PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #18

        Columbus Explorers @ Jersey Nor’easters

Series Preview

Two sub-500 teams meet in rainy Long Valley, NJ just ahead of Hurricane Arthur.

Series Summary

The Nor’easters win games 1 and 6 by identical scores of 6-5. Both were won with late inning heroics including the improbable 5 run 9th inning in game one capped off by a 3-run homer from Leonys Martin. Overall the series was split 3-3.

Yonge Street Stalkers @ Dallas Cougars

Series Summary

Stalkers win first two games in extra innings then shutout Cougars in game 3. Dallas would follow with back to back shutouts by Lackey and Guthrie allowing a combined 5 hits in the two games. After extending the consecutive scoreless inning streak to 20 innings Corbin continues on for 7 strong innings to improve to 14 and 5 as the two teams split the six game series.

Elyria Indians @ Chicago Mobsters

Series Preview

Head to Head series for the Indians & the Mobsters.

Game #1:

Andrelton Simmons goes yard with Andrew McCutchen on base in the bottom of the 11th to win it for the Mobsters. Buster Posey was ejected for arguing balls & strikes.

Final Score: Chicago 3- Elyria 1

Game #2:

Michael Wacha (2-1 1.76) pitched 6 solid innings & Aroldis Chapman picked up his 29th save on the season. McCutchen was 3 for 4. James Loney has a solo Home Run. Big injury news for Elyria as Brian McCann goes down for 10 days, and Allen Craig for 8 days.

Final Score: Chicago 4- Elyria 1

Game #3:

Matt Moore spins 6.1 scoreless innings, but Justin Wilons (2-3 3.33) picks up the win. Joe Nathan gets his 28th save for Elyria.

Final Score: Elyria 2 – Chicago 0

Game #4:

Adam Dunn goes 4 for 4 raising his average up to .189 with 2 Singles, 2 Home Runs & 65 RBI’s. Adam Wainwright (13-5 1.57) goes the distance for the Mobsters with a shut-out & saving some bullpen innings.

Final Score: Chicago 9- Elyria 0

Game #5:

Clinging to a 2-1 lead in the 9th Elyria closer Joe Nathan, looking for his 29th save is brought in to shut down the Mobsters. Chicago stirs up some offense and gambles by sending runners in key situations to extra bases. The Gamble pays off as Chicago scores 2 and takes the game.

Final Score: Chicago 3- Elyria 2

Game #6:

Jarrod Parker (10-10 2.67) goes 7 innings, Joe Nathan picks up his 29th save. Todd Helton goes 3 for 3 with two Doubles.

Final Score: Elyria 4 – Chicago 1

Series Summary

Chicago takes the series 4 games to 2. The injuries to McCann & Craig hurt Elyria and could put a few players tired heading into their next series at home vs. Coconut Creek. Chicago is well rested and pretty healthy heading to Fremont.

Selkirk Steelers @ Long Beach Dirt Bags

Series Summary

Selkirk takes 4 of 6 from Long Beach

        Iron City Yinzers @ Valdosta Snappers

Series Preview

Iron City @ Valdosta.

Series Summary

Snappers bullpen pitched 15 shutout innings on their way to a 4-2 series win over the Yinzers.

Sacramento Capitals @ Camarillo Quest

Series Preview

Camarillo facing rebuilding Sacramento (long-time division foes) – Camarillo in first place and looking to add some more wins to their
totals.

Series Summary

Camarillo takes 5 out of 6 – losing game two with a blown saves by Jose Veras (his second of the year) in the top of the the 9th.

Virginia Sluggers @ Tijuana Bottle Rockets

Series Summary

Tijuana takes the series 4 games to 2 against the visiting Virginia squad

Detroit Crime @ Hollywood Werewolves

Series Summary

Hollywood takes 5 of 6 over Detroit. Kershaw wins his 20th game

        Roseville Thorns @ Tempe Tempers

Series Preview

Roseville’s Wild Card aspirations would be challenged with a six games series against Tempe.

Game #1:

Tempe 4-2 – Ike Davis made the most of usage start at 1B with a solo homer in the 6th that broke a 2-2 tie. Holland 33rd SV

Game #2:

Tempe 5-0 – Tulo three run home-run in the 1st was all Colon needed.  Colon only gave up two hits over seven innings.

Game #3:

Tempe 6-3 – Soriano drove in five runs with triple and a home run.  Iwakuma becomes the first pitcher to reach 20 wins in 2014.

Game #4:

Tempe 5-0 – Five Tempe pitchers combined for a three hit shutout.  Homeruns by Cano, Tulo, and Soriano provided all of the scoring for
Tempe.

Game #5:

Tempe 8-3 – Roseville’s three solo homeruns were exceeded by Tempe’s five knocks. Tulo hit his 3rd of the series. Roseville loaded the bases in the 9th but Holland came on and recorded the final out for his 35 save of the year.

Game #6:

Roseville 13-2 – Roseville was determined to avoid the six game sweep and mashed out 17 hits and four homeruns. LaRoache was 4-5 with two homeruns and four RBIs and Pence was 2-5 with five RBI’s. Matsuzaka picked up his second win of the year.

Series Summary

The Roseville Thorns are not the same team without Edwin Encarnacion and their chances at the second wild card are starting to dim. Tempe finishes the season 11-2 against Roseville.

