The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

2014 PLAYOFFS DAY 2
Tulsa @ San Antonio
Joel Downs (21-7 3.41) vs Travis Rich (13-11 5.09)
Tulsa leads 1-0
A Rajah Lashari RBI ground out makes it 1-0 in the top of 1. Rich Alfred then reaches on an error, and 2 runs score, followed by an Edgardo Chavez single, driving in Alfred, 4-0 Tulsa heading to the bottom of the 2nd.
A Pat Peters 2R HR in the bottom of the 2nd makes it 4-2 Tulsa, where it remains in the bottom of the third, Villalobos at the plate none on no outs. A few hitters later Lou Sparks singles in Villalobos to make it a 4-3 game, where it stands now in the top of 5, 0 outs, runner on 1st, Cox at the plate.
Still 4-3 in the 5th San Antonio gets to the 21 game winner for 4 hits and 2 walks, 3 runs total, to grab a 6-4 lead.
In the 8th they tack on another, and go on to win 7-4.
SAN 7 TUL 4
W Rich (1-0) L Downs (0-1) S Salinas (1)
HR Peters (2)
Series tied 1-1

Staten Island @ El Paso
Staten Island leads 1-0
Ron Pearce (5-7 3.22) vs Josh Wells (9-4 4.97)
Gerald Wright hits an RBI single to put the Diablos up 1-0 and 4 hitters later Michael Simpson drills a 3R HR to make it 4-0 El Paso at the end of 1.
The Yanks claw back, scoring a run in the 3rd on Webers 2nd HR, and 2 in the 6th on Quintania’s 2R double to close to 4-3.
In the bottom of the 8th Hamilton Fraser’s 2 run double makes it 7-3, where it stays.
EP 7 SI 3
W Wells (1-0) L Pearce (0-1) S Woodard (1)
HR SI Weber (2) EP Simpson (2)
Series tied 1-1

Los Angeles @ Baltimore
Los Angeles leads 1-0
Nick Johnston (14-5 4.24) vs Chris O’Slattery (20-8 2.92)
LA and Baltimore have traded RBI singles, LA’s Bobby Newell in the top of 2, Baltimore’s Fraser Hoffman in the bottom. 1-1 top of 3.
And again in the 3rd, they trade single runs. A Vincente Soto RBI ground out in the top, and a Mehpare Isfahani solo HR in the bottom, 2-2 Railcats hitting with 2 outs runners on 1st and 2nd, Tim Holmes at the plate.
A solo HR from LA’s Julio Martinez in the top of the 4th puts LA up 3-2, where it remains in the bottom of 5, 1 out, none on, Boyd at the plate.
Juan Torres drilled a solo HR in the bottom of the 5th to knot it at 3, where it stands now in the bottom of 6, no outs, runner on 1st, Winston hitting for Baltimore.
Inning ends, 3-3 top 7.
Pat Adams drills a 2 out RBI double to put LA up 4-3. It’s now bottom 7, 4-3 with runners on 1st and 2nd 2 outs, Lando Jongmans hitting, full count…. Railcats escape at 4-3.
With closer Julio Gonzalez on Mehpare Isfahani does it again, drilling a leadoff HR in the bottom of the 9th to tie it at 4 apiece.
On to the 10th where Arturo Ramirez is now in for LA. Doug Winston is hit to lead it off and Fraser Hoffman drills a ground rule double, after a Barton Tinker intentional walk Isfahani comes up and delivers a sac fly for the walk off 5-4 win. O’Slattery goes 8.2-10-4-4-1-10.
BAL 5 LA 4
W Woods (1-0) L Ramirez (0-1)
HR LA Martinez (1) BAL Torres (1) Isfahani 2(2)
Series tied 1-1




Chicago @ Philadelphia
Philly leads 1-0
(Trying as hard as I can to call the game in a way that sounds right, but somehow the schedule is hosed and it didn’t swap when I swapped it, and it has us AT Philly…. But it’s not going to work so I’ll call as is, and if needed change the schedule later in the series.
Richard O’Dell (17-8 4.09) vs Mark Williams (13-7 4.69)
Wow, what a let down in game 1. Even after all the excuses I would make, or could, it comes back to Alejandrez being worse than ANYONE could have ever expected. Ya, maybe the offense does NOT kick it in the butt, but even a mediocre outing and I think we win it. To have it lost by our best pitcher sucks, but a sub par start by Alejandrez and we would have won that game.

Williams shows up, early at least. Both pitchers are dealing through 3, the only hit in the game is a Mitchell Mills single in the 3rd. 0-0 Top 4.
Kevin Peters leadoff single is followed 1 out later by an Arredondo single, putting runners at the corners. Williams gets Antonio Vargas to hit into a 5-4-3 to end the inning.
Of all my players, Paul Riggs is the guy BELOW the bottom of the list of players to have 2 HR’s through 2 games of the playoffs, but he does (he hit 6 all year and scouts have his power at a 5-6 on the 20 scale! He has 22 CAREER HR's in about 1300 total AB's). His leadoff HR in the 4th puts us on the board, 1-0.
Both SP are still dealing. Through 6 it’s 1-0, Philly has 5 singles, we have 2 hits on the day. Headed to the 7th.
Top 7 and we get something going, Hudson and Chartier hit leadoff singles, but Bill Alexander hits into a 4-6-3 2 pitches later and Morgan grounds out 3 unassisted to end it. 1-0 bottom 7.
Wavering on Williams, don’t want to let it get away. Vargas gets a leadoff walk, Chavez flies out, Land flies out and a WP puts Vargas at 2nd, Williams K’s David Fleming to end the inning, 1-0 heading to the 8th.
O’Dell still in. Collins drills a 1 out single and on an 0-1 pitch to Russell is caught stealing. Russell K’s, to the bottom half 1-0 Chicago.

