The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

Vince Bray with a season for the ages. Can't wait to see how the Rivera Award shakes out, close races...

[gehrig38]

Here are the brackets for the 2015 post season.
In the Frontier league we are obviously a new entry, as is Columbus.
In the Coastal it's 4 completely new teams from last year. Tulsa and us, both return but in different leagues.

[gehrig38]

I am still stunned at the Alaska trade with Vegas near the end of the season, and I wandered onto Matthieu Cafasso's page to have another look. His salary is clearly an issue, but I was checking him out when my eye caught this...
"Veolocity 83-85" !!!!!
What the hell? Could it be??
Yep....
Slider 9/10
Changeup 6/6
Wait for it....



KNUCKLEBALL!!!! 16/16

HA! I had no idea!

[gehrig38]

And I thought I'd catch you up on some records, single season records that were broken in 2015.

On the offensive side of the ball:

Jesus Andrales (LV) did not in fact break the single season record for batting average! Andrales went 0-4 on the seasons final day to finish at .3680, good enough to win the Coastal League title, but not good enough to pass Edmonton's Greg McCain who hit .3687 last season.

His 237 hits did break Rich Stone's (FRE) record of 228 in 2012, as did Gerald Wright (EP) who had 229 this year.

Andrales also broke the singles mark of 166 set by Kevin Moore (NH) in 2012 and tied last season by Moore as well.

Gerald Wright and Bill Alexander broke Cy May's (HOU) RBI mark of 157 in 2012, Wright ending with a record 176 RBI's and Alexander with 167.

Andrales did set the mark for Stolen Bases, with 55, breaking his own 2014 mark of 52 (which tied Kevin Moore's record set in 2013. Felix Torres (LA) also had 52 this season.

Kevin Moore set a new record for caught stealing, with 26, breaking Luis Rubio's (DAY) record of 23 set in 2013.

Ron Stokes (SAN) almost became the second IBL hitter to K 200+ times, settling for 199, 5 short of Manny Garcia's (EDM) 2012 mark of 204.

On the mound there were several record seasons with Vince Bray (PIT) showing up a few times.

His 24 wins were 2 better than the mark set by Ernie Kelly (DAY) and Raul Gonzalez (HOU) in 2013.

His 24-4 record set a new record for win % with an .857 mark, bettering teammate Ramon Roa and his own 2014 mark of .833. Roa tied the .833 mark at 20-4 this year.

Brady Smith (WMI) set a new record for appearances with 95, breaking teammate Bobby Whitten's 2014 mark of 93.

Ruben Cruz (LA) topped 4 others for the single season mark with 12 complete games, besting Ernie Kelly (DAY) Matthieu Cafasso (ALK) Marcos Diaz (COL) and his own 2014 mark of 11.

Jose Lopes (DAY) set a new mark in futility, yielding 49 HR's, breaking Chris O'Slattery's mark of 47 set in 2012. Marcos Diaz (COL) and Rafael Rosales (MICH) also topped that mark, giving up 48 this year.

El Paso's Corey Elkins won the FL Strikeout title, unseating 3 time winner Walt Thompson (BRO), but in doing so set a new IBL record for walks with 133, breaking J.R. Robinson (BUF) and Jeff Ray's (EP) 2014 mark of 130.

Vince Bray set a new VORP record with a 91.27, breaking Ernie Kelly's 2012 record of 88.95.

Bray fell just short in WAR, at 9.43, to Kelly's 2012 mark of 9.83

[gehrig38]

El Paso comes in as a huge favorite, not just in this series, but to win it all. 270 Home Runs to lead the IBL, combined with the #1 Starters ERA in the Frontier league makes them formidable. Led by MVP candidate Gerald Wright who's backed by Caden Haynes in the lineup, they boast the FL strikeout champ in Corey Elkins. They hit, they get on base, the score and they crush the ball. In some instances it's needed as their bullpen, led by closer Paul Woodards 33 Saves is 7th in ERA and their D is 8th. They suffered a huge September injury to SP Josh Wells who went down in the 19th and is lost for the post season.Wells was 14-8 4.83 at the time of his injury. Jason Allen (16-6 4.52) will likely get the game 1 nod.

On the flip side you've got the 2nd most powerful offense in terms of the long ball, Columbus. Their 263 HR's trailed only El Paso in the IBL. Their offense has it's own MVP candidate in Angelo Gomez who hit .324-46-114 this year. They've been hit with the injury bug as starting CF Stanton Hall is out at least 2 more days with a sore shoulder and RF Kurt Peterson (267-33-108) was hurt on the seasons final day! He's out at least 3 weeks, and likely mid World Series at best, if Columbus can survive. They've got 2 bullpen hands out for the playoffs. Perennial MVP candidate Dean Strong leads the staff and the team from behind the plate, and had another outstanding season at .286-27-94 in the cleanup spot. Mike Holmes (13-12 4.56) will likely be the game 1 starter with hot hand Will Cannon (6-2 1.84 in his last 13 starts) following him in game 2 or 3.


Two powerful offenses going toe to toe. The 2-2-1 format this year will allow both teams game 1 starters to come back fully rested in a 5th game should it make it that far.

[gehrig38]

The Staten Island Yanks are led by their powerful 3-4 combo of Alejandro Villanueva (271-34-107) and Travis Bryant (284-33-123). Frontier League batting champion Ernesto Garza (351-11-95) sets the table in the 2 hole. Koufax candidate Ron Pearce (19-10 3.26) is their undisputed ace, followed by Javier Gutierrez (16-10 4.24). Pearce will start game 1. They lost Ramon Ortiz (11-7 4.52) late in August and will be without him in the playoffs, and young Diego Laconi is slated to take his spot in game 3 (0-6 7.30) which could put an underdog into an almost untenable position.

On our side of the ledger I'd be biased and pick us as favorites to win it all if I had an ounce of confidence in the rotation. I don't. It's the weak spot on this team and could be our undoing. Offensively this team can play with anyone, scoring 1052 runs on 209 HR's and a CL best 178 stolen bases. They get on, they hit, they hit with power and they run. Once again the offense was led by MVP candidate Bill Alexander (321-41-167) and 30/30 man Hugh Collins (317-34-116 with 33 stolen bases). His 2nd straight 30/30 season. Wes Morgan had another 'quiet' monster season, belting 40 HR's and driving in 131, the RBI's a career high. He's a gold glove 1st basemen. It all kicks off with Ernesto Gutierrez who contended for the FL batting title into the season's final day and led the FL with a .451 OBP. Following him is 21 year old superstar Jean Chartier. Jean hit .326 in his first 200 hit season (202) with a .380 OBP, scoring 124 runs with 26 2B's, 10 3B's and 24 HR's with a league leading 37 SB's. Chicago had 2 200 hit seasons (with Alexanders 204) and 5 players score 100+ runs including Paul Riggs (104) Hugh Collins (119) Gutierrez (119) and Alexander (117). Ace Alfredo Alejandrez (18-6 4.24) will will go game 1, followed by Spike Davis (17-9 4.60) and Richard Cox (13-6 4.98). MacFadden is a likely game 4 starter. The bullpen is anchored by shut down closer Ernesto Cruz. Cruz missed the first 4.5 months of the season after suffering a torn tricep in spring training. He came back to go 18-18 in saves and has yet to allow a run in his 21.1 IP, giving up 10 hits, 2 walks and punching out 32. Winston, Pennington, Moore, van Bodegraven, Torres and Ken Johnson offer 3 righties and 3 lefties to get the game into Cruz's hands. The season was literally 'saved' by Johnson. With Cruz out all he did was go 2-3 and save 26 of 30 games in his place with a 2.19 ERA. In 61.2 IP he gave up 40 hits, 44 walks and punched out 81 hitters to a .183 opponents average.

