Maple-Boston: Williams Walk-Off Wins it for Boston

Jasper Williams

October 2: Maple 8, Boston 9. Jasper Williams entered the game an unknown but left the game a Boston hero. With the game tied in the bottom of the 11th, with two outs and two strikes, Williams crushed a hanging forkball into the left field stands. Boston wins game one in walk-off fashion, and Jasper Williams enters Boston baseball lore!

A virtual unknown, Jasper Williams spent most of the season in Triple-A. Heck, he was unremarkable in Triple-A for much of the year. He entered July as the Springfield Reformers backup first baseman, batting .234 with two home runs. His bat heated up in limited playing time in July and August, and when José Gonzáles went down with recurring back spasms in September, Williams got the call. In 14 September at-bats, he had six hits, including a pair of dingers against Cabo San Lucas.

Still, Williams's start tonight in the playoffs was just the fifth major league start of his career.

The home run capped an exciting, see-saw affair.

Jorge Rodríguez

Maple struck first. In the second, Eric McSwan singled in Tom Hunter, but the Marauder offense really got going in the middle innings. Jorge Rodríguez hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Maple strung together a rally in the sixth. Hunter doubled in Anthony Shelton, and Rodríguez singled in Anastasio Rincón and Hunter.

Boston ace Norm Jackson disappointed. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs, and he left the game with the Cardinals trailing, 6-1.

Meanwhile, Maple's Roberto Martínez was sailing along. Over the first five innings, he allowed a single in the second and a solo home run off the bat of Alex Austin in the third.

Abel Baker

The rails came off in the sixth. Four singles and two walks scored three runs and left the bases full for the bottom of the order. Abel Baker and John Everhart hit back-to-back doubles, driving in four. Boston scored seven in the sixth and took the lead, 8-6.

Martínez left the game having surrendered eight runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Frank Powers

Maple immediately struck back. R.J. Lukies hadn't allowed a home run since August 3rd, but Frank Powers lived up to his name and smashed a Lukies changeup to right-center—a two-run shot that tied the game at eight.

Both bullpens impressed. Boston's bullpen retired Maple in order in the ninth, 10th, and 11th innings. Maple relievers retired 15 Cardinals in a row—in fact, the only hit that they allowed was the Jasper Williams walk-off home run.