The IBL's Chicago Iron Pigs

[gehrig38]

From the IBL Competition Committee:
After a ton of dialogue and review, and discussion, it was determined that the 2017 playoff format for the IBL will undergo changes.
Next season there will be a playoff team added, 1 wild card in each league, and the two wild card teams will play a 'win or go home' game after the seasons final day, to determine the wild card champion. The Wild card cannot, in any series, have home field advantage, and will play a best of 5, 1 home 4 4 road games in the Wild Card round of playoffs.

After the past 2 seasons in which the Wild Card was not determined until the end, it was determined that the 'penalty' for not winning your division, nor the 'reward' for doing so, was not enough incentive to keep teams playing competitively until the seasons final game.

[gehrig38]

And the winners are...

[Klew1986]

Is that THE Todd Helton? Or just pure coincidence?

[gehrig38]

How it all went down...

[gehrig38]

Originally Posted by Klew1986

Is that THE Todd Helton? Or just pure coincidence?

Todd was one of the 3 former MLB players allowed to be signed by the expansion clubs, prior to the draft 2 years ago.

[gehrig38]

In our league..
Talk about bad luck, lead the league in fewest HR's per 9 AND losses with 20?
Nice season overall, a HR title, a Win crown and I would guess a good portion of MVP votes though likely spread amongst some teammates.
First real big year of free agency and wow, is there some talent hitting the market.

[gehrig38]

In the Coastal...
Hell of a season for Hedden. He was the Bulldogs (then the Riverhounds) 23rd round pick in the Inaugural draft.
Chris O'Slattery leads the IBL in IP for the 3rd time in 5 years. 4th time in 5 years he's led in HR's given up as well and he won his 4th strikeout title.

[gehrig38]

Both leagues defensive stats and metrics...
Andruw Jones playing CF exactly how I remember him, nice to see Wes playing the entire string out...

[gehrig38]

Some new entries in the 90+ pitching, and hitting, including the single best IBL game ever at the plate..

[gehrig38]

Angelo Gomez (COL) is a star, and in his prime. He recorded his 2nd straight 30/30 season going for 42 homers and 34 stolen bases. Last year he was 46/33. Can't even fathom what his market will be this winter. He was the Clippers 3rd rounder in the inaugural draft, 49th overall.

23 year old Felix Torres (LA) had his 4th straight 20/30 season. He's gone HR/RBI, 20/42, 26/39. 21/52 and 20/33 this year. What's the bidding going to go to on him? 23 years old?

New Hampshire's Kevin Moore went 20/30 for the 4th year in a row as well. He's gone 28/52, 20/41, 20/46 and was 20/32 this year. He's 31, a 1B and also a free agent.

26 year old CF Marcos Oginlara was the 'he goes we go" guy for the Knights this year. Hitting out of the leadoff spot he went 30/32 to join the club. The Knights 2013 first round pick in 2013 out of Clemson (3rd overall).

Hugh Collins made it 4 straight 20/20 seasons, and had his 3rd straight 30/30 year with a career high 40 homers and 31 bags. Set career highs in runs (134) hits (204) doubles (42) triples (9) RBI's (126) walks (95) OBP (.436) and slugging (.640) as well as OPS at 1.076.

Arizona Greyhound 3B Michael Moran (25 years old) had his 3rd year in the show, and his 3rd straight 20/20 season. Went 31/24 his rookie year, then 29/22 follow by a 25/28 season this year. Greyhounds 1st pick in the 2013 June draft (12th overall) out of Manhattan College.

Iron Pig Luis Chavez had his first full season in the IBL this year and didn't disappoint. A .320 average with 37 homers 27 SB's with 100 runs and 115 RBI's. Fell 4 hits shy of the 200 club. He's just 21 years old. He was the Sacramento River Cats 19th round pick in the 2012 June Draft, traded to Edmonton along with 3B Brent McCoy for OF Barry Meyer and a 3rd pick, and 700K in cash. We sent Dan MacFadden to the Trappers for him and P prospect Tony Childs, and he was a 2016 all star.

