The Melaleuca Field crowd watched in agonizing nervousness as Nico Pinazzi took the ball in the top of the seventh inning of a one-run Pioneer League Championship Series game Tuesday night.

An imposing 6-foot-2, 200-pound southpaw originally from Milan, Italy, Pinazzi had had a tumultuous regular season with the Chukars. Over 29 appearances and 31 innings, he went 1-1 with an 8.13 ERA, a 1.839 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts to 17 walks.

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