If we get ANY starting pitching we could walk over this series. It's looking like we'll go with MacFadden in a game 4, if needed, over Mike Davis given that the meat of the Yankee order is left handed and they were 24-28 on the season vs. LHP and 60-50 vs RHP.

[gehrig38]

One of the leagues better offenses squares off against the right-left 2 headed monster that is Bray/Roa. Pittsburgh comes in a heavy favorite in this best of 5 mainly because they'll run 24-4 Vincent Bray and 20-4 Ramon Roa out in games 1-2. Bray won the Coastal League Pitching triple crown, and Roa was right behind him every step of the way. #3 Tomas Villanueva (14-9 4.18) is an ace on many teams and they're backed up by a guy that was about as good as they come in the closing innings. Joe "Criminal" Boswell was 4-1 with 42 saves in 43 chances (and sports a career .945 save% 138-148) and had his second sub 1.00 ERA season with a 0.82 ERA in 65 IP this year.
But they are more than pitching. 1B Ross Tunstall (286-41-133) had another monster season with Manual Miranda setting the table in the leadoff spot (.310-10-41) with a .378 OBP. RF Alan Hedden hits 3rd (275-30-109). Former Iron Pig Jorge Cabral catches and hits 9th (172-8-19).

Fresno has a tough road to hoe but a lineup that could do it. Jeff Holland (310-11-69) Joe Rowe (262-23-90) Rich Stone (326-27-116) Qi-chen Jung (285-17-77) and young Orlando Rios (279-32-100) provide a thunderous first 5. Willie McCarthy (201-1-13 in 103 games) is the catcher after starter Don Thomas (301-25-86 in '14) continues to sit wit post concussion symptoms suffered in spring training and backup Jason Lewis (261-12-68 in 130 games) remains out with a sports hernia.
On the mound the Grizzlies suffered a setback as ace Santiago Medina (17-7 3.07) remains out with a sore shoulder, but he is slated to get the ball in 6 days if Fresno can remain alive. In his place they'll turn to the hot hand in Antonio Espinoza (12-12 4.35) who's 2-0 1.11 in his last 3 starts. Simon Kamerman (11-13 5.33) will start game 2.

[gehrig38]

The Coastal Leagues #1 and #2 scoring offenses square off in what should be a great series. Tulsa slammed a CL best 220 HR's and Vegas stole an astounding 271 bases, or 200 more than the Drillers!

Tulsa has some weapons on both sides of the equation. Koufax candidate George Perkins (20-6 3.73) and Esteban Valdez (16-9 3.69) will likely open the series followed by 13-12 4.83 Antonio Rodriguez. Stewart Ward, the 25 year old closer went 33-37 in saves and was 3-6 with a 2.05 ERA. The offense has always revolved around superstar slugger Curt Whimster (396-36-106) and the huge mid season acquisition of Philly LF Dave Ladd (319-12-49 in 64 games since the trade, combined .294-29-124 on the year) has really solidified this offense. Catcher Rich Alfred hits 3rd (391-24-82) and Ambrose Cox (3B), a guy Tulsa was shopping mid season, anchors the lower half of the lineup (247-25-86).

Vegas is led by superstar and CL batting champion Jesus Andrales (368-17-103 with 55 SB's in 74 attempts). Young slugger Drew Leduc is returns from the DL but won't be available unless the 51's can survive this series. Bob White (251-22-108) hits cleanup. This team runs, alot. 9 different players stole 10 or more bases, led by Andrales 55, Jorge Gonzalez (a bit banged up) had 32, Bob White 41 and 2B Alan Hamm 20.
On the mound Vegas stunned the IBL with it's late season waiver deal that sent Matthieu Cafasso to Alaska. the 31 year old knuckleballer had fallen out of favor in Vegas and that now means 25 year old Glenn Harvey will start game 1 (1-1 5.59) with Marshall Wall (15-11 4.23) going behind him and Jerome Billon (5-6 4.22) and Ralph White (9-2 4.58) likely getting a game 3 or 4 start if they don't go on short rest.

[gehrig38]

2015 POST SEASON
As I did last season, I’ll be narrating the game as I play, and cutting into ongoing games around the league with updates.

GAME 1
Staten Island (Ron Pearce 19-10 3.26)
@
Chicago (Alfredo Alejandrez 18-6 4.24)

Neil Weber lead off with a single but a Chartier to Riggs to Morgan DP erased him. Alejandrez got Villanueva on a pop out to end the inning on 12 pitches.
We went 3 up 3 down, 0-0 after 1.

Alejandrez works around 2 walks and ends the inning with 30 pitches through 2.
We are 6 up 6 down, 0-0 end of 2.

Alejandrez walks Weber with 2 outs but K’s Garza to end the inning. At 49 pitches after 3.
In the bottom half Raul Feliz leads off with a single and after a Hudson F8 and Lorenzelli pop up, Feliz steals 2nd and scores on Ernesto Gutierrez’s RBI single to right. Gutierrez steals 2nd on the first pitch to Chartier, and a pitch later Chartier drives him home for a 2-0 lead. Chartier steals on the 1st pitch to Collins and Collins waves at strike 3 to end the inning, 2-0 Chicago after 3.

Travis Bryant kicks off the 4th with a 441 foot bomb to left center, 2-1 Chicago. Alejandrez sets the Yanks down in order after that, heading to the bottom of 3, 2-1 Chicago. Alejandrez at 68 after 4.
Pearce sets us down in order, and is at 55 pitches through 4, 2-1 Chicago.

Will Harris gets on, on a leadoff error by 2B Paul Riggs. Vasquez pops up the sac bunt attempt and Neil Weber hits into a 6-4-3 to end it.
Pearce works around his own error and the game stays 2-1 through 5, Pearce at 68 pitches, Alejandrez 76.

Ernesto Garza opens the 6th with a double and Villanueva doubles behind him to tie the game 2-2. A Travis Bryant walk and Robert Collins FC puts runners on the corners with 1 out. Mario Orosco then singles in the hole at short to drive in Villanueva and end Alejandrez day, Jose Torres comes in and immediately stops the bleeding with a 4-6-3 douple play on Ricardo Quintania. 3-2 Staten Island.
Bill Alexander drills a 2 out liner into the left center gap but is thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. 3-2 after 6, Pearce at 77 pitches. Alejandrez final line (5.1-5-3-3-4-5).

Torres works around a walk and van Bodegraven is brought in to get Garza with 2 outs and a runner on 1st. Which he does on 2 pitches with a pop up to short.
Morgan slaps a leadoff single and Paul Riggs pushes him to third with a double. With runners on 2nd and 3rd Pearce makes his 2nd error of the day on a routine comebacker, and Morgan ties the game. Hudson drills a first pitch sac fly to right to put Chicago up 4-3. Feliz, who’d reached on the error, then steals 2nd with Lorenzelli up. Massi hits a fly to deep left center that gets caught, but Feliz manages to get to third. 3 pitches later he scores on the wild pitch by Pearce, 5-3 Chicago. A Gutierrez walk ends Pearce’s day (6.2-6-5-2-2-1), Andy Fritz comes on and retires Chartier on the backwards K to end the 7th but we manage to grab the lead, 5-3.

Pennington on in the 8th to get the left handed heart of the order, Cruz is up in the pen.
He K’s Villanueva but a single to Bryant and a Collins walk and Cruz is in the game. Cruz retires Orosco on a fielder’s choice and gets Quintania on a 2 pitch F9. 5-3 Chicago into the bottom half of 8.
Collins drills a leadoff double and after Alexander moves him over Morgan drives him in with an RBI single. Riggs FC and a Feliz single put runners on the corners but Hudson flies out to end it. 6-3 Chicago into the 9th.

