The finale of the March Orlando Star Tournament featured Bill Jempty and Willy
Dominguez. Dominguez played steadily through the tournament winning a very close
5 game Semi final series to get to the finals. After a 0-2 star Jempty rolled
out a 11 game winning streak on the way to winning his semifinals in 4 games.
Their teams were very different. Jempty relied on the long ball featuring Alex Rodriguez,
V. Guerrero, Jason Giambi and Phil Nevin plus a solid pitching staff led by Chan
Ho Park and Mariano Rivera. Jempty's home park was Colorado.
Dominguez's team featured an excellent defense led by Roberto Alomar, Darren
Erstad, Scott Rolen and Andruw Jones. His pitching was also excellent led by
Kevin Brown, Jeff D'Amico and Armando Benitez. Dominguez's home park was the
Design Homer Zero Single Twenty.
Game 1
Dominguez
010
301 110 6 10 0
Jempty
010
200 40x 7 9 0
Home Runs- Alomar 2(W), Giambi(2)
WP- Park LP- Walker
Game highlights- Roberto Alomar drives in all 6 of Dominguez's runs on 2 homers
and 2 doubles. In the top of the 9th Alomar is thrown out at home plate by
Bernie Williams on a 1-19 chance when Scott Hatteberg successfully blocks home
plate.
Game 2
Dominguez 301 600 110 12 14 0
Jempty 111 101
012 8 10 0
Homeruns- A. Jones (D), Rolen 2(D), Williams 2(J), Rodriguez (J), Gonzalez
(J), Guillen (J)
WP- Castillo LP- L. Hernandez
Highlights- Scott Rolen
hits his first two homers of the tournament, including a grand slam. Jempty
gets 5 homers on the game but only 1 with men on base.
Game 3
Jempty 401
010 000 6 10 0
Dominguez 000 030 200
5 7 0
Homeruns- Tucker (J), Tatis (J)
WP- Mercedes LP- L. Hernandez SV-Rivera
Making rare starts Michael Tucker (RF) and Fernando Tatis(1B) hit homeruns for Jempty
posting him to a 6-0 lead. Then Dominguez rallies to make it a 6-5 game. Mariano
Rivera comes in to save the game but works his way into but also out of a bases
loaded jam to preserve the 6-5 win.
Game 4
Jempty 111 101
000 1 6 10 1
Dominguez 001 300 001 0 5
11 0
Homeruns- Giambi (J ), Williams (J), Vina(J)
WP- Rivera LP- Benitez
Highlights- Jempty jumps out to a quick 4-1 lead behind homers by Giambi,
Williams and Fernando Vina but Dominguez rallies behind a bases clearing double
by Darren Erstad to tie the game in the 4th. Jempty retook the lead and held it
till the ninth when Matt Lawton's Sac Fly off Mariano Rivera ties the game at
5-5. With two out in the 10th singles by Rodriguez, Gonzalez and a double by
Giambi put Jempty ahead and he holds on for a 6-5 win.
Game 5
Jempty 000 000 400
000 001 010 7 11 0
Dominguez 000 002 011 000 001 011 8
14 1
Homeruns- Park (J), Bagwell (D)
WP- Walker LP- Miceli
Highlights- This was a all-time classic Star tour game that had many unexpected
twists and a hilarious ending. Facing elimination Jeff D'Amico went out for
Dominguez and pitched 6 excellent innings head to head with Chan ho Park for
Jempty. In the bottom of the 6th the scoreless tie was broken by a 2 run 2 out
double by Andruw Jones. In the top of the 7th Jempty rallied After an Alomar
error then tied the game on a double play. With two out Park batted and hit a
home run posting Jempty to a 4-2 lead and after a scoreless 7th he stood 6 outs
from the championship title.
Dominguez rallied again Jeff Bagwell homered in the eighth but Dominguez left
the bases loaded when Larry Walker clutched a classic tweener on a 3-8 roll.
In the bottom of the 9th Rolen doubled to lead off the inning then PH
Cliff Floyd singled off Rivera to tie the game at 5-5 sending the game to extra
innings. The game was far from over.
The game would stay tied till a Williams sac fly put Jempty ahead 6-5 in the top
of the 14th. Then Dominguez had to use his last reserves Edgar Renteria to pinch
hit in the bottom of the inning. Renteria tripled and scored after another
Lawton Sac Fly. Before the inning was over Mike Lieberthal got injured forcing
Dominguez to put Renteria in at catcher.
The struggle went on. Jempty stranded Vladimir Guerrero on 3rd with no out in
the 15th after a lead off triple. Then in the 16th B. Williams singled in Arod
to put Jempty up 7-6. With no one left in the bullpen Jempty was forced to
use Dan Miceli to close the game. After a Renteria single and stolen base
Dominguez had a runner on 2nd with 2 out but only three 1 hitting pitchers left
on the bench. With little choice Dominguez left Kevin Walker in to bat.
Dominguez then rolled a 5-7 finding Miceli's weakness spot with Miceli a N rated
closer making the strike out a 2 base single tying the game again at 6-6.
In the bottom of the 18th Dominguez got leadoff singles by Rolen and A. Jones
then sac bunted the runners to 2nd and 3rd. With one out Jempty was out of
relievers as Miceli had no more innings left to pitch. This was also complicated
by the fact that neither side had a position players pitching card available.
After much debate even where Jempty insisted that Dominguez roll the Wp roll to
just make sure the card wasn't necessary, Jempty went back to another hotel to
fetch his computer so they could see the card. This must be the first Star Tour
computer delay in its history. Once getting his computer Jempty sent Jay Payton
in to relief. Then Dominguez sent Miguel Tejada to the plate. Dominguez rolled
for the Wild Pitch. The roll was a 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dominguez fell to the
floor in laughter after this roll and all Jempty could do was shake his head
thinking they could have saved 20 minutes doing this when he first suggested it.
Game 6
Dominguez 200 100 002 5 10 0
Jempty 100 302 21X 9
8 0
Homeruns- Jones(D), Rodriguez (J), Guerrero(J), Williams 2(J)
WP- L. Hernandez LP- Castillo
After the last game's drama this game could only be described as boring.
Dominguez and Jempty traded homers in the first inning but a 2 out single by
pitcher L. Hernandez in the bottom of the 4th put Jempty ahead to stay 4-3.
Later 2 run homers by P. Guerrero and B. Williams posted Jempty to a 6 run lead
which was more than enough for Hernandez who put in a solid effort before tiring
in the 9th needing Donnie Wall to come in to get the final out and give Jempty a
9-5 win and the championship title.
The series had more than a few unexpected heroes including Renteria, K.
Walker, Floyd, L. Hernandez, Hatteberg, Lawton and Tucker. Still series
MVP goes to Bernie Williams for his 5 homeruns, .417 Batting Average, 7 Runs, 3
Doubles and 12 RBI. Tournament MVP goes to Alex Rodriguez for his 14
homers 46 RBI and .300 batting average plus steady play at shortstop where he committed
only 1 error in 31 games.