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Coconut
Creek's -
Carlos Quentin
Coconut
Creek's
- Phillip Humber
Tempe's -
Adrian Gonzalez
Roseville's -
Rubby De La Rosa| Pittsburgh @ Fremont - In a battle of non-contenders, Pittsburgh and Fremont split 3-3. Pittsburgh took an early 3-0 series lead, but the turning point was Game 4's 1-0 Cannons victory in 13 innings. Pittsburgh was shut out again in Game 5, going through a 28-inning scoreless streak in all. |
|
Severn @
Hollywood
-
With Severn's playoff hopes in Hollywood, they send over very
specific pitching instructions for the series. Game 1: Hudson vs Weaver. Hollywood takes a 1-0 lead, when Starlin Castro singles in the 2nd. Kurt Suzuki follows with an RBI double, making it 2-0, than Stubbs doubles, making it 3-0. Up 3-0, Hollywood clears the bench in the 5th. Savery stumbles and allows 2 runs, but the rest of the bullpen holds, giving Weaver win 25 & Bell save 24. Game 2: Gallardo vs Guthrie. Kinsler singles in the first to give Hollywood a 1-0 lead. Werth & Cabrera get Severn out in front 2-1 with a couple of RBIs. McCann homers to make it 3-1. With Gallardo pulled at 17 batters, Capps comes in and gives up a 3-run shot to Carlos Pena, making it 4-3 Hollywood. Hollywood holds on with the bullpen to win 4-3. Game 3: Halladay vs Price. Halladay and Price are locked in a doozy! The game remains scoreless into the 9th, then Price gives up a homer to Werth for a 1-0 Severn lead. Halladay goes the distance for the 1-0 win, picking up win #17 in the process. Game 4: Moseley vs Buehrle. Holliday hammers a SF in the fifth to give Seven a 1-0 lead, then they take a 2-0 lead on a passed ball. Then another SF (Konerko) makes it 3-0. David Ross gets Hollywood on the board with a homer in the 4th. Trailing 4-1, Goldschmidt homers to cut the lead to 4-2, then Kubel singles in a run to make it 4-3. Then Ross hammers a double to left-center and Kubel lumbers around to score on a bad throw to tie the game. The game moves into extra innings. Eric Chavez gives Severn a 5-4 lead with an rbi in the 13th. Severn holds on to win 5-4. Game 5: Hudson vs Kershaw. Another pitching doozy in Hollywood. Kershaw goes 1 too many batters in the 9th, when he deals a homer to Matt Holliday to give Severn a 1-0 lead. Than Heath Bell comes in and gives up a 2-run shot to Konerko. Tim Hudson holds on for the 3-0 victory and Severn wins their 3rd straight. Game 6: Gallardo vs Weaver. Werth SF gives Severn a 1-0 lead. Carlos Pena ties it with homer #33. Arod makes it 3-1 with a 2-run shot. Alex Liddi hammers a 2-run shot in the 5th to tie it. Pena goes yard again for homer #34. Hollywood's bullpen holds on for a 4-3 win. Hollywood & Severn split with all but 1 game decided by 1-run. Hollywood locks in the top AL spot & Severn all but locks up a Wild Card spot. The worst that can happen for Severn is a tie for a WC spot, where a 1-game playoff, before the Wild Card Series starts. |
|
Coconut Creek @
Virginia
- Virginia needed a sweep to finish at .500. Well, there was
almost a sweep...CCC won the series 5-1. Gm.1 CCC 9-1 P.Humber finishes at 14-10 C.Quentin hit 2 2-run homers. Hart hit his 26th, Uggla his 25th Gm.2 CCC 2-1 Vogelsong at 14-13 is the winner. N.Cruz hits #16. Gm.3 CCC 9-8 N.Cruz 4 hits 2 homers 3 RBI. Quentin 2 hits a triple 3 RBI. Gm.4 VIR 5-2 J.de la Rosa CG 5 hitter. A.Ramirez a 2-run homer (#28). Gm.5 CCC 8-1 S.Marcum is winner (14-11). HRS- Damon(22), Reynolds (40), Howard (28, Uggla (26) Gm.6 CCC 13-4 18 hits for Crushers...but they lose catcher A.Ellis for 17 days. NO HOMERS in this game. |
|
Detroit @ Yonge Street
- A series with hardly any consequences... Gm 1) Carrasco beat Shields. Peralta & Longoria combined to drive in 5. Wright and Carp homered in the losing effort. DET 6 YSS 4 Gm 2) Seth Smith & Furcal HR'd to lead the home squad. (B. Duensing inj. for 10 days) YSS 7-3 Gm 3) Bumgarner was baffling. CGSO, 3H, 2BB, 9K. DET 5-0. Gm 4) Esmil Rogers picked up win # 2 for the season. He'll finish with a 2-23 record. YSS 7-5. Gm 5) Strong outing from Latos, Wright & Furcal HR to lead the way. YSS 12-3. Gm 6) Shields went 5 scoreless before leaving with injury (8 days). YSS tallied 4 in the btm of 8th to win a squeaker. YSS 6-5. YSS takes 4 of 6 to end the year 1 game worse than DET, and lock up the ALC cellar. :( |
| Bethesda @ Southbend - Southbend finishes the season at 92-70 with a sweep of Bethesda. |
|
Tijuana
@
Chicago
-
Tijuana came north of the border and into the Windy City to settle
the American League Central Division and maybe the A.L. Wild Card.
