2015 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

HollywoodAmerican League League Championship Series
Hollywood Werewolves vs. Chicago Mobsters

Series Preview:  The Top Two teams in the American League meet in the ALCS. Chicago dispersed of fellow division rival Tijuana in 5 games, while Hollywood struggled against Manhattan, who finished just 4 games over .500.

Game #1: Clayton Kershaw (27-2 1.18) vs. Felix Hernandez (27-1 1.21)

Hollywood goes down 1-2-3 in the first as King Felix looks dominating. As Kershaw gets the first two batters easily, Andrew McCutchen steps in. Here’s the pitch … a blast to right … way back … it’s gone! … he just went with the pitch and the Mobsters lead 1-0. The game stays that wayClaytonKershawALCSG1into 5th. With 1-out, King Felix walks Chris Iannetta. With Trevor Plouffe at the plate, Iannetta takes off and steals 2nd. The King settles down and gets Plouffe on strikes, for the second out which brings up Starlin Castro. Quick move to the plate … he swings … it’s smashed deep to left center..that’s good for extra bases … McCUTCHEN’s chasing it down … IANNETTA scores … tie game! CASTRO hits second under full steam … but puts on the brakes … as the throw comes in..a double for CASTRO and Hollywood ties the game. The game moves into the 7th inning with the game tied. Alex Gordon leads off the inning. HERNANDEZ with the pitch … cut on … and it’s lined to center field … base hit. McCUTCHEN’s in … and it skips by him … he’s after it … and GORDON is in to second standing. score that a double … FOWLER came over quickly to back him up that puts the go ahead run in scoring position. Ian Kinsler moves to the plate to try and give Hollywood the lead. Here comes the pitch … soft grounder to TURNER … he gloves it and they’ve got GORDON in a rundown … the throw to second… the throw is wild!…into right field … GORDON’s headed home … and he scores..KINSLER races to second … safe easily … TURNER picks up an error as Hollywood leads 2-1. Kinsler moves to 3rd on an Iannetta groundout that sets the stage for Plouffe. Infield deep … KINSLER into a little shuffle at third … GoldschmidtALCSG1the delivery from HERNANDEZ …big swing … it’s a dying quail to right … FOWLER gallops in … PEDROIA races back..but it parachutes between them … a Texas League single for PLOUFFE … KINSLER scores easily and PLOUFFE has the RBI. Hollywood leads 3-1! That chases the King and Wade Davis induces a Starlin Castro double play to get out of it. Kershaw cruises through the 7th. As we head to the top of the 8th, Christian Yelich comes up with 1-out. He lets one go … lofted down the line to right … FOWLER racing over … he won’t get it he cuts it off … YELICH wisely holds first … he’s on with a single. After Miguel Cabrera is called out on strikes which brings up Paul Goldschmidt with 2-outs. YELICH two full strides off first … they start the runner … SANCHEZ brings it…it’s roped hard to right … into the corner … FOWLER’s after it … YELICH’s digging..he’s around third … coming down the line … he’ll score … the throw in to second..not in time! … and GOLDSCHMIDT’s in standing with a double. Hollywood leads 4-1. With Goldschmidt on 2nd, Gordon comes up. To the plate … a hot grounder down the line … TURNER dives … it skips by him … fair ball! rolling into the corner … GOLDSCHMIDT’s around third … he’ll score INCIARTE tracks it down … the throw … but GORDON is in with a double back-to-back doubles by the WEREWOLVES and a 5-1 lead. That’s enough for Davis as Chicago goes to Marcus Stroman. He’s greeted to a Kinsler RBI single and Hollywood goes on to win 6-1 and a series 1-0 lead.

Game #2: Adam Wainwright (24-5 1.73) vs. Johnny Cueto (24-5 2.07)