Ernesto Cruz surrender his 1st run of the season on a Neil Weber 9th inning solo shot, but gets the final 3 outs for the save (1) and a 6-4 series opening win. Morgan was 2-3 with a run and an RBI, Raul Feliz was 2-4 with 2 runs and an RBI and 2 SB’s.
CHI 6 SI 4
W van Bodegraven (1-0) L Pearce (0-1) S Cruz (1)
HR SI Bryant (1) Weber (1)
Chicago leads 1-0

GAME 1
Columbus (Mike Holmes 13-12 4.56)
@
El Paso (Jason Allen 16-6 4.52)

El Paso opens the scoring in the 1st on a Gerald Wright RBI single scoring Vincent Lange. 1-0 heading to the bottom of 2.
Vincent Lange drills an RBI single in the 2nd putting El Paso up 2-0 after 2.
A Tony Ruiz RBI ground out has given El Paso a 3-0 lead into the 5th.
Still 3-0 into the 6th.
A Bill Adams 2B puts Columbus on the board, 3-1, but El Paso answers with its own RBI double from Rafael Cuesta to score Haynes, 4-1 El Paso. Diablo SP Jason Allen has gone 6-7-1-1-2-5.
El Paso added 2 in the bottom of 6 and went on to a 5-1 series opening win.
EP 5 COL 1
W Allen (1-0) L Holmes (0-1)
HR None
El Paso leads 1-0

GAME 1
Fresno (Vincente Elisary 1-0 5.54)
@
Pittsburgh (Vince Bray 24-4 2.59)

In Pittsburgh a 4th inning RBI single by Anibal German scoring Ross Tunstall puts the Bulldogs up 1-0. Vince Bray has gone 5-4-0-0-0-6 through 5, Pittsburgh hitting in the bottom half.
Allen Hedden’s solo homer in the 5th puts Pittsburgh up 2-0 with Fresno batting in the top half of the 6th.
Tunstall is 2-2 with a 2B, Jeff Holland is 2-3 with a 2B for Fresno.
Into the bottom of 7, 2-0 Pittsburgh, Bray is at 6.1-5-0-0-0-9 on the day and is relieved. Fresno’s SP Vincente Elisary is 6-6-2-2-5-5.
Anibal German drives in his 2nd run in the bottom of the 8th on an RBI grounder that scores Roberto Morales. 3-0 Pittsburgh after 8.

Boswell closes this one out, 3-0 Pittsburgh, and a 1-0 series lead. Ross Tunstall was 3-3 with a 2B for the Bulldogs.
PIT 3 FRE 0
W Bray (1-0) L Elisary (0-1) S Boswell (1)
HR PIT Hedden (1)

GAME 1
Tulsa (Esteban Valdez 16-9 3.69)
@
Las Vegas (Glen Harvey 1-1 5.59)

This game is just underway, no score into the bottom of the 2nd.
Still 0-0 top of 3.
Jorge Gonzalez RBI single scores Berard and puts Vegas out front 1-0 after 3.
This game would go to the 8th with Tulsa up 2-1. In the bottom half Vegas would score 7 times and have a runner thrown out at the plate! A crucial 2 out 2 run error by Driller LF Dave Ladd would open the flood gates. Tulsa would mount a furious 9th inning rally though, with Wally Reed hitting a 2 out 2 run Triple. Anbar Suhayb would be called on, and after surrendering an RBI single to Edward Young he would K Rich Alfred looking to end it. Valdez would take the loss but go 7.2-8-6-2-5-5.Harvey was excellent, going 8.2-8-6-1-2-4, a total of 9 unearned runs over the final 2 innings.
LV 8 TUL 6
W Harvey (1-0) L Valdez (0-1) S Suhayb (1)

[gehrig38]

A press conference just concluded following the Pirates series opening win. Team doctors have said Ace Vince Bray will be shut down for at least a week with 'dead arm'...

Many were wondering why he left after throwing just 89 pitches, his stuff seemed as crisp as ever. Now we know why.

Thankfully Pittsburgh won the game and in a short series this could have no effect what so ever. Should Fresno find a way back in Bray would likely be unavailable to pitch a deciding 5th game....

(I Love this game..)

[gehrig38]

Staten Island (Javier Gutierrez 16-10 4.24)
@
Chicago (Spike Davis 17-9 4.60)

Davis punches out the side around a 2 out walk to open the game. Gutierrez goes 3 up 3 down. 0-0 after 1.
Sandoval leads off with a single, and with 2 outs Ordonez puts runners on the corners with his own single but Davis gets Bonnar to pop up to end the inning.
We do nothing with an Alexander lead off walk and the game goes to the third scoreless.

Davis sets Staten Island down in order in the top of the 3rd.
Riggs leads off the bottom with a single, Hudson and Gutierrez walk to load’em up. Jean Chartier drives in Riggs with an RBI single, bringing Hugh Collins up.
Collins fouls to Garza for the first out.
Alexander drives a 1-0 pitch in the hold between 1st and 2nd to make it 2-0.
Wes Morgan wakes up the world on an 0-1 pitch, hitting a line drive down the left field line that just clears the fence for a grand slam, and a 6-0 Chicago lead. Kent Martin is in the game for Staten Island.

Travis Bryant drills his 2nd HR of the series leading off the 4th, getting the Yankees on the board, 6-1. Davis sets them down in order after that.
With 1 out Jean Chartier drills his 1st post season HR of 2015, a 2 run shot to make it 8-1 after 4.

Dennis Bonnar drills a 430 foot shot with an out in the 5th, 6-2 Chicago. A Neil Weber single is erased on a Garza 5-4-3 inning ending double play. 8-2 after 4 and a half.
Wes Morgan comes around to score after his leadoff double on a Paul Riggs 1 out RBI double. 9-2 after 5.

Davis gets the first 2 in the 6th but back to back walks before the 3rd out drive his pitch count to 91 through 6, 9-2 Iron Pigs.
Gutierrez drills a leadoff double, 1 out later Collins drives him in with his own double. Alexander follows that with an RBI single and it’s 11-2 after 6.

Johnson will come in, want to rest as much as I can in case the series goes long, or else have the top half of the rotation ready if we get days off and win this series.
He tosses a perfect top half and the slaughter continues in the bottom. Eric Hudson drives in Paul Riggs with a double and 2 hitters later Chartier hits his 2nd HR of the game on a 1-0 pitch from Rafael Velazquez. 14-2 after 7.

Johnson runs into some trouble on doubles from Garza and Villanueva, giving up 2, Moore comes in to clean up the mess. 14-4 after 8.