H2H action using join.me Game #1 - Chicago gets a 2 run HR from B.J Upton and C.C. Sabathia (18-7 2.26 ERA) makes his last start of the year. Final Score: Chicago 4 - Tijuana 3 Game #2 - Tijuana bats come alive as they pound out 16 hits, and put a hurting on the Mobsters chances. Final Score: Tijuana 10 - Chicago 3 Game #3 - Bottle Rockets ready to clinch the division in the bottom of the 9th, Chicago scores 4 to tie it and send it to extra. Tijuana scores 5 in the 11th to win the game and the American League Central Division title. Tijuana 10 - Chicago 5 Game #4 - After a hard night of partying on Rush Street, the Bottle Rockets can only score 2 against "King" Felix Hernandez (20-8 2.73 ERA). Final Score: Chicago 3 - Tijuana 2 Game #5 - Prince Fielder has 2 HR's and 4 RBI's. Chris Carpenter (15-10 2.90) goes 9 full innings. Tijuana comes out of its hang-over and puts a hurting on the Mobsters. Final Score: Tijuana 10 - Chicago 2 Game #6 - Chicago looking to try and lock up the #1 Seed in the first ever Wild Card Round, takes a gamble and starts EWC John Ely (2-0 4.42 ERA). Ely goes the distance striking out 16 Bottle Rocket bench players as the only starters used in the Bottle Rockets line up are Fielder and Butler. Final Score: Chicago 3 - Tijuana 2 |
| Elyria @ Dallas - Elyria takes 4 of 6 at Dallas. John Lackey takes his 20th loss. |
|
Motor City @
Manhattan
- Motor City and Manhattan wage a War of the Doormats, with
Manhattan taking 4 of 6. Gm 1: 6-2 Man; Porcello goes the distance and contributes a SF, and Pridie has 3 RBI for the Project. C. Young with a solo HR for the Muscle. WP--Porcello LP--Hunter Gm 2: 6-5 MAN (13 inn); Back and forth game sees Muscle take the lead in topp of 9th on Miranda 3-R HR, only to have Jackson tie it in bottom on solo HR. Jackson then wins it with a walk-off RBI 1B in the 13th. SP Burnett had two RBI for the Project. WP--Robertson LP--Cortes Gm 3: 10-4 MAN; Five-run 5th inning, highlighted by HRs by Plouffe (solo) and Fowler (2-R), doom the Muscle. Jackson with another HR. WP--Duffy LP--Sanchez Gm 4--8-4 MCM; Close game until late, when Project bullpen melts down. Flores has 3 RBI, Fowlewr matches that. Giovatella and Revere ice the game with RBI hits in the 9th. WP--Beavan LP--Bergesen Gm 5: 4-1 MCM; Another close one until the 9th, when Giovatella, Ordonez, and Rosales bust it open with RBI hits. Jackson is 3 for 4 with 2 doubles in the loss for MAN. WP--Figueroa LP--Simon Gm 6: 3-2 MAN; Jackson homers again as the teams play another close one, going extras until Seagar knocks in the winner in the 11th. WP--Ramirez LP--Cortes |
|
Jersey @
Iron City
- A
sold-out, standing-room only crowd shoehorns itself into Yinzer Park
at Iron City Field to see if the Yinzers can pull out a miracle.
