Mumbai sit second bottom in the West and South-East Asia Division, and the Hares will be hoping to pick up at least a couple of wins off them in this 4-game series.
Although they've never won the EAA or World Series, the Directors are one of the East & South-West Asia Division's most successful teams, topping the division twice, and making the playoffs 6 times in their history.
Game 1
SP: Bullpen game
The Sheffield Mountain Hares trounced the Mumbai Directors with a convincing 12-3 defeat at Kingfisher Park. Rob Graham continued his recent good form, hitting 2 home runs, while adding 4 RBIs and scoring twice. The Hares improve to 52-54, the best record they’ve had since very early in the season.
Willie Perez came up big once again, hitting a huge grand slam home run for the Mountain Hares in the bottom of the second inning. With Sheffield leading 3-0 and the bases loaded, he got a slider from Tony Cruz and swatted a home run to left. It was his 35th home run of the season, putting the Hares up 7-0. Choe, Baca and Duarte handled the bullpen game for the Hares with minimal fuss.
Player of the game: Rob Graham
Game 2
SP: Giobbe Marinello
Saetgaliev continued his imperious form as Sheffield won game 2 10-4. Saetgaliev, who is on pace for 104 RBI this season, went 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk, scoring 2 runs and driving in 6. The win puts the Mountain Hares at 53-54, while the Directors drop to 43-64. Marinello put in a very solid start, giving up just 1 run in 6 innings.
Player of the game: Kolya Saegaliev
Game 3
SP: Alois Herzog
The Hares continued their winning streak as they looked to get a four-game sweep against the Mumbai Directors, with a 5-3 win in game 3. Alois Herzog made a strong, if not particularly deep, start, racking up 6 strikeouts and giving up 2 runs in 5 innings. Lekimeju, Budd and Baririos capably kept Mumbai at bay for the rest of the innings, giving up only 1 further run.
Adam Koehler hit the key go-ahead home-run in the bottom of the fourth. Sheffield were 2-0 down when he punished a fastball from Gambian Abdel-Alim Suwedi, getting his 12th home run of the season and putting the Hares up 3-2. Jesus Morales also racked up a rare home-run, his 3rd of the season.
Best of all, this means the Hares are now.500!!
Player of the game: Alois Herzog
Today was also the trade deadline, but there were no further moves from the Hares. I always like the excitement of trades, but actually I’m just relieved we’re holding onto some of the talent that has been performing so well over the last month.
Game 4
SP: Mototomo Motoyanagi
The Hares get themselves above .500 for the first time in many months, with a tight 5-4 win over the directors, who have been swept 4 games to 0. Mumbai’s South Korean third baseman Joon-ho Kim was on fine forme, going 2-2 with a home run, a double, and 2 walks, driving in 3 runs and scoring once, but it wasn’t enough. Chase Clem hit a key 2-run homer in a first inning where the Hares racked up 4 runs as the Directors failed to catch them despite their best efforts. Motoyanagi was unspectacular, but did just enough, keeping the Directors to 3 runs in his 5 innings.
Player of the game: Joon-ho Kim
