2017 – AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #1

Chicago looking to revenge last years ousting by the Crime head into the series as the favorite, but always know that Detroit is their arch rival. 
In the bottom of the first Josh Donaldson connects on a Scott Kazmir slow curveball that hangs a little too much & gets deposited over the center field wall for a 2-0 Chicago lead.
Bottom 2nd, this time its long time Chicago Mobster Andrew McCutchen’s turn to go yard  over the right field wall, putting Chicago into driver seat with a 4-0 lead.  
Scott Kazmir in the 3rd tries to sneak a fastball past Josh Donaldson but it doesn’t happen as Donaldson was sitting dead red and drives just over center fielder Bryce Harper’s head & Chicago is now up 6-0 after 3 Innings.  
In the mean time Noah Syndergaard has set down 9 out of 10 batters through the first 3 Innings with his only blemish is a 1 out walk to Daniel Descalso in the 3rd.   
Chicago puts up a single run in the 4th as Syndergaard walks the leadoff batter Cameron Maybin, but Manny Machado takes a 3rd Strike looking, followed by a Double Play off the bat of Ben Zobrist.  Buster Posey picks up a Sacrifice Fly scoring Dexter Fowler in the 4th, giving the Mobsters a 7-0 lead, but all eyes turn toward Syndergaard who is dealing.  A 1-2-3 5th for Syndergaard.  
A throwing error  on the infield by Justin Turner in the 6th leads to Bryce Harper ending up on 2nd with 2 outs.  Cameron Maybin hits a hard liner but right at Ian Kinsler for the 3rd out.   With Andrelton SImmons at 3rd, Josh Donaldson hits a Sacrifice Fly making it 8-0 Chicago.  Syndergaard dealing in the 7th, 1-2-3, in the 8th, 1-2-3 with his 10th Strikeout of the game.  
The 9th inning was another part of the drama of this game.   Chicago was well ahead (8-0) going into the 9th, but Noah Syndergaard had the No-hitter going & only had faced 26 batters.   Yasmani Grandal lead it off & was Struckout on 4 pitches.  Bryce Harper stepped up & took a heater at the knees for his 12th Strikeout of the game.   One out away from a No-Hitter & Detroit manager Sergio Ivone called back Cameron Maybin to bring on left handed hitter Ichiro, _ who’s 2nd all-time in Mid-West Baseball League history with 2868 Hits.   Ichiro, _ flicks one towards left, over the head of Andrelton Simmons, but coming on hard & saying I want it is Dexter Fowler.    The Mobsters rush the mound, congratulations all around as David Ortiz picks up Noah Syndergaard on his shoulders & they head off into the clubhouse to celebrate this stunning accomplishment.  

Final Score: Chicago 8 – Detroit 0
Win: Noah Syndergaard 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Scott Kazmir 0-1  (18.00)

Chicago had bases loaded in the 4th with one out when J.D. Martinez hits a fly ball to straight away center that Cameron Maybin tracks down for out number two,  Posey tags up & heads home, but the throw is cut off & the Crime cut down David Ortiz trying to advance.  The run scores ahead of the 3rd out & the Mobsters take a 1-0 lead.
With one out in the 5th Yasmani Grandal comes to the plate for Detroit & lunches one to deep straight away center where it clears Dexter Fowler & the fence for a Grand Slam for the Crime.   Detroit takes a 4-1 lead after 4 &1/2 Innings of play.   
The Mobsters get on the board again in the 5th Andrelton Simmons plates Justin Turner.   Manager Ivone takes Carrasco out & sends Kevin Seigrist to the hill looking for a Double Play.  Chicago Manager Stray Corrado starts Simmons in motion trying to stay out of the Double Play, & Dexter Fowler lines a shot to right, but the quick Ichiro, _ comes sprinting makes the catch & fires to first for the unconventional Double Play that Detroit was looking for.
Yasmani Grandal lunches his 2nd Home Run of the game in the 7th with a solo shot off Andrew Miller.   Detroit takes a solid 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th.
It’s here were the flood gates opened up & the Detroit season went downhill.  Nelson Cruz hits a 2-Run Home Run off Matt Bush with no one out.  Justin Turner walks & the Crime manager takes ball from Bush, replacing him with Ryan Dull.  Turner Steals 2nd before Devon Travis Strikes Out for the 1st out of the inning.  A ground ball to Danny Espinosa holds Turner at 2nd for the 2nd out.   Dexter Fowler hits a hot smash up the middle to the left of Ben Zobrist who takes it on one hop & throws to Sean Rodriguez, but Fowler busts it down the line & is safe in the throw.   Justin Turner rounded 3rd, went straight through the stop sign by the Chicago 3rd base coach Shannon Stewart & caught Rodriguez looking at the 1B Umpire thinking he missed the play at 1B.   Rodriguez throws to the plate, & Turners safe.  He’s safe.  He went 2nd to Home on a ground ball up the middle.  Fowler takes 2nd on the throw home. Tie Score.  After a Buster Posey walk David Ortiz then hits a pea inside the bag at first, scoring Fowler & Posey the Mobsters now have the lead.   Josh Donaldson steps in facing Ryan Dull & drives one down the line in left staying just fair and inside the pole for a 2-Run Home Run.    Mobsters score 7 in the 7th & now have a 9-5 lead.
Chicago’s combination of using it’s bullpen was solid for the 8th as Wade Davis pitches a 1-2-3 inning, followed up by 3 Chicago relievers for the 9th.  Julio Urias a rookie who made the Post Season Roster gets a Strikeout for his only batter in the 9th.  Aroldis Chapman is brought in to face Pinch Hitter Dae-Ho Lee who replaces  Ichiro, _.  Lee foul tips the ball into Roberto Perez glove for the 2nd Strikeout of the Inning.  Seung-hwan Oh replaces Chapman looking to face Danny Espinoza for the last out of the game, but Franklin Gutierrez pinch hits & walks.   Bringing the tying Run to the plate in Martin Maldonado.   Oh throws a 1-2 curveball that Maldonado takes a healthy cut at, but comes up empty.   Oh Strikes out Maldonado for the 3rd K of the Inning & gives the Mobsters a 2-0 lead in the series.