Iron City needs a sweep to catch West Coast for a tie for the second
wild card following their series with Tempe, with the results of
division-leading Owensboro’s series – three games ahead of the
Yinzers heading into this final series of the regular season – yet
to be determined. Game 1: Jake Westbrook vs. Derek Lowe Things didn’t start well for the home town Yinzers and they got worse from there. Jersey scored three in the first, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to make this one a laugher. Lowe went eight innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while fanning 10, to improve his record to 9-10. Westbrook fell to 3-12 with his clunker, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits over four innings. Mark Teixeira homered twice, including a grand slam, to bring his season home run total to 30 for the Nor’Easters. Howie Kendrick, Eric Thames and Bryan Pena also went yard, with the wind clearly blowing out only when the visiting team was up. Final: Jersey 11, Iron City 4 Any hope of a wild card is shot with this game. The only chance for Iron City is in the NL East. Game 2: Jeremy Hellickson vs. Chris Capuano The Yinzer faithful didn’t have much to cheer for in Game 1, so when Iron City plated a run in the bottom of the first to give the Yinzers a 1-0 lead, the ballpark exploded. Then the usually dependable Jeremy Hellickson promptly gave up two in the second and two more in the fifth. Yunel Escobar was the key to the Jersey offense as he hit his 14th homer of the year and drove in three. The Iron City offense couldn’t get much done against Capuano as the crafty lefty allowed just two runs on eight hits over eight innings. Brandon Gomes pitched the ninth for his eighth save. The hopes of a playoff appearance were flickering like a candle flame in the win after this one. Final: Jersey 5, Iron City 2 Game 3: Tim Lincecum vs. Barry Zito With a three-run second inning and Tim Lincecum on the mound, Iron City appeared to be in controlof this one to breathe a little life into their hopes. Lincecum put up zeroes through four, then allowed a single run in the fifth. After a scoreless sixth, Iron City tacked on one more run, but then the ace ran into trouble in the seventh. Perhaps because he’s seen him get out of jams like this throughout his Yinzer career, Billy Martin stuck with Lincecum a bit too long and Jersey was able to tie the score at four. But Carlos Gonzalez came up big in the eighth with a double as part of a four-run eighth. Gonzalez drove in four to move him over the century mark in RBIs. That made a winner out of Ernesto Frieri, who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief of Lincecum. Francisco Cordero finishing things off with a zero in the ninth in a non-save situation. Final: Iron City 8, Jersey 4 Game 4: Aneury Rodriguez vs. Carl Pavano So much for momentum. Rodriguez allowed single runs in the second and third, then two more in the fifth to end his night on the hill. Yunel Escobar and Miguel Montero both homered and drove in a pair. Pavano’s only blemish was a solo homer from Elvis Andrus in the sixth as the right-hander went the distance to improve his record to 16-9. Final: Jersey 6, Iron City 1 Game 5: Paul Maholm vs Ricky Romero This is one for the ages, a pitchers’ duel between two lefties who would both finish the season witih ERAs under 2.70. Jersey jumped on top with a run in the top of the first, but Iron City answered back and tied it in the bottom half of the inning. Eric Hosmer put the Yinzers on top, 2-1, with his 15th homer – a solo shot – in the bottom of the fourth. It looked like Maholm and the Iron City pitching staff would make that hold up. Maholm went seven strong innings, allowing just the one run on three hits and four walks while striking out seven. But the Yinzers could never add to the one-run lead. Romero went eight frames for the Nor’Easters, allowing just the two runs. But after Lance Lynn pitched a perfect eighth, the stage was set for Francisco Cordero to pick up save number 30. Instead, he coughed up his fifth blown save to send this one into extras. It stayed tied until the bottom of the 12th, when Elvis Andrus drove in Alberto Callaspo for the walk-off victory. Final: Iron City 3, Jersey 2 (12 inn). The Yinzers need a win just to salvage a split in the series… Game 6: Jake Westbrook vs. Derek Lowe The Yinzers needed to make a statement in this series. Unfortunately, they waited until the finale to do it. The rematch from Game 1 was all Iron City, as the Yinzers scored eight times in the first to knock Lowe out of the game before he retired a batter. On the flip side, Jake Westbrook went the distance on a seven-hitter. Every member of the Yinzer lineup contributed at least one base hit in the 22-hit attack, led by Jamie Carroll’s 5-for-5 performance. David Murphy and Elvis Andrus each had three hits, while Murphy and Alberto Callaspo each drove in three runs apiece. Final: Iron City 13, Jersey 2 With the split, Iron City finishes 86-76, needing Owensboro to get swept by Roseville to finish in a tie for first in the NL East. Stranger things have happened, but the Yinzers went back to the clubhouse to await results, having a sinking feeling they won’t be playing again until the 2013 season… Yinzers season leaders: Average: Victor Martinez, .348 HR: Carlos Gonzalez, 37 RBI: Gonzalez, 103 SB: Elvis Andrus, 40 Wins: Tim Lincecum, 18 Strikeouts: Lincecum, 246 ERA: Lincecum, 2.67 Saves: Francisco Cordero, 29 |
