The Mainz Athletics won the decisive fifth game on Wednesday and clinched their first national title ever. They beat Regensburg Legionäre 6-3 and completed the comeback in the final best-of-five-series. Mainz had lost the first two games, and came back last weekend to tie the series.
The match started with a classic pitching duel. Manuel MÖLLER started for the A´s and Minnesota Twins pitching prospect Rodney GESSMANN for Regensburg. Both teams could not score in the first six frames. Mainz came through first. They brought three runs on the board in the seventh inning. Nils HARTKOPF and Ulli WERMUTH scored through errors. Sascha LUTZ added a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Legionäre started a comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Beau MILNER made it 2-3 with a two-run-single. The Athletics added some insurance runs in the ninth through a RBI-double by LUTZ in addition to RBI-singles by Janusz RADICKE and Flavio RINALDI. Regensburg rallied one last time in the bottom of the frame. But a groundout to third base with bases loaded eliminated the last hopes for the home team.
MÖLLER (W 1-1) pitched all nine innings. He allowed four hits, three runs (2 ER) and six walks. He struck out six. It was his second straight strong start and was named finals-MVP afterwards. GESSMANN gave up no hits and three base on balls (one strikeout) in 4 1/3 innings. Martin ALMSTETTER replaced him on the mound and lost the game.
MAI 000 000 303 6 7 1
REG 000 000 021 3 4 5
Awards:
MVP: Manuel MÖLLER (Mainz Athletics)
Best Pitcher: Keigo MIYAGI (Mainz Athletics)
Best Batter: Klaus HOPFENSPERGER (Regensburg Legionäre)
Results:
Regensburg Legionäre – Mainz Athletics 10-0 (8)
Regensburg Legionäre – Mainz Athletics 6-5 (10)
Mainz Athletics – Regensburg Legionäre 10-9 (10)
Mainz Athletics – Regensburg Legionäre 3-1
Regensburg Legionäre – Mainz Athletics 3-6