09/13/2004 1:56 PM - Flyers Move On To Finals With 8-1 Win

Sparkling defense and great starting pitching were the recipe for the Schaumburg Flyers, who eliminated the Kansas City T-Bones from the playoffs tonight with an 8-1 win at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, KS.

Matt Bailie (W, 2-0) worked eight innings for the Flyers, needing only 110 pitches. Bailie was a master of painting the corners tonight and consistently worked ahead in the count, and his defense helped his cause. With Schaumburg up 2-0 in the bottom of the third and a runner on first, Ray Brown hammered a Bailie pitch to center. CF Ryan Ruiz slammed into the wall and hauled Brown's drive back from over the fence, saving two runs.

Schaumburg got their first two runs in the second against starter Jonathan Krysa (L, 0-2), with a sacrifice fly by Chris Weekly plating Kirk Pierce, who had singled; a Justin Hendrickson double to center scored T.J. Staton, whose double had advanced Pierce to third. It turned out that would be enough.

Kansas City got their lone run in the fourth when, with runners on second and third, Phil Thompson hit a chopper to 3B Chris Weekly. Weekly threw to first, allowing Eddie Pearson to score, and the T-Bones cut the lead to 2-1, but that was as close as they would get. The T-Bones had runners on second and third in the fifth inning with two outs, but couldn't get a run home, and in the next half-inning Flyer C Kirk Pierce socked a 3-0 fastball from Krysa over the left-field fence to make it 4-1.

Schaumburg scored four runs in the final two innings for the final margin, three coming in the ninth against a pair of T-Bones relievers.

The Flyers move on to the Northern League finals, beginning in Schaumburg Tuesday at 7:05 pm, against the St. Paul Saints.

Schaumburg 020 002 013 -- 8 11 1

Kansas City 000 100 000 -- 1 8 4

WP - Bailie (2-0) LP - Krysa (0-2)

T - 2:40 A - 1,678