2017 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #11

NAME	TEAM	AVG	SLG	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	K	W	IW	SB	CS	HBP
CRUZ,Nelson	CHI AL	.407	1.000	6	27	11	1	0	5	8	11	4	1	0	0	0	0

NAME	CLUB	G	W	L	S	ERA	IP	R	ER	H	K	BB	IBB	WP	BK	HB	HR
LUGO,Seth	TIJ AL	2	2	0	0	0.69	13	2	1	8	7	5	0	0	0	0	1

NAME	TEAM	AVG	SLG	G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	K	W	IW	SB	CS	HBP
CANO,Robinson	TEM NL	.400	.667	7	30	12	2	0	2	5	9	5	1	0	0	0	0

NAME	CLUB	G	W	L	S	ERA	IP	R	ER	H	K	BB	IBB	WP	BK	HB	HR
TEHERAN,Julio	VAL NL	2	2	0	0	0.00	17.2	0	0	7	15	2	0	1	0	0	0

Triple Creek Patriots @ Jersey Nor’easters
Series Preview:	The Nor’easters score 5 runs in the 6th to take the lead and hang on to win 6-5. Domingo Santana has the big hit, a 2-run homer in that 6th inning for Jersey.
Game #1:	The Nor’easters score 5 runs in the 6th to take the lead and hang on to win 6-5. Domingo Santana has the big hit, a 2-run homer in that 6th inning for Jersey.
Game #2:	A.J. Griffin tosses a complete game shutout for Triple creek as the Patriots win 4-0.
Game #3:	Jersey flexes some muscle as Bruce, Yunel Escobar and Tomas all homer in a 7-4 Jersey win.
Game #4:	Triple Creek pushes 2 across in the 8th to take the lead and win the game 3-2. Only 8 total hits in this game.
Game #5:	No contest as Triple Creek wins 8-3. Yasmani Tomas has 2 homer for Jersey and incredibly Jonathan Villar hits his 18th for Triple Creek.
Game #6:	Jersey manages only 4 hits and drops the game 3-1.
Series Summary:	Triple Creek takes the series 4-2.

Chicago Mobsters @ Virginia Sluggers
Series Preview:	A mismatch as Chicago is a powerhouse headed for the playoffs and Virginia is an after thought.
Game #1:	CHI 3-0 A.Sanchez is just too much for the Slugger bats. He spun a CG 3-hit shutout that improved his record to 8-1 and ERA to 1.72. Meanwhile, N.Cruz ripped a 2-run lazer over the left field wall in the 1st inning and J.Donaldson chipped in with an insurance run in the 8th.
Game #2:	CHI 10-4 A no-doubter as CHI ran out to a 6-1 lead after 4 innings and coasted from there. The Mobsters banged out 11 hits with Donaldson getting 3 of them and Cruz 2. They each also had 2 RBI. CHI tried to inject some excitement in the game by beaning A. Rizzo, but the Sluggers didn’t bite.
Game #3:	VIR 6-3 A shocker for VIR as C.Santana blasted a 2-run homer in a 3 run 6th to put VIR up 4-3. In the next inning, E.Carrera walked, I.DeJesus doubled and light hitting T.Cruz singled to drive both runners in. Cahill closed for the Sluggers and the fans sat in shock.
Game #4:	CHI 6-2 After a day of rest, the Mobsters took control again. J.Martinez lofted a 2-run jimmy-jack and added a RBI double to account for 3 runs and B.Posey had 2 RBI singles as they led CHI to an easy victory. The vaunted bull-pen pitched the last 4 innings just to flex some bravado.
Game #5:	VIR 9-7 VIR actually beat N.Cruz. Cruz had 3 hits in 4 at bats for CHI,…all 3 hits were home runs and accounted for 6 RBI. But give VIR some credit. They knocked out CHI’s starter after 3.2 innings and had to face Betances, Davis, Miller, and Chapman the rest of the game,…and scored 3 runs off of them. For the Sluggers A.Rizzo was 2-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI with a double and a triple. But it was the little used E.Carrera who rose to the occasion. He came in for an injured G.Springer ( the 4th batter beaned by the Mobsters in 5 games with no warnings given and 2 players injured) and launched a 3-run homer, collected 2 hits and had 4 RBI. T.Cahill struck out the 3 batters he faced in the 9th and VIR got it’s 2 surprise win of the series.
Game #6:	CHI 13-7 Back to reality. VIR closes out the series by getting soundly whupped by CHI. 19 hits plated 13 runs for the Mobsters. Every Mobster starter except Wong and McCutchen had RBI’s. McCutchen, for his part, had 3 hits and scored 3 times. Posey, 2-5 with 3 runs and 2 RBI went deep as well as N.Cruz (his 21st) who was 3-5. J.Martinez was 2-5 with a triple and 4 RBI and J.Donaldson was 4-5 with 2 RBI. It was ugly!
Series Summary:	Chicago took the series 4-2 which means VIR got 2 wins! Chicago adds insult to injury by beaning 4 Virginia batters. Nelson Cruz was a one man wrecking crew: 11-27 .407 batting average, 8 runs, 11 RBI and 5 homers (3 in one game with 6 RBI) definitely a strong candidate for weekly honors!!