|
Valdosta @
Bay State
- Battle of two dead teams battle it out for pride. Baystate
and Valdosta Game1) Peavy was great 1 run in 7 for Baystate, Wood was just as good for Valdosta alowing only 2 hits in 6 innings. But the battle of the pens was lost by Baystates ace Bass who dropped to 0-5. Val 3 Bay 1 Adcock improves to 4-4 game 2 Correra was solid for Val but the pen was awful as Baystate comes back and wins 6-5 game 3) Zambrano 1 hit Baystate through 6.Uribe went 4 for 4. Kimbrel got his 32nd save Val 3 Bay 0 game 4) Hernandez took the loss as Minor got the win. Bay 3 Val 2 game 5) Dempster looks like its next year with a complete game 6 hitter in a 2-0 Val win game 6 Peavy looks like its next year as well finishing an awful baystate year at .333 . Peavy struck out 8 walked 1 over 8 shutout innings. Bass got his 25th save. A well pitched series ends in a 3-3 split So our first season we manged to play the season, and get everyone in their at-bats and innings - but the team was basically a replacement team and their 54 wins proved that. The one bright spot was the pen who ended the season 2.90 era in 496 innings! Too bad there wasn't one batter who drove in 50 or more runs |
| Clovis @ Long Beach - Long Beach and Clovis end the season by splitting a 6 game series. |
|
Sacramento
@
Camarillo
- Sacramento and Camarillo squared off in the final series of
the year - both teams resting players for the playoffs. Camarillo,
finishes with 107 wins - but again finishes in second. This is the
third time Camarillo has won 100+ games, but yet to win the
division. Camarillo did manage to keep Colby Lewis from winning his 29th and 30th game - still trying to figure out how he won 28 games. They also kept Wolf from winning his 20th game.Josh Willingham and Morgan suffered injuries - so they may miss some of the playoffs - that is yet to be determined. For Camarillo Joey Votto finished his MVP type season with a .349 average on 216 hits - scoring 117 runs and knocking in 115. Jose Bautista finally broke Juan Gonzelaz' team home run record - finishing with 45 home runs and 110 runs knocked in. |
| Roseville @ Owensboro - Roseville splits in Owensboro, but the Onslaught win the division at home in game #2, behind a Cole Hamels 2-0 shut-out. |
|
Tempe
@
West Coast
- Division and League Leading Tempe invades West Coast for the final
series of the season. What's on the line? Playoff hopes for West
Coast as wild card #2 in NL (they have a Magic Number of 4 - but it
involves Owensboro and Iron City of the NL East who are fighting it
out for their Division Championship and/or Wild Card birth. Two of
these three teams will join Tempe, Sacramento and Camarillo in the
playoffs! I will be bringing game by game highlights as they happen - they may be sporadic over the next couple of days - depends on other outside pressures <G> This series shapes up as tough one for West Coast - Tempe has vowed to avoid resting anyone - and desires to pound the Swing and make them earn their way into the playoffs - AND THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE! Game 1 - Schedule starters for this one has two "studs" hitting the mound - both with limited experience this year, 4 starts each. Christ Young for Tempe - 3-1 in his starts, 2.21 ERA, 3.5 H/9ip (20.1 ip, 17 Ks). Josh Johnson is going for West Coast - 2-1, 1.35 ERA, 4.6 H/9, 33.1 ip, 31 Ks. So hold your seats (or jump up and down, but get a hotdog, beer and some peanuts). Bottom of the 1st, walks to Desmond and Victorino result in 2 West Coast runs on dying quail single by Cuddyer. Back to back doubles by AGon and Tulowitzki to open the 2nd cut the lead to 2-1. After 2 pop ups, McDonald hits a 2 out double to tie the game. 2nd inning ends with both team going through their lineups once and each scoring 2 runs. Top 4th - Gonzalez again leads off with 2b and with 1 out Ruiz doubles him home for 3-2 lead for Tempe. Top 5th, after Young reaches on Trumbo error at first, another single and then a walk load the bases for AGon with one out. This time he grounds into inning ending DP. Bottom 5th, Torrealba leads off with W, Johnson sacs him to 2nd. Desmond then walks for the 3rd time and Bogusevic gets beaned to load the bases. Victorino follows with 2 rbi single to RF - leaving runners at the corner, West Coast up 4-3 and 1 out. Colon is brought in to relieve. For Colon, it's his 9th relief appearance for the year. Zimmerman greets him with single