Rich Stone of Fresno is just 25, and was their 1st pick in the Inaugural draft, and it's pretty clear why. A 4 time all star this was his 5th straight 35 2B, 10 3B 15 HR 15 steal season. His double totals (42,38,38,35,47) triples (13,15,17,18,18) Homers (24,21,19,27,15) and steals (27,16,20,20,27). He's due to become a free agent this winter. He's also scored 97+ runs every year and never had a slugging % below .500. He went 1-4 with a 2B in the last game of the year to record his 200th career double (4th all time). Rich is also sitting on 998 career hits, 2nd all time behind New Hampshire's Kevin Moore.

Bill Alexander (CHI) hit 47 homers this year, marking the 5 consecutive 40+ HR season for him. He's the IBL's career HR leader at 235, 8 ahead of Dayton's Bill Hill. They are the only 2 sluggers with 200 or more HR's. Cy May (HOU) is at 195 and Curt Whimster of Tulsa is at 193. Alexander has compiled 235 HR's and 738 RBI's in 753 career games, with a .314 lifetime average, .380 OBP and a career .595 slugging %. His 162 average is 51 HR's and 159 RBI's.

Over in the CL Jesus Andrales (LV) had his 3rd straight 50+ steal season.

Tulsa Driller Curt Whimster had his 5th straight 35+ HR season, and 5th straight 100+ RBI season. Neither of those might be the most amazing stats he has. He's never struck out more than 30 times in a season, with a career total of 104 K's and 533 walks in over 3500 career AB's.

Kevin Moore (NH) had his 5th straight 30+ steal season, and 4th consecutive 20/30 year as well. The IBL's career steals and hits leader he has 222 steals and is the only IBL hitter with 1000+ career hits (1007). At 31 he is hitting the free agent market this winter.

Edmonton 1B Tom Johnston walked a career high 141 times this year, to raise his career total to an IBL leading 637 walks. It was his 5th straight 110+ walk season. A 2012 GG winner at shortstop, he's converted to 1st in the past few seasons and is in contention for a GG there.

Walt Thompson (CHI) had his 5th straight 15+ win season, going 15-8 this year to raise his career total to 87, 1 ahead of Sacramento ace Vincente Romero for the all time IBL lead. Alfredo Alejandrez, his rotation mate, is 3rd at 82. Thompson also k'd 211, marking the 5th straight year he'd surpassed 200+ k's as well. His 1261 K's in 1168.2 IP (3rd all time) are also the IBL's all time leader, 146 ahead of Baltimore's Chris O'Slattery. His 1.05 WHIP was also 1st, marking the 2nd time he's lead the league in that category.

Anbar Suhayb (LV) saved 42 games this season, giving him 199 career saves in 216 opportunities (.939%), a total that is the highest in the IBL. It was his 5th straight 35+ save season

[gehrig38]

Here is the bracket, and the 1st round match-ups...

Holy cow what a series. 2 teams that absolutely rake, with Green Bay bringing in the 3rd best staff in the FL. The offenses are pretty tight, but Green Bay sports the leagues best defense, and I am betting that is going to matter. The batting title winner vs the RBI champ in Helton and Conway. Both lineups are deep as hell, and the they're both going with 3 man staffs, De La Torre to the pen? This is a 'pick'em' series for me, regardless of who comes out of this, they'll be the favorite in the FL Division series.

[gehrig38]

We draw the Avalanche. An incredibly well rounded team missing it's star player for game 1. Could be a far bigger deal in a 5 game series than it might otherwise be. We've got our 1, 2 and 3 ready to go. A late decision was made to add rookie Gerardo Zamora to the rotation, as we'll go with 4, after Rogers was DL'd and the baseball ops team really disliked the other options. 34 year old Virgil Miller is their RH catching option and if so my bet is we'll run our butts off. Former Iron Pig Riley Potts had a great year, 35 saves and a 1.97, and apparently they are opting for Cafasso to be in the pen? Maybe that's just for the early games....

[gehrig38]

Given the names on the DL for the Bulldogs, and the year they've had, and the division they came from, this looks like a complete mismatch. Tulsa is an outstanding team, with Whimster, Alfred and Ladd driving the offense and 3 studs in the rotation, with a 15 game winner in the pen! But after what Columbus did last year, never say never. I'm calling Tulsa in a sweep here.