Final Score: Chicago 9 – Detroit 5
Win: Andrew Miller (1-0  9.00)
Loss: Ryan Dull (0-1  0.00)

 Game #3: Felix Hernandez (17-4  3.20) vs. Madison Bumgarner (17-9  2.85)

The King (Felix Hernandez) & Madison Bumgarner are both on their “A” games in this one.   Both pitchers hold the opposition  scoreless though 4 Innings.   Chicago gets on the board when Andrew McCutchen blasts one to right for an opposite field solo Home Run.  Hernandez takes the ball in the bottom of the 5th & gives his manager a 1-2-3 5th.  
Chicago hands the ball over to Alexander Reyes for the 6th & he doesn’t disappoint.   Reyes gives Chicago a 1-2-3 6th & says he feels strong, giving Chicago Manager Stray Corrado a thought about running him out there for the 7th.  In the top of the 7th Justin Turner mashes one that goes all the way for a solo Home Run of Bumgarner giving Chicago a 2-0 lead after 6 & 1/2.
Reyes does get the ball in the 7th & the 8th for the Mobsters & besides a base on balls & a stolen base he walks away unscathed & Chicago holds a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the 9th.  
Zach Duke who was a late season pick up just to face Bryce Harper starts the 9th facing him.   Harper flies out to right for the first out of the inning. The Loogy did his job.   Seung-hwan Oh replaces Duke, looking for 2 outs.  Cameron Maybin flies out for the second out of the Inning.  Manny Machado the heart & sole of this Detroit Franchise grounds in the hole, but Andrelton Simmons makes a nice back handed play, fires to first base where Justin Turner scoops it up for the third & final out of the Inning.  
Chicago now takes a 3-0 lead in the series into game 4.n

Final Score: Chicago 2 – Detroit 0
Win: Felix Hernandez (1-0  0.00)
Loss: Madison Bumgarner (0-1  2.35)

Game #4: Carlos Matias Martinez (16-4  3.25) vs. Stephen Strasburg (15-4  2.37)

Chicago looking to close the series out & Detroit just looking to take it one game at a time.   Carlos Matias Martinez Pitches 5 Inning of 3 Hit, 1 Walk ball, Striking Out 7 along the way.  Stephen Stashburg goes 6 Innings for the Crime, allowing 2 Runs, a RBI ground out to Andrelton Simmons scoring Buster Posey in the 3rd & solo Home Run to Nelson Cruz in the 5th.  

David Ortiz takes Kevin Siegrist who was brought in to face Ortiz deep to right field for a Home Run in the 7th.   Siegrist is promptly pulled from the game & seen headed down the tunnel to pack his bags out of town.  

In the bottom of the 8th after a walk to Danny Descalso from Julio Urias, Bryce Harper is due up & Chicago manager selects Andrew Miller the lefty to face him.  Detroit manager Sergio Ivone pulls a George Costanza & does the opposite of what is right & replaces Harper with Franklin Gutierrez who connects high & far, deep to center field over the head of Billy Hamilton for a 2-Run Home Run.   The Costanza logic worked & Detroit is back in this game trailing by only one run as we head to the 9th

Detroit closer Zach Britton comes on to hold this tight.  Britton gets David Ortiz on a slow roller for out number one, Josh Donaldson bounces to Ben Zobrist for out number two & gets Billy Hamilton on a very close play to close out the top of the 9th.  Crime down 1 Run.  Chicago hands the ball over to Wade Davis who will be looking for three Outs to close out this game & the series.   Davis gets Kendrys Morales on a 2-2 change up for out number one.  Ichiro, _ pinch hits for Sean Rodriguez.  Fly ball center field, Billy Hamilton makes the catch for out number two.  Long time Crime player Adam Jones represents the tying run steps up with Detroit’s hopes on the line.  Jones hits a fly ball, no trouble, Hamilton is there, makes the catch & the Chicago Mobsters have defeated the Crime in a 4 games to 0 Sweep.

Final Score: Chicago 3 – Detroit 2
Win: Carlos Matias Martinez (1-0  0.00)
Loss: Stephen Strasburg (0-1  3.00)