2018 – AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Chicago Mobsters @ Dallas Cougars

ChicagoDallasThe American League Wild Card Chicago Mobsters (105- 57) were headed to face the beast in the east the Dallas Cougars (101-61). 

The series started with the Mobsters having five days of rest coming off a 4-0 American League Division Series #1 win over the Bottle Rockets of Tijuana.  

The Cougars were coming off a 4-2 American League Division Series #2 win over the Hollywood Werewolves & the Dallas squad had two days of rest themselves.

In what should be a very tight American League Championship Series the Dallas team had the home field advantage & were looking to eliminate the Wild Card Mobsters of Chicago.

GAME #1 – Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95) vs. Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64)

Justin_SmoakALCS18Through 2.5 innings the game was scoreless. In the bottom of the 3rd A.J. Pollock took a Marcus Stroman fastball deep to left, this one had a passport to Mexico &
it was Adios Amigos giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead after 3 Innings of play.
After a Andrelton Simmons infield Single that Jed Gyorko tried to let roll foul, Neil Walker hits a line drive down into the corner in left, Simmons was on the move at
first base, Simmons scored & the game was tied at 1 run apiece on Walkers Double.
Lead off hitter Daniel Nava then lines a shot paste Yangervis Solarte into left scoring Neil Walker & giving the Mobsters a 2-1 lead after 4.5 Innings of play.
After getting one out in the bottom of the 5th, with two runners on base (1st & 2nd) manager Stray Corrado replaced Marcus Stroman with Noah Syndergaard.
Josh Harrison cracks a Double over the head of Nava in left, two runs come across & the Cougars go back on top 3-2.
Alexander Presley then lines a Single into centerfield scoring Harrison & putting the Cougars up 4-2. Things only got worse for the Mobsters and Syndergaard. Justin Smoak took Syndergaard deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & putting the Cougars in the drivers seat for Game #1.
Chicago put up 2 in the 9th with Alex Bregman at third, Freddie Freeman Doubled, pulling the Mobsters within 3.
Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his “Sugar” Edwin Diaz who got J.D. Martinez to ground out for out number one, moving Freeman to third.
A second ground ball from “Sugar” got Justin Turner an RBI scoring Freeman, but putting the Cougars one out away from taking game #1.
Buster Posey faced Diaz, who got his third ground ball of the inning a weak dribbler to Josh Harrison who threw to first for the final out of the game.

Final Score: Dallas 6 – Chicago 4
Win: Chase Anderson 1-0 (3.38)
Loss: Noah Syndergaard 0-1 (9.82)
Save: Edwin Diaz #1
Home Runs: A.J. Pollock (1), Justin Smoak (1)

GAME #2 – Rich Hill (13-3 2.98) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01)

Andrew_McCutchenALCS18After a scoreless 1st Inning Chicago got a 2 Out Double off the bat of Buster Posey before long time Mobsters Andrew McCutchen took Andrew Cashner deep to left for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a 2-0 lead after 1.5 Innings of play.
The starting pitchers settled in after that. Rich Hill went 5 Innings allowing 4 Hits, 1 Walk, Striking Out 5 for the Mobsters.
Cashner went 5.2 Innings allowing only the 2 Runs off the bat of McCutchen.
In the bottom of the 8th the Cougars with Dellin Betances on the mound for Chicago a lead off Double from A.J. Pollock gave Dallas some hope.  Josh Harrison then got plunked (Second time this series) by Betances, putting runners at 1st & 2nd. Dallas Manager Jarl Jackson went to his bench & replaced Jose Pirela with Alexander Presley. Chicago manager Stray Corrado countered with Andrew Miller who got Presley to pop foul to 3rd. Jose Abreu fanned on a 1-2 Fastball from Miller for the 2nd out. Justin Smoak & Miller matched up in a battle, but Smoak eventually drew the walk, loading the bases with two outs. Right handed batter Jed Gyorko came up, Chicago went to the pen for Anthony Swarzak. Swarzak uncorked one. Wild Pitch, scoring A.J. Pollock & cutting the Mobsters lead to 2-1.
Gyorko had runners on 2nd and 3rd and could put the Cougars up by 1 with a single. Gyorko smacked a clothesline straight away center, but Dexter Fowler found the ball, gather it in and put the threat to rest.
Top of the 9th Neil Walker facing Juan Nicasio with 2 Outs & Walker lofted a fly ball that Presley tracked to the wall, jumped & came down empty handed, putting the Mobsters back up by 2 runs with a score of 3-2.
Swarzak faced the 1st two hitters in the line up, but Chicago wanted there closer Aroldis Chapmanin to shut the door & get in a game since Chapman had not pitched in 6 days. Kelby Tomlinson was called upon to pinch hit for Jaycob Brugman. Down by 2, 2 Outs in the 9th, Tomlinson delivered a Double down the line in right field, putting the tying run on 2nd. A.J. Pollock connected on the 2nd straight hit off Chapman, lacing a hot grounder down the line past Bregman at 3rd. Chicago was lucky to hold Pollock to a Double, but the Cougars didn’t want to make the last out at 3rd base. So down by 1, man at 2B, Josh Harrison up for the Cougars facing Aroldis Chapman who had yet to retire a batter. Harrison hit a frozen rope straight away center, Dexter Fowler was right there & gloved it for the Final out of the game.

