2016 – AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #1

DetroitCrime2After wining the #1 Wild Card seed & taking out the Motor City Muscle 2 games to 1, the Chicago Mobsters take on the American League Central Division Champions the Crime from Detroit.

Game #1: Felix Hernandez (25-4 1.94) vs. Madison Bumgarner (25-5 1.75)
Bumgarner16

Felix Hernandez didn’t have his best stuff, allowing 8 hits, 3 walks 7 & 3 runs in only 5 Innings.   Chicago’s three relievers allowed 2 more runs over the course of 3 innings.
Kendry’s Morales has a solo shot in the top of the 2nd to start the scoring off for the Crime.  Morales singled in the 3rd scoring Manny Machado.
A Kyle Schwarber pinch hit Sacrifce  Fly in the 6th scored the 3rd run for Detroit.
Ben Zobrist hits a solo Home Run in the 7th inning & a Jhonny Peralta solo Home Run in the 8th inning was all the Crime needed to put this one on ice.
Madison Bumgarner was solid throwing 7 shutout innings allowing only 3 hits, walking 2, while striking out 7 Mobsters batters.   Joaquin Benoit threw the final 2 innings allowing only 1 walk.
Chicago’s bats just couldn’t get started against Bumgarner.
Final Score:  Detroit 5 – Chicago 0

Guiterrez16Game #2: Chris Sale (16-10 3.10) vs. Carlos Carrasco (14-9 3.29)
Chris Sale got the nod for the Mobsters.  Manager Corrado was playing the odds as Detroit had a few more lefthander batters in the lineup & he figured Sale could get an extra out or two with a Sale Strikeout along the way.
Detroit went up 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd when Manny Machado took a Chris Sale fastball to deep left to give the Crime the early lead.
It stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the 7th when Cameron Maybin singled off Sale & stole second.  The Mobsters went to the bullpen & Carter Capps came on.   Detroit countered Capps with pinch hitter Franklin Gutierrez who took the first pitch from Capps deep the opposite way for a Home Run over the right centerfield wall for a 2 Run Home Run.
Chicago got on the board in the top of the 9th when Josh Donaldson took a Carlos Carrasco change-up over the left field wall for a solo Home Run.   Carrasco went 8 Innings allowing only the solo Home Run to Donaldson.  Carrasco struck out 12, walked 2 & allowed only 5 Hits. Zach Britton replaced Carrasco who closed the door & maybe the season on the Mobsters.
Final Score:  Detroit 3 – Chicago 1

Game #3: Stephen Strasburg (13-3 2.62) vs. Carlos Martinez (19-4 2.40)
Travis16Devon Travis lead off the game for the Mobsters (who have scored 1 run in the last 18 Innings) & promptly took a Stephen Strasburg fastball deep to left for a leadoff Home Run.
But the lead didn’t last long as Detroit came right back in the top of the 2nd to take the lead.  After a Kendry Morales Single – Prince Fielder took the Carlos Martinez offering over the right field fence to take the lead for the Crime 2-0.
Chicago countered in the bottom of the second with the same idea.  A leadoff J.D. Martinez Single, followed by a Mark Teixeria 2 Run Home Run once again gave the Mobsters a  3- lead.  Strasburg then let up a single to Justin Turner & a Hit & Run single to Andrelton Simmons (Moving Turner to 3rd).  Crime Manager Sergio Ivone had seen enough and Strasburg is pulled after facing 8 batters, allowing 5 Hits, 2 Home Runs & 3 Earned Runs.   Scott Kazmir was called upon to throw some very valuable innings for the Crime.  Carlos Martinez then let Strasburg off the hook for the loss when he allowed a one out Home Run to Ben Zobrist which knotted the score at 3 runs apiece.
With two outs in the 7th Chicago speedster Billy Hamilton legs out an infield Single to the right side.  Hamilton steals second on the 1st pitch to Devon Travis.    Hamilton scores on a Travis Single (Tool second on the throw home).   Andrew McCutchen then smashes a hot grounder past Third baseman Manny Machado for a Double, which scores Travis & gives the Mobsters a 5-3 lead.
In the 8th J.D. Martinez hits a Solo Home Run off Alex Wilson to give the Mobsters a 3 Run lead.   Chicago Manager then hands the ball off to Aroldis Chapman for the top of the 9th.  Chapman doesn’t get a strikeout, but gets an easy fly out & two groundball outs to hold it down for Chicago.
Final Score:  Chicago 6 – Detroit 3