Mark Williams walks off to a standing O (7.2-6-0-0-1-5). A Mills fly out, Rodriguez ground out and a meeting on the mound, Smith leaves him in and Peters delivers a 2 out triple, Cruz is in the game and he K’s Dave Ladd to end the 8th, onto the 9th 1-0 (Arredondo will be leading off the bottom half….)
Eric Hudson drills a 2 out single but Chartier leaves him on, O’Dell goes 9-6-1-1-0-7 on 114 pitches. If something happens does he come back out?
Arredondo starts the 9th by walking. Vargas follows with a 1-2 single. Chavez, not bunting, grounds into a fielders choice putting runners at the corners. In what is probably the biggest AB of the season Cruz goes on to punch out Dan Land on a 1-2 count and Tom Byrd flies softly to center.
CHI 1 PHI 0
W Williams (1-0) L O’Dell (0-1) S Cruz (1)
HR Riggs (2)
Series tied at 1

[gehrig38]

2014 Playoffs Day 3
San Antonio @ Tulsa
Steve Copeland (14-9 5.13) vs George Perkins 18-5 3.09)
Series Tied at 1
This was a day game, played earlier. Pat Peters (SAN) opened the scoring with a bases loaded walk, followed by a Dave Williams 2 run double, 3-0 after 1.
Where it stayed until the 4th where a Ron Bradshaw single made it 4-0.
In the 5th the Silver Stars got RBI’s from Caballero, Villalobos and Bradshaw to make it 8-0.
Tulsa got on the board in the bottom on a Edgardo Chavez solo HR but Pat Peters hit a 2 run shot in the top of the 6th to make it 10-1.
In the bottom of the 8th, down 10-1, the Drillers got RBI hits from Runas, Brady and Lashari and then a 2 run HR from Ambrose Cox to make it a 10-6 game, but that was all, and San Antonio closed them out 10-6.
W Copeland (1-0) L Perkins (0-1) S Salinas (2)
HR SAN Peters (2) TUL Cox (2) Chavez (1)
San Antonio leads 2-1

El Paso @ Staten Island
Artie Johnson (3-6 5.73) vs Javier Gutierrez (15-9 4.10)
Series Tied at 1
RBI singles by Caden Haynes and Valentin Maitani helped the Diablos get out to a 2-0 lead, where it is now in the bottom of 2, Yanks hitting, nobody out.
To the top of the 4th when Hamilton Fraser drills a solo shot to put El Paso up 3-0, they are still hitting, runner on 2nd 1 out.
Michael Simpson’s RBI double in the 5th makes it 4-0, 1st and 2nd 1 out, Earl Lee hitting.
Staten Island stays off the board and El Paso’s Cayden Haynes drills a solo shot in the 6th (his 4th hit of the game) to make it 5-0.
A Rafael Colon sac fly in the 7th gets the Yankees on the board, 5-1 into the bottom of 8.
Top 9 bases juiced for El Paso, leading 5-1 2 outs Cesar Barron up. Artie Johnson has gone 8-5-1-1-1-5 for the Diablos today. Barron hits a Sac fly to extend the lead to 6-1 where it ends.
EP 6 SI 1
W Johnson (1-0) L Gutierrez (0-1)
HR EP Fraser (1) Haynes (1)
El Paso leads 2-1


Baltimore @ Los Angeles
Fernando Martinez (12-9 3.83) vs Rafael Garza (17-7 3.31)
Series Tied at 1
Played late last night EST.
Vince Soto went 3-3 with a double and triple, drove in 2 but the Railcats jumped all over LA starter Rafael Garza for 4 in the first and held off a late rally to win 6-5. Tim Holmes went 3-5 with 2 RBI’s and Mehpare Isfahani went 2-5 with his 3rd HR of the series to back Fernando Martinez (1-0) 6.2-8-5-5-3-7. Garza, a 17 game winner, went 5.1-11-6-6-1-2.
BAL 6 LA 5
W Martinez (1-0) L Garza (0-1) S Bautista (1)
HR BAL Isfahani (3)
Baltimore leads the series 2-1

Chicago @ Philadelphia
Carlos De La Torre (15-10 5.31) vs Steve Whiteway (18-5 4.14)
Series Tied at 1
Jose Rodriguez wants to get the Philly offense jump started after the goose egg 2 days ago, and does with a bunt single to start the first. Manny Navarro drills a first pitch double to put runners on the corner and Carlos Arredondo drills the first pitch he sees for a 3R bomb to left. 3 pitches into the game it’s 3-0. Dave Ladd walls, and 2 outs later Land does as well, but Byrd flies out to end it. 3-0 heading to the bottom of 1.
A Hugh Collins lead off single signals our interest in hanging with them. Collins then steals 2nd but Riggs grounds out, Alexander and Morgan fly out, 3-0 end of 1.
Mitchell Mills singles to start the 2nd, 1 out later De La Torre boots a come backer, putting runners on 1st and 2nd. Arredondo singles to load the bases and Ladd follows with a single that drives in 2. That’s a day for De La Torre (1.1-6-5-4-2-1 and two just disastrous starts for Chicago pitching). Van Bodgraven comes in and ends the inning. 5-0 into the bottom half of 2.
Whiteway gets them in order and Sib gets in trouble walking Land and Byrd to start the 3rd. 2 straight K’s and he’s almost out of it, but Navarro battles in a full count and finally slips a single into right that Land manages to score on, 6-0 after 2 ½.
Chicago again goes 3 up 3 down in the 3rd.
Pennington relieves van Bodegraven and Ladd greets him with a solo shot to start the 4th. A ground out, walk, pop up and caught stealing end it, 7-0 after 3.5.
Riggs walks to start the 4th, Alexander has a lengthy AB that ends in a fly out, and Morgan then hits a 1st pitch to deep right for a 2 run shot. 1 out later Gutierrez gets in the act and hits a solo HR to make it 7-3 at the end of 4.
Neither team scores in the 5th but the Chicago offense drives Whiteway’s pitch count high enough that he’s pulled, Jerry Leathem relieves him.
In the 6th Navarro singles, Arredondo hits into an unassisted double play, Ladd doubles and Vargas grounds out.
In the bottom half Gutierrez hits a 2 out single, getting Morgan to 3rd, and Hudson follows with an RBI single to make it 7-4 after 6.
Sanchez comes in and sets Philly down in the 7th.
Dave Gibbons comes on and works around a Paul Riggs 2 out double. 7-4 end of 7.
Riley Potts works a scoreless 8th and 9th and Julio Arroyo sets Chicago down in order in the bottom half.
PHI 7 CHI 4
W Leathem (1-0) L De La Torre (0-1)
HR PHI Ladd (3) Arredondo (1) CHI Gutierrez (2) Morgan (1)
Philly leads the series 2-1