Moore closes it out. Chartier goes 3-5 with 3 runs and 5 RBI’s, Morgan 2-4 with 4 RBI’s and Hudson scores 3 times on 2 hits.
CHI 14 SI 4
W Davis (1-0) L Gutierrez (0-1)
HR CHI Chartier 2 (2) Morgan (1) SI Bryant (2) Donnar (1)
Chicago Leads 2-0

Columbus (Will Cannon 10-6 3.22)
@
El Paso Bob Park (19-4 4.11)

Just underway, no score top of 2.
Clipper Michael Griffin drives in catcher Dean Strong in the second, 1-0 Columbus in the third.
A Gerald Wright RBI double knots the game at 1 after 3.
In the 4th Michael Simpson hits a solo shot to put the Diablo’s up 2-1 after 4.
Entering the 7th still 2-1 El Paso the Diablos erupted for 4 runs on Simpson’s 2nd HR of the day.
The Clippers would make it interesting by pushing 3 across in the 9th but Paul Woodard would save it after an Agnelo Gomez HR.
EP 6 SI 4
W Park (1-0) L Cannon (0-1) S Woodard (1)
HR COL Gomez (1) Strong (1) Schall (1) EP Simpson 2 (2) Sanchez (1)
El Paso Leads 2-0

Fresno (Simon Kamerman (11-13 5.33)
@
Pittsburgh (Ramon Roa 20-4 3.11)

Pittsburgh opens the scoring as Vincent Martin drills a 2 run homer in the 2nd. Josh Harris follows him with his own 2 run shot in the 3rd to make it 4-0 Fresno after 3.
Qi-chen Jung hammers a 3 run shot in the top of 4 to pull Fresno within a run at 4-3, where it is going into the 5th.
The Bulldogs open it up a bit on an RBI single by Allen Hedden and 2 hitters later he’d score on an RBI grounder from Ross Tunstall, 6-3 Pittsburgh after 6.
Fresno will not go quietly. Joe Rowe drills a 2 out 2 run double in the 7th, making it 6-5 Pittsburgh, where it remains in the bottom of 7.
Allen Hedden scored on a Fresno error to make it 7-5, and Josh Harris would drive in Tunstall with an RBI single to make it 8-5 after 7.
Alonzo Garza doubled in the 8th to drive in Orlando Rios, 8-6 in the top of 8, Fresno still hitting. Joe Rowe sets a Coastal League record with his 3rd double of the game, putting Fresno up 9-8! Rowe is 4-5 with 3 doubles and 4 RBI’s.
Pittsburgh is relentless, Roberto Morales hits an RBI double to tie it at 9 and Allen Hedded drills his own double, driving in 2 to put Pittsburgh up 11-9 and get the game into Boswell hands.
PIT 11 FRE 9
W Frank (1-0) L Thuiller (0-1) S Boswell (2)
HR FRE Jung (1) PIT Martin (1) Harris (1)
Pittsburgh leads 2-0

Tulsa (Antonio Rodriguez 13-12 4.83)
@
Las Vegas (Marshall Wall 15-11 4.23)

The late tilt was another insane affair. Tulsa jumped out 3-o after 2 but Vegas held them, and managed to get back in by tying it at 3 after 7.
In the top of the 9th, 3-3 game, Ben Brady singled, German Valdez was safe on the sac attempt and Wally Reed would move the runners to 2nd and 3rd where Edward Young would bring them home on a 3 run shot. Tulsa would then go on to score 5 more times! It ended up mattering as Bob White slammed a 2 run shot in the bottom half but the damage was done.
TUL 11 LV 5
W Guzman (1-0) L Fou (0-1)
HR TUL Young (1) LV White (1)
Series tied at 1-1

[gehrig38]

3 could end, 1 will go another day…

Chicago (Richard Cox 13-6 4.98)
@
Staten Island (Diego Laconi 0-6 7.30 Really? You are really starting this guy?)

Laconi doesn’t look scared.. 3 up 3 down, punching out Gutierrez and Chartier in the 1st on 12 pitches.
Cox meanwhile yields a single to Garza and a FC later a walk to Bryant but gets out of the 1st unscathed, 23 pitches.

A 2 out Paul Riggs error ends up costing us big time. Neil Weber drills a 2 run single with 2 outs to make it 2-0. Cox wiggles out but is at 52 after 2.
Meanwhile Laconi has gone 9 up 9 down with 3 K’s, and is at 26 pitches after 3.

Villanueva leads off the third with his first HR of the series, 3-0 Yankees. Cox at 64.
Laconi is perfect through 4. End of 4 Yankees lead 3-0, 41 pitches for Laconi.
A 2 out triple by Vazquez is followed by a Weber walk, but Cox gets Garza to end the 4th, he’s at 82 pitches.

Laconi loses the perfect game with 1 out in the 5th on a Wes Morgan single. Riggs walks but Raul Feliz kills the rally on a 1-6-3 double play to end it. 3-0 Yankees after 4 and a half. Laconi is at 52 pitches.
With 2 outs and Villanueva on 2nd, Collins on 1st, Ricardo Quintania drills a line drive single to right, Gutierrez comes up throwing and Hudson holds onto the ball in a collision at home for the innings final out. 3-0 Yankees after 5.

Laconi walks Lorenzelli, who then is caught stealing, and he is through 6 on 66 pitches with a 3-0 lead.
A Will Harris leadoff single ends Cox’s day, Torres on to get the lefties.
Harris is safe on the sac bunt play, 1st and 2nd 0 outs.
Weber sac gets Vazquez at 2nd, Weber safe at 1st. Runners on the corners, 1 out, Garza up, Johnson in, need the K.
Johnson 1 ups me, getting Garza to ground into a 6-4-3 to end the 6th, still trailing 3-0.

Laconi gets the first two when Alexander drills his 1st pitch for a ringing double. He calmly punches out Wes Morgan to end it. 3-0 bottom 7, 81 pitches on a 2 hitter so far.
Moore on to get the left handed heart of the lineup. Which he does on a K and 2 ground outs. Onto the 8th down 3.

Laconi breezes through the 8th, his line is now 8-2-0-0-2-6 with 95 pitches.
Moore gets the 1st two outs before Will Harris doubles, and Roberto Vazquez walks, Neil Weber then breaks it open with a 2 run double, 5-0 Yankees with van Bodegraven on. He gives up a single to Garza but retires Villanueva on an F7. Chasing 5 in the 9th.
Lorenzelli ends the shutout bid with a leadoff HR in the top of the 9th. Chartier hits a 1 out single but Laconi finishes his gem getting Collins on a FC and Alexander to ground out on a soft tapper back to the mound.
Laconi’s line 9-4-1-1-2-6 (check the line I posted next to his name at the top of this... The baseball Gods listen fellas...Oh they listen)
SI 5 CHI 1
W Laconi (1-0) L Cox (0-1)
HR CHI Lorenzelli (1) SI Villanueva (1)
Chicago leads the series 2-1

El Paso (Corey Elkins 14-8 4.27 how’s this for up 2-0?)
@
Columbus (Mike Holmes 0-1 5.14)

Elkins appears to have brought the A game, punching out the side in the bottom of the 1st.
After 2.5 El Paso and Columbus are scoreless, Elkins has k’d 5 through 2, with no walks. Holmes is 3-2-0-0-1-1.
Elkins with 7 K’s now, through 3.
The Clippers get to Elkins in the 4th. A Michael Griffin RBI double followed by a Jesus Sanchez Sac Fly make it 2-0, Columbus batting in the 5th.
Still 2-0 bottom 6. Elkins with 8 K’s through 5. Holmes has been outstanding, going 6-3-0-0-1-3.
Bottom 7 now, Columbus still up 2-0. Elkins done at 6.1-8-2-2-4-8.
A Bill Adams sac fly followed by a Michael Griffin 3 run HR (2-3 2B, HR 4 RBI’s) make it 6-0, A Jeffrey Hudson double would make it 7-0, where it would end.
COL 7 EP 0
W Holmes (1-0) L Elkins (0-1)
HR COL Griffin (1)
El Paso leads the series 2-1

Las Vegas (Jerome Billon 5-6 4.22)
@
Tulsa (George Perkins 20-6 3.73)

