In the National League, we have a familiar cast -- three teams that all have been to the playoffs in previous season, the Urbana Locomotives and Traverse City Panthers are playing in the NLDS, in which either winner will have a NLCS rematch with the Portland Microbrewers (the back-to-back National League Champions).
In the American League, the cast is fairly new, with the Swatara Eliminators are the only team returning to the playoffs from this bunch -- while the Chicago Nine and South Side Spartans taste post-season blood for the first time.
AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES (Games 1 & 2)
[Additional game recaps provided by league owners Matt Hoeppner & Brandon Matlock]
In Game 1 -- Down 4-2, the Swatara Eliminators would score 6 runs during the top of the 7th, as the South Side Spartans' bullpen imploded. Once again, the 7th Inning would not be nice to the Spartans in Game 2, as they blown a 2-0 lead, by allowing 4 runs to the Eliminators.
Worthy of their name, the Eliminators after the first two games, had the Spartans on the brink of elimination... with the series shifted to Swatara's home field.
NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES (Games 1 & 2)
Game 1 would watch the Urbana Locomotives almost surrender, not just one commanding lead, but two leads. The Locomotives had a commanding 5-0 lead, entering the bottom of the 7th, and that's when the Traverse City Panthers started scratching back. The Panthers would score three runs in the bottom of the 7th, including a two-run HR by Miguel Cabrera.
The Locomotives would answer back with 4 runs during the top of the 8th, thanks to a three-run HR by Welington Castillo.
Once again, that would not stop the Panthers from trying to make it a game; Scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the 9th, to make a 9-3 game, suddenly 9-8. Jonathan Papelbon would close it out though in the ninth for Urbana.
In Game 2, both Tanner Roark (Urbana) and Adam Wainwright (Traverse City) were brilliant by pitching 10 innings each on scoreless ball. The game would come down to whose bullpen can last the longest, it would be decided in 13 innings with a walk-off single by Matt Carpenter, driving in Brian Dozier from second.
Series tied 1-1.
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| Miguel's 2015 Izzy Baseball Card. |
AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES (Games 3 & 4)
GM 3 - South Side 9 Swatara 7 (12 inn) - It's not even possible to do a write up on a game that was this unreal,but I will try.
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| Buster Posey of the Spartans. |
The Eliminators would have runners gunned down at 3rd and home in the first two innings to keep the game scoreless. RBI's by Denard Span and Buster Posey would give the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the 3rd. Eliminator starter Jose Quintana would get chased with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 5th. Reliever Bryan Shaw would deliver a meat ball to one Buster Posey who promptly put it over the fence for a GS, extending the Spartan lead to 6-0. Again, the Eliminators would show heart and rally. Zach Wheeler would enter the bottom half of the 7th with a 6-0 lead but he would not survive the inning. After a Victor Martinez double drove in Lorenzo Cain, the Eliminators were within 6-4, no outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd. Justin Turner would follow with a walk to load the bases. Andrew Miller would get Anthony Rendon to ground into a DP which would score Charlie Blackmon. The Eliminators would score no more in the 7th but the deficit would be down to 1.
In the bottom half of the 9th, Cain would get a lead off walk, steal 2nd, and eventually score on a VMART SAC fly and the game was nodded at 6 headed to extra innings.
Then, in the bottom of the 10th, the two Spartan offensive heroes, Buster Posey and James Loney would collide attempting to catch an IF fly. Both would have to be removed from the remainder of the contest.
With one out in the 11th, VMART would make an error at 1st, Martinez is playing first for the once again injured Anthony Rizzo, allowing Adam Eaton to reach 2nd on the error. Tom Wilhelmsen would walk the next two batters to load the bases with no outs. Kyle Crockett would bring the Eliminator faithful to their feet as he got out of the jam but striking out Neil Walker and Hanley Ramirez to end the threat.
It seems as if the momentum of getting out of the jam carried over to the bottom half of the inning. Billy Hamilton would lead off with a bunt single followed by a steal of 2nd. Cain would get a SF to right field allowing Hamilton to move to 3rd. With the IF in and the game on the line, Charlie Blackmon would scorch one back up the middle only to have Spartan reliever Scott Atchison catch it. VMART would be intentionally walked and Ian Desmond failed to win it after grounding out to end the inning.
The 12th would be the downfall of the Eliminator bullpen. Mark Trumbo, who replaced the injured James Loney, would get a one out walk. This would lead to a 3 run inning from the Spartans. Angel Pagan would stroke an RBI double, an Anthony Rendon error would allow another, and finally Denard Span's squeez bunt would give the Spartans a 3 run cushion. It turned out that they would need those 3 runs.
The Eliminators would not go quietly. With two outs on and two on, the Eliminators would turn to Aramis Ramirez in hopes of some more late inning magic. Ramirez would hit a single driving in Anthony Rendon. This would bring the winning run to the plate. However, Sergio Romo would strike out Lorenzo Cain to end the threat and push the series to Game 4.
Buster Posey had 3 hits and a GS in the win while Yadier Molina and Brandon Phillips had 3 hits apiece in the loss.
GM 4 - South Side 6 Swatara 1 - RA Dickey would allow two hits and one run over 7 innings to force a GAME 5. The Spartans trail heading into the 7th but would push across 6 in the final 3 frames. Denard Span's one out triple would get things started for the Spartans. Despite the IF playing in, Span would beat Ian Desmond's throw home and the Spartans would grab the lead. Adam Eaton, who hit the previous grounder, would score from 1st on a Neil Walker single. The final run of the inning would come on a KUNG FU PANADA SF. The Eliminators would try and rally again. They would get runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs in the 8th but Charlie Blackmon would fly out to CF to end the inning. The Spartans would tack on two insurance runs in the 9th and the series will go back to South Side for the 5th and deciding game.
In Game 5, it will be Jon Lester facing Zack Grienke. On a personal note, I dislike Jon Lester greatly so its only poetic that he decides my fate in this playoff series. As an Oakland A's fan, I dislike Lester over the Cespedes trade and his inability to finish off the Royals in the 2014 WC game. Despite that, I did trade for him in my FTF league this year as I looked for another pitcher to pair Chis Sale with in my push the WS. In the regular season, Lester went 0-5 with an ERA of almost 8. Then, in the post season he was 0-2 with an ERA over 6, so I'm sure in Game 5 he'll pitch a perfect game to put a nice bow on the 2-0 collapse. Despite all that, there is nothing better than dropping dice or playing BBW.
Good luck to SS in Game 5.
Our team is ready for Game 5.
Brandon
Swat Elim
NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES (Games 1 & 2)
I'm glad that I played Wilmer Flores for both games, I thought about using Jean Segura at short for Game 4 on the road.
The series is now knotted up 2-2, a piece.
The decisive Game 5's are next...
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