[gehrig38]

2014 PLAYOFFS DAY 4
San Antonio @ Tulsa
Colin Durham (0-1 43.22) vs Antonio Rodriguez (1-0 1.23)
San Antonio Leads 2-1
Who’d have guessed it? A 1-0 San Antonio lead into the bottom of 4 would end as a 15-1 Tulsa win? Tulsa scored 6 in the 4th and 4 in the 5th and then tacked on 5 in the to crush the Silver Stars and take the series to 5 games. Ben Brady went 3-5, scored 3 times and drove in 2 on a double and HR (1) and Ambrose Cox went 2-4 with 2 runs and 4 RBI’s on a double and HR (3) and Dale Mitchell drove in 4 with a 3 run HR (1).
TUL 15 SAN 1
W Rodriguez (2-0) L Durham (0-2)
HR TUL Mitchell (1) Cox (3) Brady (1)
Series tied 2-2

El Paso @ Staten Island
Jason Allen (0-1 10.80) vs James Holloway (1-0 3.86)
El Paso leads 2-1
Yankee CF Antonio Bruno went 4-4 with 3 runs and 2 RBI’s on 2 doubles and a HR (1) and catcher Ernesto Garza went 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s on 2 doubles as Staten Island held off a furious 9th inning Diablo rally to win 9-7 and extend the series to a 5th game. Cayden Haynes went 3-4 with 2 runs and 3 RBI’s on his 2nd HR and is hitting .533-2-5 in the 4 games.
SI 9 EP 7
W Daniels (1-0) L Allen (0-2) S Gill (1)
HR EP Haynes (2) SI Bruno (1)
Series tied 2-2

Baltimore @ Los Angeles
Albert Luna (0-1 6.43) vs Tommy Hobbs (1-0 2.57)
Baltimore leads 2-1
Vince Soto’s 2 run double in LA’s 4 run 3rd was the game. LA SP Tommy Hobbs tossed 8 1-hit innings going (8-1-0-0-1-7) as LA evened the series at 2 apiece. Albert Luna (0-2) went 6.2-8-4-4-4-6 for the loss.
LA 4 BAL 2
W Hobbs (2-0) L Luna (0-2) S Ray (1)
HR None
Series tied at 2

Chicago @ Philadelphia
Spike Davis (4-4 5.64) vs Andrew Olson (0-0 8.31)
Up against elimination, win or go home time. Need to get to Olson (who’s on short rest) and get this thing knotted up.
Collins starts it off with a single and steals on the 1st pitch to Riggs, who pops up, then Alexander grounds him to third, Morgan is hit by a pitch but Chartier leaves them at the corners. Philly goes 3 up 3 down in the 1st and Gutierrez leads off the top of 2 with a single, Hudson K’s and Sotolo walks. 1 out later a wild pitch moves the runners to 2nd and 3rd and Collins drills another single, scoring both. He’s then tossed out stealing 2nd on the 1st pitch to end it.
Arredondo K’s, Vargas walks and Chavez grounds into a 4-6-3, 2-0 into the top of 3.
Dan Land starts the bottom half of 3 with a solo shot, and 3 pitches later David Fleming makes it back to back, 2-2.
Bottom 4 and Gutierrez walks to lead off, Hudson hits a rocket that turns into a DP. Sotolo singles but Lorenzelli ends the inning with a FC. 2-2 to the bottom of 4.
2-2 into the 5th when Alexander lines a 2 out double. Morgan K’s behind him to end the inning. Williams gets Philly in order to end the 5th tied 2-2.
Bottom 7 Peters hits a 1 out single, Ladd flies out and Arredondo singles to put runners on the corners, Williams is left in to face Vargas who lines a 1-2 pitch to left for an RBI, and a 3-2 lead. Pacheco relieves with runners on the corners and gets Chavez swinging to end the inning. Williams line 5.2-6-3-3-1-6 on 94 pitches.
Sotolo starts the 7th with a swinging K and then Lorenzelli singles, Collins flies out and Riggs hits an RBI double. Alexander singles to put runners at 1st and 3rd and Wes Morgan drills a 2-1 pitch 434 ft to right for a 3 run bomb and a 6-4 lead.
With 1 out Dave Ladd singles and Pacheco hits Arredondo, Cruz gets the call to get the final 5 outs. He walks Antonio Vargas to load the bases and then…
K’s Salvador Chaves and….
K’s Dan Land to end the inning. Onto the 9th up 6-3
A Collins lead off single and 1 out Alexander single are erased on a Wes Morgan DP.
Cruz then sets Philly down in order to hold the line, tie the series…
CHI 6 PHI 3
W Pacheco (1-0) L Olson (0-1) S Cruz (2)
HR CHI Morgan (2) PHI Land (1) Fleming (1)
Series tied 2-2

[gehrig38]

Los Angeles Sky Sox Closer Julio Gonzalez just spoke to the media.
Gonzalez was unavailable for today's 4-2 win over Baltimore. Many in the press box were left wondering why 27 year old Tommy Ray was brought into the win or go home game's 9th inning, speculation was rampant but that all ended just now.
Gonzalez was sore in pre game warmups and was not seen in the bullpen when he traditionally shows up in the bottom of the 7th.
That was because he was at Mt Sinai receiving an MRI on his sore shoulder which was just revealed to contain a torn labrum.
Gonzalez will undergo surgery tomorrow morning and is expected to be out for at least 4-5 months.

[gehrig38]

NON PLAYOFF RELATED NEWS AND STUFF
Omaha CF Barry Scott won a New York Penn League Gold Glove for his 2014 season.

