Editor’s note: The 2006 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
The San Francisco Giants got off to a fast start and held on for a 9-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the opening round of the 2006 Tournament.
With the victory, the Giants will now face the winner of the Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres contest in the second round.
Omar Vizquel began the affair with a solo homer off Reds starter Aaron Harang.
After Ray Durham walked, Barry Bonds doubled to set up Moises Alou, who added the the lead with a two-run single.
The Giants added another tally in the second on a sacrifice fly by Vizquel.
Harang was ousted in the fourth as the Giants scored five times.
Bonds walked with the bases loaded before Alou’s grand slam gave the Giants a nine-run margin.
Cincinnati’s offense showed some signs of life in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs.
Rich Aurilia had a RBI single before pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia‘s sacrifice fly.
Adam Dunn had a solo homer in the seventh. Aurila added a RBI single in the eighth, while Ryan Freel finished the scoring for the Reds with a sacrifice fly.
Jason Schmidt earned the victory for the Giants as he worked eight innings with 11 strikeouts. Mike Stanton tossed a scoreless ninth.
Harang gave up all of the runs in four innings with a pair of strikeouts. Bill Bray, Matt Belisle and Todd Coffey kept the Giants off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
2006 AL Tournament
Second Round Pairings
Texas Rangers at New York Yankees
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers
Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins
Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics
First Round Results
New York Yankees, bye
Texas Rangers 10, Boston Red Sox 4
Chicago White Sox 9, Baltimore Orioles 3
Detroit Tigers 4, Kansas City Royals 3
Minnesota Twins 11, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4
Los Angeles Angels 4, Cleveland Indians 1
Toronto Blue Jays 7, Seattle Mariners 6
Oakland Athletics, bye
2006 NL Tournament
First Round Pairings and Results
Chicago Cubs 6, New York Mets 3
Atlanta Braves 8, Florida Marlins 5
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Colorado Rockies 1
Milwaukee Brewers 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3
Washington Nationals 13, Los Angeles Dodgers 10
Houston Astros 6, Arizona Diamondbacks 1
San Francisco Giants 9, Cincinnati Reds 5
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres