Playoff Round 2 - October 16

November 21, 2021, 09:57:05 PM

Stereo G7's

Maniax at ACL's:
Giolito vs Williams

Giolito put the Maniax in a hole early - allowing 6 runs on 7 hits as his night ended early (3 innings pitched).

For the ACL's Betts and Conforto each slugged their 3rd HR of the series to give them an early lead.

The Maniax wouldn't go away though. Trailing 6-2 in the 6th, Abreu hit a 2-run HR to cut the lead in half. The added another run in the 7th on a Hampson pinch-hit triple to make the score 6-5.

But in the bottom of the 8th Lindor hit his 3rd HR of the series, a 3-run shot, to put the game away. Fun fact - both baserunners that Lindor brought home reached via an HBP.

Guerra pitched the 8th and stayed in for the 1-2-3 9th for the save and Ankeny is headed back to the World Series.

ACL's win 9-5 and win the series 4-3

Brewers at Bums:
Rodriguez vs Syndergaard

You'd have to give the edge to the Bums based on having already survived a G7 this postseason and playing at home and on the mound (Syndergaard was 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA, .501 OPS against, 0.77 WHIP since coming to Bako in a trade deadline deal. But when it's bro against bro anything can happen!

Pham lead off the game with a HR to the give the Brewers a quick 1-0 lead. In the 2nd the Brew Crew had runners on 1st and 2nd, but Cabrera was picked off 2nd by the catcher Astudillo to end the threat.

Using that play for momentum, the Bums got a single from Murphy who scored on a Verdugo triple. Up next? Astudillo. How many times does the guy who makes the defensive play then come up with a clutch - ahhh, never mind. Astudillo grounded out and went 0-3 on the day.

Anyway. The score stayed tied at 1-1 until the top of the 4th and this really was the key sequence of the game. A walk, single, single, double (Braun was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple) equates to 3 runs and the Brewers now have a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 6th the Bums had their big chance with bases loaded and only 1 out. Reyes lined out to RF which scored a run. But the threat stalled there. Ultimately the Bums were done in by a lack off offense, 4 hits just isn't going to get it done in a G7.

Give credit to the Brewers. They might have been under .500 in the regular season, but they have knocked off the 2 best teams in Frick (Miners and Bums) and at this point I don't think they'll be scared of the ACL's.

Brewers win 4-2 and win the series 4-3

Re: Playoff Round 2 - October 16

Reply #1 – November 22, 2021, 09:11:07 AM

Got to hand it to the Maniax, who gave it all they got and pushed this series to the limit. I'm glad to have gotten past them, as these first two rounds have been challenging. And now for a rematch for last year's World Series. I know the Brewers are tough and want revenge for last season. Should be a good series.

Re: Playoff Round 2 - October 16

Reply #2 – November 22, 2021, 11:49:30 AM

Congrats to Brendt on a great season. I know he's not too happy about this result, but I think we can both be pretty happy about where we are at 4 years in as expansion teams.

Definitely not the way I expected this season to go and did not expect to be here when the playoffs started, but I did feel I had the pieces to compete coming into the season. Though I thought I'd be bringing in a piece or two at the deadline not sending them away. I guess some playing time induced rest for some of my guys did some good. DMB can be a fickle beast at times.

On to a rematch in the WS with the ACLs. The Brewers will be looking to flip the script this year, but it won't be easy. Maybe we'll follow the ACLs record setting championship run last year with what I would imagine would be the worst record ever to win it.