2015 – AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #1

American League Division Series
Tijuana Bottle Rockets vs. Chicago Mobsters

Series Preview:   Chicago finished the season with an American League best 130 wins which now sets the records for the most wins ever by an American League Franchise.    The 130 wins passed 118 Win mark set by the Mobsters in 2008.   Chicago wasn’t alone in passing the 118 win mark as the Hollywood Werewolves finished 2015 with 120 wins, and could be the match up Chicago is hoping if they can get by the Bottle Rockets here in the Division Series.   The Bottle Rockets finished 2nd in the American League Central with 113 wins themselves and will be a tough match up for the Mobsters.

Game #1: Corey Kluber (19-10 2.34) vs.
Felix Hernandez (27-1 1.21)

Buster Posey is 3 for 4 with a Home Run & 3 RBI’s to lead the Mobsters.  McCutchen & Morneau (Chicago’s version of the M&M Boys) both have RBI’s.  Felix Hernandez is masterful through  6.1 innings, allowing only a Solo Home Run to Jose Bautista before a six-pack of Chicago relievers work the last 2.2 Innings keep the Bottle Rockets scoreless.  The game takes it’s toll on both squads.  The Mobsters lose Infield/Outfielder Steve Pearce to a 14 day (Undisclosed) injury.  Tijuana have two players go down as Tim Federowicz will be sidelined for 4 days & Joe Mauer will be lost for the series with a 9 day injury.

Game #2: Zack Greinke (23-5 2.43) vs. Chris Sale (20-5 1.36)

With the score dead locked at a run each heading to the 9th Inning, Chicago has Wade Davis facing Ben Zobrist with Justin Upton on 3rd base and 2 outs.  A hard lined single over the head & out stretcehed glove of Dustin Pedroia (If only he was 2 inches taller) to score Upton & give Tijuana the lead 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 9th.  Darren O’Day (Who got the last out in the 8th for the Bottle Rockets) calls for the trainer after throwing his warm up pitches.  O’Day throws a few more with umpire Manny Gonzalez, the trainer & Bottle Rockets Manager Dave Myers all looking on.   O’Day says he’s good to go and Manager Myer gives him his vote of confidence before breaking up & getting the inning started.  Pedro Alvarez the first Mobster up this inning was watching all that unfold from the on deck circle & leaned over to Ender Incarte & said “If this sidewinder throws me a a first pitch fastball I am taking him downtown”.   Sure as the spoken word O’Day tosses up a meatball fastball first pitch & Alvarez deposits it over the right field field wall.  Yasiel Puig looked like he was going to have it covered, but the ball just traveled a few feet further than his glove.  That notched the score at 2 apiece with O’Day set to face the bottom three in the Mobsters lineup.  Incarte grounded out before Dexter Fowler Doubled to center & then promptly stole 3rd base on the next pitch.   Andrelton Simmons steps up with 1 on (3rd) & 1 out.   Simmons squares to bunt – it’s a suicide squeeze – Fowler’s coming to the plate, Simmons gets it down towards First Base – Edwin Encarnacion charges in grabs the ball, slings it home – we have a play at the plate – Fowler’s in there, just under the tag of Josmil Pinto.   Fowler gets up & along with every Mobsters player & pitcher on the bench goes after Simmons who is just past first base, drenched in water, sunflower seeds & shirtless.

Game #3: Adam Wainwright (24-5 1.73) vs. Tanner Roark (18-4 2.31)

