Red Barons win IL North championship

They are a rough-hewn assembly of seasoned veterans, hangers-on and promising prospects, cast together in what became the second pennant-winning season in the club's 11-year history.

The Red Barons are all of that, but most important, they are the International League North champions after a 5-4 win over the defending IL champion Buffalo Bisons Saturday night in the first game of a doubleheader at Lackawanna County Stadium.

As they've been all season, the Red Barons were dramatic in winning the club's first pennant since 1992. They squandered Bobby Estalella's three-run homer in a four-run first inning, scratched together a single, fifth-inning run and then hung on as the Bisons' best hitters tried -- and failed -- to lengthen the pennant race.

"This is quite a group," Red Barons manager Marc Bombard said after the team won its ninth straight in the opener. The Bisons ended the winning streak with a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.

"If there ever was a club that deserves something special, it's this club, because they worked for everything they got," Bombard said. "Nothing was given to them. They should relish everything they accomplished."

A season that has left the Red Barons limping on tender knees and rubbing sore wrists and icing cantankerous shoulders will last -- happily -- at least three more games. No pain can't be soothed by a pennant race, with some help from ice and anti-inflammatory pills.

The Red Barons will open the best-of-5 Governor's Cup playoffs at the wild-card team -- either Durham or Charlotte -- Wednesday and Thursday before returning home for a game Friday and possibly two more Saturday and Sunday.

"This feels awesome anytime we can bring something like this to Scranton," second baseman John Finn said. "Knowing they haven't had this in so long makes this special."

Four players who had more to do with the Reading Phillies than the Red Barons this season were indispensable Saturday night.

Finn, who split his season between Reading and the Red Barons, scored the winning run in the fifth, when he walked and came around on a single by Pat Burrell, who had been a Reading Phillies outfielder until Monday.

Jimmy Myers (1-0), who signed as a free agent pitcher Aug. 11, worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth by allowing one unearned run. Reliever Thomas Jacquez spent the year in Reading until he was promoted Wednesday but struck out Buffalo's best hitter, Bill Selby, with a runner on and two outs in the sixth.

Darryl Scott earned his 10th save by surviving a breathtaking seventh inning that began with a leadoff walk to Jeff Manto. Chris Turner bunted Manto to second, but Scott struck out Russell Branyan, the IL's second-leading home run hitter. Scott Morgan squibbed an infield single, but Marcus Scutaro grounded to Lou Lucca, who threw to Finn at second to force Morgan with the final out.

"This is something you dream of," Jacquez said. "This is what you play for in the backyard -- all the marbles. I'm glad I was able to be a part of this."

Just a week ago, tonight's 6 p.m. game in Pawtucket loomed like a schedule-maker's dream. The Red Barons, Syracuse and Pawtucket were a game apart in the pennant race, and the top two teams in the division could be battling for the only playoff spot in the season's final two games. The Red Barons' nine-game winning made sure that today and Monday are little more than exhibitions.

"We are the champions of the (division). That's all there is to it," Estalella said. "Nobody can take that away from us."

Subscribe to The Times-Tribune