Musselman, Brinson Hold Back Stockton in Gulls’ 5-2 Decision

Never mind the Toronto Blue Jays’ organizational rule that none of their minor league pitchers will throw more than 100 pitches a game. Jeff Musselman needed only 100 to strike out eight Saturday and hold the Stockton Ports to four hits and two runs in his 6 innings for the Ventura County Gulls.

Never mind that the Gulls are one of the few minor league teams that use a four-man pitching rotation. They needed only Hugh Brinson to come out of the bullpen--in relief of Musselman--to two-hit the Ports in 2 innings to win his eighth game, his sixth in his last seven decisions.

And never mind the Gulls’ 20-7 loss to the Ports on Friday, when five Gulls pitchers gave up 23 hits.

On Saturday, the Gulls needed only two, Musselman and Brinson, to beat the Ports, 5-2, at Ventura College.

And, if it weren’t for the 100-pitch limit, Musselman might have gone the distance.

“The pitch-limit got him,” Gulls catcher Greg Myers said. “He could have finished it out and had a complete game.”

That same limit cost Musselman a decision. He left after facing one batter in the seventh inning with the score tied, 2-2. If he had stayed for one more inning, he would have won.

In the bottom of the seventh, shortstop Eric Yelding led off with a single. After Stockton reliever Marty Montano struck out Ventura’s Santiago Garcia, Luis Reyna singled and Darryl Landrum walked. Two wild pitches and a force play later--Myers came through with the game-winning run batted in on a grounder to second--and the Gulls led, 5-2.

Musselman can take solace in the fact that he improved his league-leading strikeout total to 149. He is the only pitcher in the league with more than 100.

“He wasn’t doing anything too well early,” Gulls Manager Glenn Ezell said. “I don’t think he was pitching as well as he could have. He had a few problems with his mechanics.”

Musselman, a Harvard graduate from Lanoka Harbor, N.J., walked his first two batters and then retired three straight to end the first inning. He stranded five Stockton runners in all.

“He straightened up after a while,” Ezell said. “He smoothed it out, got his mechanics together and did a good job.”

And as Musselman improved inning to inning, Brinson has improved from game to game, Ezell said.

“Hugh Brinson is the guy on the staff,” Ezell said, “who has made the most progress over the course of the season. Not only with his stuff, but mentally.”

Gull Notes

Gulls pitchers aren’t the only ones who suffer from the 100-pitch limit. Former Ventura pitcher Todd Stottlemyre, who left Ventura for Knoxville, Toronto’s Double-A affiliate, had a no-hitter going in a recent game against Jacksonville. He threw his 100th pitch in the seventh inning. He was relieved by another former Gull, Steve Mumaw, who wrapped up a 12-0 win. . . . Former Gull Rob Ducey, also with Knoxville, is batting .303, with seven doubles, two triples and two home runs. . . . Gulls co-owner Ken McMullen, the former major league third baseman, will not be at the Gulls’ 1 p.m. game today against the Ports. He’ll be playing in a major league old-timers game at Dodger Stadium. The game preceeds the Dodgers’ game with the Chicago Cubs. The last time McMullen played in an old-timers game, he homered off former St. Louis great Bob Gibson.