Playoff Round 1 - September 28
Game 1: Chicago Rum Runners at Ankeny ACL's
Despite daunting task of facing 110 game winner and 2020 Champion Ankeny ACL's, the Chicago Rum Runners had to be thrilled to see the lineup card roll out with Trevor Williams taking the rubber for the ACL's in game 1. With the likes of Bieber, Paxton, Soroka and even Minor, Williams certainly didn't stand up in the name value game, but did bring to the rubber 11 wins in 23 starts and stellar 2.93 ERA. And toe the rubber he did, controlling the Rum Runners offense over 6.2 innings of no run ball. Rum Runners Ace, Luis Castillo had no such luck, getting the early hook after allowing 3 runs through 7 hits, 2 walks and 59 pitches. Though the Runners heralded bullpen slowed the ACL's down for the next several innings, the ACLs' began to pile on later in the game with another 6 runs between the 5th and 9th innings.
While pitching got most of the headlines, it should be said, that the top of the ACL's lineup (Soto, Betts and Conforto) excelled with Encarnacion chipping in a homer and Contreras knocking in two towards the bottom of the lineup. Better luck to the Runners starter in game 2.
ACL's win 9-1 and lead the series 1-0
Game 2: Detroit Maniax at the Brooklyn Kraken
Despite winning 98 games, the Detroit Maniax could not best the ACL's in the Carey, and so they headed on the road to face Harwell winner and perennial playoff-contender Brooklyn Kraken for game 1 of the series. Just like the ACL's/Rum Runner series, name recognition did not predict performance. While pitching well for 6 of 7 innings, deGrom allowed 4 runs in the second inning a homer from Judge and 2 RBI's from Trout doing the bulk of the damage. On the other side, youngster Gallen scattered 3 hits and 4 walks in 7.1 innings limiting the Kraken to 1 run and the bullpen finished the night.
Maniax win 4-2 and lead the Series 1-0
Game 3: Scurvy Dogs at the Bako Bums
Despite heavy lobbying from both sides, the official scorer stayed impartial as the Scurvy Dogs headed to the best of the Frick and Scully Division rival the Bako Bums for game 1 of Round 1. In a pitching match up that most wouldn't have expected, Montas took the mound for the Dogs and the recently acquired Manaea stepped in for the Bums. With Halloween just days away, M&M went head to head, but it was only Manaea who could say he lived up the the moniker of melting in your mouth and not in your hand (geeze, this is bad, but what can you do when your in a Halloween candy stupor) going 8 strong innings and only allowing 2 runs.
The Dogs did hang in there until the 5th, when the wheels fell off with the Bums stellar offense finally kicking into gear. All but one starter got a hit, with Bogaerts collecting 3 hits and Verdugo and Astudillo (HR) knocking in 3 runs a piece.
Bums win 10-3 and lead the Series 1-0
Game 4: Phoenix Miners at Grants Pass Brewers
As in Game 2, this match up was A BIT off kilter as well, with 92 game winner Phoenix Miners going to the Grants Pass Brewers who won the division of strugglers mostly by default. And unfortunately for the Miners, that homefield advantage may have been the tipping point for their game 1 loss. While pitching has been the name of the game for most of these write-ups, this truly was the only pitchers duel of of the day and boy was in a duel.
The Miners Wheeler, another trade deadline acquisition, kept the Brewers out of the scorecard for 5 innings before giving up a run in the 6th and another in the 7th. The only player to really give Wheeler to much trouble, was Semien who tripled and stole a base keeping Wheeler on his toes throughout the game and giving clean up hitter Soler the chance to knock in a run on 2 hits. You'd call that a heck of a game, until you saw Darvish, who clearly had shaken off his pitch tipping trash can issues of old. The whirling Darvish absolutely shut down the Miners allowing only a single hit and no runs.
Brewers win 2-0 and lead the Series 1-0.
Topic: Playoff Round 1 - September 28 (Read 517 times)
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