Class A Belleview took home a league record 5! Gold Gloves! P Jorge Rodriguez, C Clyde Brooks (his 2nd), 1B Ricardo Gonzalez (his 2nd!), 3B Albert Ortiz and CF Cody Young all won gold gloves.

In addition to his Gold Glove Jorge Rodriguez was chosen as the 2014 MWL Pitcher of the year for his 13-6 2.91 season. He made 28 starts, threw 161 IP, 154 hits, 140 K’s and 51 walks.

Another Belleview gold glover took home more hardward. 1B Ricardo Gonzalez took home the MWL Best Hitter Award after his 295-29-96 season.

[gehrig38]

2014 Playoffs Day 5
El Paso @ Staten Island
Josh Wells (1-0 3.52) vs Ron Pearce (0-1 5.14)
Both teams trade RBI singles in the 1st, Bryant for SI and Gerald Wright for El Paso. 1-1 bottom 2, 1st and 2nd 0 outs, Ortega up.
Valentin Maitani drilled a solo shot in the top of the 4th to put El Paso up 2-1, but Staten Island has assaulted the Diablo’s scoring 9 runs from the 4th to the 7th. Robert Collins drilled a 2R HR in the 4th to make it 3-2, then after the Diablos tied it up in the top of the 5th Ernesto Garze hit a 2R HR in the 5th, Roberto Sandoval hit a 2R HR also in the 5th and Ricardo Qiintania hit a 3 run homer in the 7th. 10-3 with El Paso hitting in the 8th.
Staten Island shows no mercy. Scoring 4 more in the 8th and winning the game 14-3, and the series 3-2. Roberto Sandoval went 3-5 with a 2B, 2 HR’s and 5 RBI’s and Ernesto Garza and Robert Collins both went 3-5 with a 2B and a HR and 2 RBI’s. Travis Bryant was 4-5.
SI 14 TUL 3
W Pearce (1-1) L Wells (1-1)
HR EP Maitani (1) SI Garza (1) Quintania (1) Sandoval 2(2) Collins (1)
Staten Island wins the series 3-2

San Antonio @ Tulsa
Travis Rich (1-0 1.35) vs Joel Downs (0-1 11.57)
Lou Sparks jump started the Silver Stars with a 2R HR in the top of the 1st. Ambrose Cox answered with an RBI single in the bottom half and Tulsa’s Edgardo Chavez hit a solo HR in the 2nd to make it a 2-2 ballgame.
San Antonio’s Dave Williams changed that with his 3rd inning grand slam and Lou Sparks has just added an RBI double to make it 7-2 San Antonio in the bottom of 4. Sparks is 3-3 with 2 doubles, a HR and 3 RBI through the first 4 innings.
Dave Williams just hit his 2nd HR of the game, a solo shot, in the top of the 5th, 8-3 San Antonio.
Tulsa grabbed 2 on an RBI ground out and RBI double by Dale Mitchell, 8-5 Silver Stars top 7.
San Antonio adds 1 more and Tulsa goes to sleep over the last 4.
SAN 9 TUL 5
W Quintana (1-0) L Downs (0-2)
HR SAN Williams 2(2) Sparks (1) TUL Chavez (2)
San Antonio wins the series 3-2


Baltimore @ Los Angeles
Chris O’Slattery (0-0 4.15) vs Nick Johnston (0-0 5.40)
Well this one got interesting fast. Baltimore’s Jesus Acevedo drills an RBI double scoring Isfahani, Acevedo scores on a Johnston WP and Juan Torres give O’Slattery a 3-0 lead with an RBI single. Chandler Harris makes that moot by taking O’Slattery yard for a 3 run bomb in the bottom of 1…
LA grabs another run in the 3rd on Henry Wilson’s solo HR (1) to make it 4-3 but Baltimore answers in the top of 4, scoring 3 on Barton Tinkers (2012 1st round pick btw) bases clearing double.
The game heads to the bottom of 6, 6-4 Railcats, but a Pat Adams sac fly followed by Vincente Soto’s RBI triple knots the game at 6.
Where it stays…
Through 7…
And 8……
(I do this line by line thing because any time I read an post season game on Orcins thread I read it line by line, only revealing one line at a time)
And into the bottom of the 9th…..Closer Jorge Bautista comes in for Clinton Quinn…
Soto leads off with a single, is erased on a Chandler Harris fielders choice….
Henry Wilson then drills an 0-1 pitch 371ft down the left field line for his 2nd HR of the day and a walk off series winning home run!
Soto goes 3-5 with a run and an RBI, and series MVP (hitting .500 with 7 RBI’s) and Wilson goes 4-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI’s. Chandler Harris scores 2 and drives in 3 with a HR in a 1-5
LA 8 BAL 6
W Valentine (1-0) L Bautista (0-1)
HR Wilson 2(2) Harris (1)
LA wins the series 3-2

[gehrig38]