Sacramento Capitals @ Bethesda Bandicoots
Series Preview:	Sacramento heads east to face Bethesda.
Game #1:	Jake Odorizzi craps the bed allowing eight runs in 4-plus innings in a laugher of a win for Sacramento 8-1. Longoria (17) and Phillips (2) homer for Sactown.
Game #2:	Chris Sale pitches like Doug Fister and Doug Fister pitches like Chris Sale as the Bandicoots blank the Capitals 5-0. Miller (20) homers for the winners
Game #3:	Max Scherzer wins the pitching duel as Jake Arrieta becomes unglued allowing a couple of homers in the three-run 6th as Sactown takes it 4-1. Lindor (9) and Longoria (18) go deep for the Caps and Kim (4) gets one for no apparent reason when no one was paying attention.
Game #4:	Steve Cishek gives up a couple of runs including a solo shot by Danny Valencia as the Caps comes from behind in the top of the 9th to hand the “c-loser” the L and his 4th blown save of the season in a 3-2 win for Sacramomento. Valencia’s tater was his 7th. Kim (5) homered again and this one almost mattered for the ‘Coots.
Game #5:	Danny Duffy pitches way better than he actually is (see Doug Fister) and shuts down the Bandicoots in a 4-0 two-hitter. Lindor (10), Stanton (7), and Pooholes (13) go deep for the Caps against John Lackey.
Game #6:	The Caps blow the game open with a trio of runs off Ryan Madson in the 7th and then we watch Madson blow open as he takes one for the team with the Caps winning a chuckler 11-2. Some guys homered, some other guys didn’t.
Series Summary:	Massive headache which makes the crappy series much easier to live with. Bethesda plays someone next week, who cares what Sacramento does.

Tijuana Bottle Rockets @ Dallas Cougars
Series Summary:	The two Southpaws look like “Aces” the rest of the rotation not so much as the Bottle Rockets win 5 of 7 in Dallas.

Pittsburgh Lumber Company @ Rosemere Renegades
Series Preview:	One team aiming at .500 ball while the other aiming at the draft …
Game #1:	Rosemere up 3-1 after 7 but Pittsburgh finally found an answer for Weaver as they put 8 on the board in the final two frames PIT 9 / RRG 3
Game #2:	Good pitching duel as Manaea improves to 4-2 while Kelley collects his 15th saves Cervelli with a couple of key RBI PIT 3 / RRG 0
Game #3:	Suarez, Owings and Smolinsky went deep in an easy 6-1 win Eickhoff is now 1-10 despite a respectable 3.67 era PIT 6 / RRG1
Game #4:	It was the Franscisco Liriano show in Rosemere. Went the distance scoring a 92 while fanning 13 and facing 31 Went the yard in a 1-0 local victory… for the only local hit of the game … In the loosing cause, PIT pitchers only faced 25 batters…
Game #5:	Marte and Smolinski went deep while Kelley collects a 16th save PIT 2 / RRG 1
Game #6:	PIT contained RRG to one hit once again and prevailed 3-0 Kelley gets save 17 PIT 3 / RRG 0
Game #7:	A 10 inning game. PH Hernandez gave PIY the lead in T10 with a HR but for some reason, Kelley wasn’t sent to the mound to protect it and Rosemere took advantage of it as it’s own Hernandez also went deep with a 2 run walk off shot.
Series Summary:	PIT takes 5 out of 7.

