18-Grip Shield Glory Days

18AA CHAMPIONSHIP Yankees 020 000 000 2 12 2 Rangers 000 050 20x 7 7 2 Persistence and loyalty has paid off for the Rangers. After 17 seasons in the Palm Beach NABA, Scott Cobb’s veteran team finally claimed a league title, riding a gritty pitching performance by MVP Todd Taylor to beat the Yankees, also making their first appearance in a title game. The Yankees took a 2-0 lead on Bill Blackwell’s two-run single in the second, but that’s all they managed off Taylor. Although he surrendered twelve hits, Taylor time and again turned away scoring threats, striking out ten and issuing only two walks while hitting a batter. He went the route. The Yankees missed a chance in the third. After Rico Perez singled, Yo Perez hit a sinking liner that eluded left fielder Bruce White, but Rico was gunned down trying to score as Frank McNellis chased down an overthrow and fired to Taylor in time to nail Rico. The Rangers, meanwhile, scored five runs in the fifth on only one hit, their first off Yankees starter and loser Jason Strigl. He walked Bill Flippin, hit McNellis with a pich, then walked Bob Chamberlain. Eric Davis dropped a Texas Leaguer into left for the Rangers’ first hit and first run. After Strigl issued a bases loaded pass to White to tie it at 2-2, Pedro Jordan took over and might have gotten out of the inning, except a pair of Yankee errors allowed three more runs. The Rangers gave Taylor more breathing room with two in the seventh. Pete David singled in a run and Flippin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for another. The Rangers collected four hits in that innings, and two more in the 8th. Pinch hitter Tomy Anagnostu singled, and Taylor doubled, but both were stranded. The Yanks made one final stab in the 9th. Strigl led off with a triple, but was out trying to steal home. Nick Castelluccio singled, stole second, went to third on a throwing error, but Taylor ended the game with a strikeout.