2017 – AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Noah Syndergaard coming off his Divisional Series No-Hitter vs. the Detroit Crime took the hill for his 1st start for the Mobsters since the outing.   Syndergaard didn’t disappoint, Striking out the first three hitters for the Werewolves, two out of three on called third strikes.   Kershaw was dominant as well.   Kershaw Struck Out three in the first two innings.   Both pitchers kept it hitless through four innings of platy.   This was turning out to be an old fashioned pitchers duel, with both teams aces on the hill.  

Syndergaard was solid in the 5th allowing only a Base on Balls to Carlos Gonzalez who was promptly throw out at second base, attempting to steal on the first pitch to Billy Butler.  A quick bloop to the Shortstop Andrelton Simmons produced out number two & a ground ball back to Syndergaard got him out of the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the 5th Chicago’s Justin Turner laced a Double to the gap in right center for the first knock off Kershaw.  Former Werewolve Ian Kinsler who was traded moments before the midnight deadline on August 31st to the Mobsters for Kolten Wong stepped up.   Kinsler who played behind Kershaw more than 3/4’s of the season said to himself “Sure as anything I know Clayton & he’s going to start me out with a curveball trying to get me fishing, but if he hangs it, I’m going to bang it”.   That’s what Kershaw did & Kinsler as well.   A first pitch Curve hung up in the zone & Kinsler deposited over Christian Yelich head &the center field wall, giving the Mobsters a 2-0 lead.  Kershaw then struck out Andrew McCutchen & got Simmons to ground out to end the inning.

With the score still very close, the question now was could Mobsters hang on to the lead & could Syndergaard hang on to the No-Hitter.   A Strikeout & two fly outs put the Werewolves down in the 6th.   Syndergaard was back on the hill for the 7th, Jarrod Dyson flew out to Dexter Fowler for the 1st out & followed it up by getting Miguel Cabrera & Paul Goldschmidt both on strikes.    So we were through seven Innings & the only blemish that Syndergaard allowed was the walk to Carlos Gonzalez in the 5th.    

Chicago’s offense could not get anything going in the 7th Inning vs Werewovles reliever Sam Dyson.  The teams head to the top of the 8th, Syndergaard back on the bump to face Gonzalez, Butler & former Mobster Kolten Wong (Who was the player who headed to Hollywood in the Ian Kisnler deal).   A Strike Out, ground out produced the first – two outs of the inning before Wong stepped in.   Wong’s bat met the ball, it looked like a little bloop single to left over a leaping Simmons head, but coming out of no where running hard reaching out & making a shoestring catch was Dexter Fowler.   He saved the day for Syndergaard, who now through 8 Innings still had the No-No alive.

Kinsler lead off the bottom of the 8th for Chicago with a Double & moved to third on a McCutchen Sacrifice bunt.   Andrelton Simmons stepped up & lofted one to center field where Yelich made the catch, Ian Kinser took off for the plate trying to get an insurance run for the Mobsters.   Yelich came up throwing & on a close play at the plate Home Plate Umpire Angel Hernandez punched him out for an ending Inning Double Play.   That wasn’t the end of it.  Kinsler came up with fire in his eyes & apparently his mouth as well.  Kinsler thought he was safe & Hernandez disagreed.   Kinsler was cooled down by the Chicago manager, but on his way back to the dugout he said the “Magic Word” & Angel Hernandez had heard enough.   That was it, he raised his right hand toward Kinsler & tossed him.   Yes that was it Kisler was ejected & the Mobsters would have to find a replacement at second base.  The Mobsters held a 2-0 lead headed to the 9th, with Syndergaard 3 Outs away from victory & possible Mid-West Baseball League history..

