Jonathan Pettibone throws the first pitch of the game. 
Josh Zeid faces the final batter of the game.For the second year in a row, the Lakewood BlueClaws won the South Atlantic League Championship, taking game 4 yesterday from the Greenville Drive. The BlueClaws are also the fist team in SAL history to take first place in the division in both the first and second halves, then go on to win the championship. It is their third SAL title in their 10-year history.
And what a game it was, on a breezy overcast afternoon at First Energy Park in Lakewood. Starter Jonathan Pettibone gave up two runs on seven hits and was lifted in the 6th after allowing a single to the lead-off hitter. In came Josh Zeid, who held the Drive scoreless in the last four innings to preserve the 4-2 lead.
The Drive strung some singles together in the 3rd to score two and take the early lead. Center fielder Jiwan James made a spiffy catch to end the 4th and a potential Drive threat. The 'Claws then got going in the 5th. A lead-off walk to Brian Gump was the downfall of Drive starter Drake Britton. Gump was eventually singled home, but birthday boy Jonathan Singleton then singled, putting two men on. Sebastian Valle brought them home with a three-run shot to deep left field.
Valle's homer brought the crowd to its feet, but Zeid's performance was just as electrifying. At one point, he struck out five in a row, including striking out the side in the 8th. When he led off the 9th with another strike-out, the crowd went nuts. Zeid averaged 95 on the radar gun but in the 9th was hitting 97. He got the last two batters on a ground-out to short, then a high pop-up to left field.
Congratulations to the BlueClaws on a thrilling end to an outstanding season. As a woman behind me said at one point during the game, "They've been too good all year to lose this."
If these Lakewood arms stay healthy and progress, the Phillies should be in solid shape in coming years.