Grand Haven Gators @ Valdosta Snappers
Series Preview:	A battle of the swamp creatures features the Snappers hosting the Gators.
Game #1:	Valdosta 1-0. Julio Teheran tosses a “Maddux” with a CG 3 hit shutout. Valdosta managed just 5 base knocks in the win.
Game #2:	Valdosta 2-0. Chad Green (4-6) struck out 10 in 7 IP as the Snappers sneak past the Gators.
Game #3:	Valdosta 2-0. Colby Lewis improved to 4-4 with 6 shutout IP. Kimbrel with the save.
Game #4:	Grand Haven 5-2. Gators finally get on the scoreboard as they put one in the win column. Chris Carter homered in a losing cause and Matt Wisler drops to 2-9.
Game #5:	Grand Haven 5-1. Four Gators pitchers shut down the Snappers attack. Gators also swiped 4 bases.
Game #6:	Valdosta 3-0. Another Julio Teheran start and another shutout. This time he needed a little help from Craig Kimbrel to close out the 9th. Chris Carter smacked his 34th HR of the year.
Series Summary:	Snappers take 4 of 6 with 4 shutouts.

Windy City Black Sox @ Tempe Tempers
Series Preview:	The Black Sox visited the Tempers for seven games in what could potentially be a preview of a future playoff matchup.
Game #1:	Solo homeruns by Nolan Arenando and Yoenis Cespedes kept things tied until the sixth when Ryan Braun doubled in a run and then scored on a Adrian Beltre single. Michael Saunders rbi single made it a one run game in th 8th. In the 9th, Windy City ran out of pinch hitters and sent game two starter Jeff Samardzija up to pinch hit with one on and two outs. He came through with a walk, but Law got Rajai Davis to ground out for the Save. Tempe 3-2
Game #2:	Tempe’s pen imploded in the 8th and 9th giving up a Adrian Belt three run hr and a Brett Gardner two run hr. Lester missed out on win #13, but Jeff Samardzija picked up his 7th win. Windy City 5-1
Game #3:	Wright went five solid innings for his 10th win. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano both hit multi run homeruns for Tempe. Tempe 8-1
Game #4:	Back to back to back home runs in the 1st by Ryan Braun, Yoenis Cespedes and Adrian Beltre made it a 4-0 game. By the 3rd it was 10-0. Chen pitched the final seven innings in relief for the win. Tempe 12-5
Game #5:	Windy City rallied for two runs in the 7th to make it a one run game. Then in the 9th with two outs and one on, weak hitting Alexi Ramirez took John Lester (who only faced two batters out of the pen) deep for the win. John Lester’s ERA jumped to 1.45 and he took his second loss of the season…. Guess the mananger now knows not to call on him in future emergencies. Windy City 5-4
Game #6:	John Lester only lasted two innings as Brandon Belt‘s triple in the 1st put the Sox up 3-0. Tempe roared back scoring five runs after three innings on Homeruns by Ryan Braun, Yoenis Cespedes, and Xander Bogaerts. A Belt two run hr in the 5th tied it up, but Tempe added three in the bottom of the 5th and then one more in each the 7th and 8th. Tempe 10-6
Game #7:	Hector Santiago walked in back to back runners in the 1st and the Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead. However, Tempe’s bats continue to punish the Sox scoring five in bottom half of the 1st and three more in the 2nd. Robinson Cano and Evan Gattis each hit bombs to knock out Jeff Samardzija. The Sox didn’t give up and picked up two runs in the 5th on timely singles and two more in the 6th to tie it at 8-8. Robinson Cano Rbi double in the 6th put Tempe back in the lead and a Tulo solo in the 7th made it 10-8. The Sox put runners on 3rd and 2nd with no outs in the 8th but Tony Barnett somehow got Tempe out of the jam. Tempe 10-8
Series Summary:	Tempe hitters dominated the series, but two late inning comebacks helped the Black Sox avoid the sweep and walk away with two wins. Next week, Tempe heads to Sacramento to face the red hot Capitals and Windy City looks to get healthy in Corkstown.