Chicago scores first with McCutchen at second (Fielder Choice & Stolen Base) Morneau grounds a chopper in the hole where Hanley Ramirez scoops it & throws it right by Encarnacion at first, Cutch comes around to score on the play.  In the bottom of the first Hanley belts a two run bomb to left field that clears the wall & give the Bottle Rockets a 2-1 lead.   Both Wainwright & Roak settle down and keep the game at 2-1.  After 9 complete innings & the bullpens doing their jobs we head to the top of the 10th.  Dexter Fowler connects for his 3rd Double of the Series, & Tijuana Manager Dave Jones makes a pitching change from Dana Eveland to hard throwing right hander Chris Withrow.  Mobster Manager Stray Corrado makes a move himself pull Fowler for the faster runner in Eric Young Jr.  Young.  Andrelton Simmons who had the Suicide Squeeze to win it last game will be looking to move Young Jr. over to 3rd.   Chris Withrow holding him close on 2nd.   Simmons squares but pulls the bat back on a low ball, Young was off with the pitch trying to steal 3rd.   Josmil Pinto throws down to 3rd, it’s a wild throw … Young Jr.’s heads home .. coming down the line he scores & the Mobsters take a 3-2 lead.  Bottom of 10, Betances facing Billy Butler to lead it off.  Butler grounds out to Morneau.  Sean Doolittle is then called upon to face Ramiro Pena who takes a breaking ball called Strike Three.  Josmil Pinto is replaced by Left handed Pinch Hitter Eric Chavez who could tie this one with a solo Homer.  Chicago then calls on their flame throwing closer Aroldis Chapman looking for one out & would put the Mobsters up 3 games to 0.  Chavez settles in waits…  Chapman sets, throws…  swung on … hit to deep center field … McCutchen’s races back to the wall & pulls it down for the final out of the game.

Game #4: Felix Hernandez (27-1 1.21) vs.

Corey Kluber (19-10 2.34)

Pedro Alvarez hits a solo shot & Ender Incarte drives in Jose Ramirez late in the game for the only 2 Runs Chicago scores.  Felix Hernandez gets roughed up allowing 3 Runs on 4 hits, walking 3, while Striking Out 5.  Highlights for the Bottle Rockets included Corey Kluber going 8 Innings allowing 2 Earned Run, on 3 hits, 1 walk, while fanning 8 Mobster batters along the way.  Ben Zobrist is the star of the game for Tijuana  3 for 4 with 2 Doubles & 4 RBI’s.  Hanley Ramirez 2 for 2 with 2 walks & 3 runs scored.  Final Score Tijuana 4 – Chicago 2.  Series now 3-1 Chicago.

Game #5: Chris Sale (20-5 1.36) vs. Zack Greinke (23-5 2.43)

Scoreless through 5 Innings of play the Mobsters score 1 in the sixth on a ground out by Pedroia scores Dexter Fowler from 3rd.  With both pitchers (Chris Sale & Zack Grienke) dueling it out with gems the Mobsters crack it open in the 7th off Grienke.  Incarte bangs a tough one to deep left center… giving chase is Justin Upton.. Upton hightails it to the track he doesn’t get it & slams into the wall!   Yasiel Puig’s go it in quickly but INCIARTE goes all the way to third.  Not good news follows as Upton’s stayed down & comes off the field on the golf cart, but he did receive a big hand from the crowd.  After a Fowler walk & a line out to Zobrist for the 1st out, Justin Turner notches a single scoring Fowler & making it 2-0 Chicago.  Pedroia hits a slow roller in the 6.5 hole where Puig picks it up & instead of hitting the cutoff man throws it to home (no where near in time) trying to get Turner.  Both runners move up on the play as the “Wild Horse” thinks he can gun down anyone who dares to run on him.  McCutchen grounds out for the 2nd out of the inning, but Fowler scores making it 4-0 Chicago.   Justin Morneau (Who Tijuana Manager Dave Myers says he hates to face as this guy always seems to get a hit) put the season on ice for Chicago with a long 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a 6 run lead with 6 outs to go.  Bottom of the 8th, Jose Bautista scores on a Hanley Ramirez 3rd hit of the game, but that’s all the Bottle Rockets can muster up against the Mobsters. Chris Sale picks up the win & finishes the series with a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 Innings of work.

Series Summary:  Chicago 4 games to 1 over Tijuana

Chicago pitching held the Bottle Rockets to 1.80 Earned Runs per game as Tijuana scored a total of 10 Runs, 9 Earned & a .156 Batting Average in the 5 game series.  Tijuana pitching allowed 19 runs, 17 earned for a 3.45 ERA.  Mobsters batters hit .210 in the series.