This is clearly the crazy series…
Just underway…
Edward Young puts Tulsa up early with a 1st inning 2 run HR.
Ben Brady’s 2 run double later in the inning makes it 4-0 Tulsa after 1. Vegas goes quietly in the 2nd, Drillers hitting bottom of 2, 4-0.
Jesus Andrales hits a 3rd inning RBI single to make it 4-1 but Brady drives in his 3rd run in the bottom half to put the lead back to 4, 5-1 after 3.
Pete Johnson would homer to make it 5-2 in the 4th, and Bob White’s RBI grounder would make the lead 2 after 5 1/2, 5-3.
Dave Ladd hits a solo HR in the 5th to make it 6-3 (Ladd is 3-3 3B, HR and an RBI)
Tulsa added 2 more in the 6th and would win this game 8-5.
TUL 8 LV 5
W Perkins (1-0) L Billon (0-1)
HE LV Johnston (1) TUL Ladd (1)
Tulsa leads the series 2-1

Pittsburgh (Tomas Villanueva 14-9 4.18)
@
Fresno (Antonio Espinoza 12-12 4.35)

Down 2-0, and having to beat Bray and Roa IF you win today? Can’t see it.
An ominous start for the Grizzlies as SP Antonio Espinoza would leave in the 2nd with a bad back. Tanner Ashley would relieve him and go 3.2 hitless innings and the Fresno pen would go 7.2-2-0-0-3-5 and win it on Orlando Rios 5th inning solo HR, 1-0. Pittsburgh SP Tomas Villanueva would toss a 4 hit gem in the loss (8-4-1-1-1-3)
FRE 1 PIT 0
W Ashley (1-0) L Villanueva (0-1)
HR FRE Rios (1)
Pittsburgh leads the series 2-1

[gehrig38]

3 series could end yesterday, none did. I am feeling like this is going to be a wild post season…

Chicago (Dan MacFadden 11-9 5.49)
@
Staten Island (Ron Pearce 0-1 2.70)

Pearce goes 3 up 3 down and MacFadden gives up a 1 out single to Garza, walks Villanueva but retires Bryant on a K and Sandoval on a pop up to end it. Scoreless after 1.

Alexander singles in the 2nd and Morgan walks, Riggs FC puts runners on the corners but Pearce K’s Feliz and gets Hudson to ground out.
MacFadden has a 1-2-3 second. 0-0 into the 3rd.

Dennis Bonnar drills a 2-1 pitch to deep left leading off the 3rd to put the Yankees up 1-0. Weber follows with a single but Garza hits into a 4-6-3 DP and Villanueva grounds out. 1-0 Staten Island after 3.

Alexander hits into a 6-4-3 DP after Collins walks to lead it off but Wes Morgan drills his 2nd playoff HR with 2 outs, tying it at 1.
MacFadden gives up a Sandoval single with 1 out and Mario Orosco follows that with a single of his own, Sandoval taking 3rd.
Quintania hits a fly to left but it’s not deep enough and Ordonez pops to shallow right to end the inning. 1-1 after 4.

Pearce and MacFadden breeze through the 5th, Pearce has 65 and MacFadden 66, through 5.

A 2 out Collins single is erased on a caught stealing to end the inning.
And MacFadden goes 1-2-3 to keep it 1-1 after 6.

Wes Morgan and Paul Riggs hit back to back 1 out singles. Raul Feliz FC put runners on the corners but Pearce gets Catcher Eric Hudson to pop to second to end it.
MacFadden has another 1-2-3 inning. 1-1 heading to the 8th, Pearce has 92 pitches, MacFadden 84.

Lorenzelli pops to 2nd and Pearce’s day ends, Eli Gill comes in and K’s Gutierrez and gets Chartier on an F9. Pearce’s line 7.1-5-1-1-2-2.
MacFadden has his third straight 1-2-3, 1-1 into the 9th. MacFadden has gone 8-5-1-1-1-3 on 96 pitches, do I send him back out?
Bill Alexander drills a 1 out double, and Gill intentionally walks Wes Morgan to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out, Paul Riggs coming up.
Riggs singles and Alexander rounds 3rd!!! The game ASKS ME if I want to send him!! I CAN’T DO THIS! It’s shallow, and Sandoval has a cannon, and Alexander is slow, but this is where the damn game always lets the runner score easily!!! I HOLD THE RUNNER!!! Bases loaded and Raul Feliz, who’s left 4 on and grounded into a big DP is coming up….


AND HE DOUBLES! Alexander scores, Morgan scores.. Riggs pulls up at 3rd!

Eric Hudson follows with an RBI ground out. 4-1 Chicago Lorenzelli coming up. He ends the inning, Cruz strolling from the pen.

The 9th doesn’t start well, Eric Hudson bobbling a chopper at the plate for an E2 and throwing it into RF, Villanueva goes to 2nd.
Travis Bryant doubles him home on a 1-2 pitch, 4-2 game.
Robert Collins goes F7 on a 1-2 pitch.
Mario Orosco goes 5-3 on an 0-1 pitch.
Ricardo Quintania taps a 3-1 pitch softly to first and Morgan flips to Cruz for the out, and the series!
CHI 4 SI 2
W MacFadden (1-0) L E Gill (0-1) S Cruz (2)
HR CHI Morgan (2) SI Bonnar (2)
Chicago wins the series 3-1
Wes Morgan wins the series MVP going 7-12 with 5 runs 1 2B 2 HR’s and 6 RBI’s

El Paso (Jason Allen 1-0 1.13)
@
Columbus (Marcos Diaz 17-11 4.62)

A Christian Schall sac fly plates Jeffrey Hudson in the 1st. Clippers still hitting, 1st and 3rd 2 outs, Adams up. El Paso escapes and the game is not into the 3rd 1-0 Columbus.
Top 5 still 1-0 Colulmbus.
Tony Ruiz’s solo HR in the top of the 6th ties it at 1, where it stands in the bottom half.
Game is tied 1-1 heading to the 8th as well.
Columbus fans are going crazy as All Star Catcher Dean Strong drills a 2 out 2 run HR in the bottom of the 8th to put the Clippers on top 3-1, and they’re still hitting.
Columbus closer I Lopez wraps it up, 3-1 win Clippers. Clipper starter Marcos Diaz went 8-6-1-1-0-2.
COL 3 EP 1
W Diaz (1-0) L Cannon (0-1) S Lopez (1)
HR EP Ruiz (1) COL Strong (2)
Series tied 2-2

Las Vegas (Glen Harvey 1-0 1.04)
@
Tulsa (Esteban Valdez 0-1 2.35)

Esteban Valdez punched out the side in the 1st for Tulsa, Drillers now hitting runner on 3rd 2 outs.
Curt Whimster drove in Wally Reed with 2 outs to give Tulsa a 1-0 lead, where it stands in the top of the 3rd.
Jesus Andrales drills a solo HR in the top of the 4th, game is now tied 1-1 in the bottom of 4.
A Driller error on a Woody Best grounder gives the 51’s a 2-1 lead in the 5th.
Andrales strikes again in the 5th, driving in Johnston with an RBI single to make it 3-1 Vegas after 5.
Tulsa, down 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th, broke out the whooping sticks. Arturo Olivo led off with a solo homer, Ben Brady doubled, Cox K’d and Valdez reached on an error then Wally Reed drilled a 3 run shot to make it 5-3 Tulsa.
They would add 1 in the 7th on a bases loaded walk to Ambrose Cox, leading 6-3 after 7.
In the 8th they would ice the game, and series when Olivo forced home Alfred with his bases loaded walk, Brady singled in Whimster, Valdez singled in Ladd and Wally Reed was HBP with the bases loaded to make it 10-3, where it ended.
W Valdez (1-1) L Harvey (1-1) S Guzman (1)
HR LV Andrales (1) TUL Reed (1) Olivo (1)
Tulsa wins the series 3-1
MVP Edward Young (.318-2-9)

Pittsburgh (Ramon Roa 0-0 4.26)
@
Fresno (Vincente Elisary 0-1 2.70)

Tied 1-1 in the 5th, Qi-chen Jung’s 3 run homer made it 4-1 Grizzlies. (Jung was 3-4 2 runs 3 RBI’s in the game). Pittsburgh would net 1 in the 7thas would Fresno and after a 9th inning meltdown from closer Glenn Hanna, the Bulldogs had 1 out when Allen Hedden singled, Tunstall singled, Josh Harris doubled and Manny Miranda singled to make it 5-4. Gustave Grasso relieved Hanna and Got Kris Wright to pop to short with runners on the corners! Anibal German then grounded to second on a 3-2 pitch to end it and take the series to a 5th game. This would be, imo, an ENORMOUS upset if Fresno pulls it off.
And remember Pittsburgh Ace Vince Bray is still out! He cannot pitch the final game of this series!