[gehrig38]

But the one I feel, with New York and Green Bay, and us and Alaska, offers an extremely fair fight. Two incredibly balanced clubs but Vegas ruled the roost offensively and on the mound in the CL this year. The best hitting lineup, and the best pitching staff. Fresno wasn't far behind. Two of the IBL's premier closers, and 2 guys I expect to be on the MVP ballot (Stone and Andrales). Calhoun made just 21 starts after recovering from elbow surgery and he's been lights out, and Fresno follows him with 21 game winner Vincente Elisary. Vegas in 5 is my pick.

[gehrig38]

WILD CARD ROUND
I am going to do this as I have done before. The other series will be playing as I play, and I am going to cut away and update those games as they happen, if they are happening when I play.

WILD CARD GAME 1’s

Chicago-Walt Thompson (15-8 3.47)
@
Alaska-Domingo Martinez (16-11 4.63)

Paul Riggs gets the scoring kicked off after a Luis Chavez single, and stolen base, driving him home with a 2nd inning single, 1-0 heading to the bottom of 2.

Thompson cruises through 2, and in the 3rd Hudson and Coates lead off with singles. After a Chartier F8 Collins walks to load the bases and Bill Alexander hits a 2 run single with Coates scoring ahead of the throw. Collins gets to third and scores on when Wes Morgan drills a deep fly to right for a sac fly.
Walt gets through the bottom half on 13 pitches and is at 42 through 3, Martinez is at 59, 4-0 top of the 4th.


We go quickly in the top half and Thompson finds trouble in the bottom. A lead Alex Rodriguez single seems innocent enough when Glaus and Quinn Thomason make outs, but Carabello draws a walk, and Blanco walks to load the bases, but Sean Parker pop’s to short to end it. 4-0 after 4.
Coates and Chartier single starting the 5th, with the meat of the order coming up Collins walks to load the bases with no outs.
Bill Alexander hits a shallow fly to center for the out, Wes Morgan k’s and Luis Chavez lines to left to end it, a HUGE opportunity missed.
A 1 out single by Jerry Grant becomes a problem when he steals 2nd and Eric Hudson sails the throw into center. But Thompson gets Tony Gonzalez to pop to 2nd and K’s Arod on an 0-2 pitch to end the 5th, 4-0, and he’s at 84 pitches. Martinez is at 85.

Paul Riggs doubles leading off the 6th. Lorenzelli pops to 2nd for the 1st out.
Eric Hudson legs out an infield single and on the 1st pitch Eric Coates hits a 423ft bomb to left center to put us up 7-0. Martinez now out of the game (5.1-9-7-7-3-4). 7-0 bottom 6.
Thompson sets the Avalanche down in order with 2 k’s and we call it a night, he went 6-4-0-0-2-9. Mike Moore in the game.

Lorenzelli doubles with 2 outs in the top of the 7th but is stranded when Hudson K’s.
Moore, Browne and Torres combine to go 3 scoreless and it ends at 7-0.
Eric Coates was 3-5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI’s.
Chicago 7 Alaska 0
W Thompson (1-0) L Martinez (0-1)
HR CHI Coates (1)
Chicago leads 1-0

New York-Jesus Romano (20-8 4.06)
@
Green Bay-Nick Powell (15-10 4.09)

Green Bay got 2 in the first, New York answered with 3 in the 2nd, Green Bay then scored 5 unanswered runs in the 3rd and 4th to go up 7-3. New York would close to 7-6 in the 9th but it would end after the Knights had plated 2 in the inning, runners on the corners and Earl Roberts would strike out Norm Crawford looking for the games final out. Ken Jackson was 1-3 with a 3 run HR, Orlando Diaz went 2-3 with a HR and 2 RBI’s. Alfredo Lozano (former Iron Pig) went 1-3 with a 3 run HR.
Green Bay 7 New York 6
W Powell (1-0) L Romano (0-1) S Roberts (1)
HR NY Kjorsvik (1) Lozano (1) GB Jackson (1) Diaz (1) A. Jones (1)
Green Bay leads 1-0

