The scene was reminiscent of that old classic that has been replayed by every baseball-loving boy in every backyard across the land for more than 100 years - bottom of the ninth inning, down by one run, full count, tying run on base.

Seconds later, Cuddyer's backyard daydream came true.

The Rock Cats slugger drove a searing fastball on a beeline over the left field wall to give the Cats a 3-2 win over the Norwich Navigators in the first game of the Northern Division playoffs before 3,314 at New Britain Stadium.

Ruben Salazar began the inning with a chopper by the mound that second baseman Brandon Jackson fielded, bobbled and couldn't throw to first. Cuddyer worked the count to 3-1, stayed off a perfectly located inside fastball, then got the one he wanted.

"Once I got the count to 3-2, I was sitting dead red," Cuddyer said. "When a guy throws 93 miles an hour, that's all you can do."

Letting the 3-1 pitch go proved to be a monumental decision.

"He still had to come to me twice," Cuddyer said. "At 3-2 he still doesn't want to walk me and put the tying run on second base. I was forced to look for a pitch I could drive. The 3-1 pitch I couldn't drive, I fouled a couple off and got one I could handle."

Manager Stan Cliburn, coaching third, elatedly pumped his right arm as Cuddyer made his dramatic circuit. His club, which had won 31 of 50 one-run games during the regular season, had done it again.

"I don't know if I'll be able to throw batting practice tomorrow," he said. "It's just a tremendous feeling, almost a feeling you can't describe. It runs down through your body and through your bloodstream. I guess it's called adrenaline."

Cuddyer's shot made a winner of reliever Kevin Frederick, who yielded a solo homer to Johnny Rodriguez that allowed Norwich to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth.

The two ninth-inning homers came after eight sterling innings of pitching by starters Juan Rincon of New Britain and Norwich lefty Brandon Claussen.

Rincon allowed one run - a

From B1

solo homer by Scott Seabol off a 2-0 fastball in the sixth inning. He surrendered six hits, struck out seven and didn't walk a soul.

"I wanted to get outs so I could get deep in the game," Rincon said. "(Pitching coach Stu Cliburn) and Stan told me I was rushing my delivery in my last game. Tonight it was nice and smooth and I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes in any situation."

Claussen, a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder from Roswell, N.M., was in complete control throughout his eight innings of work. The only run he gave up was unearned. New Britain managed just two singles. Claussen walked three and struck out 11.

Norwich manager Stump Merrill had no intention of sending him out for the ninth because he had thrown 113 pitches, two below the limit imposed by the Yankees organization.

"The kid's a premier prospect. He did his job," Merrill said.

The Norwich defense, the most obvious chink in its armor, donated the first run of the game to the hosts.

Gabby Torres drew a leadoff walk. With two outs, Papo Bolivar singled to center. Torres forced the action by beating the throw to third. Bolivar raced for second on the throw and third baseman Seabol threw the ball away to give New Britain a 1-0 lead.

Norwich made 204 errors during the regular season, the most in the Eastern League.

"I said before the game that if we picked the ball up, we beat 'em," Merrill said. "We didn't pick the ball up and we gave them two runs they shouldn't have had."

CATS TALES: Governor John Rowland threw out the first pitch, sat in with Rock Cats voice Jeff Dooley for a half-inning and joined the Navs broadcast team for a half-inning. ... Claussen posted the lowest ERA (2.13) and recorded the most strikeouts (151) in Navigators history. ...