FRE 5 PIT 4
W Jackson (1-0) L Horton (0-1) S Grasso (1)
HR FRE Jung (2)
Series tied at 2!

[gehrig38]

Covering these games in the real time sim mode, so I’ll report as it happens….
And get ready for a stunner...

Columbus (Will Canon 0-1 4.26)
@
El Paso (Bob Park 1-0 3.24)

Columbus goes ape in the top of 1, poised for a HUGE upset now. A leadoff single by Lambert, followed by a Jeffrey Hudson walk and Angelo Gomez single to load the bases. Dean Strong’s RBI single turns bad as a Diablo error allows another to score. Chistian Schall singles in another and Stephano McDermott does the same 1 out later. Stanton Hall drives in the 6th run of the inning, ending Bob Parks day with just 2/3rd of an inning pitched and his team down 6-0 before it could bat!
This would be an enormous upset imo.
Turning into a rout now as Michael Griffin hits a 2 run second inning single to make it 8-0 Columbus.
A 2 run Tommy Henry single gets El Paso on the board and Gerald Wright drills a 2 run homer to make it 8-4.
Wright then follows up with a 2 run single in the 4th, El Paso back in this one down 8-6 after 4. Wright is 2-3 with a HR and 4 RBI’s.
Now into the 6th, same score, Clippers leading by 2.
Vincent Lane drills a 6th inning single and is 4-4 on the day, but Fresno goes quietly and has just 9 outs remaining.
Stays that way into the 8th when Dean Strong gets his 3rd hit of the day, a solo shot to make it 9-6 Columbus.
Fresno gets a Ruiz single with 1 out in the 8th but Lange pops out to end it, onto the 9th down 3.
Fresno now batting in the 9th….
Henry grounds out leading off….
Wright drills a single, 3-5 on the day..
Caden Haynes walks….
Cuesta flies out and Ivan Lopez retires Valentin Maitani and the Clippers pull off a stunning upset in El Paso, coming back from down 2-0 to beat the 107 win El Paso Diablos 3 games to 2!
COL 9 EP 6
W Perez (1-0) L Park (1-1) S Lopez (2)
HR COL Strong (3) EP Wright (1)
Columbus in a stunner, 3 games to 2.
Series Co-MVP’s Dean Strong (7-18 6 runs 1 2B 3 HR’s 6 RBI’s) and Michael Griffin (9-18 2 runs 3 2B’s 1 HR 7 RBI’s)

Fresno (Simon Kamerman 0-0 12.46)
@
Pittsburgh (Tomas Villanueva 0-1 1.13)

Fresno goes down 1-2-3 in the 1st. Kamerman sets Pittsburgh down, 0-0 after 1.
Pittsburgh’s Kris Wright drills a 2 run shot in the bottom of the 2nd, 2-0 Bulldogs.
Gustavo Suarez reaches on an error, scoring Joyce.
Roberto Morales singles, Martin and Suarez score, 5-0.
Tunstall hits into a DP but Miranda scores, 6-0 Dawgs after 2.
Still 4-0 after 4.
Neither team does anything in the 5th, 6-0 Pittsburgh after 5. Villanueva, on short rest, tires in the 5th after a single and is out of the game.
Orlando Rios drills a solo shot in the 7th, 6-1 Bulldogs.
Grizzlies waste a 1st and 3rd when Holland punches out. 6-1 into the 7th.
Gustavo Suarez ends the Grizzly season when he drills an 8th inning grand slam to extend the lead to 10-1.
PIT 10 FRE 1
W Perez (1-0) L Kamerman (0-1)
HR FRE Rios (2) PIT Suarez (1) K Wright (1)
Pittsburgh wins the series 3-2
MVP Roberto Morales (9-20 3 runs 1 2B and 4 RBI’s)

[gehrig38]

The matchup will feature the heavily favored Bulldogs, minus ace Vincent Bray for games 1-2 against a hot hitting Tulsa team and with Wild Card Series MVP Edward Young and perennial MVP candidate George Whimster who beat Las Vegas 3 games to 1.

[gehrig38]

The Frontier League Division Championship will feature a team no one thought would be here, in Columbus, against our Iron Pigs who pitched far better than anyone expected, and who's offense is clicking.
Columbus will be without 1B Bill Adams (.267-23-76 with 32 doubles) after he turned an ankle in the Wild Card Series and is likely missing this entire series, and possibly the World Series if Columbus moves on.
Mike Holmes will go on short rest in game 1 vs Iron Pig ace Alfredo Alejandrez, and the Iron Pig rotation will feature both lefties again, as Columbus is lefty heavy as well.

[gehrig38]

Is there a setting I can change to make managers STOP using starters on such short rest?

[gehrig38]

As before I will be playing my game, updating by inning, and checking in on the other game and updating as I go. I may try to combine the narratives into one long post?

FRONTIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Columbus (Mike Holmes 1-1 2.77)
@
Chicago (Alfredo Alejandrez 0-0 5.06)

A leadoff walk takes about 20 seconds before it hurts as Clipper 2B Jeff Hudson drills a run scoring double. Alejandrez escapes the no out runner on second jam, retiring the next 3. Bottom 1 1-0 Cilppers.
Hugh Collins singles with 2 outs and is erased on a caught stealing 2 pitches later to end the inning, 1-0 Columbus after 1. Alejandrez need 22 to get through the inning, Holmes just 7.

Alejandrez goes 1-2-3 and Eric Hudson drills a 2 out run scoring single, bringing home Wes Morgan who had walked, to tie it at 1 apiece after 2 full. Holmes needs 29 pitches to get through the inning, putting him at 36 through 2, Alejandrez has a 5 pitch inning to hold at 27.

Alejandrez has another 1-2-3 inning.
Gutierrez drills a leadoff single, Chartier moves him to second on a ground out. Collins grounds out and Alexander chases a pitch for strike 3 to end it. 1-1 after 3. Alejandrez has another 5 pitch inning, to sit at 32 through 3, Holmes is at 49.

A leadoff Angelo Gomez walk, followed by a Dean Strong single is capped on Christian Schalls 3 run homer to straight away left to put Columbus up 4-1. Michael Griffin follows with a solo shot of his own, on an 0-2 pitch and the bullpen is frantically working with Columbus now up 5-1.
Jesus Sanchez singles, still no outs…
Stephano McDermott hits into a first pitch 3-6-1 and Stanton Hall K’s to end the top of 4, Chicago now trailing 5-1.
Wes Morgan leads off the bottom half with his 3rd playoff HR, to get 1 back. 5-2 after 4 full. Holmes at 65 pitches, Alejandrez at 57.