No one was sitting near Syndergaard when Kinsler was thrown out the plate.  Manager Stray Corrado didn’t even look at him when he came into the dugout after the top of the 8th.  Everyone just left him alone.  He wasn’t alone when he took the bump at Capone field in the 9th.   42,000 fans stood up & started cheering for him.   It didn’t stop.  The entire 9th Inning was just a blur of noise.   Syndergaard completed his warm up tosses & ready to face Wellington Castillo to start the 9th.   Steve Cutler the Werewolves Manager replaced Castillo with Joey Wendle who took 3 straight fastballs & headed back to the dugout for out number one.  Ketel Marte was replaced by Phil Gosselin as Hollywood was just looking to make something happen & get a base runner on.  Syndergaard got Gosselin to loft a fly ball to right center, not deep & on came J.D. Martinez came in to make the catch for out number two.  Syndergaard was now one out away from history.   He’d have to face the Werewolves lead off hitter Christian Yelich.   A quick first strike put Yelich in the hole at 0-1.   Syndergaard threw two fastballs just off the outside corner trying to get Yelich to hit something weekly the other way, but Yelich laid off both running the count to 2-1.   A solid slider was called Strike two by Angel Hernandez & Yelich nodded in agreement.   So now Syndergaard was one strike away.   Could he do it?  Could he throw Back to Back No-Hitters in the MWBL Playoffs?  Syndergaard rocked & fired for his 97th pitch of the night a fastball elevated just above the hands on Yelich.   A SWING & A MISS, hang up his 10th Strike Out of the game & BACK to BACK NO-HITTERS for NOAH SYNDERGAARD !!!   The Chicago crowd was going Wild.  It was absolutely an insane atmosphere.  After being mobbed by his teammates Syndergaard was let down off the shoulders of David Ortiz who had picked him up like a rag doll & hoisted him up on his shoulers, Syndergaard tipped his cap to the crowd apprecaiting their efforts in cheering him on to MWBL history.   In the post game interview Syndergaard said all the right things, but most import he said “This series is far from over, Hollywood has a strong team & we can’t look past them not even for a moment”.  He exited the interview with a huge smile on his face knowing the Mobsters were up 1-0 in the series.

Final Score: Chicago 2 – Hollywood 0
Win: Noah Syndergaard 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Clayton Kershaw 0-1  (3.00)

Coming in off a high of a No-Hitter might not have been what Mobsters manager Stray Corrado wanted or needed.  The Mobsters looked a little off their game early on.   Jarrod Dyson beat out a infield hit with one out in the first inning & quickly stole second base.  A line shot to right fielder Nelson Cruz clanks off his glove & drops in.  Dyson takes off for third as Cruz retrieves the ball.  Dyson running hard goes right threw the stop sign of the 3rd base coach, Cruz’s throw to the plate is wide, Dyson scores giving the Werewolves a quick 1-0 lead.

A triple to lead off the 2nd put Kolten Wong 90 feet away from making it 2-0 Hollywood.  Chicago trying to keep Wong from scoring pulls the infield in, but a Wellington Castillo blooper to left scores Wong & gives the Werewolves a 2-0 lead after 1 & a half innings.

J.D. Martinez took a Kenta Maeda fastball the opposite way to left field in the bottom of the 2nd for a solo Home Run.  Cutting the lead in half.

Kolten Wong (Who’s quickly becoming a Mobsters Nemesis) at third base with 1 out in the 4th breaks for the plate as Ketel Marte puts down a suicide squeeze &  Josh Donaldson fields it & takes the sure out at first.   Hollywood up 3-1 after 3 & a half.

Miguel Cabrera singles & takes second on a Aaron Sanchez Wild Pitch scores easily on a Paul Goldschmidt Double to left.   Chicago can’t seem to catch a break against the Japanese right hander Maeda, through 5 Innings of play they are down 3-1.

Things got worse in the 6th for Chicago.  After an error on Andrelton Simmons, Zach Duke walks Jarrod Dyson to face Miguel Cabrera.  Chicago Manager Stray Corrado goes to Seung-hwan Oh.  Oh comes in & gives up a 3-Run Baltimore Special to Miguel Cabrera who’s big fly puts the Werewolves up 7-1

Chicago Designated Hitter David Ortiz take Maeda deep to right center in the bottom of the 6th for a solo shot, but Maeda finishes the Inning – his line 7 Innings, 6 Hits, 1 Walk, 2 Runs & 6 Strikeouts.