Game #4: Madison Bumgarner (25-5 1.75) vs. Noah Snydergaard (12-6 3.51)
Chicago hands the ball to a rookie for Game #4 & it doesn’t take long for the Crime to take Snydergaard deep as in the top of the 2nd Jhonny Peralta over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead.
Teixeria16Chicago turns right around in the bottom of the 2nd, & after a leadoff walk from Bumgarner to J.D. Martinez, Mark Teixeria batting right handed takes MadBum deep to left down the line for a 2 Run Home Run & the lead.  In the 4th Teixeria does the damage again, this time with a Solo Home Run to almost the exact same spot in left field.   Chicago now up 3 to 1.
With no outs in the 6th and Snydergaard cruising Manny Machado singles to lead it off.  Manager Corrado goes out to talk to Snydergaard to explain to pitch carefully to Bryce Harper.   Snydergaard nods & agrees, then swiftly throws a 98mph heater over the inside part of the plate where Harper swings & launches a long fly ball deep to right center – McCutchen goes back to the wall, leaps & the ball sails over his glove – Bryce Harper has tied it up at 3 runs each.  Chicago manager Corrado leaves Snydergaard in & had the confidence in the young man who then gets 3 quick outs.
In the bottom of the 6th the Mobsters score again as Teixeria walks with 2 outs & Justin Turner follows that up with a 2 Run Home Run off Madison Baumgarner.   The two out walked just drained the Crime.
In the 8th Chicago puts up an insurance run with one out as Buster Posey scores from second on a J.D. Martinez single.  Donaldson stops at 3rd.   Mark Teixeria then hits a fly ball to Centerfield where Adam Jones lines up the catch, throws home as Donaldson is headed home…  Throw to the plate – Umpire James Hoye punches out Donaldson on a great throw from Adam Jones to end the bottom of the 8th.
With a 3 run lead and knowing the series could be tied at 2 & looking to get some rest for his bullpen Chicago goes with their long man, looking for 3 outs.   Arquimedes Caminero is called upon & Arquimedes does the job facing 3 batters striking out 2 of them.   Big win for Chicago who now ties the series up at 2 games apiece.   It’s a best of 3 now with 1 left in Chicago & then at least one back in Detroit (Maybe two).
Final Score:  Chicago 6 – Detroit 3

Game #5: Stephen Strasburg (13-3 2.62) vs. Chris Sale (16-10 3.10)
JhonnyPeralta16Detroit goes with Strasburg who was pulled very early in game #3.  Chicago counters with the lefthander Sale who Chicago manager thinks is the right call.
In the bottom of the 1st Chicago scores quickly off Strasburg as Billy Hamilton singles, steals second (His 4th steal of the series), moves to 3rd on a ground out & then scores on a Buster Posey Single to left.
With Adam Jones & Prince Fielder on in the 4th Inning, Jhonny Peralta blasts a 3 Run Home Run off of Chris Sale to give the Crime a 3-1 lead.
Chicago chips back in the 6th inning with J.D. Martinez running on the play Justin Turner laces one toward first, just over the head of Prince Fielder – the ball rattled around in the corner, J.D. Martinez comes around to score and cut the score to 3-2 Detroit.  Zach Britton is called upon to pitch early in this game to try & hold the lead for Detroit.  Britton goes 2.2 scoreless Innings, followed up by 2/3 of an Inning by Ken Giles who holds on for the Save.
Final Score:  Detroit 3 – Chicago 2

