The American Baseball League

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• Austin vs Lexington
• Brooklyn vs San Francisco

Dave Steele (17-6 3.93) vs Bob Shrader (17-8 2.85)

• Steele was 2-0 1.17 vs Lexington this year. We finished 7-2 during the regular season vs the Rebels. Nolasco (4HR 15 RBI) and Hanna (3HR 6 RBI) against Rebel pitching.
• Shrader was 1-0 0.00 Masuda 0-1 5.25 in 12 IP.
• This is the Rebels 7th straight appearance in the LCS. Providence beat them last year to end their 5 year run to the WS before losing to Mexico in the 2014 WS.

Steele goes 6.1 IP allowing a Decker Blue solo HR and Nate Scott comes in with 2 on and 1 out and gets out of a 7th inning jam and then ends up going 2.2 perfect innings in relief with 4 punchouts. Becker and Reyes drill RBI 2B's and Archer drives in the other run as Austin holds on for a series-opening 3-1 win.
POTG Dave Steele
Steele (W) Shrader (L) Scott (SV)
Austin leads the series 1-0

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Steve Forney (17-6 3.32) vs Walt Davis (4-10 4.89)

Forney, Scott, and Godinez combine to allow just 6 hits and no runs and Nick Archer was 3-5 HR (4) R and drove in 5 and Brian McLaughlin went 3-3 in a 7-0 win. Davis gave up 5 runs on 8 hits over 3.2 IP.
POTG Nick Archer
Forney (W) Davis (L)
Austin leads the series 2-0

• Xie-li Yong went the distance for San Francisco on 8 hits and allowed 3 runs as the Bears pounded out 10 hits and scored 9 in a 9-3 game 1 win. The Bears have yet to lose this postseason.

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• Brooklyn 1B Mike Jones drilled an RBI single in the top of the 13th to break a 1-1 tie and the Blackhearts held on to beat the Bears 2-1 and even the series at 1 apiece.

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Dave Miller (17-7 3.94) vs Tomohiro Masuda (16-10 3.51)

The Rebels jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 2 but the offense kicked it in scoring 7 runs over the next 4 innings and finished with 14 hits in an 8-2 win. Andy Adrian went 3-5 2 R Nick Archer 3-5 2B (2) R Nolasco 2-3 2 BB 2B (1) 3B (1) 2 R RBI and Orozco hit a 3R 2B (3).
Dave Miller was the star, going 8 on 6 hits with 8 K's and allowing just 2 ER as well as going 2-3 2B (1) R and an RBI
POTG Dave Miller
Masuda gave up 5, 3 earned, in 4 innings.
Austin leads the series 3-0

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CAREER LEADERS ERA

1. Jon Castillo (RET) 2.64
2. Alex Correa (RET) 2.70
3. Matt Behrens (AUS) 2.74
4. Jesus Banuelos (PHI) 2.81
5. Tomohiro Masuda (LEX) 2.89

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Chris Lach (15-6 3.31) vs Todd Bean (11-14 4.01)
Lach can make up for an abysmal 2 starts this post-season by locking this one down.
3-3 into the bottom of the 8th before the pen gives way. Adam Hopper drilled a bases-loaded 2 run single to break a 3-3 tie. Lexington would score 4 times in the 8th to win 7-3. Chris Lach went 6 allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 4 K's.
POTG Alonzo Rodriguez 3-4 HR (1) 3 R RBI (4)
Bowman (W) Scott (L)
Austin leads the series 3-1

• Brooklyn's Ben Davis was 3-4 HR (3) 2 RBI as the Blackhearts beat the Bears 3-2 to take a 2-1 series lead.