Pittsburgh-Tomas Villanueva (7-17 5.20)
@
Tulsa-Antonio Rodriguez (15-8 3.31)

Tulsa jumped out with 3 in the 1st, 5 in the 2nd and held off Pittsburgh for a 12-9 win. Edward Young was 2-5 with a 2B, HR and 4 RBI’s, Dave Ladd was 2-4 with a 3B, HR and 3 RBI’s.
Tulsa 12 Pittsburgh 9
W-Rodriguez (1-0) L Villanueva (0-1) S Ward (1)
HR PIT Miranda (1) TUL Ladd (1) Young (1) Alfred (1) Reed (1)
Tulsa leads 1-0

Fresno-Shawn Calhoun (7-6 3.65)
@
Las Vegas-Ruben Cruz (18-10 4.42)

A slugfest. Orlando Rios doubled in a run in the first to put Fresno up 1-0. Bob White drilled a solo shot in the 2nd to tie it, Ony Kamyshinsky’s sac fly scored Drew Leduc to put Vegas up 2-1.
A Paco Veldez RBI ground out made it 3-1 after 2.
Rich Stone’s RBI single made it 3-2 Vegas and Orlando Rios follows with a 2 run HR, making it 4-3 Fresno. Dave Tyler finishes it off in the top of the 3rd with an RBI double, putting Fresno up 5-3.
In the bottom of the 3rd Pat Adams doubles in Jesus Andrales and the Jeff Weeks singles in Adams and White to put Vegas back up 6-5. Where it is now, bottom of the 4th.
In the bottom half Jesus Andrales 2 run single opens it up, 8-5, Bob White follows with an RBI single, as does Pat Adams, 10-5 after 4. White is 3-3 with a HR and 2 RBI’s and Adams is 3-3 with a 2B and 2 RBI’s.
Qi-chen Jung drills a 2 run homer in the top of the 7th to bring Fresno within 3, 10-7, but Jorge Gonzalez hits a 3 run shot in the bottom half and it’s now 13-7 Vegas.
Which is where it ends.
Las Vegas 13 Fresno 7
W Carvajal (1-0) L Calhoun (0-1)
HR FRE Rios (1) Jung (1) LV White (1) Gonzalez (1)
Las Vegas leads 1-0

#3 Performance of the Day-Eric Coates (CHI) 3-5 HR 3 RBI’s 2 Runs
#2 Performance of the Day-Edward Young (TUL) 2-5 2B, HR, 4 RBI’s 2 Runs
#1 Performance of the Day-Walt Thompson (CHI) 6-4-0-0-2-9 W (1-0)

[gehrig38]

ORG NEWS
AA Gold Gloves were handed out and Bakersfield took home 3. Catcher Martin Ramirez, 2B Anastasio Ayala and 3B Jim Kelly all won.

SIGNINGS
Fresno managed to hold onto reliever Quincy King, announcing prior to their playoff game 1 that they’d inked the reliever to a 1 year 1.9m contract extension. Gallagher was 6-1 with 3 Saves and a 2.50 ERA in 61 games and is a career 27-17 with 13 Saves and a 3.94 ERA in 371 IBL games covering 481.2 IP. He has 587 K’s and 262 walks.

[gehrig38]

WILD CARD GAME 2’s

Chicago-Ken Lee (20-4 4.51)
@
Alaska-Flynn Woods (9-13 4.62)

Chicago Leads 1-0

We are the late game so I am ‘watching’ the New York v Green Bay and Pittsburgh Tulsa games right now
Both starters are sharp through the 1st three innings with the exact same line (3-1-0-0-1-2) but Woods is at 50 pitches, Lee 37 heading into the 4th 0-0.

Eric Coates singles leading off the 4th. Ron Miller follows with a walk and after a Morgan F7 and Hudson 5-3 that moves the runners to 2nd and 3rd Hugh Collins hits an RBI single to put us up 1-0.
Lee gives up a Tony Gonzalez leadoff single, but K’s ARod and induces Troy Glaus to hit into a 6-u-3 DP to end the 4th, 1-0. Lee at 46 pitches, Woods at 71.

