15-Nationals

18AAA CHAMPIONSHIP Stars 301 010 020 7 11 3 Rockets 201 032 00x 8 7 4 Former New York Met Mike Draper pitched seven strong innings, started two rallies and doubled home the deciding runs as the Rockets won their first 18AAA championship, edging the three time champion Caribbean Stars. Each time the Stars took the lead, the Rockets had an answer, and Draper’s 6th inning two bagger plated two runs to give them a lead they would not relinquish. Draper survived a three-run first in which he gave up back to back homers. Francisco Dinzey ripped a two-run shot and Steve Thomas followed with a solo as the Stars jumped to a 3-0 lead. The Rockets, though, stormed back in the bottom half. Dave Machado singled, stole second and scored on Billy Brescia’s single. After Brescia was forced by Romy Ones, Ones came around to score on a booming triple by Brian Fitzsimmons off Stars’ starter Francisco Reyes. The Stars made it 4-2 as Jose (Yoel) Peroso tripled and scored on Dinzey’s sacrifice fly in the third, but again the Rockets came back. Phil Levri drew a bases loaded walk to cut the margin to 4-3. Draper started that rally with a single and Reyes issued walks to Machado, Fitzsimmons and Levri. The Stars scored an unearned run in the fifth. Billy Brescia made a great stop on a sharp grounder by Trovin Valdez, but missed Draper on the throw to first. Valdez stole second and scored on two throwing errors to make it 5-3 Stars. The Rockets took their first lead in the fifth when Ones cracked a two-run double on a hit and run play and came in to score when the Stars failed to execute a pickoff play on Levri. Reliever Jeremy Dooley had Levri picked off, but the Stars could not finish it off and Ones scored. Draper provided insurance runs with a two-run double in the sixth to make it 8-5. The Stars, though, weren’t done yet. Peroso whacked a solo homer off Fitzsimmons in the 8th. Dinzey singled and scored on a two bagger by Servio Arias to make it an 8-7 game. Rockets skipper Pete Brescia summoned Martinez to the mound and he retired the four batters he faced, fanning two of them in the ninth to earn the save. Draper went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to win MVP honors. Brescia, Fitzsimmons (3b), Ones (2b) and Martinez had the other hits. Peroso’s triple and homer paced the Stars. Reyes fanned eight in 4 1/3, but took the loss. Dooley went the remaining 3 2/3. Draper (7IP) struck out only two, but walked none to notch the win. Reserve Jeff Spell made the defensive gem of the game with a diving catch of Valdez’ liner to left with a man in scoring position in the 7th. The Rockets won the NABA Hall of Fame tournament at Cooperstown, NY in July, and are the first team to win titles in both leagues.