to RF plating another West Coast run, 5-3. With IF in, Cuddyer pops out, then Utley walks to load the bases for Trumbo. But he ends the inning with groundout to second. Bottom of the 6th - Saito comes in to relieve to start the inning (Colon lifted for PH in top half). Bottom of the 7th - Josh Spence comes in to pitch to start the inning. Bottom of the 7th, Perez comes in to pitch for West Coast (double switch with Nunez going it at 3b) AGon leads off with his 3rd double of the game - all occurring when he'd lead off an inning! Tulowitzski fans and Ruiz is lifted for PH - Duda. Perez picks off AGon at 2nd (where was his mind??). Dudo flys out to the wall in LF. Bottom of the 8th, Holland comes into pitch, Molina to catch (strange thing - Holland didn't fill in Ruiz's lineup spot) - Tony Anderson must have been asleep or still reeling from AGon's gaff. Top 9 - Perez still on the mound - Pedroia leads off with a walk. McDonald then pops to Torrealba in front of the plate. Vlad G then PHs for Holland and grounds to 3rd, great play by Nunez, 2nd out with Pedroia moving to 2nd. 1 out away from WC victory. Granderson then steps in and uses his eyes to work a walk to put the tying run on 1st. Melky steps up (not sure what that stuff in his back pocket it - hmmm), but he's hefty and ready to rock. He smacks it, high fly ball into CF - but right at Victorino who takes it in to end the game. FINAL LINE TEM 3-7-0 WCS 5-4-1 WP Johnson (3-1), LP Young (3-2), S Perez (13) Young afflicted with 5 walks in his 4.1 innings (only 2 hits), but the walks were timely. Johnson scattered his 4 over 7 innings. Game 1 is in the books - but nothing is settled yet, long way to go. Game 2 of the Tempe at West Coast series is ready to get underway. West Coast took game 1 in a surprise and hopes to keep their playoff march going forward as game 2 gets underway. Pivotal series as Iron City and Owensboro are keeping an eye on this one as they fight for their division and the last wild card spot as well. Starting pitchers for this one match a couple of 16 game winners with Brandon McCarthy starting for Tempe (16-4, 1.99 era, 176.2 ip in 34 starts) and Gavin Floyd starting for West Coast (16-5, 2.40 era, 206.1 ip in 29 starts). McCarthy is 1-1 vs West Coast in two 6 inning starts. Floyd has no-decision in his one start against Tempe - going 6 innings giving up 2 in a West Coast win. 1st Inning - Tempe goes down in order but Desmond opens the bottom half with a lead-off HR (6) that just jumped in the RF bleachers. A two out triple by Victorino is followed by a single to RF by Nunez to make it 2-0 West Coast. 2nd Inning - AGon leads off (again) but his lead-off magic didn't continue as he grounds into 6-3 out. Tulowitzski continues to trouble Schindel managed teams as he singles, and then after Floyd Ks Beltre Pedroia unloads into the LF seats to tie the game with a 2 run HR (11). You can just see Floyd kicking the rubber wondering how he let that one get away. He won't look anywhere near the dugout. Ruiz things singles but McCarthy can't help his own cause and grounds to second to end the inning. Nothing in the bottom half as Torrealba is stranded at first. Top 3 - Back to back 1 out singles by Cabera and Pence set the stage for AGon. He strides to the plate with a hunger in his eyes. But the hunger is dashed on a 6-4-3 DP to end the threat. In the bottom half, Cuddyer got to 2nd after a single and SB but was left high and dry as the game is still knotted after 3, 2-2. Top 4 - Pedroia gets a 2 out walk, steals 2nd, goes to 3rd on WP with Ruiz at the plate. That forces Schindel's hand and he finishes up Ruiz with an IW to face McCarthy who fans to end the inning. Bottom half, Utley leads off with a homer (10) DEEP TO CENTER to make it 3-2 West Coast. Trumbo follows with a single and then Torrealba knocks him to 3rd on a perfect hit-and-run. Floyd comes to the plate. But a pop-up, K and fly out to LF allows no more damage and Tempe keeps it at a 3-2 West Coast. Top 5 - after getting Granderson and Cabrera, Floyd gives up the long ball to Pence (21) to knot the game at 3! AGon ends it with a whiff. Victorino a 1 out single nets nothing in the bottom half, 3-3 after 5. Top 6 - The Tulo guy again (Tulowitzski) gets at Schindel and leads off with a double. Beltre follows with a single, runners at the corners, no outs. Time for pitching change - Addison Reed comes in for West Coast to face Pedroia. Brought in because of his control and what does he do - walks Pedroia to load them up for Ruiz. This as Reed's 6th walk of the season in 5.2 ip!! Joakim Soria comes in to Reed. Fans Ruiz - bases still loaded, McCarthy steps in to the box. Anderson lets him hit - and he grounds into inning ending DP! Whoa. Top 7th, apparently Soria was real pleased with himself, but he forgot to put that to his advantage as the 7th inning got underway. Granderson decided he really was going to play in this series and opens up with a shot off the CF wall