Chicago sporting a big home loss in game 1 turns to Wainwright to right the ship and even the series before they head to the West Coast for games 3-4-5. WainwrightALCSG2GOLDSCHMIDT facing A. WAINWRIGHT, Here’s the pitch from WAINWRIGHT … swung on … smashed toward the gap in right center..McCUTCHEN’s racing back … it’s over his head … off the wall … he’s chasing it down GOLDSCHMIDT hits second and holds. With 2-outs, Iannetta strides in. WAINWRIGHT into his motion … delivers … a hot grounder down the line … TURNER dives..it skips by him … fair ball! … rolling into the corner … GOLDSCHMIDT’s around third ..he’ll score … INCIARTE tracks it down … the throw … but IANNETTA is in with a double and Hollywood is up 1-0 as Wainwright kicks the mound in disgust. Up 1-0, Hollywood heads into the top of the 3rd. With 1-out, Wainwright walks Werth. After Werth moves to 2TurnerALCSG2nd on a ground out, Miggy steps in. Speedy WERTH edging toward third … the offering to CABRERA … he swings..it’s smashed deep to left center … that’s good for extra bases … McCUTCHEN’s chasing it down..WERTH scores … CABRERA hits second under full steam … but puts on the brakes..as the throw comes in … double for CABRERA and Hollywood is up 2-0. The Mobster dugout already looks deflated and we are only in the 3rd inning of game 2. Justin Turner is trying to get them moving, but no one is biting. With 1-out, he steps in. Cueto delivers … cut on … hit deep to left field … way back … YELICH is racing back ..it’s long gone! … he got all of that one and Chicago has cut the lead to 2-1 as life is back in Chicago! With 2-outs, McCutchen steps up. Now CUETO comes home with it … McCUTCHEN squibs it to the left side … PLOUFFE charges it..picks it up bare-handed and guns it to first … but McCUTCHEN beats the throw … base hit..He promptly steals 2nd and Justin Morneau comes up. McCUTCHEN trying to look casual as he edges toward third … quick move to the plate … swung on base hit … down the line to right … WERTH gallops for it … he has it McCUTCHEN’s around third and scores to tie the game at 2! The Mobster fans are going crazy!! The game stays that way until the 7th inning when Justin Turner steps in. Let’s listen to the call. Here comes the pitch … cut on and hit deep … it’s going..going….gone! … it goes! … over the left field wall. Chicago leads 3-2!!! Chicago holds the lead and goes on to tie the series as they head west to Hollywood!

 

Game #3: David Price (16-11 2.54) vs. Chris Sale (20-5 1.36)

With the series tied at 1, the scene shifts Hollywood. In the bottom of the 2nd, Goldschmidt leads off. The pitch … that’s high and deep by GOLDSCHMIDT … McCUTCHEN is on the run … on the run..it’s starting to tail away from him … and it drops in … GOLDSCHMIDT is headed for second with a stand up double. PriceALCSG3With one out and Kinsler up, Sale delivers. SALE comes to him … hard two-bouncer to short … he gathers it in and he fires it right by MORNEAU … GOLDSCHMIDT rounds third … he’s headed for home he’ll score … KINSLER never made the turn toward second … and has to settle for first that should be an error on SIMMONS … and it is…E6 and Hollywood leads 1-0. In the bottom of the 4th, Yelich leads off. Sale brings it in … it’s looped to right … FOWLER coming on … but he won’t get it and YELICH’s on at first. After Yelich steals second, Goldschmidt comes up hoping to do some damage. Speedy YELICH edging toward third … here’s the pitch … this one is creamed.. INCIARTE turns and runs … he can’t get it … YELICH’s around third … he’ll score as INCIARTE picks it up and fires it in … a two-base hit for GOLDSCHMIDT and a 2-0 Hollywood lead. The fans are going crazy! The score remains the same into the top of the 7th. Dustin Pedroia moves to the plate. Here comes Price with the offering … a blast to center … GORDON runs straight back … turns … he’ll look but he won’t touch it … it’s long gone! … home run for PEDROIA. Chicago cuts the lead in half! The brings up McCutchen. PRICE with the offering … hard two-bouncer to short … CASTRO covers it…plenty of time..fires … McCUTCHEN’s SAFE! …CabreraALCSG3 high throw drew GOLDSCHMIDT off the bag so the MOBSTERS have a runner on the error … score that E6 on Starlin CASTRO the tying run is on. McCutchen steals 2nd with none out. Morneau steps in. McCUTCHEN edges a bit more off second … the pitch … slashed toward short … CASTRO jumps it’s over his head … McCUTCHEN’s rounding third … headed home … here’s YELICH’s throw safe! … tie game! Chicago shows new life tying the game. The game moves to the 8th tied. Wade Davis back on the mound for Chicago. Castro steps in hoping to redeem himself for the error. Davis lets one go … that’s high and deep by CASTRO … McCUTCHEN is on the run … on the run it’s starting to tail away from him … and it drops in … CASTRO is headed for second he’s in to second ahead of the throw. Davis is pulled for Sean Doolittle after he walks Werth. Doolittle gets Yelich to hit into a double play that puts Castro on 3rd with 2-outs. This brings up Miggy. Doolittle is pulled in favor of Dellin Betances. Let’s listen to the call. BETANCES looks CASTRO back to third … the pitch … uh-oh! … way back … INCIARTE looks up…put it on the board … a two-run dinger for Miguel Cabrera as Hollywood leads 4-2. The crowd is going crazy!!! Hollywood holds the lead in a 1-2-3 9th and takes the series lead 2-1.