Chicago @ Philadelphia
Alfredo Alejandrez (0-0 43.22) vs Richard O’Dell (0-1 1.00)
First goes fast, Riggs singles to start the game but Hudson grounds into a 6-u-3 DP. Philly goes 3 up 3 down.
Alexander singles to start the 2nd, but Morgan promptly hits into a 4-6-3….. Ladd walks to start the 2nd, Vargas singles him to 3rd but Alejandrez K’s Peters and Byrd and Land pops out. 0-0 into the 3rd.
A 1 out Rodriguez bunt single is erased as Hudson throws him out stealing. Problems arise as Navarro and Arredondo then single, Ladd walks to load the bases but Alejandrez again escapes trouble by striking out Antonio Vargas. 0-0 to the top of 4.
We have a problem…. I think. O’Dell has gone 4-2-0-0-4-1 and used 2 DP’s to get out of jams. Alejandrez 4-4-0-0-2-5 and he’s pitching well. But we just got soaked in a 36 minute rain delay. Alejandrez is clearly close to spent and O’Dell is out of the game for Dave Gibbons.
Leo Russell bags a bunt single to start, then on a 3-2 pitch is caught stealing as Gutierrez K’s. Riggs singles but Hudson grounds out to end the inning.
Alejandrez goes out but Jared can see he’s tiring, and I think makes the right move, pulling him for Jose Torres who, if he’s on, can get us into the back end of the game. Problem is we’ve got Ernesto for an inning tonight, tops, imo.
Torres promptly gives up three straight singles to Mills, Rodriguez and Navarro, 3 stinking lefties…. He punches out Arredondo and Smith go gets him. Van Bodegraven comes in and K’s Dave Ladd but Vargas singles, scoring Rodriguez. He gets Peters to end the inning, could have been worse but we are chasing 2 now with 4 at bats left in our season.
Chartier leads off the 6th with a single, Alexander’s FC erases him and Morgan pops up. Lorenzelli walks in a 12 pitch AB (after contemplating hitting Sotolo for him) and Hugh Collins walks as well. Bob Barbour is called up to PH for Russell and Philly counters with LHP Dan Hill, who punches him out to end the inning, bases juiced….
Van Bodegraven gives up a leadoff single but pops up Land. Mills then hits into a 4-6-3. After 6 we’re still chasing 2, 9 outs left.
Pennington starts the 7th, 3 lefties coming up, pop out, single, Arredondo 6-4-3 DP. Top 8, down 2-0.
Elmer Osborn in, after a LONG Alexander fly ball Wes Morgan crushes one, 2-1 5 outs left…now 3 outs left, 2-1 Philly.
Pacheco on for the 8th, gets them in order, onto the 9th, Barbour, Gutierrez, top of the order in Riggs with Arroyo in the game.
Bob Barbour greets Arroyo with a line drive Triple to deep center!
Gutierrez drills a grounder to 2nd in a drawn in infield!
Riggs drills a liner that SS Manny Navarro stabs and ALMOST doubles up Barbour at 3rd. Holy crap, a lead off triple and we might squander it???? Whole season riding on Eric Hudson’s bat.
It’s over. Hudson hits a routine fly to CF and we hose a LEAD OFF TRIPLE! How on earth did that just happen?
PHI 2 CHI 1
W Gibbons (1-0) L Torres (0-1)
HR CHI Morgan (3)
Philadelphia wins the series 3-2 (Alejandrez start in game 1 is the thing I am taking from this one, that CRUSHED us given how good our offense answered the bell. From this game I can’t help but cringe at the thought of 'what if' on the rain delay? Alejandrez was dealing, and then young Jose Torres, the left comes in to face 4 lefties and gives up 3 straight hits….That and the 9th, a friggin leadoff triple and we don’t score? How the hell….
But beyond that it was a pretty amazing season. Another first round boot, and that hurts, but we know what we need to do.

[gehrig38]

In the Frontier League (as is the Coastal) two teams playing for a chance at their first IBL World Series appearance.
Two teams that rely on things other than the HR to win games. Staten Island is clearly the underdog.

[gehrig38]

Imo the two best teams in the IBL (next to us...). Two very good offenses and some good pitching with 2 good bullpens to back it up. If LA can keep the Philly offense in the yard they don't run well and their defense is suspect.

[gehrig38]

2014 Division Series
San Antonio @ Staten Island
Steve Copeland (1-0 6.75) vs Javier Gutierrez (0-1 7.50)

GAME 1
Both SP show up big time, but Gutierrez is on short rest and tires in the 6th (5.1-5-0-0-0-7). Copeland gets into the 8th (7.1-5-1-1-2-10) before Roberto Sandoval slams a solo HR (3) to break the scoreless game. In the 8th Ed Thomas drills his own solo HR (1) to tie it up and after a Pat Peters single Dave Williams hits a 2 out 2 strike 2 run HR to put San Antonio up 3-1, both HR’s come off MR Reid Quinn. Julio Salinas gets the 1st two outs in the 9th before Robert Collins, Ricardo Quintania and Jesus Ortega single, the last one scores Collins and brings Rafael Colon to the plate. Salines k’s him looking on a 2-2 pitch for a 1-0 series lead.
SAN 3 SI 2
W Copeland (2-0) L Quinn (0-1) S Salinas (3)
HR SAN Williams (3) Thomas (1) SI Sandoval (3)
San Antonio leads 1-0


Philadelphia @ Los Angeles
Steve Whiteway (0-0 5.79) vs Ruben Cruz (0-0 0.00)

GAME 1
Philly jumps out on an RBI double by Carlos Arredondo in the 1st but LA answers in the bottom of the 2nd on an RBI single from Henry Wilson, RBI double from Eric Jackson, a run scoring error, an RBI single from Felix Torres and RBI single from Pat Adams to blow it open 5-1.
Philly answers right back in the 3rd. Mills opens with a double, Rodriguez singles, after Rodriguez steals 2nd Manny Navarro drives them both in with a single, after Arredondo flys out to the track Dave Ladd drills an RBI triple and Antonio Vargas plates him with an RBI double to tie it at 5.
It stayed there into the 4th when Pat Adams hit another RBI single to make it 6-5. A Vince Soto single later, Chandler Harris stepped up and crushed a 2-1 offering to deep left center for a 3R HR and a 9-5 lead. It stayed that way for the rest of the game as the Philly pen tossed 3 hitless innings and Ruben Cruz closed out a 129 pitch complete game going 9-9-5-5-4-8 for the win.
LA 9 PHI 5
W Cruz (1-0) L Whiteway (0-1)
HR LA Harris (2)
LA leads the series 1-0

[gehrig38]

Division Series Game 2’s
San Antonio @ Staten Island
Colin Durham (0-2 25.20) vs James Holloway (1-0 4.91)

GAME 2
Yankee SP James Holloway, on short rest, couldn’t get out of the 5th before tiring but he and the Staten Island pen held San Antonio to a run on 5 hits and Ricardo Quintania’s 2nd playoff HR in the 3rd and Robert Collins RBI single in the 6th were enough. Silver Star CG Glenn Wise hit a solo HR in the 9th off Closer Eli Gill but that would be all they got. Colin Durham went 6.1-5-2-2-2-5 in the loss.
SI 2 SAN 1
W Daniels (2-0) L Durham (0-3) S Gill (2)
HR SAN Wise (1) SI Quintania (2)
Series tied 1-1