Selkirk Steelers @ Corktown Cycle
Series Preview:	The Steelers take on the Cycle in a series of 6. Both teams are not used to winning this season, so something has to give.
Game #1:	Runs all over the place in game 1. Selkirk 8-7 W. Mike Wright 3-8 L. Colin Rea 2-9 S. Hector Neris (10)
Game #2:	Kyle Gibson scatters 7 hits while giving up only 1 run in 8 innings for the Steelers. Selkirk 4-1 W. Kyle Gibson 4-9 L. Robbie Ray 3-8 S. Hector Neris (11)
Game #3:	Corktown dumps 5 on Bud Norris in the 3rd inning chasing him out of the game. Corktown 7-1 W. Tom Koehler 5-4 L. Bud Norris 1-11
Game #4:	Rookie Jose De Leon was steller over over the Steelers. 9 innings 4 hits 0 runs while striking out 8. Corktown 3-0 W. Jose De Leon 2-2 (CG) L. John Lamb 3-9
Game #5:	A 4 run first was all the Cycle needed. Corktown 4-1 W. Anthony DeSclafani 6-2 L. Zach Davies 2-9 S. Alex Colome (10)
Game #6:	This game was so back and fourth that we couldn’t settle it in 9 innings. 21 Steelers and 17 Cycle players made an appearance in this 15 inning marathon. Corktown walked it off on an Adam Eaton base hit. Corktown 8-7 (15) W. Jandel Gustave 2-0 L. Josh Collmenter 1-1
Series Summary:	After dropping the 1st two, Corktown wins the series 4-2. Thats their 2nd straight series win, yet remain in last place. Selkirk, also in last place, travels to Pittsburgh next week.