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Dave Steele (17-6 3.93) vs Walt Davis (4-10 4.89)
2-2 into the 8th on 2 solo HRs from Scott Comerford. Dave Steele went 7-7-2-2-1-4 to Walt Davis' 7-3-2-2-0-2. With a tired Nate Scott in the pen, Pat Hobart came on and allowed a run in the bottom half. Dave Nolasco PH to lead it off and drew a 4 pitch walk before a struggling Sam Reyes hit a 1B to put runners at 1st and 3rd. Andy Adrian laced a 1st pitch 1B to tie the game.
Sam Reyes stole 3B on the next pitch before Nick Archer (series MVP) bounced an infield 1B to SS and Reyes scored. With Jeff Hanna up Rebel closer, Rich Bowman uncorked a wild pitch to score Adrian make it 5-3.
Closer Jorge Godinez got RJ Beckworth to chase a 3-2 slider with a runner on and 2 outs to end it.
POTG Scott Comerford
Hobart (W) Bowman (L) Godinez (SV)
Series MVP Nick Archer 8-22 HR 7 RBI
Austin wins the series 4-1

• Tony Delgado (SF) fans 12 over 8 and the Bears get 3 unearned runs to even the series with a 4-1 win.
• Former Rustler Jose Hernandez went 8 allowing 7 hits with 6 K and 3 BB. He gave up 4 runs but just 1 was earned.
• Series tied at 2

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• San Francisco's Mike Nettles drilled a game-tying solo HR in the top of the 9th before Brooklyn CF Kevin Cunningham one-upped him with a walk-off solo shot in the bottom half.
• Brooklyn leads the series 3-2

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• Mark Holmes (SF) went 8-5-2-2-2-6 taking a 2-hit 4-0 lead into the 9th before Pat Yoder came on to strike out the side and give San Francisco a game 7. 2014 Rookie of the Year Mike Hall went 7 and allowed 4 earned to take the loss.

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• Allen Gies (BRK) goes 7 giving up a run on 6 hits and Brooklyn drops a 5 run 5th on Danny Sanchez and San Francisco and takes the series 4 games to 3.
• SERIES MVP Ben Davis .308 2 HR 3 RBI 4 R

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2015 WORLD SERIES
Brooklyn Blackhearts vs Austin Rustlers

• Things are different in October. Good players become legends, great players can disappear. Last year we met Charlotte in the first round, a team we were 9-0 against in the regular season....
• We did not meet Brooklyn at all this year.
• Their ace, Dakota Eddleman is a beast. He's their Matt Behrens. Former Rustlers Jose Hernandez and Travis Harrison are integral parts of this club. Losing Jeff Hall, last year's Jackie Robinson award winner was a big blow but they come in pretty healthy.
• We scored 225 more runs and gave up 73 fewer.
• Their bullpen is their strength so early leads will be a big deal. Given our bullpen is our panacea that makes it even more imperative.
• Both of us were insanely good on defense but they did make 98 errors, which in the post-season are things that seem to be magnified (Bill Buckner? Nelson Cruz?).
• We hold the edge in almost every category and we are the favorites but again, October is a different animal.

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2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 1
Steve Forney (17-6 3.32) vs Dakota Eddleman (20-8 2.92)

• Sam Reyes drills the first pitch of the 2015 World Series into the RF seats to jump-start a 4 run 1st inning. 2 Blackheart errors lead to 3 unearned runs and Eddleman is gone after 2 innings. 5 H 5 R 2 ER.
• Steve Forney sets the Austin Rustlers playoff record with 13 K's in 8 innings on 120 pitches. He came on for the 9th but was pulled after hitting the 1st batter. Reyes was 2-4 HR (1) 2 R RBI (6) Andy Adrian 2-3 2B (4) R 2 SB (5) Matt Becker 3-4 HR (1) R 3 RBI (4)

• POTG-Steve Forney
• Forney (W) Eddleman (L)
• Austin leads the series 1-0

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2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 2
Dave Steele (17-6 3.93) vs Jose Hernandez (10-7 2.92)

• Jose Hernandez gets 1 out before being lifted after an apparent arm injury. Dave Steele lasts 1 inning, giving up 6 hits 2 walks, and 4 runs.
• And then we get one of the most amazing post-season games ever.
• Brooklyn does not score another run against 7 Rustler relievers while rookie Tommy Dziedzic delivers a game for the ages. He single-handedly keeps Austin in the game with 2 solo HR's only to top it with a bottom of the 9th game-tying solo HR to tie the CL record for HR's in a playoff game.
• Andy Adrian then delivers a walk-off 1B in the bottom of the 12th to win it.
• 7 Austin relievers go 10 IP 8 H 10 K 3 BB 0 R

