[pauwoo]

Los Angeles Leopards (106-56, .654, 1st NL West) @ Mexico City Jaguars (95-67, .586, 2nd NL West)
We need two – that’s it, our entire focus. Win two of these next three, put Mexico City out of their misery, and meet whomever in the World Series as we work to fulfill our championship winning prophecy. Easier said then done, of course, what with Mexico City’s rip-roaring offense occupying the home team dugout, the altitude they’ll enjoy over these next three, and their ability to hang with us, no problem, throughout the 2084 campaign. Still though – I feel good about these next three, about this run of form we find ourselves on where our big dog, Otto, is coming through on the regular while we continue to get significant contributions from the periphery. If that continues, well, then we can’t be beat. Simple as that.

Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
RHP H. Vaughn (11-7, 3.95 ERA) vs RHP V. Uhlman (16-4, 3.46 ERA)
LHP L. Álvarez (15-9, 3.29 ERA) vs LHP O. Sum (12-8, 4.24 ERA)
RHP C. Arnett (10-12, 3.81 ERA) vs LHP J. Garcia (13-9, 4.28 ERA)

#3: Win, 8-4… one win away from the promised land now – Otto was at it again, finishing 3-for-4 with THREE HOME RUNS, and 4 total RBI, Hernando Benavidez contributed a tasty 3-run TANK of his own, and Mason Click drove one in on a single to round things out nicely for us. Hunter, all things considered (you know, altitude and all that), pitched like a legend, giving the club 7-innings of 6-hit ball where he’d allow just three runners to plate while fanning 4. We’ve pounded out the chicken, coated it in flour, dipped it in some egg wash, covered it in ground up corn flakes, and are cooking with Crisco now folks! You bring the beer and some slaw, we got the fried chicken and baked beans, baby. It’s a family bar-b-que on enemy turf and, with any luck, our estranged Uncle Faye will show up to talk politics & kick up some dust. Let’s go!

Elsewhere: Denver has bested Vancouver in each of their last two contests at home, knotting the ALCS up at 2-game each.

#4: Loss, 1-2… so, a sweep wasn’t in the cards as Mexico City wins game 4 on an uncustomary low-scoring affair in their building with RF Cedric Mauldin doing the dirt for the Jags, putting the winning run on the scoreboard during the bottom of the 5th off Alvarez to deal our Ace his first loss of the postseason. No extra base hits for your Leopards as our bats went silent when just a little bit of noise would have been more than enough to crib a win in this low scoring affair.

#5: Win, 9-3… we’d punch our ticket to the dance in the most emphatic way possible, running up the scoreboard like a Guns N’ Roses pinball machine, styling on Mexico City, in their park, like we were Slash standing on top of a piano in the November Rain, cranking out one of the most iconic, if overrated, solos of all-time. Run-scoring doubles from Ethan & Baker, another HR, a 2-run BLAST, from Otto, a solid, 5.1-inning effort from Chris Arnett, and Major Hansen, generally used as a specialist against lefties, gives us 3.2-innings of 1-hit, 5 K baseball to close the show.

Next stop… destiny.

Playoff Record: 7-3
Up Next: We’ll meet the hard-charging Vancouver Mounties in the World Series with all our hopes & dreams on the line.