Final Score: Chicago 3 – Dallas 2
Win: Rich Hill 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-1 (3.18)
Save: Aroldis Chapman #1
Home Runs: Andrew McCutchen (1), Neil Walker (1)

Chicago was headed home for 3 games with a split in Dallas.   Both teams were feeling good about the series being tied & looking forward to some good playoff baseball.
GAME #3 –  Dallas Keuchel (14-3 1.73) vs.  Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47)

Alex_BregmanALCS18Chicago started banging things around in the bottom of the first & before you knew it this game was over.   Actually, Dallas had gotten 2 Outs & no one was on for Chicago when the wheels for the Cougars fell off Freddie Freeman laced a Double to start things off.  J.D. Martinez followed up with a 2-Run Home Run to the opposite field.   Justin Turner then walked on 4 straight pitches from Dallas Keuchel (who you could tell was shaken).  Buster Posey stepped in & on wrapped a clean hit & run Single to right field moving Turner to 3rd base.  Andrew McCutchen who had been hot recently strolled up, lined a Single to left, scoring Turner & moving Posey up to 2nd base.  Andrelton Simmons then blooped one down the line in right field, Posey scored, McCutchen flew around 3rd & scored as well, putting the Mobsters up 5-0.   Simmons ended up on 2nd base.   The 9th man to bat in the inning was Neil Walker who walked.  Dexter Fowler lined a base hit over 2nd Base, scoring Simmons, Walker costed into 3rd.   The bleeding stopped for Dallas when Alex Bregman popped out to end the inning.  Chicago scored 6 Runs, all earned, all with 2 Outs & the bases empty.   Chicago was feeling good after one Inning of play.  Dallas, not so much.
Freddie Freeman Doubled to lead off the 2nd Inning & scored on a Buster Posey single to right field, putting the Mobsters up 7-0 after 2 Innings of play.
The game settled down for a while through innings three, four & five, but in the sixth Dallas had Yangervis Solarte on 2nd Base when Carlos Gomez took a Carlos Matias Martinez fastball deep to left center for a long Home Run. Dallas inched back cutting the lead to 7-2 after 6 Innings of play.
In the bottom of the 8th the Mobsters struck again. Neil Walker lead off with a single & after Mikie Mathtook walked. Alex Bregman was facing Matt Albers & Bregman took fat Albers deep to left for a big fly 3 run Baltimore special. Chicago now had a 10-3 lead after 8 Innings of play.
Chicago had brought in their big left-hander on the mound C.C. Sabathia for 2 Outs in the 8th and besides a Single to Justin Smoak in the 9th, Sabathia was clean, and closed down game number three for a big lopsided 10-3 victory at home.