for a lead off double. Cabrera walks and Pence grounds into FC leaving runners at the corners for AGon. Torres comes into fact Adrian. Well Adrian wins this battle fisting one into right to plate Cabrera and 4-3 lead. Pence goes for third and AGon decides he'll try for 2nd, but the throw is cut-off and so is AGon. Pence at 3b with 2 outs and - yup - Tulowitzski at the plate. Whoa - he whiffs! McCarthy returns to the hill for the bottom of the 7th but after getting the first 2 batters he walks Cuddyer and his day is done. Jim Johnson comes in to take his place. Johnson - another in a string of SUPER RELIEVERS for Tempe sports a 2.38 era in 69 GAMES (72.0 ip). Only given up 4 HRs in that span. Victorino is his first opponent. Shane rips it into the RF corner for a triple scoring Cuddyer and tying the game at 4. Eric Young (Jr.) comes in to PH for Torres and grounds to short. 4-4 after 7. Kenley Jansen comes in for West Coast in the 8th. A walk to Beltre - long fly out by Pedroia and whiff by Ruiz brings up Duda, PHitting for Johnson. He bounces out short to second to end the top half. Spence comes in for the bottom of the 8th for the Tempers. Utley smashes one that Pedroia knocks down, but can't get it to first in time to beat Utley - single. In daring style, Utley steals 2nd and 3rd to put the go ahead run 90 feet from the plate. Infield is in as Trumbo digs in. WHIFF, 1 down. Torrealba to bat. After faking a toss to 3rd, Spence throws to the plate, it's off Ruiz's glove for PB and Utley scores! 5-4 West Coast. So, IF single, 2 stolen bases and PB set the stage for the 9th. Top of the Tempers order and they have to be fired up. Top 9 - Granderson fans, 1 out. Cabrera walks - tying run on base. Pence to the plate already 2 for 4 today with a HR. He connects again, it is hooking down the RF line, and it stays fair, but Cuddyer catches it for out # 2. AGon to the plate. A walk to AGon - so it's Tulowitzski time again!! Oh boy. Schindel is sticking with Jansen - probably his last outing - does he have anything left in the tank?? YES - he gets Tulo to fly to medium CF for the final out as the Swing take game 2 from West Coast 5-4. FINAL LINE TEM 4-10-0 WCS 5-11-0 WP Jansen (4-2) LP Spence (4-2) Game 3 - The Tempers are looking to bounce back after West Coast squeaks through a complete of tight, exciting games. As it stands now, West Coast has clinched a tie for the 2nd and final Wild Card spot in the NL. They are looking to pop a cork or two so they can prepare for the playoffs - but it ain't there yet! Starters: Jhoulys Chacini is taking the hill for the Tempers. He's 13-2 with an era of 2.55 this year.And he's 1-0 in his only previous start against the Swing. Kevin Millwood (he'll be 38 on Christmas eve this year!) will be the hope of the Swing. Kevin is 3-3 in 9 starts with an era of3.86. This is his first start this year against Tempe. Top of the 1st - it appears the real Tempe Tempers are here for this game. Granderson opens the game drawing a walk and goes to 3rd on a perfect hit and run single by Cabrera. Pence follows with an rbi single and Cabrera and Pence end up and 3rd and 2nd on some nifty base running. 1-0 Tempe, 0 outs. AGon follows with with a bruising drive to the gap in left center plating both Cabrera and Pence - and then he manages to lumber safely into second when the play was going to the plate - even after it was cut off! 3-0. Tulowitzski then singles, but AGon holds at 3rd. Beltre singles, it's now 4-0 and still NO outs. 2 straights grounds to 3rd with FC at 3rd and then a foul out finally end the inning. Looked there might be some retaliation in the bottom half when Pierre and Desmond opened up with singles, but they were stranded on 1st and 2nd as Chacin seemed to have found a groove. In the 2nd a 2 out double by AGon scores Granderson to make it 5-0. Schindel is now having to evaluated the reasoning behind letting Millwood pitch. He keeps him in, but lifts him for pinchhitter in the bottom half. Another almost rally as 2 more runners are LOB. Huff comes in to pitch in the 3rd. Bottom of 3rd, with 2 outs we are seeing some Swing life emerging. Cuddyer singles and he's followed by Zimmerman who smacks a hard bouncer to Pedroia at 2nd, he boots it and all are safe with Cuddyer ending up at 3rd. Nunez follows with a walk - this inning's threat has 3 guys on base, will there be a different ending? Yes - Eric Young (Jr.) takes one to the gap in LF and even though Granderson is quick to get to it, both Cuddyer and Zimmerman are able to score, 5-2 Tempe. Runners are at 1st and 2nd. But Teagarden ends the rally by striking out. Nothing for Tempe in the 4th 5th and 6th, but both the 4th and 5th see them get a runner on but the innings end with DPs. In the 6th, after a leadoff single, another DP. Then a single and then another single, but a K ends the inning. However, the last single in this inning was by P Chacin - he also drew a leadoff W in the 4th. He wants it!! 7th - lead-off single by Cabrera is followed by a double from Pence - the 13th hit for the Tempers. Runners at 2nd and 3rd, 0 outs, spells trouble for West Coast because AGon is coming to the plate. Huff, still on the mound, digs in and fans him. Then Tulowiztski (Schindel is working on an ulcer) steps up - he lines one to left center - Victorino gets on his horse and snares it, he's wasting no time getting the ball off toward home. Good thing because Cabrera got the OK to tag - the play at the plated - SAFE, he slide around the tag (home town fans are not sure, but they have no say in it). 