Jeffrey Hudson drills a 1 out double and a careful Alejandrez walks Angelo Gomez. With runners on 1st and 2nd he uncorks a wild pitch to move runners up with Strong hitting. He again works cautiously and induces a harmless fly to shallow center.
With 2 outs Christian Schall works to a 3-2 count and ends Alfredo’s day with a 2 run double to right center. 7-2 Columbus. Mike Moore now on. (Alejandrez line 4.2-7-7-7-3-4)

Massimiliano Lorenzelli gets one back quickly with a leadoff homer in the bottom half of the 5th. With an out, Chartier and Collins hit back to back singles, Alexander makes it 3 in a row and Chartier scores to make it 7-4. Morgan K’s on a ball out of the zone and Riggs hits a shallow fly to end the 5th, 7-4 Columbus.

Moore retires Sanchez and McDermott to open the 6th, Stanton Hall drills a 2 out single, van Bodgraven comes in and Brian Lambert hits a liner to center for a single, but Hugh Collins nails Hall at 3rd to end the inning.
Lorenzelli gets things going with a 2 out double, Gutierrez works a walk with 2 outs and Chartier hits a smash to 1st that Schall gobbles up to end the inning. 7-4 after 6 full, Holmes at 109 pitches.

Torres on for van Bodegraven. Hudson singles to lead it off and Torres drills Gomez. Johnson on to face Strong…..
And he punches him out. He then is left in to face Schall (2-3 5 RBI’s on the day) and walks him. Pennington is brought in to turn the switch hitting Griffin to his weak side and Columbus counters by pinch hitting Haqverdi Hamidov. Pennington strikes him out swinging and on a 3-2 pitch gets Sanchez to fly to shallow left. 7-4 but huge disaster avoided.
Holmes gets Collins, Alexander and Morgan in order. 7-4 after 7 full.

Pennington gets them in order in the top of the 8th.
Craig Trent comes on for Holmes (7-9-4-4-3-4) and Raul Feliz belts a 1 out solo shot to get us within 2. 7-5 after 8.

Pennington gets Hudson and Gomez and Winston comes on to get Strong, heading to the bottom half chasing 2.

Ivan Lopez is on, and Gutierrez goes F7 on the first stinking pitch…
Chartier works to a 2-2 count and punches out.
Hugh Collins laces a single to left on a 3-1 pitch, Alexander coming up, 2 outs 1 on, down 2.
He bounces a harmless grounder to 3rd to end it.
Christian Schall went 2-3 2B, HR and 5 RBi’s.
COL 7 CHI 5
W Holmes (2-1) L Alejandrez (0-1) S Lopez (3)
HR COL Griffin (2) Schall (2) CHI Feliz (1) Morgan (2) Lorenzelli (2)
Columbus leads the series 1-0

COASTAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Tulsa (George Perkins 1-0 5.14)
@
Pittsburgh (Ramon Roa 0-0 3.38)

Tulsa opens the scoring on a wild pitch as Wally Reed scores. Whimster follows with an RBI single to make it 2-0 after 3 full.
Pittsburghs Ken Sanders drills a 3 run homer in the bottom of the 4th to put the Bulldogs up 3-2.
Dave Ladd drills a solo shot in the 4th with 1 out to tie it at 3.
Former Iron Pig Jose Cabral hits a sac fly in the bottom of the 5th to put Pittsburgh up 4-3.
Nothing doing in the 6th, 4-3 Pittsburgh heading into the 7th.
Dave Ladd’s 2 out RBI single knots it at 4, where it is now in the top of the 8th.
Nothing doing on the offense, 4-4 game into the 9th…..
Game remains tied at the end of 9, onto extra’s…..
No one does anything in the 10th, 4-4 in the top of the 11th.
Bottom 12, runner on 2nd 1 out for Pittsburgh, game tied 4-4, Anibal German up…
Wilson Valentin on to pitch the bottom of 13, Miguel Deleon hit a 1 out double, Hedden draws the intentional walk. Tunstall gets 4 straight balls to load the bases and Ken Sander hits the first pitch he sees for a walkoff 5-4 win.
Sanders was 2-6 HR and 4 RBI’s.
PIT 5 TUL 4
W Horton (1-1) L Valentin (0-1)
HR TUL Ladd (2) PIT Sanders (1)
Pittsburgh leads 1-0

[gehrig38]

FRONTIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2
Columbus (Marcos Diaz (1-0 1.13)
@
Chicago (Spike Davis 1-0 3.00)

Davis gets the first 2 before Gomez hits a 2 out single and Dean Strong hammers his 4th post season HR to make it 2-0 Clippers.
A 3 up 3 down first for Diaz.

Davis runs into trouble after walking Stanton Hall to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, but gets Ray Myers to fly out to left to end the inning.
Alexander leads off the 2nd with a double and scores with 2 outs when Paul Riggs grounder eludes 2B. 5 pitches later Eric Hudson belts a 2 run shot to left center, 445 feet, to put Chicago up 3-2 after 2 full.

Davis gets them in order, as does Diaz, in the third.

Jeffrey Hudson leads off the 4th with his first playoff HR, tying it at 3.
And it stays that way into the 5th.

Ray Myers doubles to lead off, Lambert grounds him to 3rd and Angelo Gomez erases all doubts with a 411ft blast to left center to put Columbus up 5-3 and end Davis’ day (4.1-6-5-5-2-2). Johnson comes in to get Strong, who reaches on an error by Lorenzelli. Hudson grounds out but Schall singles and a throwing error by Feliz allows Strong to keep going, and score, making it 6-3. After a walk to Sanches Johnson retires Hamidov. 6-3 after 4 ½
Stanton Hall greets Johnson with a leadoff HR in the 6th. Myers singles to end Johnsons day and Moore comes on. Myers steals 2nd and then scores on Angelo Gomez’s RBI single to make it 8-3. Strong hits into an inning ending 6-4-3 but the damage is done. Columbus by 5 heading to the bottom half of 6.
Hugh Collins singles with 1 out, and Alexander doubles right behind him. With runners on 2nd and 3rd Wes Morgan again K’s in a huge spot. Ron Miller (starting for Feliz to mix it up since he’s slumping) grounds out to 3rd to end the 6th, 8-3 Columbus, Diaz at 98 pitches through 6.

Moore gets into the 8th, still 8-3, when Stanton Hall goes deep again to make it 9-3.

Diaz makes an error to start the 9th and Wes Morgan makes him pay, drilling his 4th playoff homer to make it 9-5 with no outs. Diaz settles in to retire the next 3, and tosses 144 pitches in a 9-5 Columbus win. 9-6-5-1-0-5.
COL 9 CHI 5
W Diaz (2-0) L Davis (1-1)
HR COL Gomez (2) Strong (4) Hall 2 (2) J Hudson (1) CHI E Hudson (1) W Morgan (4)
Columbus leads the series 2-0

COASTAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES GAME 2
Tulsa (Esteban Valdez 1-1 1.93)
@
Pittsburgh (Vince Bray 1-0 0.00 their medical staff must be good, he wasn’t expected back until game 3)

A Curt Whimster 2 out 1st inning 2 run homer off Vince Bray puts Tulsa up 2-0. Tulsa 2B and WC Series MVP is injured in the top half running the bases and Omar Kamyshinsky is now in.
In the bottom half Miguel Deleon singles with 1 out, Allen Hedden chases him to third with his own single. A 12 pitch Ross Tunstall AB ends with an RBI groundout and 3 pitches later Ken Sanders drills an RBI double to knot it at 2.