Long Beach Dirt Bags @ Columbus Explorers
Series Preview:	Long Beach comes to Columbus for a 7 game series – Explorers coming off a tough outing at Bethesda and hope to get back on track. Long Beach looking to get untracked.
Game #1:	LeBlanc owns this one going 6 innings of 2 hit baseball. Martin 2 hits (homer [5]) and Iglesias, 3 hits, rbis, key to eh 10 run, 12 hit attack as Columbus takes the opener 10-0. WP LeBlanc (2-0) LP Brault (1-2)
Game #2:	Columbus again scores in bunches led by Blackmon (3 for 4, 4 rbis) and Showemaker goes 7, 4 hits, no run. Kiermaier hits a 2 run homer (8) in the 9th to brake the Dirt Bgas scoring draught. WP Shoemaker (7-2) LP Hellickson (3-5)
Game #3:	The 1st close game of the series sees Long Beach go up 3-1 in the 2nd on a Casali 2 run blast (5). Explorers plate 3 in the bottom half for 4-2 lead. Dirt Bags get one back in the 3rd but that’s all the scoring for the rest of the game as Columbus win 4-3. WP Santana (6-4) S Rodriguez (9) LP Jimenez (1-4)
Game #4:	Happ tosses his best effort of the year with a 3 hit shutout for 7.1 innings. Robertson keeps it that way. Plouffe has 2 of the 3 Long Beach hits. Choo (1), Desmond (10, 11) and Martin (6) exit the ballpark. Desmond’s 4 for 4 outing raises his average to .206. WP Happ (6-50 LP Perez (3-3)
Game #5:	Dirt Bags get back to scoring and score enough to gain a 6-1 lead after 6. Pedroia goes 3 for 4 with 3 runs, 2 rbis, double and homer (7). Dietrich (2) and Hardy also homer for Long Beach. Fiers is going well until the 7th where he gives up 2. He stays in for the 8th and gives up another 2. Blackmon tags him for a 2 run homer (10). BUT Acter and Claudio are able to wrap it up for the Long Beach victory, 6-5. WP Fiers (5-8) S Claudio (8) LP Tomlin (7-4)
Game #6:	LeBlanc vs. Brault again and again LeBlanc is masterful tossing a 1 hitter over 6.1 innings. The bullpen comes in for the rest of the game and gives up just 2 more hit. Barney gets both Dirt Bags singles. Meanwhile the Explorers parlay 10 hits and 4 walks into 5 runs for the 5-0 victory. WP LeBlanc (3-0) LP Brault (1-3)
Game #7:	Series finale has Hellickson and Shoemaker in a rematch and Hellickson tosses a 4 hitter through 6 – but gives up 3 runs. Feliz, in for the 8th gives up a 3 run homer (7( to Martin. The Dirt Bags manage 1 unearned run in the 2nd but that was it as Shoemaker and 3 relievers team up for a 6-1 Columbus win. WP Shoemaker (8-2) LP Hellickson (3-6)
Series Summary:	Columbus gets their scoring shoes on and the pitching arms going to take the series 6 games to 1. Next they travel to Rosemere. Long Beach travels back home to host Triple Creek.

Southwest Detroit Fighting Chihuahuas @ Mesa Solar Sox
Series Preview:	Could be an offensive show, as both clubs sport uneven pitching
Game #1:	Mike Napoli, Todd Frazier, and Brandon Drury all go deep for Mesa as they back Ian Kennedy for a 5-2 win.
Game #2:	Trevor Bauer goes 8 innings, giving up only one run as Mesa takes this one 6-1. Steven Pierce and Tim Anderson go yard for the Solar Sox.
Game #3:	Southwest Detroit hurlers walked 5 batters to help a thirteen hit Mesa attack as the Sox win their third in a row 8-4.
Game #4:	SW Detroit rode a grand slam by rookie Ryon Healy to win this one 7-4.
Game #5:	Steven Pierce hit two solo homers and Mike Napoli added a two run shot to help Adam Wainwright to a 4-2 win.
Game #6:	Ian Kennedy hurls a gem ( 8 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, and 9 Ks) and Odubel Herrera hits two homers off SW Detroit starter Mike Moore. Mesa 6-0.
Series Summary:	Mesa out homers SW Detroit 11-1 to take 5 of 6.