6-2 with Pence still at 2nd. Beltre then lines one over 2nd into CF - Pence will try to score on Victorino, and Beltre is going to try for 2nd on the throw. Bad move for Beltre, the throw is cut off and he's out by a mile - but Pence crosses the plate first to make it 7-2. In the 8th, West Coast makes some more subs including bringing in McAllister to pitch. He's itchy and looks like has an edge, but Pedroia greets him with a lead-off HR (12) to make it 8-2. After 2 strikeouts, Granderson takes one over the CF wall (#40) to make it 9-2. Cabrera walks, Pence walks and AGon (AGain) smacks one into RF for a single and rbi, 10-2. Tulo walks to load the bases and then Beltre hits a hard two-bouncer to Desmond at SS - and he boots it to make it 11-2. Pedroia did NOT homer twice in the inning, but he did start it and end it - flying out to LF. Tempe manager Anderson (doing road duties for Chris) finally makes a substitution in the bottom of the 8th bringing in Saito to pitcher for Chacin. Surprise, with 2 outs, Nunez hits one over the LF wall (11), 11-3. Spence comes in to pitch the 9th for Tempe and gets the swing in order to end the massacre. FINAL LINE TEM 11 17 1 WCS 3 6 1 WP Chacin (14-2) LP Millwood (3-4) Well with no out of town news the Swing need to keep fighting along - it for the postseason, pride and all that. Plus, they've heard rumors that after the playoffs, they will be broken up among three new franchises - so they are working to show who they are and give the West Coast fans something to remember. Tempe Tempers at West Coast Swing - night time for game 4 of this final series of the regular season. Tempe already in for the playoffs (they clinched in May?) and deservedly so, but West Coast wants to be there just as much (maybe more!). They could use another win to make that a certainty, but West Coast showed in game 3 that they want to flex their might right to the end - especially after getting beat in games 1 and 2. Game 4 Starters: Tempe's starter is Tim Stauffer - 24-0, era 2.57 in 29 starts. And you know what, he may be undefeated but in his two previous starts against West Coast - he only WON 1 of them!! (His team won both however). Wandy Rodriquez has been given the task of trying to upset Staufer, the Tempers and clinching the Wild Card for the Swing! He's 13-13 in 30 starts with an era of 3.46. He has amassed 184 Ks in 187.1 innings, so he can throw through some wood. He's 0-1 against Tempe. Well we got to the second inning before any real action. With one out in the top half, AGon finally gets one to go over the wall for a solo HR (28) , 1-0 Tempe. In the 3rd with two outs Tulowitzski draws a walk. Beltre follows with shot over the third that goes into the corner - Tulo turns on afterburners and tries to score - and does. Beltre streches the double to get to 3b on the throw and makes it 2-0 Tempe. The Stauffer magic continues! After a scoreless third - West Coast gets on the board as Utley leads off the bottom of the 4th with deep blast (11) into the RF seats - no doubt from the moment the bat made contact, 2-1 Tempe. The nemesis trio - Tulo, Beltre and AGon strike again in the 6th. Single, walk and then another AGon blast (29) - a Baltimore special, makes it 5-1 Tempe. Pedroia singles, is replaced on the basepath by Stauffer on FC sac attempt, but no matter - Granderson blasted a 2 run shot (41) with 2 outs to make it 7-1 Tempe. What kind of damage can happen in the 7th. New Swing pitcher Noesi faces the nemesis trio and gets off to a bad start. Single by Tulo followed by E8 putting Beltre on 1st with Tulo on 2nd. AGon up! High fly to CF, but not deep enough as he flies out (but there is still only 1). Pedroia fans and then Ruiz hits one to right CF, but Cuddyer gets over to catch it and the inning is over. A Trumbo double and Zimmerman rbi single get one back for the the home team in the bottom half. Little bit of a rally - Desmond singles, now runners at 1st and 2nd, 1 out and Peralta comes in to pitch for Stauffer. That means Stauffer will finish the season with no losses in 30 starts - and if Tempe holds on to the lead, he'll be 25-0! Not bad for the #2 guy. Torrealba greets Peralta with a double scoring one making it 7-3. Eric Young (Jr.) walks to load the bases bringing up a pinch hitter (and the tying run to the plate). Nunez comes in - with a bit of pop - and grounds into inning