Satisfying solution

"I could see him just exhale," Erickson said. "That's the only way that season should have ended."

The Pacific Coast League champion Sidewinders defeated the International League champion Toledo Mud Hens 5-2 to win Tuesday night's inaugural game between the Class AAA winners.

This time, the jubilation of winning the past two series was replaced with the feeling of relief and appreciation for win No. 98.

And by not pitching his best game, starter Micah Owings might have made a pitch for the majors next year.

Owings, who has not lost a game in more than four months, was anything but perfect before an announced crowd of 12,572 at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.

There were VIPs in the stands to impress — Diamondbacks owner Jeff Moorad, general manager Josh Byrnes and director of player development A.J. Hinch.

The Diamondbacks' top pitching prospect did not log a perfect inning and allowed five hits and four walks in five innings.

Manager Chip Hale offered that the commemorative baseballs were too slick. Owings demurred, saying maybe the problem was with his finger. Regardless, the 6-foot-5-inch right-hander was not on his game.

"This is not to be detrimental to him," Toledo manager Larry Parrish prefaced, "but usually when you see a guy who's 10-0, you anticipate you might see electric stuff. To me, it looked like he was solid."

But Owings dodging trouble from the IL's best home run-hitting team might have cemented a long look from the big club next spring.

"He still found ways to get outs when he needed to," Hale said. "That's just been him all year.

"It's pretty impressive to do what he's done. There's a reason he was our No. 1 pitcher."

The Sidewinders wasted no time scoring their first run. Donnie Sadler tripled to center field to lead off the game and scored on a Scott Hairston sacrifice fly.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the fourth, when Toledo's Ryan Raburn and Max St. Pierre strung together a double and a single in consecutive at-bats.

But Sidewinders catcher Juan Brito countered with a solo homer to left field in the fifth to give Owings a 2-1 lead.

Owings' streak without a loss dates to May 17, when his Double-A Tennessee Smokies lost to the Carolina Mudcats 11-4. Owings, who was called up to Tucson about three weeks later, said he found his mind wandering during the game.

"I was looking too far forward, wanting to come to Tucson," he said.

"I decided to re-channel my focus."

Owings rarely needs adjusting. He has lost only 13 times since he stepped off the field at Cumming High School in Gainesville, Ga., in 2002.

During his college career — two years at Georgia Tech and one at Tulane — and his stint in the pros, Owings is 48-13.

He started his first full professional season by going 6-2 with the Smokies.

He went 10-0 with a 3.70 ERA during Tucson's regular season.

Owings also pitched Game 1 of the PCL's Pacific Conference series and the PCL Championship series. In each game, he logged no-decisions, but the Sidewinders won both.

"He has pitched a lot of innings this year," Hale said. "It's time for him to take a break. Next year, maybe you see Micah Owings making that team out of spring training."

Said Owings: "I think it's anybody's goal who plays in the minor leagues or even before that. I can't remember how long ago my passion for baseball started. We'll see what happens."

In the ninth, with a one run lead, the Sidewinders loaded the bases with no outs.

Erickson, who was hitless in his previous 20 at-bats, singled through a drawn-in infield to give Tucson a 4-1 margin. Sadler singled home the fifth run with one out.

Mike Schultz pitched the sixth and seventh frames and allowed only a walk. Mike Koplove allowed one run but got the save by pitching the final two innings.

Hairston went 2 for 4 and was named the most valuable player.

"That's something I'm never going to forget," Hairston said. "I'm very proud to be part of this year."