Detroit Crime @ Motor City Muscle
Series Preview:	Detroit @ Motor City for 7 games
Game #1:	DET 12 – MCM 4 WP: Strasburg LP: Verlander HR: DET–Machado (2), Espinosa It was all DET in this one, highlighted by an 8-run 5th inning. Zobrist had a bases loaded triple, but was upstaged by Machado’s pair of 2-run HRs. Espinosa added three RBI.
Game #2:	DET 7 – MCM 6 WP: Siegrist LP: Kahnle SV: Dull HR: STO–Moss; DET–Lee (2), Grandal MCM scored first but DET was relentless later, scoring two in the 5th, two in the 6th, one in the seventh, and three in the 8th. MCM came back late to make it close but ran out of outs. Lee (two solo HRs), Grandal, and Espinosa each had 2 RBI.
Game #3:	DET 10 – MCM 2 WP: Bumgarner LP: Leake HR: DET–Lee (2); MCM–Ramirez, Ahmed Another bases-loaded triple (Espinosa) gets overshadowed by a two-HR performance (Lee), as DET romps again. Bumgarner pitched great but didn’t really need to.
Game #4:	DET 3 – MCM 2 WP: Carrasco LP: Zimmermann SV: Britton HR: none MCM jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but couldn’t hold it. Lee and Machado didn’t homer but drove in the runs that were the difference. All the scoring was done in the first three innings.
Game #5:	MCM 4 – DET 2 WP: Godley LP: Kazmir SV: Ramos HR: MCM–Trout, Freese MCM finally gets a win, thanks to an improbable performance by Godley.
Game #6:	MCM 4 – DET 3 WP: Verlander (CG) LP: Strasburg HR: MCM–Loney, Arcia, Panik; DET–Grandal (2) DET once again gets a two-HR game but this time it wasn’t enough, as MCM got three solo HRs, along with two RBI from James Loney. Verlander went the distance to make up for his clunker in Game 1.
Game #7:	DET 4 – MCM 1 WP: Colon LP: de Grom SV: Britton HR: MCM–Trout; DET–Machado, A. Jones Machado’s three RBI were the difference as Colon and the DET bullpen shut down the MCM offense after Trout’s 3rd inning solo shot.
Series Summary:	DET takes the series 5 games to 2. DET’s hitters went wild, especially Lee, Machado, Grandal, and Espinosa. Lee (twice), Machado, and Grandal each had two-HR games. The ball was really carrying in this series: DET had 12 HRs, MCM had 9 HRs Britton had two Saves for DET. MCM was lucky to get two wins.

Coconut Creek Crushers @ Fremont Cannons
Series Preview:	Two struggling teams meet, with an unlikely no-hitter starting off the series.
Game #1:	Jaime Garcia pitched well, but was outshone by Mike Clevinger as he throws a no-hitter, walking four and striking out 13 in the 2-0 CCC win.
Game #2:	More double-digit K’s from the Crushers staff, as R.A. Dickey strikes out 11 in seven innings, and Coconut Creek wins 6-3.
Game #3:	This game is all CCC, as they win 12-0. Some bad blood as Cosart plunks Bandy and gets ejected, then Musgrove hits Baez and gets tossed. Wil Myers‘s 3-run homer led the way.
Game #4:	Wil Myers (14) homers again, and Coconut Creek wins 10-4. Andrew Triggs strikes out 11 in the victory.
Game #5:	Fremont finally puts up a win, 7-5, though a 3-run CCC ninth made it interesting. Mookie Betts (11), Victor Martinez (6), and Randall Grichuk (5) homered for the Crushers, while Jonathan Schoop (13) and Byron Buxton (3) went deep for Fremont.
Game #6:	Mike Clevinger had the post-no-hitter hangover, getting rocked for seven ER in two innings. A Khris Davis Grand Slam for his 21st home run led the way in the 10-2 Fremont victory.
Game #7:	Mookie Betts filled up the scoresheet in the finale, a 4-2 Coconut Creek win, going 4-5, 2R , 2RBI, a HR, a 2B, and a steal.
Series Summary:	Coconut Creek takes it 5-2!

Yonge Street Stalkers @ Southbend Lynx
Series Preview:	Yonge Street comes in to visit Southbend. Both teams playing out the season in hopes of better things to come.
Series Summary:	The series is a split. All in all a fun series. A couple of shutouts, a couple of close games, only 1 blowout.

Hollywood Werewolves @ Manhattan Project
Series Preview:	Strong Hollywood team visits Manhattan, who have slipped down to 2nd place in the Eastern Division.
Game #1:	Hollywood 4-2 WP Kershaw SV Dyson LP Tanaka
Game #2:	Manhattan 3-2 WP Pomerantz SV Allen LP Conley
Game #3:	Hollywood 3-1 WP Miley LP Chatwood
Game #4:	Hollywood 7-3 WP Price SV Dyson LP Fernandez
Game #5:	Manhattan 7-1 WP Porcello – CG LP Hammel
Game #6:	Manhattan 2-1 WP Tanaka SV Allen LP Blanton
Series Summary:	Manhattan and Hollywood split the series 3-3