The Werewolves bullpen took over with six relievers coming on.   Chicago did the same but they used 10 relievers.   Both teams empited their benches, Hollywood used 4 extra players & Chicago used 5 extras as both teams were getting everyone in the game trying to make sure they were all ready for game #3.

Final Score: Hollywood 7 – Chicago 2
Win: Kenta Maeda 1-0 (2.57)
Loss: Aaron Sanchez 0-1  (5.79)

 Game #3: Carlos Matias Martinez (16-4  3.25) vs. David Price (13-12 3.98) 

Young Mobsters right hander Carlos Matias Martinez got the call from Skipper Stray Corrado who decided to push Felix Hernandez back one day.   Martinez did not disappoint. 6 Solid Innings of 1 Hit ball, walking 2 & Striking out 5 Werewolves along the way.   However Hollywood’s veteran left hander David Price was almost as dominant allowing only a 5th Inning single off the Pinch Hit At-Bat of Hanley Ramirez scoring Buster Posey from second for Chicago’s only run through 5 Innings of play.  

Price cleared the 6th & 7th without allowing another run, but with one out in the 8th inning an Andrelton Simmons hot smash to Miguel Cabrera ended up in a throwing error.   Simmons quickly stole second base, followed by a Andrew McCutchen Base Hit over second scoring Simmons.  That was all for Price as he was replaced by George Kontos.

Kontos struggled.  Dexter Fowler singled move Cutch to second.  Kinsler followed with a third straight single, loading the base for the heart & meat of the Mobsters line up.  Cutler came & got the ball from Kontos & went with veteran side-armer Pat Neshek.  J.D Martinez lined a hard Base Hit to the gap in right, McCutchen Scored, Fowler was right behind him & plated Chicago’s 4th Run.  Kinsler made it to third on the play after Chicago’s 4th straight single.  Neshek was visibly upset & uncorked a Wild Pitch, scoring Kinsler & moving J.D. Martinez into scoring position.   After Josh Donaldson was caught looking for the 2nd out of the inning Nelson Cruz stepped in & creamed a Single into left, scoring Martinez from second & putting Chicago up 6-0 at the end of 7 & 1/2 Innings of play.

Chicago’s bullpen relieved Martinez after the 6th with Wade Davis throwing 1 Inning.  The 7th & 8th were scoreless for Hollywood as Zach Duke, Dellin Betances & Andrew Miller held the Werewolves off the board.

With two men on in the top of the 9th Inning Ian Kinsler sealed the door on Game #3 launching a 3-Run Home Run far over the wall in left center field off Hollywood left hander Ryan O’Rourke putting the Mobsters up 9-0, with only 3 outs left to get.

Chicago turned to Rookie Julio Urias to close this one out.  Miguel Cabrera doesn’t miss to many first strike fastballs, especially from rookie pitchers.  He didn’t here either.   Cabrera broke up the Shutout with a solo shot way back in right field.   Urias after the game said “I didn’t know he was that good”, with a smile on his face.   Paul Goldschmidt singled, before Carlos Gonzalez popped up to Buster Posey behind home plate for out number one.   Then Urias induced Billy Butler into a ground ball that Andrelton Simmons, flipped to Ian Kinsler & on to Justin Turner at first base for a 6-4-3 game ending Double Play.    

Final Score: Chicago 9 – Hollywood 1
Win: Carlos Matias Martine  1-0 (0.00)
Loss: David Price 0-1  (2.45)

 Chicago was feeling good being up 2 games to 1, but Hollywood was bringing back their ace in Kershaw for game #4, while Chicago had skipped over King Felix the previous day & now handed him the ball with a tough task ahead of him.   The King didn’t let the people of Chicago down.   But Kershaw didn’t let the home crowd of Hollywood down either.   We were set up for pitchers duel with two long time aces on the hill.

Chicago got things off to a quick start in the bottom of the first as Dexter Fowler Doubled. After a flyout Fowler moved to third on a ground out & scored on a single off the bat of Josh Donaldson.