Philadelphia @ Los Angeles
(Andrew Olson 0-1 8.18) vs Tommy Hobbs (2-0 1.20)

GAME 2

Pitching was the name of the game in LA today. LA starter Tommy Hobbs and 2 relievers combined on a 2 hitter against the most powerful offense in the Coastal League. Hobbs went 7.1-2-0-0-3-5 and fill in Closer Tommy Ray got the final 3 outs for his 2nd save. Freedom SP Andrew Olson was outstanding in his CG effort, going 8-4-2-1-3-5, as the game went to the bottom of the 8th 0-0 when Charlie Crowder led off with a single, 2B X botched the Bobby Newell sac bunt. Felix Torres then attempted another, moving the runners up. With one out Pat Adams singled and Newell was called safe on a bang bang play, giving LA a 2-0 lead, and the final score. Philly’s Kevin Peters had the lone hits, 2 singles, for the Freedom today.
LA 2 PHI 0
W Ramirez (1-1) L Olson (0-2)
LA leads the series 2-0

[Izz]

Originally Posted by gehrig38

Another first round boot, and that hurts, but we know what we need to do.

Commiserations on the first round exit. However, i reckon you've got the makings of an org here that, once they get beyond that first round, will be hard to stop, and not just for one year either.

[gehrig38]

2014 Division Series game 3’s
Staten Island @ San Antonio
Series tied 1-1
Ron Pearce (1-1 4.40) vs Travis Rich (1-0 4.09)

GAME 3
Staten Island opens a 4-0 lead in the top of the 2nd as Robert Collins leads off with a single, Mario Orosco doubles him to third and Neil Weber singles him in. Ricardo Quintania drives in Orosco with a single and Weber scores when Ortega hits int o a 6-4-3. Antonio Bruno walks, steals 2nd, advances to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scores after Ernesto Garza’s 10 pitch at bat ends in a single.
Dave Williams gets the Silver Stars on the board in the bottom with his 4th HR and 14th RBI of the playoffs, but Weber delivers another RBI with his 3rd inning double to make it 5-2. The Yankees get 1 in the 6th and 7th to make it 7-2 and San Antonio gets 2 in the bottom of the 7th to close to 7-4, but that’s where it ends. Alejandro Villanueva goes 3-5 with an RBI and a run for Staten Island, Williams goes 2-2 with 2 RBI’s for San Antonio. Yanks hitters hammer Travis Rich 2.2-8-5-5-1-3. Eli Gill pitches a perfect 9th for the save.
SI 7 SAN 4
W Pearce (2-1) L Rich (1-1) S Gill (3)
HR SI Villanueva (1) SAN Williams (4)
San Antonio leads the series 2-1

Los Angeles @ Philadelphia
LA leads 2-0
Rafael Garza (0-1 10.13) vs Richard O’Dell (0-1 0.69)

GAME 3
A see saw game that ended in epic fashion. Neither starter was dominant, Garza (6.1-10-4-3-2-7) and O’Dell (4.2-7-5-5-3-5) but the pens came in to stop the bleeding into the 8th. Down 5-4 Tom Byrd singled to start the inning, Dan Land punched out and Tristan miller relieved Walk Valentine to face David Fleming, who singled, Jose Rodriguez singled behind him to load the bases and PH Brady Hardin hit a sac fly to knot it up. LA went in order in the 8th and without Closer Julio Gonzalez LA called on interim job holder Tommy Ray. Dave Ladd made sure everyone got their money’s worth as he drilled Ray’s 5th pitch to deep center field for his 4th post season HR this year and his teammates rushed the field to wait for him at the plate as the ball sailed into the night, and Philly got on the board in the series.
PHI 6 LA 5
W Osborn (1-0) L Ray (0-1)
HR LA Torres (2) PHI Ladd (4)
LA leads the series 2-1

[gehrig38]

DIVISION SERIES GAME 4’s
Staten Island @ San Antonio
Kent Martin (0-0 0.00) vs Steve Copeland (2-0 4.11)
Staten Island leads 2-1

GAME 4
San Antonio scores 5 in the first and never looks back. At 5-1 in the 3rd they add 5 more and rout the Yankees 14-5 to even the series at 2. Dave Williams goes 2-3 with 2 runs and 5 RBI’s on 1 single and a 3R HR (now hitting .433-5-19 in the playoffs) and Barney Ledoux goes 3-4 with 3 runs and an RBI. The top 8 hitters in the Silver Star lineup had 2 or more hits. 1B Kelly O’Gorman drove in 3 with a 1st inning double. Roberto Sandoval hit his 4th playoff HR in a 2-3 day for SI. Yanks SP Kent Martin got exactly 1 out before being pulled down 5-0, and a parade of tired arms couldn’t stop the San Antonio offense. Steve Copeland was not good, but it was still good enough for the W as he went 5.1-9-5-5-3-5.
SAN 15 SI 5
W Copeland (3-0) L Martin (0-1)
HR SI Sandoval (4) SAN Williams (5)
Series tied 2-2

Los Angeles @ Philadelphia
Nick Johnston vs Steve Whiteway (0-1 9.72)
Los Angeles leads 2-1

GAME 4
A 2-2 game into the 5 when Dave Ladd drilled his 2nd HR of the game (now .394-6-15 on the post season) and Philly jumped on LA for 5. Another in the 6th made it 8-3, LA’s Felix Torres hit a 2R HR in the 7th to close within 4 but that was all they’d get. Ladd went 2-3 with 2 runs and 5 RBI’s. Navarro and Rodriguez had 2 hits and 2 runs apiece for Philly.
PHI 8 LA 4
W Gibbons (2-0) L Johnston (0-1)
HR LA Torres (3) PHI Ladd 2 (6)
Series tied 2-2

[gehrig38]

DIVISION SERIES GAME 5’s
Staten Island @ San Antonio
Javier Gutierrez (0-1 3.97) vs Noah Jenkins (0-0 3.18)
Series tied at 2