Game #6: Felix Hernandez (25-4 1.94) vs. Carlos Carrasco (14-9 3.29)
Chicago ace is on the hill for this one as Felix Hernandez toes the rubber for the Mobsters.   Carlos Carrasco takes the bump for the Crime.
Hernandez16Top of the 3rd with two outs already in the books, Billy Hamilton singles & steals second for Chicago.  Andrew McCutchen hits a worm burner up the middle that neither Crime Middle infielder can reach.  Hamilton flies around 3rd & scores to give the Mobsters a 1-0 lead.
In the 4th after a free pass to J.D. Martinez, followed by a double by Josh Donaldson the Mobsters have runners at 2nd & 3rd with no outs & hot hitting Mark Teixeria coming to bat.   Crime Manager Sergio Ivone heads to the mound & asks Carrasco for the ball, turning to lefthander Scott Kazmir.   Teixeria flips around to his weaker hitting right side.  Yet it didn’t matter.  Teixeria deposits this one into the left field grandstands for a 3 Run Home run, giving the Mobsters a 4-0 lead.
In the 6th with one out & Josh Donaldson on second after a leadoff Double, Justin Turner hits a Kazmir pitch deep the opposite way over the right field fence for a 2 Run Home Run putting the Mobsters up 6-0 after 5 & ½ innings of play.
8th inning Donaldson on 2nd, Teixeria at 1st, Andrelton Simmons laces a Double to right scoring Donaldson, but the 3rd base coach holds up Teixeria respecting the arm of Crime right fielder Bryce Harper.   The mobsters are staked to a big lead of 7-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th.
Felix Hernandez went 5.1 Innings followed up by 2.2 Innings out of Marcus Stroman.  Neither hernandez or Stroman allowed a run.  Aaron Sanchez heads to the hill for the bottom of the 9th.   Ben Zobrist singles to lead it off, followed by a 4 pitch walk to Manny Machado.   Chicago Manager Stray Corrado makes a pitching change & against the lefty – lefty match up brings in right hander Carter Capps.  Harper makes quick work of Capps work as Harper flips the bat after blasting a long home run over the right field wall 12 rows back.   Statcast tracks that fly ball at a 35 degree launch angle & a distance of 438 feet.   They show movies on flights that long.   Detroit pulls within 4 runs as the score is now 7-3 Chicago.
Carter Capps does some landscaping on the mound, heads back up & gives up a single to Kendrys Morales, settles down & the strikes out Adam Jones for the 1st out of the inning.   Chicago goes to the pen again this time calling on Charlie Furbush to face Prince Fielder.   Detroit counters sending in pinch hitter Franklin Gutierrez.   Gutierrez walks on a close 3-2 count & the Furbush quickly disposes of Jhonny Peralta on a foul pop out behind the plate to Robert Perez.
Set to face Ichiro the Crime manager Ivone walks down the bench & in-lists pinch hitter Sean Rodriguez to face Furbush.   Chicago counters calling on their closer Aroldis Chapman.   Chapman throws a 101 MPH fastball by Rodriguez for strike one, but a quick snap throw from Robert Perez to first baseman Mark Teixeria who quickly snaps a tag on Kendrys Morales.  Firstbase umpire Teddy Barrett punches him out to end the game.  Chapman doesn’t even face a batter & picks up his 2nd Save on the series.
Final Score:  Chicago 7 – Detroit 3

Game #7: Carlos Martinez (19-4 2.40) vs. Madison Bumgarner (25-5 1.75)
Zobrist16Carlos Martinez gets the mound for the Mobsters, facing off against Madison Bumgarner who pitched in games 1 & 4 taking  the win in Game 1 & the loss in Game 4.
Chicago scores first in the top of the second as Buster Posey takes Bumgarner deep to left on a solo Home Run putting the Mobsters up 1-0 after 1 & a ½ innings of play.
In the 3rd Chicago strikes again this time it’s the Designated Hitter Justin Turner taking Bumgarner deep to left for another Mobster solo Home Run.
With one out in the Bottom of the 5th, Prince Fielder singles slowly up the middle that neither Chicago middle infielder can get to, giving Prince his 9th hit of the series.  After a Jhonny Peralta flyout, Ichiro knocks a single over the head of Andrelton Simmons putting runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 away.  Martin Maldonado walks on 4 pitches from Martinez filling the sacks up for the Crime.  Ben Zobrist now faces Martinez & quickly clears the bases on a Double smashed deep to left center, Fielder, Ichiro & Maldonado all score standing up & Zobrist stands on second as well.   Crime take the lead 3-2.  With two outs Manny Machado drops a single into left field that gets by J.D. Martinez, allowing Machado to end up on second base, while Zobrist scores as the Crime tack on another run making it 4-2.   Carlos Martinez is pulled for Dellin Betances who gets the 3rd out of the inning by striking out Bryce Harper on a curveball in the dirt.
Bumgarner is pulled after 6 Innings followed by a cast of relievers for the Crime (Zach Britton, Carlos Villanueva, Alex Wilson) who all close the door on the Mobsters for the game & the season.
Final Score:  Detroit 4 – Chicago 2

The Detroit Crime take the series 4-3 & move on to the American League Championship Series and face the Hollywood Werewolves.

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