[pauwoo]

Los Angeles Leopards (4-5, 2-2 Away) @ Mexico City Jaguars (8-3, 4-0 Home)
Playing in Mexico City, where, during these playoffs, the Jaguars have been unbeatable, is far from ideal… sure, it stands to reason that the altitude may awaken our bats, that we may suddenly start hitting again, that the offense will begin showing real verve, and get back on track before its too late. Of course, anecdotally and otherwise, I’ve not had that experience with my club in Mexico City – at least not that I can recall. We need to win here, clearly… it’s important for the club, our fans, and, let’s face, baseball itself that one of its most popular clubs, in one of its most populace cities, shows out for the mothership to help ensure that all of our owners can fill the community coffers once the dust has settled on this season. So, it’s all win one for the Gipper, up the town, and do our part for the sport – we don’t need a reverse sweep, yet, so our focus is to get two of three, get this thing back to L.A., and line up a kill shot in front of the hometown faithful.

3 of 7: Ram Chen (0-0, 1.12) @ Randy Keramidas (1-0, 2.30)
Win, 7-3. We’re not out of the woods yet, but, thanks to Carson Hutchinson’s 2-for-4 day and 2-run TANK, we’re a lot closer than we were upon arrival… A 2-run, two-bagger from OH HONG, an RBI each for Otto and Chance, 2 double plays, 2 outfield assists (Otto getting Nieman at home and Ethan snagging Aaron Lane at 3rd, Ichiro style), and a good enough day from the staff with only Ram (1 earned) and Dontrell (2 earned) letting anything come back around for the home team would make this a positive result for the La La’s. One more of these and we’re good, two more… we’re GREAT.

4 of 7: Stephen Estevez (0-1, 4.80) @ Doug Ehrenreich (0-0, 0.00)
Win, 8-2. We’d break off a 5-run top of the 9th with a 2-run double from Chance followed by consecutive RBIs from the next three batters – Weaver, D-Rod, and Hutchinson – extending what had been a tentative, 1-run margin, to an insurmountable 6-run cushion. Ethan finished 2-for-5 with a 2-run DING DONG, Walt Tignor hit a triple in his only at bat, OH HONG went 2-for-4 and scored, we got a SAC BUNT from Paulino, a SAC FLY from Kyle Weaver, swiped bags from Otto and Ethan, and a winning performance, his first of the playoffs, from Estevez, who went 5.1-innings, allowing two hits, a run, and a walk while fanning 6.

Elsewhere: Dallas managed to get some sweet, sweet get back against Vancouver at home, dispatching the mighty Mounties by a score of 4-2 in front of their hometown crowd in Texas. Ex-Leopard, Merl Crawford, gave the Chaparrals 6.2 innings of filthiness, allowing only 3 hits and 1 earned while fanning 4… he’d not get the win, however, as Donovan Turnbull, who also used to work here, blew it by giving up the tying run during the top of the 7th.

5 of 7: Nacho Valadez (0-1, 2.92) @ Owen Sum (2-0, 1.29)
Loss, 4-6. The Jaguars would put a bad one on us on our way out the door, scoring a run during the bottom of the 7th that put them ahead for good followed by another during the very next frame to give themselves a bit of insurance. Catcher, Gary Alvardo, hit the game-winner, sending those in attendance into a tizzy, Tyler Hill contributed a run-scoring triple and a solo homer, and Payton Gardner blasted a 2-run TANK off Nacho that would spell our doom. 3 earned for Nacho who still has yet to earn a decision in the playoffs, 2 more for Rad, who takes the loss in this one, and another for Jan Hernandez would round out our pitching performances while our offense, in scoring 4 total runs, just didn’t have enough in the kitty to cover the cost of a win.

Elsewhere: Dallas knotted up their series against Vancouver, winning game 4 by a score of 7-2 despite an early, top of the 1st homer for PEPPER GRANT for the Mounties… he did his level best to lead the way, but his teammates just couldn’t be bothered to get in line behind him.

Record: 6-6, 2-3 Home
Up Next: We’ll head back to Los Angeles needing two more wins to keep our caviar dreams alive.