In the bottom of the 2nd, with 2 outs, Roberto Morales hits a run scoring single, plating Anibal German who’d doubled earlier. 3-2 Dawgs after 2.
The Drillers would get right back on Bray. Wally Reed hit a 1 out single, Kamyshinsky hit a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd and Rich Alfred’s RBI ground out tied it at 3 after 2 ½.
Ross Tunstall would put Bray back in front the very next inning with a 1st pitch homer to right.
The game would stay 4-3 into the 6th. With 2 quick outs, Whimster, Ladd and Arturo Olivo singled, Olivo’s driving in Whimster and tying it at 4.
In the bottom of the 7th Deleon drew a lead off walk, and Allen Hedden drilled an 0-1 triple to deep center, ending Valdez’s day after he intentionally walked Tunstall with 1 out.
Reliever Ken Porter came on and got a HUGE double play and a 1st pitch pop up to keep the game 5-4.
Bray would work around a leadoff Whimster single in the 8th.
In the bottom half, with 2 outs, Roberto Morales singled, and Miguel Deleon battled Wilson Valentin in a 10 pitch at bat before walking to load the bases.
Hedden would hit a shot to short but the inning would end, 5-4 Pittsburgh.
Joe Boswell would stroll into the 9th, relieving Bray after a 8-11-4-4-0-2 outing.
In typical Boswell fashion…. Ambrose Cox K’d, German Valdez K’s and Wally Reed hit a shallow pop to right to end it.
PIT 5 TUL 4
W Bray (2-0) L Valdez (1-2) S Boswell (3)
Pittsburgh leads the series 2-0

[gehrig38]

A 'must win' if there ever was one, with a twist or two along the way...

FRONTIER LEAGUE GAME 3
Chicago (Richard Cox 0-1 1.80)
@
Columbus (Will Cannon 0-1 8.10)

Both starters work through the first 2 innings pretty easily. Cannon perfectly and Cox around a 2 out walk to Gomez in the 1st and a leadoff single to Schall in the 2nd that is erased on a 6-4-3 by Griffin. 0-0 after 2 full, Coz at 28 pitches, Cannon 22.

Feliz singles, steals 2nd and scores on a Gutierrez RBI single in the 3rd.
Cox gives up a leadoff double to McDermott but clutches up and retires the next 3, to hold the 1-0 lead into the 4th.

A 3 up 3 down 4th for us and Gomez singles to start the bottom half. Moves to 2nd on an Eric Hudson passed ball. Cox gets Strong to pop up, and then punches out Schall looking. Working very carefully, not caring if he walks him Cox screws up big time and Griffin drills a game tying double. Cox then drills Jesus Sanchez but gets McDermott to ground out to end the 4th, 1-1. (FWIW if any of you OOTP guys are reading this, the “Pitch Around” needs to be seriously changed. I would tell you, and it obviously depends on the pitcher, but if I pitched around 100 hitters about 90 of them would be walks, maybe less depending, but not many. Think of it as an unintentional intentional walk. It would be a GREAT place for good pitchers to do better than bad ones, and for undisciplined hitters to make outs when good hitters with good eyes, would walk.

With 1 out in the 5th Paul Riggs draws a walk… Eric Hudson singles and Riggs goes to 3rd.
Hudson takes off and an errant throw into center allows Riggs to walk home, Hudson continues on to 3rd.
On a 1-2 count Ernesto Gutierrez slams a 2 run homer to make it 4-1 Iron Pigs. Chartier then singles but Collins and Alexander go quietly.
With 1 out Brian Lambert singles. Jeffrey Hudson flies out and Angelo Gomez walks after Lambert steals 2nd. Cox pitches carefully, too carefully, to Strong and walks him to load the bases. He misfires on the first pitch to Schall and the wild pitch scores Lambert to make it 4-2.
2 pitches later Schall lines a ball down the right field line that bounces off the top of the wall, into the stands for a 3 run homer and a 5-4 Columbus lead…..


Cox gets Hall and McDermott to start the 7th.
At 115 pitches it’s a night for him as he goes (6.1-6-5-3-6). Torres comes in and gets the last 2 after drilling Jeff Hudson.

Torres starts the 8th, and gets Schall swinging. Griffin then doubles and van Bodegraven comes on to face the right Sanchez. He gets him on a 6-3 and Pennington comes in for the lefty McDermott and he goes 3-1 to end the 8th. Onto the 9th trailing 5-4 and possibly being down 3-0.

Dixon PH’s for Lorenzelli and grounds out to start the 9th. Clipper closer Ivan Lopez is in the game.
Raul Feliz singles bringing Paul Riggs to the plate. Ron Miller is called on to PH, given his outstanding eye and ability to get on, not being able to sac here I need a runner.
He ground to second leaving Eric Hudson with the tying run at 2nd, 2 outs.
OMG! OMG!
Hudson lines a ball right at RF Michael Griffin who clanks it! Feliz comes around to tie the game! And Hudson rolls into 2nd standing. Ernesto Gutierrez is now up….
And he grounds out on the 1st pitch to end the 9th, all tied up 5-5.
A fatigued Dave Winston enters the game to pitch to PH Haqverdi Hamidov and hopefully Lambert, both righties. He gets them, and with all my lefties spent walks Hudson and gets Gomez on a FC to end the inning. I have few options to go a long time, will have to resort to a starter next if this drags out, but this is as ‘must win’ as it comes. I don’t think I have the SP to win 4 straight.

Alexander drills a 2 out single but Wes Morgan k’s to end it. 5-5 bottom 10.
Winston gets them in order in the 10th, onto the 11th tied at 5.

Angel Lopez drills a 1 out single but Hudson grounds back to the pitcher to end the top of 11.
Winston clutches up huge, getting Sanchez, McDermott and Myers in a perfect 11th. To the 12th tied at 5.

A leadoff single by Gutierrez, and Chartier bunts him over. Hugh Collins comes to the plate….
And drills a double to right center, plating Gutierrez with the go ahead run, Cruz is up and warming!
Bill Alexander follows with a single to right center, Collins motors home to no throw, 7-5 Chicago….
Cruz on to close it out….
Lambert ground to first for one out.
Hudson hits the second pitch he sees for a 6-3.
And Cruz punches out Angelo Gomez on an 0-2 fastball, looking, to end it!
CHI 7 COL 5
W Winston (1-0) L Dejesus (0-1) S Cruz (3)
HR CHI Gutierrez (2) COL Schall (3)
Columbus leads the series 2-1

COASTAL LEAGUE GAME 3
Pittsburgh (Tomas Villanueva 0-1 0.75)
@
Tulsa (Antonio Rodriguez 0-0 4.05)

Ony Kamyshinsky drilled a solo HR in the bottom of the 2nd to put Tulsa up 1-0.
Pittsburgh answers quickly. Ross Tunstall hits a 2 run homer to put the Bulldogs on top 2-1, and Jose Cabral singles in Sanders and Morales for a 4-1 lead after 3.
Ambrose Cox gets 1 back in the 4th with an RBI single, 4-2 Pittsburgh after 4.
In the top of the 5th Jose Cabral hits an RBI double (he’s 3-3 with a double and 3 RBI’s), 5-2 in the 5th.
Game stayed 5-2 into the 6th when Ross Tunstall got his 4th hit of the game and Ken Sanders followed with another post season HR, to make it 7-2 Dawgs after 6.
7-2 Pittsburgh after 7.
Bottom 8 7-2 Pittsburgh, Tulsa goes quietly. To the 9th Bulldogs by 5.
Kris Wright has just homered (2-4 2B HR RBI) to make it 8-2.
PIT 8 TUL 2
W Villanueva (1-1) L Rodriguez (0-1)
HR PIT K Wright (2) Tunstall (2) Sanders (2) TUL Kamyshinsky (1)
Pittsburgh leads the series 3-0