GAME 5
Staten Island puts a 3 spot up in the top of 2nd on a 2 out 2 run double from Rafael Colon and an RBI double from Neil Weber to jump to a 3-0 lead after 2. San Antonio gets it back in the 4th on a bases loaded walk to Greg Wise, and then a WP scores Lou Sparks. Kelly O’Gorman’s sac fly ties it at 3.
Staten Island breaks it open in the top of the 5th when Ernesto Garza doubles in Rafael Colon and following a Mario Orosco walk Travis Bryant ends Noah Jenkins day with a 3 run HR. Roberto Sandoval then greets reliever Raul Quintana with a solo shot to make it 8-3. Orosco would add a 2 run shot in the 7th for the final score, 10-3. Garza and Orosco had 3 hit 2 run days, Orosco drove in 2, Bryant 3, and Rafale Colon went 2-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s. Quintania is hitting 441-2-13 in the playoffs.
SI 10 SAN 3
W Gutierrez (1-1) L Jenkins (0-1)
HR SI Orosco (1) Bryant (1) Sandoval (5)
Staten Island leads the series 3-2

Los Angeles @ Philadelphia
Tommy Hobbs (2-0 0.81) vs Andrew Olson (0-2 5.21)
Series tied at 2

GAME 5
In the Freedoms biggest game of the year, Andrew Olson showed up. Philly’s ace went 7-7-0-0-2-8 and Julio Arroyo worked a scoreless 9th for the save as Antonio Vargas broke up a scoreless game in the 7th with an RBI single that drove in Dave Ladd (who was 3-4 and is now hitting .432-6-15) and Mitchell Mills gave them some breathing room in the 7th, drilling his 1st playoff HR. Sky Sox SP Tommy Hobbs went 7.1-6-2-2-2-5 for the loss. The home team has now won each game in this series.
PHI 2 LA 0
W Olson (1-2) L Hobbs (2-1) S Arroyo (3)
HR Mills (1)
Philadelphia leads the series 3-2

[gehrig38]

DIVISION SERIES GAME 6’s
San Antonio @ Staten Island
Colin Durham (0-3 12.71) vs James Holloway (1-0 3.52)
Staten Island leads the series 3-2

GAME 6
A 0-0 game into the 5th Kevin O’Gorman hammers a leadoff HR and 2 outs later SS Ron Bradshaw does the same. In the bottom Yanks CF Antonio Bruno drives in Rafael Quintania to make it 2-1 but San Antonio answers back with 2 more in the 6th as Dave Williams drives in his 20th run of the post season after Lou Sparks was HBP and stole 2nd. Williams advances to 3rd on a WP and scored on Greg Wise’s sac fly. Colin Durham would keep it there, going 7-4-1-1-5-4 for the win as James Holloway went 7-5-4-4-0-3 in the loss.
SAN 5 SI 1
W Durham (1-3) L Holloway (1-1)
HR SAN Bradshaw (1) O’Gorman (1)
Series tied 3-3!

Philadelphia @ Los Angeles
Dan Hill (0-0 0.00) vs Ruben Cruz (1-0 4.50)
Philadelphia leads the series 3-2

GAME 6
The home team had won every game in this series and LA needed that trend to continue if it wanted to stay alive. Carlos Arredondo (having a quiet post season after a MONSTER year ) opened things up with a 2 out solo shot in the first. It stayed there until Dave Ladd drilled a 2 out 2 run double in the 3rd to make it 3-0 Philly (Ladd is now hitting .405-6-17).
LA would ‘peck’ away by getting a solo HR from Chandler Harris in the 6th……Harris was 2-18 coming into this game, in this series, and hitless since game 1….
A solo HR from catcher Bobby Newell in the 7th……
And another solo HR from Chandler Harris in the bottom of the 8th with 2 outs to tie….
Philly SP Dan Hill went 8-7-3-3-1-3 and yielded all 3 solo shots.
Julio Arroyo relieved Hill and tossed 2 perfect innings….
Rafael Cruz would finish 10 innings tonight, going 10-7-3-3-0-8 on 144 pitches! (Remember they’re without their Closer now!)
Tommy Ray took over in the 11th and found himself in immediate trouble as Kevin Peters opened the inning with a single. Chavez moved him up on a ground out, Dan Land was walked and Dave Fleming punched out. Ray got PH Brady Hardin to ground out to end the inning.
Elmer Osborn relieved Arroyo in the 11th and was too, in immediate trouble as 2B Mitchell Mills kicked a routine grounder to allow speedy Vince Soto to reach. Chandler Harris walked and Henry Wilson punched out.
Pat Adams lined a single, too hard to score the runner, to load the bases.
The place was thunderous when P.J. Aldridge worked to a 2-2 count but went insanely furious as he was rung up on a pitch NO ONE thought had a chance to be called strike three.
Charllie Crowder then came up and went into the 8th pitch of the AB at 3-2, Osborn threw the same pitch, in the same spot……
And umpire C.B. Bucknor called it ball 4….. A walk off….walk!
Harris was 2-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI’s in the win.
LA 4 PHI 3
W Ray (1-1) L Osborn (1-1)
HR PHI Arredondo (2) LA Newell (1) Harris 2 (4)
Series Tied 3-3!

