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Paynesville Press - October 26, 2005

Bruntlett playing in World Series

bruntlettEric Bruntlett - the grandson of Evelyn Bruntlett and Eileen Flanders, both of Paynesville - is playing with the Houston Astros in the World Series against the Chicago White Sox.

Bruntlett, 27, played in 91 games for Houston this year, mostly as a defensive replacement, pinch runner, and pinch hitter. He played every position for the Astros except pitcher and catcher. In 109 at bats, he hit .220 with four homers and 14 RBIs. He scored 19 runs and stole seven bases.

Houston beat Atlanta 3-1 in the National League Division Series and St. Louis 4-2 in the National League Championship Series. Bruntlett has appeared in eight games with the Astros going 7-1 in games in which he has played (mainly because he enters games as a defensive replacement when the Astros are ahead). He has one hit in seven at bats so far in the playoffs.

Five of his plate appearances, and his only hit, came in Houston's 18-inning 7-6 win to clinch their division series with Atlanta.

In that game, he entered on a double switch and got an infield hit in the eighth inning, scoring on a grand slam homerun. He played ten innings, starting at shortstop, then going to centerfield, then back to shortstop, and then to centerfield again. That game set several Major League records, including the longest playoff game in history.

The Astros played at Chicago in games 1 and 2 of the World Series last weekend and will host the White Sox on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week.

Bruntlett is the son of Craig and Angela (Flanders) Bruntlett, both 1967 grads of PHS. He grew up in Indiana, played collegiately at Stanford, and makes his offseason home in California with his wife.



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