 

Game #4: Jeff Weaver (15-9 2.65) vs. Felix Hernandez (27-1 1.21)

Hollywood up 2-1 at home, looks to Jered Weaver. Weaver has been rocked in the last couple of playoff outings and Hollywood is just hoping that he can get thru WeaverALCSG45 innings. With 2-outs in the bottom of the 2nd, Plouffe steps in. ERNANDEZ brings it … PLOUFFE lashes one to right … toward the gap … FOWLER races over but he won’t get it … PLOUFFE’s going for two with a standup double. Clapping his hands at second, he points to Starlin Castro as he steps in. The pitch … he swings … it’s smashed deep to left center … that’s good for extra bases as McCUTCHEN’s chasing it down … CastroALCSG4PLOUFFE scores … CASTRO has an RBI double and a 1-0 Hollywood lead. The game remains the same till the 4th when Chris Iannetta hammers a homer off Felix. Hollywood, sporting a 2-0 lead, heads to the 6th. Here’s the pitch to McCutchen … and it’s pulled hard to left … it’s deep enough if it’s fair … fair ball! Hollywood now leads 2-1. Weaver is promptly pulled as he leaves with a 2-1 lead giving Hollywood exactly what they wanted. With 1-out in the bottom half, Iannetta is hit with a pitch. After Plouffe doubles to put runners on 2nd & 3rd, Starlin Castro steps in once again in a big spot. MOBSTERS playing for the out at first … the runners take their lead … here comes the pitch..there’s a little blooper … down the left field line … it might drop in..INCIARTE has a long run … and it drops in! … one run scores … two runs score..CASTRO’s headed for second … here’s INCIARTE’s throw … and he slides in safely and Hollywood now leads 4-1! Felix is pulled but the damage is done. Chicago cuts the lead to 4-2 but that is as far as it goes. Hollywood holds on for the 4-2 victory and a commanding 3-1 series lead with Clayton Kershaw starting in game 5.

 

Game #5: Clayton Kershaw (27-2 1.18) vs. Adam Wainwright (24-5 1.73)

Hollywood looking for the home clincher vs Chicago. Wainwright was the game 2 winner and Chicago is hoping for the same magic. Buster Posey singles to open GordonALCSG5the 2nd for the Mobsters. That brings up Scott Van Slyke. Let’s listen to the call folks…. The offering from KERSHAW … it’s crushed deep to center field … GORDON turns and watches it…later! … it’s long gone! … that sounded like a firecracker off the bat..a home run for VAN SLYKE … and two runs score as Chicago leads 2-0 off Kershaw! Hollywood cuts the lead in half when Ian Kinsler steps in. The pitch … KINSLER swings … and mashes it … it might go all the way..NEGRON is at the warning track … but he’d need a ladder to get to this one a four-bagger for KINSLER. Both pitchers cruise into the 7th inning. Wainwright walks Werth to lead off the bottom of the 7th. He is pulled for Andrew Miller. Werth moves to second on a Yelich ground out. With 2-out and the lefty on the mound, Manager Corrado decides to walk Miguel Cabrera in favor of lefty Alex Gordon. Hollywood trailing 2-1, Chicago goes lefty on left with runners on 1st and 2nd. The pitch from Miller…. It’s a shot down the line to right …will it stay fair?…it’s near the foul pole … and it’s … long gone! a three-run homer for GORDON … Alex GORDON will circle the bases and he’s sure taking his time … he’s greeted at home plate … congratulations all around!! The crowd is going crazy! WAIT A SECOND….CORRADO IS COMING OUT OF THE DUGOUT. KershawALCSG5He’s asking the umpires to check the replay cause he believes it was foul. Time is called. The fans settle down as they wait for the review….The umpires leave the headphones as the homeplate umpire waves his finger in a circle and the stadium becomes electric! Hollywood leads 4-2!!! With Kershaw still on the mound in the 9th with the lead, Hollywood gets the bullpen working. Dustin Pedroia leads off the 9th with a double, bring the tying run to the plate. That brings up McCutchen. The offering from KERSHAW … McCUTCHEN pops a little fly … back of second … GORDON coming on..still coming on … and makes the catch in front of CASTRO … PEDROIA holds up. 1-out. Buster Posey then steps up. Quick move to the plate … popped high to the left side … PLOUFFE drifts back … back…he stabs for it … and makes the catch … two away! Scott Van Slyke comes in as the last hope. Kershaw still in command. The offering … strike three on the outside corner … KERSHAW slipped one by him and VAN SLYKE is enraged … he doesn’t like that called strike but he’ll have to live with it … and that’s the final out of the game as Hollywood wins the game 4-2 and the series 4 games to 1!!! Hollywood is heading back to the World Series!!!

 

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