[gehrig38]

2 GAME 7’s BABY!
San Antonio @ Staten Island
Travis Rich (1-1 6.59) vs Ron Pearce (2-1 4.71)
Series tied 3-3

GAME 7
Ron Bradshaw opens the game with a single, is erased on Barney Ledoux’s FC and then Ledoux is caught stealing and Lou Sparks grounds out to end their first. Game is scoreless into the bottom of 2 when Travis Bryant leads off with a double and then comes in to score on Neil Weber’s 2 out double, 1-0 Yanks after 2.
San Antonio loads the bases in the 3rd on a walk, single by Villalobos and a 2 out walk to Ledoux, but Sparks grounds out to end the threat.
Staten Island gets back to back 2 out singles from Garza and Villanueva and then a Travis Bryant walk loads the bases, Robert Collins hits a dunk into right and Garza and Villanueva come around to make it 3-0.
San Antonio answers in the top half of the fourth when Kelly O’Gorman hits a 2 out single to left that scores Pat Peters (who led off the inning with a single, to make it 3-1 Yanks.
In the 6th Dave Williams hits a 1 out single, he’s erased on Greg Wise’s FC but O’Gorman comes through again, this time hitting a liner into the gap for a run scoring double. Caballlero follows with another single and with runners on the corners Villalobos lines a single to right that scores O’Gorman but Caballero is gunned down at 3rd by Travis Bryant to end the inning, 3-3 after 5 ½.
It stays there until the top of 7, Bradshaw again leads off an inning with a knock, this time a double. Ledoux moves him to third on a ground out, and Pearce tries to get Sparks on an 0-2 forkball that gets away from Garza, and the passed ball scores Bradshaw, 4-3 Silver Stars after 6 ½.
In the top of 8 Williams hits a routine fly ball that somehow, some way, is misplayed by Yankees right fielder Travis Bryant. Greg Wise follows with a long fly to center that gets Williams to third. Reid Quinn then takes over for Pearce (7.1-10-5-3-2-1) and Kelly O’Gorman continues his huge day (3-4 2 runs 4 RBI’s) by drilling Quinn’s 1-1 fastball to deep left for a 2 run homer. San Antonio goes up 6-3.
Travis Bryant hits a 1-2 Travis Rich fastball into the gap for a leadoff double. Rich gets Collins swinging 3-2 and his day ends (7.1-9-4-4-3-5). Jon Sloan is greeted by Mario Orosco’s RBI single to make it 6-4, and he then drills Neil Weber. Quintania grounds out, as does Ortega, to end the 8th.
Julio Salinas takes over in the 9th, and gets Bruno on a fly ball to right, punches out Ernesto Garza, and Alejandro Villanueva pops a 2-2 pitch up that Ron Bradshaw camps under and clutches for the final out!

San Antonio beats Staten Island and is going to it’s first IBL WORLD SERIES!
SAN 6 SI 4
W Rich (2-1) L Pearce (2-2) S Salinas (4)
HR SAN O’Gorman (2)
Dave Williams Series MVP

[gehrig38]

Philadelphia @ Los Angeles
Richard O’Dell (0-1 3.06) vs Rafael Garza (0-1 6.94)
Series tied 3-3

GAME 7
Carlos Arredondo opens the scoring with a first inning double to drive in Manual Navarro. With 2 outs and runners on the corners Tom Byrd slaps a single to right scoring Arredondo for 2-0 first inning lead.
Dan Land opens the 2nd with a solo HR. With an out Jose Rodriguez singles, Navarro walks, Arredondo singles to load the bases and Dave Ladd walks on 4 pitches to make it 4-0. Kevin Peters punches out and Tom Byrd works a full count before doing the same, and the game goes to the bottom of 2 4-0 Philly.
Top 3 4-0 and Philly’s Manual Navarro draws a 8 pitch walk to load the bases again, but Garza gets Arredondo to pop to shallow center to end the inning.
Opportunities come and go through 4 and in the top of the 5th Dan Land is at it again as he drills a leadoff double which pays off 3 hitters later when Manny Navarro drills a 2 out line drive up the middle to score Land making it 4-0 Philly.
LA gets a 2 out triple in the 6th from Felix Lopez but Eric Jackson taps the first O’Dell pitch to 3rd for an easy out, inning over. 4-0 Philly after 6.
Walt Valentine takes over in the 7th, Garza’s line for the day is 6-10-5-5-7-1.
Into the 8th it remains 4-0 when Manny Navarro drills a leadoff double. Arredondo lines a rocket in the hole that SS makes an amazing catch, and turns to double up Navarro at 2nd. It’s apparent quickly how huge the play is as Dave Ladd and Kevin Peters follow with singles, but are left on as Tom Byrd grounds out to end the inning.
O’Dell sets LA down in order in the 8th but not until Charlie Crowder works an 11 pitch at bat to end the inning. Onto the 9th, 4-0 Philly.
Miller gets in a bind but works out of it, sending it to the last half of the inning, down 4-0.
O’Dell hangs in, getting a ground out, then giving up a 1 out single to Torres, Eric Jackson then hits a hard 1 hopper right at the 2B bag which SS Manny Navarro grabs, steps on the bag and flips to Barry MacKinney at first and the Freedom players rush the field as Philly wins the 2014 Coastal League Pennant and is headed to their first IBL World Series! O’Dell spins a 3 hitter going 9-3-0-0-1-3 and series MVP Dave Ladd is 2-4 with an RBI.
PHI 5 LA 0
W O’Dell (1-1) L Garza (0-2)
HR Land (2)

[gehrig38]

NON PLAYOFF RELATED NEWS AND STUFF
AKA the brief interlude!

Omaha CF Barry Scott won a New York Penn League Gold Glove for his 2014 season.

Class A Belleview took home a league record 5! Gold Gloves! P Jorge Rodriguez, C Clyde Brooks (his 2nd), 1B Ricardo Gonzalez (his 2nd!), 3B Albert Ortiz and CF Cody Young all won gold gloves.

In addition to his Gold Glove Jorge Rodriguez was chosen as the 2014 MWL Pitcher of the year for his 13-6 2.91 season. He made 28 starts, threw 161 IP, 154 hits, 140 K’s and 51 walks.

Another Belleview gold glover took home more hardward. 1B Ricardo Gonzalez took home the MWL Best Hitter Award after his 295-29-96 season.

Heavener Sting RF Mark Hill won the GCL Rookie League Gold Glove

IBL Pitchers leading in career WAR
Ernie Kelly (DAY) 24.6
Walt Thompson (BRO) 21.2
Steve Whiteway (PHI) 18.8
Shawn Calhoun (WMI) 17.3
Jose Campos (CC) 16.9

[gehrig38]

A snap shot of the 2014 IBL World Series Participants....
A breakdown before the series begins.