Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) @ Chicago Fire (7-4), Game 3 (Tied, 1-1)
As the Jaguars make the trip to Chicago for Game 3 of their 7-game series against the Fire, I can’t help but feel that with their Game 2 loss, they’ve lost control of this series. Of course, Jacksonville is a well-built club – dominant over large stretches during the regular season and more than capable of getting back on track – so, my gut feeling could be wrong (I’m probably just hungry). In this tilt, however, they find themselves looking out at Trev Anderson from the Batters Box, and while there are far worse sights to see from that vantage point than the former 10th overall pick out of Duke, he’s been on something of a tear here lately – all quality, though his quantity could be improved upon. The Brooklyn born & bred hurler has fantastic stuff – with a forkball, fastball, and slider that have a place amongst the elite versions in the MLB. He’ll be tough to hit – and this one may be decided based on his performance. If I was a betting man, I’d take the Fire in this one.
Joseph Thompson (0-0, 5.40) @ Trev Anderson (1-0, 2.16)
Anderson – for all my hackneyed build-up – gave up a lead-off double three pitches into the game to Billy Brown, who’d steal 3rd and score a couple of batters later, and Trev would give up two more runs before getting out of the top of the 1st. Hmm, I may have been right about the outcome of this game being dependent on his performance (and it's a good thing that I am, in fact,
NOT a betting man)… He’d give up one more before getting yanked in the 7th. Thompson, on the other hand, dazzled, sparkled, shined throughout this one – 6 innings with only 5 hits and no earned runs to aid the Jaguars in their cause. The Jags would get this one by a score of 4-0, shutting out the home team & embarrassing them in front of their wives, girlfriends, mistresses, family, and friends. Jaguars DH Burton Darden (A restaurant owning snowboard enthusiast – fresh powder and cedar plank salmon?) went 2 for 3 with a couple of RBI’s and Mercury Aghajari & Isidro Lutz both drove in one of their own – a dominant effort from Jacksonville and a tough loss to bounce back from for the Fire… This one is heating up.