ending DP, keeping it at 7-3. Oh, they had a chance. Soria comes pitch the 8th for West Coast - gives up 2 hits, but a DP after the 1st one keeps the scoring the same. Spence comes in to pitch the 8th for Tempe. Hey, Soria gets the "nemesis trio" out in order in the 9th, fanning Tulo and AGon and getting Beltre to fly out in between. Spence also has a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 9th and the game ends 7-3. Series now knotted at 2-2. FINAL LINE TEM 7 13 0 WCS 3 6 1 WP Stauffer (25-0) OK - for all you following the NL last wild card chase, West Coast is still looking for another victory to guarantee things - and they still have to get that victory against Tempe. Game 5 series knotted at 2 apiece (West Coast taking the 1st two, the Tempers showing their anger by roaring back with a vengeance in games 3 and 4). Game 5 Starters Tempe: OK, this is the one that West Coast fans have been drooling over - Matt Cain all 33-2 of him. 1.38 (can you see that miniscule number) ERA. 44 STARTS!! 2 starts against West Coast - back in the opening series of the season and .. (wait for it) ... he's got NO decisions (and the games were split). Cain doesn't like the thought of not beating his division rivals. West Coast: Dillion Gee, 8-10 with a lofty 4.51 era in 21 starts. Wow, hmm, can't seem to say much - except he's our guy! This is his first start against Tempe. Top first - a 2 out Pence double followed by and AGon single scores 1, AGon out at 2nd trying to go too far on the throw to the plate. 1-0 Tempe. In the 5th, Pedroia leads off with single, moves to 2nd on Ruiz groundout. After Cain whifs, Granderson hits one to CF that looked like it would end the inning, but it knuckled wildly and ended up as an rbi triple, 2-0 Tempe! With 1 out in the 6th, the "nemesis trio" comes to bat (this time it's AGon, Tulo then Beltre). AGon walks and Tulo then singles him to second setting the table for Beltre. Alex Torres is called in to pitch. Whiff. Pedroia up, fly out to CF - no damage. But still no runs from West Coast as Cain has held them to 2 hits through 6. 2-0 Tempe Cain did not get yanked early - and through 8 still has a 2 hit shutout going. Torres was able to keep Tempe in check and Perez took over in the 9th. With 1 down however, Pedroia goes really DEEP (13) into the LF stands to make it 3-0. Cain sets them down in order in the bottom half - goes to 34-2 - with a CG 2 hit shutout facing 30 batters. FINAL LINE TEM 3 7 0 WCS 0 2 0 WP Cain (34-2) LP Gee (8-11) One day left - what will happen in the finale? All right - this is it - the series finale, the final game of the regular season for these two, last tuneup for Tempe before the playoffs and hopefully for the home town fans - NOT the last game for West Coast. This game features a rematch of the game 1 starters - Chris Young for Tempe (3-2 in 5 starts, era 3.65) and for West Coast, Josh Johnson (3-1 in 5 starts, era 1.79). Young is 0-1 against West Coast in his only start against them, Johnson is 2-0 against Tempe in 3 starts. We are now into the 8th inning - what, where did the game go. Well so far it has been all pitching. Johnson gave up 2 hits to Granderson in the early going and a couple of walks, but a DP and deft pitching turned them into nothing. Most interesting scoring threat came when Duda hit a PH (pinching for McDonald) double with 2 outs in the 8th. Young was next up, and Anderson after pinchhitting for McDonald let Young bat - K. Of course the fact that through 7 innings Young has only yielded ONE walk - and NO hits might have something to do with that (oops). Well the no-hitter ended in the 8th with a 2 out single by Desmond, then an IW to Torrealba brings Johnson to the plate - what to do? Well, here the strategy starts - Eric Young (Jr.) is called on to PH. So the Tempers respond by bringing in Clippard to pitch. Grounder - 4-3 FC at second to end the inning. Chris Perez coming in for the 9th, he had a tough time in game 5 and he starts at the top of the order. He walks Pence and then Pedroia doubles leaving runners at 2nd and 3rd - no outs - and Granderson up. Well, it's pull out the stops time, infield is drawn in. The long fly down the RF line - hooking, hooking, hooking, must not have been that close to the line because with all that hooking it was still fair enough for a HR (42) and a 3-0 lead. Then Perez decides it's time to pitch and gets the next three batters to end the inning. 3-0 Tempe going to the bottom of the 9th. Holland does not come out at the beginning of the inning. And he didn't need to, Clippard finished them off in order. FINAL LINE TEM 3 5 0 WCS 0 1 0 WP - Clippard (6-3) LP - Perez (3-5) Really cool game, but 2nd straight 3-0 TEMPE shutout - not cool (unless you Mr. Douglas or maybe one of those NL East teams in the hunt). So WC could put themselves over the top unaided, will they get some help? Well MWBL fans, it's been a fun coming to you this week - hope to have some more games to report. |