Every Monday, Minor Matters will run down the top 10 games of the Thunder's 2010 season. In a year that saw eight of Baseball America's 16 pitchers (excluding Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino, who were out of the organization) in their top 30, not to mention Austin Romine and Brandon Laird, there are plenty of good choices to go around.

No. 2 - Betances outduels Drabek




















RECAP: When I picked the Thunder to top the Fisher Cats in the ELCS, despite the beatdown New Hampshire had issued Trenton all season long, I did so because I felt the starting pitching matchups bent strongly in the Thunder's favor.

That said, I really didn't think they were going to beat Cats ace Kyle Drabek, a powerful right-hander who had as much business in the Eastern League as Andy Pettitte.

Even so, I thought Betances would at least be able to hold his own with Drabek until the Thunder could get into the bullpen. He did that, and then some.

It wasn't pretty, but, with a huge throng of family and friends cheering his every move, Betances handcuffed the Cats for 5 1/3 innings, when he reached his pitch count.

Dan Brewer doubled home the eventual game-winner in the fourth inning, and Rene Rivera added an insurance run in the seventh when he reached Futures Game alum Trystan Magnuson for a solo bomb.

Link to Original Story

REACTION: “I knew Drabek was going to come in, and he’s been pitching well all year. He won Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, so I knew it was going to be a tough one. I just had to keep trying to put up zeroes and give my team a chance.” -- Dellin Betances

“The first game at home here against Drabek, and the manner in which we got it, that’s outstanding.” -- Tony Franklin

AFTERWARD: Betances took the hill in Altoona for Game 2 of the Eastern League Championship Series, and it didn't go quite as well. He struggled all evening to command his change-up and field his position, and the result was the first of three consecutive losses to the Curve to close the season on a sour note.