Luis Chavez opens the 5th with a single, Lorenzelli bunts him over and Chartier reaches on 1B error, putting runners on the corners. Coates pops to third, Miller walks to load the bases. Wes Morgan then chops a ball in the infield, beats it out, everyone’s safe and it’s 2-0. Eric Hudson ends the inning with a short fly to right. 2-0 heading to the bottom half.
3 pitches later it’s 2-2.
Quinn Thomason hits the 2nd pitch of the inning for a 419 foot blast to left center, and the 3rd pitch Jesus Blanco drills down the right field line for back to back game tying homers.
Lee K’s the next 3 in order to end the 5th all knotted at 2. He’s at 62 pitches, Woods is at 92 after 5.

Both pitchers get through the 6th perfectly, and Chance Holt relieves Woods with an out in the 7th, ending the inning on a K by Chartier and a 6-3 by Coates.
Jesus Blanco walks with 2 outs and Thatcher Smith singles, but Lee gets Virgil Miller on an F7 to end the 7th, 2-2.

Miller pops out to start the 8th, Jake Ellison relieves and gets Morgan looking, then walks Eric Hudson, Hugh Collins and Paul Riggs to load the bases. Luis Chavez makes it 4 in a row, forcing in a run for a 3-2 lead. Massi Lorenzelli strikes out to end the inning.
Lee’s night is over after 7, he goes 7-5-2-2-2-6. Dave Winston is on.
And 1B Denny Hall greets him with a game tying solo HR hitting out of the 9th spot. The same Denny Hall that hit .208 in 40 games with 4 Homers….
Winston finishes the inning and we head to the 9th tied at 3.
Surprisingly Ellison remains in the game, and sets the side down in order.
Winston walks Glaus to lead off the bottom half. Jorge Sanchez is called in to face LH PH Juan Carabello. He k’s him, and Jesus Blanco. Johnson is summoned for Thatcher Smith and he retires him on a shallow fly to left.

Extra Innings…
Ellison remains in the game, and K’s Wes Morgan after 6 straight 2 strike foul balls.
Eric Hudson grounds out….
And Hugh Collins hammers an 0-1 pitch to deep right for a tie breaking homer and a 3-2 lead.
To the bottom of the 10th and it’s Cruz time…
Cruz does it on 12 pitches, in perfect order.
Chicago 4 Alaska 3
W Johnson (1-0) L Ellison (0-1) S Cruz (1)
HR CHI Collins (1) ALK Blanco (1) Thomason (1) Hall (1)
Chicago leads 2-0

New York Joe Maddox (15-5 4.88)
@
Green Bay Lee Cameron (4-2 4.94)
Green Bay Leads 1-0

Norm Crawfords RBI single gets the Knights on the board in the 1st, 1-0.
Andruw Jones hits a 3 run shot in the bottom of the 1st to give Green Bay a 3-1 lead after 1.
Mathew Moore doubles in Oginlara to make it a 3-2 game after 2 ½.
Todd Helton singles in Chase Utley for a 4-2 lead after 5.
Ricardo Quintania doubles in the top of the 7th driving in Birger Kjorsvik to make it 4-3. A wild pitch then brings Oginlara home to tie the game and Stefan Conway follows with a sac fly to put New York ahead 5-4 going to the bottom of the 7th.
Scott Rolen singles in Andruw Jones with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th to tie it at 5 heading to the 9th.
Stefan Conway has just hit a 2 out 3 run homer in the top of the 9th to put New York up 8-5.
Holy crap…
Chase Utley homers with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, a 3 run shot, to tie the game.
And the game goes into the 11th where Florim Ziberi’s RBI single wins it in a walk off!
Green Bay 9 New York 8
W De La Torre (1-0) L Long (0-1)
HR NY Conway (1) GB Jones (2) Utley (1)
Green Bay leads 2-0

Pittsburgh Glen Henry (9-3 4.07)
@
Tulsa George Perkins (16-7 3.77)
Tulsa Leads 1-0

