'Miller time' for Larks in sweep
July 8, 2003
By NICK SCHWIEN
Hays Daily News
Jim Miller was upset with himself.
Never mind the bullpen ace for the Hays Larks just picked up his second save of the night.
Instead, he was more disappointed in letting down his teammates -- or at least he felt that way.
"I'm upset because my team gave me a lead, and I wanted to hold the shutout for the pitcher in front of me," said Miller, who plays at University of Louisiana-Monroe during the school year. "You're trying to make good pitches and try not to leave something fat and give them a chance to get back in it," he said.
Miller felt he let down his teammates because the runs he allowed to score were credited to the Larks' starters -- not himself.
But in the end, the right-hander got the job done and helped the Larks grab a pair of wins Monday night against the Topeka Capitals in Jayhawk League action. Hays won the opener 5-4 before taking a 3-2 victory in the late game at Larks Park to earn the sweep.
The biggest thing Miller could appreciate was another notch in the win column for the local summer-collegiate team.
"That's the big thing. We just keep winning," said Miller, who picked up his fifth and sixth saves of the summer. "That's the big deal. I'm coming in and trying to hold it for my teammates because they work for 61/2 innings. I'm just trying to finish it up for them."
With Hays (25-4 overall, 16-3 Jayhawk) leading 3-0 entering the top of the seventh inning of Game 2, starter Chris Ofat allowed the first two batters in the inning to reach safely on singles before being relieved by Miller.
Both runners to advanced a base after Miller uncorked a wild pitch. Miller then got Chris Hanson to pop out in foul territory for the first out. But a single by Boomer Berry drove in both baserunners, pulling Topeka (11-15, 2-11) within a run.
" ... We have confidence in Miller," said first baseman Cody Ehlers, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Game 2 and is hitting a team-high .438 this summer. "He might let a few on sometimes, but he always gets the job done in the end."
That's exactly what the closer did, turning the game into "Miller Time."
Miller got the next batter to strike out, then ended the game with a fly ball to left field.
Hays manager Frank Leo said he was proud of the way Miller battled back after allowing the hit.
" ... That's the sign of a guy that's not going to let something bother him," Leo said. "He could have very well let it bother him and fell apart, but he didn't. He came back and got the next two guys out."
Ehlers led off the second inning with an infield single and eventually scored when Ben Tinius singled to center with the bases loaded. Mark Lyons then reached on an error with the bases still loaded, allowing two more runs to score.
It was all Ofat would need until Topeka, the last-place team in the league, started its comeback. Ofat (3-0) allowed two earned runs on eight hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Miller, who hasn't allowed an earned run this season in 11 innings, has walked six and struck out 17.
"He can do that for us," Leo said. "He has the velocity. He just has to trust it that he can reach back and do that. He didn't get strikeouts, but he made some quality pitches."
Miller helped the league-leading Larks get out of a jam in Game 1 as well. With Hays leading 5-3, Miller relieved starter Landon Harper with nobody out and a runner on first. He gave up a single to the first batter he faced before a sacrifice bunt pushed across a run to pull the Capitals within 5-4.
But Miller coaxed the next two batters to hit ground balls to end the game.
"We made it interesting in the end in both ball games," Leo said. "Jim came in in a tough situation. And when you come in in that situation, it's all in your shoulders really. I thought he did a good job. He gave up a base hit, but then he battled back."
Harper (5-0) allowed four earned runs while scattering 10 hits in six-plus innings, with three walks and five strikeouts.
With his six saves, Miller is tied with Reed Rainey (1983) for third on the single-season list. Matt McMunn (14 in 2001) and Mike Rohrbach (8 in 1996) hold down the top two spots.
"I'm just trying to do my job," Miller said. "I've been gifted with a good arm that's been injury free. I'm just trying to take advantage of it."
After Topeka took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, Hays pulled within 2-1 in the third before Peter Maropis crushed a two-run homer to left-center field in the fourth to give the Larks a 3-2 lead. Ehlers made it 4-2 in the fifth with his bases-loaded walk, and Aaron Batlle hit a sacrifice fly to give Hays a 5-2 lead.
Seth Fortenberry and Maropis both finished with two hits in the opener.
Hays will host the Elkhart Dusters for a 7:30 p.m. single league game Wednesday at Larks Park. Ryan LaMotta (3-0) is the probable starter for Hays.
GAME NOTES: The Larks remained undefeated at home this season, improving their record to 12-0 at Larks Park and 2-0 at the Hays High field. ... Hays has won seven of its last eight games. ... At one point in the first game, Harper retired nine in a row before notching his team-high fifth win of the season. ... After Monday's games, Ofat has struck out 28 and walked only five this season. With the two runs he gave up, his earned-run average rose from 0.63 to 1.04. ... Hays improved to 7-3 in one-run games. ... The Larks' 25-4 record is better than their start in the 2001 season, when Hays set a club record with 45 wins. Two seasons ago, Hays was 23-6 after 29 games and 13-6 in league play after 19 games. This year, the team is 16-3 after 19 league games. ... The Larks have been hit hard by injuries, losing four players for the rest of the season. Outfielder Cody Rizzo (foot), and pitchers Noah Booth (elbow), Mike Goettler (shoulder) and Brett Unrein (shoulder) are not expected to return to the team with season-ending injuries. ... Former Larks pitcher Jason Stanford got his first start in the major leagues Sunday for the Cleveland Indians. Stanford, who played for the Larks from 1997-98, allowed two runs -- both earned -- on five hits in five innings, with four walks and a strikeout. He did not figure into the decision in the Indians' 5-3 win in 10 innings.