The Budd Bay Buffleheads and Margo Adams Fan Club kicked off the 2008 Mendoza Winter Open season with a hard-fought series at Safeco Field. The Buffleheads jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in Game 1 when Mike Napoli hit a three-run jack in the 2nd off Johan Santana. But Margo’s men fought back and tied the score at four on back-to-back doubles from Grady Sizemore and Kevin Youkilis in the 5th. The Buffleheads loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the frame, but Santana got Mike Lowell to line out to center and Franklin Gutierrez to hit into a 4-6-3 twin killing to end the threat. The game stayed tied until the top of the 8th, when Carl Crawford doubled in pinch runner Josh Wilson from first with the winning run. Sizemore and Youkilis each had three hits for Margo and Rafael Betancourt got five outs for the save.
Game 2 went to the Buffleheads as Rich Harden and four relievers combined to limit Margo to 4 hits and two runs. Carlos Pena put the Ducks ahead with a two-run blast off CC Sabathia in the 3rd, and Jhonny Peralta broke the game open with a three-run double in the 4th Margo got one back in the 7th on a bases-loaded walk to Carlos Pena, but Rafael Perez got Travis Hafner to fly to right to end Margo’s last threat.
Clay Buchholz and four relievers combined on a 3-hit shutout as Margo took the rubber match by a score of 4-0. Grady Sizemore homered and Travis Hafner and Jorge Posada each had two hits for Margo. Margo now visits Yankee Stadium for a three-game set against Suicide Squeeze, while the Buffleheads travel to AT&T park to take on the Ivy Dwellers.