A Rich Alfred RBI single makes it 1-0 bottom 1, and Curt Whimster slams a 2 run shot to make it 3-0 end of 1.
George Perkins gets out of a 4th inning 2 out bases jammed, 3-0 Tulsa after 3 ½.
German Valdez’s RBI single puts Tulsa up 4-0 at the end of 4.
Ross Tunstall’s RBI double makes it 4-1, bottom 5.
Arturo Olivo drives in Whimster on an RBI double, and Ben Brady singles him in, 6-1 top of 7.
A Miguel Deleon single makes it 6-2 Tulsa which is the final.
Tulsa 6 Pittsburgh 2
W Perkins (1-0) L Henry (0-1)
HR TUL Whimster (1)
Tulsa Leads 2-0

Fresno Vincente Elisary (21-4 3.18)
@
Las Vegas Glen Harvey (14-9 3.45)
Las Vegas Leads 1-0

Scoreless after 1.
Dave Tyler drives in Orlando Rios in the top of the 2nd with a single, 1-0 Fresno heading to the bottom of 2.
Jorge Gonzalez’s RBI single in the 3rd ties it at 1 after 3.
Bob White homers in the 4th to make it 2-1 Vegas, and it stays 2-1 into the 6th.
In the 6th Jesus Andrales singles in Jorge Gonzalez for a 3-1 lead and Drew Leduc follows with a 3 run homer to make it 6-1 Vegas after 6.
Vegas pours it on in the 7th, Andrales drilling a 3 run shot for a 9-1 lead.
Gonzalez drives in Weeks with an RBI ground out to make it 10-1 after 8, Fresno is hitting in the 9th, 1 on 2 out. Glen Harvey seals it, going 9-4-1-1-3-8 for the win.
Las Vegas 10 Fresno 1
W Harvey (1-0) L Elisary (0-1)
HR LV Andrales (1) Leduc (1) B White (1)
Las Vegas leads 2-0

#3 Performance of the Day-Chase Utley (GB) 2-5 2B, HR, 3 RBI’s 2 Runs
#2 Performance of the Day-Jesus Andrales (LV) 2-4 HR 4 RBI’s 2 Runs
#1 Performance of the Day-Glen Harvey (LV) 9-4-1-1-3-8 W (1-0)




OOTP FEATURE REQUEST: In the single player game mode, please let me be allowed to pick SP for the playoffs, and rotations, if I choose to. If I want to ‘cheat’ then I’m cheating at a single player game. However if you’re like me, and you want the teams that make the playoffs to setup their rotations in optimal fashion to present the best challenge, I’d like to be able to do that. (Apologies in advance if I can already do this, and if so would someone please tell me so I don’t let another post season go by with teams starting guys on 2 days rest?)

[gehrig38]

WILD CARD GAME 3’s
Alaska Barry Zito (17-10 3.45)
@
Chicago Alfredo Alejandrez (17-7 3.97)
Chicago leads 2-0

After 3 full Alejandrez has 52 pitches and a 3-3-0-0-2-3 line, Zito at 53 pitches with a 3-3-0-0-1-4 line.

Quinn Thomason leads off the 4th with a single and Juan Caraballo follows with a double to left center, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs.
Jesus Blanco hits a sac fly to make it 1-0, and Alejandrez gets Parker on a 5-3, and after a Lorenzelli error put runners on the corners, Alejandrez gets Jerry Grant on a 1st pitch F8.
Wes Morgan answers with a leadoff double in the bottom half. Eric Hudson singles, putting runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs. Collins punches out but Paul Riggs doubles to tie it at 1-1.
Luis Chavez fails horribly by popping to 1st, and Massi Lorenzelli goes 4-3 to end the 4th, 1-1. Alejandrez at 73 pitches, Zito 78.

Alejandrez heads into the 6th 1-1, and gives up Juan Carabello’s lead off double, and his night ends. Torres relieves and Jesus Blanco greets him with an RBI single, 2-1 Alaska. Johnson comes in, gets Miller and then Grant looking to end it. Alejandrez line 5-7-2-2-1-5 on the night.

A 1 out Arod double in the 7th nets nothing after a wild pitch moves him to 3rd. Johnson K’s Glaus swinging and gets Thomason on 1 pitch to end the inning.
Riggs leads off with a walk, and is erased on a caught stealing. Chavez flies out and Lorenzelli and Chartier single with 2 outs, Coates goes 5-3 to end it, 2-1 after 7. Zito at 111 pitches.