Pittsburgh Lumber Company @ Coconut Creek Crushers

Game #1:

Crushers withstand 2 grand slams to win 13-10.

Game #2:

Apparently we got tired in Game 1. CCC only manages 1 run against grade-5 Bud Norris in a 3-1 loss.

Game #3:

Now rested, the Crushers rip 4 homers and chase Verlander early in an easy 11-2 romp.

Game #4:

Doubront deals for PIT. CCC manages only 2 solo homers in a 4-2 loss.

Game #5:

Closer Melancon blows a 2-run lead in the 9th. CCC is down to their last and worst reliever in the 14th. He hurls 3 perfect innings and is
rewarded with the win as CCC pushes a run across in the 16th.

Game #6:

Up 7-2 after 3 innings, CCC looked to cruise to an easy win. PIT was having none of that. They chipped away behind two 2-run homers from Alvarez. Tied in the 9th, Ethier hits a solo shot and Ross saves it for a 8-7 PIT win. Ethier goes 4 for 4 with a walk, scores 4 runs and hits the game winning homer in the 9th. Nice game for the ex-Crusher.

Series Summary

Series split 3-3. Not a good week for the Crushers.

New York Outlaws @ Manhattan Project

Series Preview

Battle for first place in the NL Eastern Division.

Game #1:

Outlaws 5-2

It was Beltran vs. Manhattan—Beltran got on base 4 times, one HR.

When Beltran was not doing damage, Carroll and Crawford were.

An easy victory for the Outlaws.

WP=Petit

SV=Perkins

LP=Duffy

Game #2:

Manhattan 2-1

Darvish and Hamels both dominate—each allowing only 4 hits each.

WP=Darvish

SV=Street

LP=Hamels

Game #3:

Manhattan 5-3

Pitching loosens up, but both sides stay even with 13 hits each.

But stingy Fernandez only allows 1 ER.

WP=Fernandez

SV=Fien

LP=Kuroda

Game #4:

Manhattan 4-2

Peavy allows 3 ER’s early.

Porcello holds Outlaws scoreless through the 7th inning.

All the Outlaw’s runs due to Utley’s 2 run HR in the 8th.

WP=Porcello

SV=Street

LP=Peavy

Game #5:

Manhattan 5-3

Pagan hits a 2 run HR off Medlen in the 3rd.

Outlaws do not score again until Crawford’s solo HR in the 9th.

Manhattan’s Freeman hits 2 solo HR’s, one off Mariano Rivera.

WP=Medlen

SV=Dunning

LP=Gee

Game #6:

Manhattan 5-0

The only lopsided game in the series

Left handed Duffy holds the Outlaws scoreless.

Petit allows 5 ER’s early.

WP=Duffy

LP=Petit

Series Summary

Manhattan takes series 5-1

Battle for first place in the NL East!!

Good pitching for both teams in a series of low-scoring games.

Need GOOD pitching to hold back those Outlaws’ batters.

        Fremont Cannons @ Southbend Lynx

Series Preview

Fremont visits Southbend

Game #1:

SBL 7, FRE 4

Game #2:

FRE 11, SBL 3

FRE hits 5 HRs in the win

Game #3:

SBL 5, FRE 1

SBL Diamond dominates with CG win w/ 10 Ks

Game #4:

SBL 5, FRE 0

SBL Holland a 2- hit CG Shutout for the SBL

Game #5:

SBL 6, FRE 2

Game #6:

FRE 9, SBL 1

Series Summary

        Clovis Wheat Kings @ Motor City Muscle

Series Preview

Clovis comes to town for a six-game series, looking to take advantage of a tired and injured team.

Game #1:

CWK 7 – MCM 0

WP: Vogelsong

LP: Locke

HR: Belt

Belt had the first two RBI, the only ones that Vogelsong needed in a rout. Vogelsong added two RBI of his own.

Injuries: J. Reyes (CWK) 10 games; S. Rodriguez (MCM) 10 games

Game #2:

CWK 2 – MCM 1

WP: Harvey

LP: Williams

SV: Grilli

HR: Arenado

Harvey and Williams matched nine-strikeout performances, but Arenado’s bomb in the 5th is the difference

Game #3:

CWK 6 – MCM 4

WP: Cashner

LP: Cloyd

SV: Rodriguez

HR: G. Sanchez

Arenado’s four RBI pace the Wheat Kings attack.

Game #4:

MCM 4 – CWK 0

WP: Blanton (CG)

LP: Liriano

HR: Tracy

Blanton throws a CG, ten-strikeout gem

Game #5:

CWK 3 – MCM 0

WP: Griffin

LP: Leake

SV: Grilli

HR: Saunders, Arenado

Arenado and the Clovis pitchers keep on doing what they do: dominate.
Griffin strikes out 12. Castellanos is the lone Motor City bright spot,
with a four-hit night.

Game #6:

CWK 3 – MCM 1

WP: Gonzalez

LP: Locke

SV: Grilli

HR: none

Gonzalez joins the great pitching parade for Clovis. Grilli records his third save of the series.

Series Summary

Clovis takes the series, 5 games to 1.

Arenado is the hitting star with 2 HRs and 7 RBI. Hunter had a good series as well for Clovis.

Steve Grilli recorded three saves. Wheat Kings pitchers were dominant, allowing only 10 runs in the series (8 of those were in two games).

Traverse City Crusaders @ Bethesda Bandicoots

Series Summary

The Bandicoots split at home with the Crusaders.