Hollywood countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning when lead off batter Christian Yelich took a 2-2 fastball from the King & deposited just inside the right field foul pole, knotting the game up at 1 Run each.

Kershaw was facing long time Mobster center fielder Andrew McCutchen with two outs in the bottom of the second when Cutch got a hold of one.   Just over the left field wall to give the Mobsters a 2-1 lead after 1 & a half innings of play.

From there both pitchers settled into their respective groves.  Kershaw went 21 batters faced & left the game trailing 2-1 after 5.2 Innings of play.  He Struck Out 7, walked none, let up 2 Runs on 4 Hits & pitched a gem of a game holding the Chicago offense to just 2 runs.   Felix Hernandez was just a tick better.  5.2 Innings, 2 Walks, 2 Hits, 1 Run, while Striking Out 4.   It was the pitchers duel that both managers expected.  However now it was up to the bullpens to see who could hold the other team at bay, & who’s offense could push a across a few more. 

 McCutchen lead off the 8th for Chicago & after a lead off Single Cutch was replaced by the speedy Billy Hamilton.  Hollywood manager went to his lefty Ryan O’Rourke to try & keep a close eye on Hamilton who lead the American League with 71 Stolen Bases.  It didn’t take long for the showdown to take place as on the first pitch from O’Rourke – Hamilton stole second.  Christian Yelich stole a Base Hit away from Andrelton Simmons for the first out of the Inning, with Hamilton showing some fine base running skills staying put at second.   Pat Neshek came on to face Dexter Fowler, but Fowler was called back to the dugout.   Donning a batting helmet & to a thunderous chorus of boos out of the Chicago dugout appeared for Hollywood Werewolf David Ortiz. Neshek wanted no part of Big Papai’s late inning heroics as he completely worked around the big man.  Four straight balls off the plate on the outside led to a walk for Big Papi.  Rookie Alex Bregman was called upon to Pinch Run for Ortiz.   Buster Posey strode to the plate, but Chicago manager Stray Corrado didn’t take long to make something happen on the next pitch as both Hamilton & Bregman took off.   A double steal.  Yes both Hamilton & Bregman made it safely to 2nd & 3rd.   Was it time to walk Posey & set up the Double play?   J.D. Martinez would be the better if Hollywood Manager Steve Cutler decided to take that on.   Cutler elected to face Posey & Posey came through for Chicago.  A little blooper down the line in left field, Hamilton Scores, Jarrod Dyson comes up throwing for Hollywood, Bregman slides & is called safe at the plate.   Posey with a 2-Run Double makes it 4-2 Chicago.   J.D. Martinez took it as a sign of respect (The Werewolves pitching to Posey) & he didn’t let the Chicago fans down either.  A single to center field sent Posey to the plate, but Carlos Gonzalez shot down Posey at the plate with a great throw from right field.   Martinez took second on the throw.  So with two outs Chicago had Martinez at second for Josh Donaldson. Would Cutler walk Donaldson here?  He looked at his lineup card & saw Nelson Cruz in the on deck circle & decided to pitch to Donaldson.  A single between third & short sent J.D. Martinez home giving the Mobsters a 5-1 lead after the 8th.

Chicago had went with rookie Alexander Reyes since the 5th when he took over for Hernandez.   A lead off Double by Kolten Wong followed by a wellington Castillo single cut the Mobsters lead to 5-2.  Hollywood put in Phil Gosselin to run for Castillo & with Ketel Marte facing Miller Hollywood put Gosselin in motion to make something happen.   Marte hit a hard liner right towards third, but taking one step to his left & making the catch was Josh Donaldson. A quick throw across the diamond gunned down Gosselin who was trying to hustle back, but it was inevitable as the Mobsters turned a quick 5-3 Double Play.  Chicago manger Stray Corrado went to get his young rookie right hander.  A tap on the backside for a job well done & heading in from the pen was lefty Andrew Miller.  Miller made quick work of Christian Yelich on a 1-2-3 pitch (all fastballs) Strike Out.

Chicago closed it out in the 9th with Andrew Miller, Seung-hwan Oh & Aroldis Chapman all getting one-third of an out & Chapman getting the save.