Jorge Sanchez leads off the 8th by walking Caraballo, he then botches a sac bunt, putting runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs, Alex Browne in. Browne retires PH Thatcher Smith on a 1 pitch F9 and K’s Virgil Miller looking and Jerry Grant swinging to end it.
Zito remains, and Eric Hudson singles with 1 out, but Hugh Collins ends it with a harmless fly out. 2-1 Alaska after 8, Zito at 119 pitches.

Eric Coates boots a Tony Gonzalez leadoff single, putting him at 2nd with no outs. Browne gets Arod to ground out, moving the runner to 3rd. He then punches out Glaus and Thomason to hold it at 2-1 entering the bottom half of the 9th.
Former Chicago RP Riley Potts is on to save it.
Angel Lopez (PH for Riggs) draws a leadoff walk.
On a 1-2 pitch Luis Chavez sends the home crowd into a frenzy with a line drive to deep center……
That bounces off the wall for a game tying double! Runner on 2nd, no outs.
Massi Lorenzelli sacrifices Chavez to 3rd….. Jean Chartier, the “Kid”, is up…
Potts intentionally walks him, Eric Coates coming up, we have Alexander in the tunnel warming up, if Coates can steer clear of the DP, or win it, fine, but Alexander hits for Ron Miller if he gets there…
And Eric Coates drills a 3-1 pitch to DEEP left center, Carabello gloves in and Luis Chavez sprints home to a mob, as Chicago wins in a walk off and sweeps the Avalanche!
Chicago 3 Alaska 2
W Browne (1-0) L Potts (0-1)
HR None
Chicago wins the series 3-0

Series MVP Eric Coates .286-1-4 game winning sac fly in game 3.

Green Bay Grant Thomas (15-11 3.85)
@
New York Rob Powell (3-6 5.57)
Green Bay leads 2-0

Up 2 games to none Green Bay jumps on New York in the 3rd when Todd Helton drills a bases loaded triple to put Green Bay up 3-0.
It stays there until the 6th when Blizzard 2B Chase Utley drills a 3 run homer, doubling the lead to 6-0.
In the 6th Green Bay pretty much puts the nail in Alaska’s coffin.
Ethan Kirk and Andruw Jones hit 2 run homers, extending the lead to 10-1.
Mario Moreno’s RBI single in the bottom half puts New York on the board at least.
The rout is on. 3 consecutive RBI singles (Jackson, Kirk, Helton) make it 14-1, Kirk and Williams tie an FL playoff record with their 4th runs of the game as they score to make it 16-1 Green Bay.
All kinds of playoff records falling. Ethan Kirk hits his 2nd HR of the game, a 3 run shot (he’s 3-5 2 HR’s 6 RBI’s) and it’s 20-2 when all is said and done, Green Bay sweeps New York.
Green Bay 20 New York 2
W Thomas(1-0) L Powell (0-1)
HR Kirk 2 (2) A Jones (3) Utley (2)
Green Bay wins the series 3-0

Series MVP Andruw Jones .357-3-7

Tulsa Joel Downs (16-9 3.79)
@
Pittsburgh Gonzalo Casisas (12-12 4.55)
Tulsa leads 2-0

Tulsa gets out in front on a German Valdez sac fly in the 2nd, and Edward Young follows with a 2 run double. Dave Ladd draws a bases loaded walk to go up 4-0.
Dana Reed homers for Pittsburgh in the bottom half, making it 4-1 Tulsa.
In the 3rd Edward Young’s RBI single, followed by Rich Alfreds, puts Tulsa up 6-1.
Up 6-1 into the 4th Tulsa is breaking away and closing in on a sweep as Wally Reed drills a bases loaded double, scoring Olivo, Cox and Valdez. 9-1 Tulsa still batting in the top of 4.
A Ross Tunstall solo HR in the 4th and Allen Hedden’s solo shot in the 6th have put the score at 9-3 Tulsa after 6.
A double play grounder in the 8th makes it 10-3 Tulsa.
That’s the final as well.
Tulsa 10 Pittsburgh 3
W Downs (1-0) L Casisas (0-1)
HR PIT Tunstall (1) Reed (1) Hedden (1)
Tulsa wins the series 3-0

