA tie-breaker to clinch the Dawson championship and home advantage, PLUS the Loggers

had already lost the first 2 games of this series with leads that were instantly destroyed by the vaunted

late-inning Limoilou lightning. Jason Schmidt, with his 1.50 ERA, was a cinch to end the Loggers season.

Then Fate intervened again: In the first inning, there is a sudden display of Logger lumber when

Hillenbrand and then Sosa blast back-to-back home runs, (Shea's with a runner on). One out later,

Craig Monroe, then Tino Martinez repeat the scenario with solo shots of their own. Before the Wendigo

even get to bat, they are down 5-0, but in characteristic style, chip away at the lead. A Guzman triple

in the 3rd and a Schmidt sacrifice drives in one, and in the 5th, Lim has a back-to-back homerun display

of their own courtesy of Michaels and "That Man" Hernandez who later blasts another, making the

score 5-4 Longue-Pointe. Both Schmidt and Logger starter Greg Maddux hurl a complete game without

any further scoing setting up the ultimate showdown for Game 7: Schilling vs. Zambrano. LP-5, Lim-4.

WENDIGO & LOGGERS TIED 3-3

Game 7: The scoring starts early with Limoilou getting a 3 run lead on singles by Kent and Edmonds,

and a home run by Glaus. LP ties it up in the third where a Zambrano single is followed by a Kendall

hit and run and a critical 2-base error in RF by Jason Michaels allowing Zam to score and Kendall to

reach third base. Kendall later scores on a ground out by Hillenbrand. The 5th inning sees the

Loggers add a pair of runs in another hit and run executed by Ichiro moving Zam to third, and Ichiro

stealing second, both scoring on a Kendall double. The final Logger tallies occur in the 7th, where

Kendall scores from first on a hit and run by Hillenbrand and the second 2-base error by Michaels in

RF. A Sosa blast makes the score 8-3, Loggers, but as all are already aware, no margin is safe

against the Wendigo. In the 9th, the never-say-die Lims string together 4 runs on a 2 walks, a single,

a sac fly, and a titanic 3-run blast by Jim Thome off a tiring Zambrano. The Wendigo need just a single

run to tie and the Loggers need just 2 more outs... In comes a rested Andy Pettitte, and with the stinging

12th inning defeat of Game 2 in mind, proceeds to strike out Jose Hernandez and the unfortunate

Jason Michaels for the final out to clinch the Loggers second Staub pennant. Final score: LP-8, Lim-7

LOGGERS WIN SERIES 4-3

The SCCS MVP is Carlos Zambrano (2-0) and the Wendigo MVP is Ramon Hernandez (.550 avg.

5 HR, 10 RBI).

Clemente Conference	Division Winner	2nd place	3rd place	4th place	5th place
Parker Division
Schmidt Division
Staub Conference	Division Winner	2nd place	3rd place	4th place	5th place
Dawson Division
Carter Division