Mmahat baffles Vermont Albany takes opener of championship series, 4-0 By Kevin lole Free Press Staff Writer The Vermont Mariners had little success pronouncing Kevin Mmahat's name and less luck trying to hit him. The Albany Yankees' left-hander tied the Mariners in knots and gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Eastern League championship series by blanking the M's, 4-0, Tuesday at Centennial Field. The Mariners managed only three hits off Mmahat in 8⅔ innings before Gabriel Rodriguez came on to get the last out with runners on first and third. Mmahat, who throws a fastball, slider, changeup and a curve, went primarily with the fastball, but it was enough to cool off the M's, who had hit .289 as a team in beating Pittsfield in the semifinals. "He didn't need more than the fastball," said Vermont pitching coach Dave Schuler. "He had good command and he kept it down. He's a quality pitcher. The guys were surprised that he wasn't going more with the breaking pitch and they were coming back to the dugout saying that they should have swung at the first pitch, because it was the best one they saw. "He wasn't taking the bats out of our hands, he was breaking them. We've seen him a couple of other times and he has always had great stuff. He has a good future in front of him." The Yankees acquired Mmahat from the Texas Rangers along with Don Slaught. He spent most of this year at Class-A Fort Lauderdale in the Florida State League, but pitched six games for Albany and was 2-3 with a 3.99 ERA. He started Game One of the Yankees' semifinal series against Glens Falls and was the losing pitcher. He gave up six runs and six walks in 4⅔ innings. That defeat left Mmahat downcast but it did not destroy his confidence. "At the end of the season we were on a roll and I kind of felt I let them down in that first game against Glens Falls," said Mmahat. "I thought we could have swept Glens Falls three straight if I had pitched my game. I felt badly about that, but my coaching has helped me to learn to put the bad things behind and go right at them the next time." Mmahat went at the M's from the first pitch to the last Tuesday, getting ahead and staying ahead with the fastball. He Turn to MARINERS, 2C