• POTG-Tommy Dziedzic 4-5 3 HR (3) 3 RBI (4)
• Godinez (W) Gilmore (L)
• Austin leads the series 2-0

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2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 3
Dave Miller (17-7 3.94) vs Allen Gies (11-19 4.69)

• Enter the 6th up 6-1 with Miller cruising. Allen Gies lasted just 1.2 IP before coming out with an apparent arm issue.
• The roof caves in.
• Brooklyn scores 10 times over the next 2 innings to take game 3 11-7.
• Alex Ochoa went 3-4 2B (1) HR (5) 2 R 4 RBI (11) Izzy Guzman was 3-4 2 2B (5) 2 R 2 RBI (8) Akitada Kawaguchi went 3-4 2B (3) SB (5) R RBI (3)
• Dave Miller gave up 6 in 5.2 IP 7 H 6 K.

• POTG-Alex Ochoa
• Jones (W) Scott (L)
• Austin leads the series 2-1

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2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 4
Chris Lach (15-6 3.31) vs Michael Hall (4-6 4.90)

• Hitting just .130 in the post-season 3B Luis Orozco finally woke up with a 2R HR (1) in the 2nd to start the scoring. An inning later rookie Tommy Dziedzic hit his 4th HR of the World Series to make it 5-0 after 3.
• Lach battled through 7 on 9 hits striking out 8 and giving up 2 runs. Hall was out in the 3rd after 5 runs on 5 hits. Their pen shut it down after that but so did ours.
• Godinez retired the side in order in the 9th for the save.

• POTG-Chris Lach
• Lach (W) Hall (L) Godinez (SV)
• Austin leads the series 3-1

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2015 WORLD SERIES GAME 5
Steve Forney (17-6 3.32) vs Dakota Eddleman (20-8 2.92)

• All Dakota Eddleman. He tosses a CG 2-hit shutout with 9 K's in a 3-0 win and goes 1-2 with a run scored. Forney went 5.1 IP 11 H 9 K 3 ER in the loss.

• POTG-Dakota Eddleman
• Eddleman (W) Forney (L)
• Austin leads the series 3-2

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2016 WORLD SERIES GAME 6
Dave Steele (17-6 3.93) vs Jose Hernandez (10-7 2.92)

Innings:

1. Up 3-0
2. 3-1
3. Up 4-3
4. 5-3
5. Down 6-5
6. Up 7-6

• Hernandez goes 3 IP 8 H 4 ER and Steele 5.1 IP 5 H 6 K 5 R 4 ER.
• Laskey in for 2.2 IP and gives up 1.
• Reyes hits a solo HR in the 5th and then another in the 8th to make it 8-6.
• Godinez comes in and punches out 2 in a perfect 9th.....................
• Austin Rustlers win the 2015 World Series.

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2015-16 OFF SEASON AWARDS, TRADES, SIGNINGS, HIRINGS, FIRINGS

• Chicago fired GM Pete Hurlock. Hurlock was the Hitmen's GM from 2003-2015. The team made the post-season just once in that span (2013)
• Philadelphia fired Manager Jim Laybolt who had been at the helm since 2012 (when he won manager of the year) and had led the Patriots to 3 straight post-season appearances. GM Tom Bonanno was also let go after 11 seasons. Both moves stunned many as Bonanno had helped the team to 7 post-season appearances including the 2009 World Series title.
• Memphis fired GM Nate Risinger and Manager Jeremy West. Risinger joined the Blue Sox in 2007 and helped them to post-season appearances in 2 of his first 5 years. They have not made it since 2011. He was in Montreal from 2004-06 and before that in San Jose as the GM from 2000-03.

AUSTIN PERSONNEL
Our AAA pitching coach, AA manager positions are open and we will look around. Our minor leagues have been a hodgepodge at best and there does not feel like there is a system in place from the ground up.