Series MVP Wally Reed .429-1-4 5 Runs 2B, 3B

Las Vegas Marshall Wall (18-10 3.45)
@
Fresno Pepe Artlano (3-7 3.90 21 year old rookie in a win or go home! Their 2013 #1 out of HS)
Las Vegas leads 2-0

Vegas jumps up 1-0 in the first on Bob White’s RBI double.
Game stays 1-1 into the 4th when Drew Leduc drills a leadoff double.
2 hitters later Jeff Weeks brings him home on an RBI groundout, 2-0 Vegas after 3 ½.
Marshall Wall cruises into the 6th, up 2-0.
Rich Stone and Orlando Rios draw 1 out walks and Qi-chen Jung follows with a run scoring double. Jeff Holland comes in to run for him and Joe Rowe drills a 2 run single as Holland barely beats the throw. 3-2 Fresno. With 2 outs Rory Lewis hits another double, making it 4-2 Fresno after 6.
Marshall Wall still in, when Stone hits a 2-2 pitch to deep right for a solo shot, making it 5-2 and ending Walls day.
Closer Glenn Hanna grabs the ball in the 9th and chaos ensues.
Leduc walks, Adams K’s and Jeff Weeks singles.
PH Casey Blanchard walks to load the bases, and Hanna walks Paco Veldez to force in a run, 5-3. Jorge Gonzalez hits an RBI grounder and it’s 5-4, and in a surprise move Fresno pulls Hanna and brings in lefty Carlos Thuiller.
Thuiller then retires LH Thomas Hood to end it, 5-4, and keep Fresno alive.
Fresno 5 Las Vegas 4
W Artlano (1-0) L Wall (0-1) S Thuiller (1)
HR FRE Stone (1)
Las Vegas leads 2-1

#3 Performance of the Day-Todd Helton (GB) 3-6 3B 5 RBI’s 1 Run
#2 Performance of the Day-Chase Utley (GB) 3-5 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 Runs, 2 BB
#1 Performance of the Day-Ethan Kirk (GB) 3-5 2 HR’s 6 RBI’s 5 Runs (Playoff Record) 2 BB
Wow, have a day Green Bay...

[gehrig38]

NEWS FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
Arthur “Highlight Reel” Newton has decided to call it a day. The 38 year old former closer of the Greyhounds has chosen to pursue a career in broadcasting with the hometown Greyhounds. During his 5 year run Newton was 20-13 with 132 saves in 158 chances (.917%) and a 2.23 ERA. He appeared in 284 games over 322.2 IP with 395 K’s and 79 walks. His best season was 2015 when he went 6-0 with 32 Saves and a 1.15 ERA. The Greyhounds remain in search of their first post season berth and have stated that 34 year old Colton Courtney (9-2 14 Saves 2.07 ERA ’16) will enter the ’17 season as their stopper.

[gehrig38]

WILD CARD GAME 4
Las Vegas Salvador Guzman
@
Fresno Shawn Calhoun (0-1 20.26)

A leadoff 1st inning walk to Dennis Hutchinson would work as Orlando Rios drilled a 2 out RBI single to put Fresno, down 2 games to 1, up 1-0 in the 1st. They’d not see home plate again, for a good while.

A 1-0 games into the 7th would change on pinch hitter Casey Blanchards 2 out run scoring single, Jesus Andrales plating the tying run.

Neither team would get much of an opportunity as the game went into extras.

With the game, and season, on the line Jeff Ball slapped a shallow liner to center and Jeff Holland raced around for the game winning run off Vegas closer Anbar Suhayb. Keeping the Grizzlies season alive for a 5th and deciding game.
Fresno 2 Las Vegas 1
W Gallagher (1-0) L Suhayb (0-1)
HR None
Series tied 2-2

#3 Performance of the Day-Quincy Gallagher (FRE) 3-0-0-0-1-4 W (1-0)
#2 Performance of the Day-Shawn Calhoun (FRE) 6-3-1-1-0-5
#1 Performance of the Day-Salvador Guzman (LV) 8-2-1-1-3-7