Final Score: Chicago 5 – Hollywood 2
Win: Felix Hernandez 1-0 (1.50)
Loss: Clayton Kershaw 0-2  (3.09)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #1

Chicago had seen Noah Syndergaard be solid all year & quite possibly the American League Cy-Young Award winner, but in the 2017 Playoffs “Thor” was God like.  Two starts, one in the Division Series vs. Detroit & one in Game #1 in the League Championship.  Both & I don’t believe I am saying this produced No-Hitters.  Yes Back to Back starts in the playoffs, both with 9 Innings, facing a total of three batters over the minimum.   Syndergaard was to take the hill here in Game #5 with the chance to throw his third straight No-Hitter.

Well it didn’t take long for that thought to be over.   After Chicago failed to score in the top of the first Christian Yelich stepped in to face Syndergaard.   First pitch fastball & Yelich jumped on it.  Boom, a hard ripped clean Single to center.   So the thought of the 3rd straight playoff No-Hitter by Noah Syndergaard was over & it was now his job to see if he & the Mobsters could close out the Werewovles & head to the Mid-West Baseball League World Series.    A groundout by Jarrod Dyson moved Yelich to second base, when up stepped Miguel Cabrera.  A line drive bullet to Andrelton Simmons for the second out held Yelich at second, when Paul Goldschmidt stepped up Two-Face Syndergaard.  Syndergaard got Goldschmidt to swing & missed at strike three, a big strikeout to keep the game scoress after one complete inning. 

Nelson Cruz led off the top of the second with a single & quickly stole second base on a napping Kenta Maeda.  Buster Posey did his job with a Base Hit to left field & Cruz took advantage of Jarrod Dyson’s arm in left & scored on the play.

In the top of the 4th after a lead off walk to Nelson Cruz & a two-out walk to Andrelton Simmons, Dexter Fowler steps in & hits one to the right of Paul Goldschmidt, second baseman Kolten Wong Dives & knocks it down but that’s all he can do is there’s no play anywhere and the bases are loaded for Chicago with two outs.  Kenta Maeda induces a ground ball to short but Eric Aybar boots It off the heel of his glove, Nelson Crew scores, Andrelton Simmons scores, Dexter Fowler heads for third the tag by Miguel Cabrera – Safe.  But Chicago can muster no more & Maeda gets out of the inning without any further damage.

Chicago replaces Noah syndergaard at the end of 6 Inning of play, he allowed 6 Hits, 1 Walk, Struck Out 6 & allowed no runs to score score.   24 Innings pitched in the playoffs & Syndergaard hasn’t allowed a run of any kind.

A lead off single in the bottom of the seventh puts Dexter Fowler at first base with Ian Kinsler at the bat.   Fowler steals second base off Maeda high leg kick putting the Chicago lead off man in scoring position.  Ian Kinsler hits a two hopper to Eric Aybar who takes it on a high hop & fires it right by Paul Goldschmidt at first base.   Fowler rounds third & heads home scoring on the second air by Eric Aybar in this game. The Werewolves defense has been sloppy here & it’s cost them.   Thing only got worse for Hollywood on the next pitch.  Kenta Maeda got David Ortiz to foul one between Goldschmidt & Wellington Castillo but they Clyde.  The ball drops foul, it doesn’t look good for either player.  Both end up leave the game Castillo injured for six days while Goldschmidt is injured for the rest of the day.

Neither Chicago or Hollywood score the remainder of the game.   Kenta Maeda is pulled after six Innings allowing 6 Hits, 3 Walks, 5 Strikeouts, 4 Runs but only 1 Earned.  Chicago goes to a cast of relievers including Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, Seung-hwan Oh, & Aroldis Chapman closes the game out with a perfect 9th inning with 3 strikeouts all on three 100+ MPH fastballs to former Mobster Kolten Wong, sending Chicago to the Midwest Baseball League World Series for the 4th time.

Final Score: Chicago 4 – Hollywood 0
Win: Noah Syndergaard 2-0 (0.00)
Loss: Kenta Maeda 1-1 (2.08)