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2015 AWARD WINNERS
Patriot League Babe Ruth Award—Sandy Gutierrez CF (SJ) .301-43-90 124 R 34 2B 10 3B .392 OBP
Colonial League Babe Ruth Award—Andy Adrian CF (AUS) .353-24-101 .410 OBP 201 H 48 2B 119 R 59 SB

Patriot League Sandy Koufax Award—Greg Hartzler (BAL) 18-4 2.34 283 K 219 IP .217 OPP AVG
Colonial League Sandy Koufax Award—Bob Shrader (LEX) 17-8 2.85 208.2 IP 231 K 38 BB .222 OPP AVG

Patriot League Jackie Robinson Award—Zach Bernhardt RF (BAL) .275-35-90 102 R
Colonial League Jackie Robinson Award—Tommy Dziedzic (AUS) .309-24-81 65 R .373 OBP

Patriot League Mariano Rivera Award—Jordan Gutierrez (SF) 8-2 37 SV 1.95 ERA
Colonial League Mariano Rivera Award—Jeremy Kline (BUF) 10-7 29 SV 2.10 ERA


PATRIOT LEAGUE GOLD GLOVES
P-Joe Farmer (SJ)
C-John Drumm (CHI) (2)
1B-Chris Mulligan (LA)
2B-Neil Molloy (SF)
3B-Jake Murphy (PHX)
SS-Izzy Guzman (BRK) (5)
LF-Jack Headan (DEN) (4)
CF-Sandy Gutierrez (SJ) (4)
RF-Marc England (CHI)

PATRIOT LEAGUE SILVER SLUGGER (** denotes GG and SS winners)
P-JR Jones (NYP) .350/.350/.400
C-Brian Harris (PIT) .346/.396/.539 20 HR 80 RBI
1B-Brendan Robbins (NYP) .283/.366/.536 35 HR 110 RBI 102 R (3)
2B-Jose Rivera (MEX) .282/.401/.533 31 HR 98 RBI
3B-John Hile (LV) .342/.410/.586 19 HR 71 RBI
SS-Brandon Walker (MON) .285/.337/.502 29 HR 80 RBI (2)
LF-Joel Moss (SJ) .315/.379/.574 33 HR 99 RBI (2)
CF-Sandy Gutierrez (SJ) .301/.392/.611 43 HR 90 RBI 124 R 29 SB **
RF-Arthur Vaughn (SD) .314/.371/.563 36 HR 87 RBI

COLONIAL LEAGUE GOLD GLOVES
P-John Fisher (CHA)
C-Jeff Bingham (GB)
1B-Dan Frazier (NE) (9)
2B-Dylan Rucker (LEX) (3)
3B-Victor Herrada (BUF) (3)
SS-Carlos Garcia (OH)
LF-Domingo Castellanos (MEM)
CF-Miguel Salas (NE)
RF-Abdul-Muta'al Rhodes (NE)


COLONIAL LEAGUE SILVER SLUGGER
P-Mike Spitler (NYE) .408/.424/.574 3 HR 12 SB 60 RBI (9-10 4.60 on the mound) (2)
C-Joe Miner (NYE) .353/.403/.494 8 HR 73 RBI 64 R (2)
1B-Terukatsu Yoshino (DAL) .289/.387/.563 44 HR 115 RBI 103 R
2B-Dylan Rucker (LEX) .276/.354/.435 18 HR 104 R 32 SB 58 RBI (2)**
3B-Larry Peet (PRO) .305/.364/.533 30 HR 94 RBI (4)
SS-Manny Ramirez (CHA) .366/.391/.499 2 HR 73 RBI 13 SB (2)
LF-Romeo Pirelli (NE) .326/.374/.545 26 HR 110 RBI (2)
CF-Andy Adrian (AUS) .353/.410/.578 24 HR 101 RBI 119 R 59 SB
RF-Abdul-Muta'al Rhodes (NE) .328/.419/.572 31 HR 118 RBI (5)**

2015 MANAGERS OF THE YEAR
PL CASEY STENGAL AWARD WINNER-Brian Hoelzer (BAL) 1st year managing after 25 years managing the AAA Oxnard Orcs
CL CASEY STENGAL AWARD WINNER-Ricky Sanford (AUS) 6th win in past 7 seasons