Final Score: Chicago 10 – Dallas 3
Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 1-0 (2.57)
Loss: Dallas Keuchel 0-1 (15.75)
Home Runs: Carlos Gomez (1), Alex Bregman (1), J.D. Martinez (1),

GAME #4 –  Brent Suter (8-3 1.95) vs. Marcus Stroman (15-8 3.95)

Neil_WalkerALCS18Playoff baseball returned to Chicago for game #4. The high scorring affair that was game #3 was in the past. Both starters Suter for Dallas & Stroman for Chicago were stellar.
Dallas touched up Stroman in the 4th on a Josh Harrison solo Home Run. Chicago responded in the 5th the same way off a solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman.
It was deadlocked at 1-Run each after 5 Inings of play.  Chicago pulled Stroman in the top of the 6th after a lead off Double by Miguel Rojas & a walk to Andrew Toles. Chicago went to their big right hander in Dellin Betances. The announcer made a funny remark when Betances entered the game & announced his ERA at “ummm, infinity” as he was knocked out of game #2 before getting an out. Betances made up for it here in game #4. A sacrifice bunt attempt was spoiled when Freddie Freeman rusing in from 1B fired a strike to 3B getting Rojas at 3B for the first out. After and Alexander Presley Strike Out Betances was one out a way from getting out of a big jam. Jose Abreu stepped up, the
one man Chicago Manager Stray Corrado wanted to keep off the board. Betances got Abreu on a change piece to chop one back to the mound, Betances took his time, threw over to Freeman at 1B & the threat was extinguished.
Dallas pulled Suter after 6.1 Innings of work allowing 1 Run, (Earned, Solo Home Run from Freddie Freeman) 9 Hits, 1 Walk & 6 Strike Outs. All in all in great game for Suter. Adam Warren came on & shut the Mobsters down through the end of 9 Innings. Chicago had Betances go a second Inning of work, followed by Chad Green who worked 3 Innings allowing only 1 Hit & into the top of the 10th with the score tied at 1 run apiece. Neither team scored in the 10th.
In the top of the 11th Chicago went to left hander Andrew Miller who got the Cougars 1-2-3. Juan Nicasio had started the 10th for Dallas & was now facing the lead off hitter Neil Walker in the top of the 11th. Walker a late season acqustion from the Virginia Sluggers had played some years before in Chicago & knew the crowd was primed for a win here in game #4. Walker delievered as he was waiting for Nicasio first pitch fastball & Walker took him deep into right center, for a Walk Off Home Run, giving the Mobsters the victory with a 2-1 win!

Final Score: Chicago 2 – Dallas 1
Win: Andrew Miller (0.00)
Loss: Juan Nicasio 0-1 (6.75)
Home Runs: Josh Harrison (1), Neil Walker (2), Freddie Freeman (1)

 

GAME #5 – Chase Anderson (15-10 2.64) vs. Rich Hill (13-3 2.98)

TChase_AndersonALCS18his was the best game of the series. What a pitchers duel between two starters that both had won games already this series. Chase Anderson didn’t allow a hit until the bottom of the 6th with two outs when Dexter Fowler gapped one between A.J. Pollock & Carlos Gomez. A pop out by Bregman ended the inning for the Mobsters. Anderson was crusing. Chicago starter Rich Hill was even better. He had walked 2 in the game, but starting off the 9th inning Hill hadn’t let up a hit. The 9th started with a Strike Out of Carlos Gomez – one down, two outs away from a No-Hitter. A.J. Pollock took Hill to a 3-2 count where Hill tried to get Pollock to chase a high fastball, but Pollock didn’t offer. So Hill had walked his 3rd batter of the game, still hadn’t given up a hit & was still in control. The only bad thing for Hill here was that Chicago hadn’t put up a run yet off Chase Anderson. It was deadlocked in the 9th at 0-0. What a pitchers duel this was. Josh Harrison stepped in to face Hill for the Cougars. Chicago had interest in Harrision late in the year, but Dallas owner Jarl Jackson, quickly shot down any talks of moving Harrison. Jackson’s response was “No. Not at this time”. So Hill who had already plunked Harrison in game #2 stepped back on the mound after the 1 out walk to Pollack & let go a beautiful looking curveball. But it hung – hung right in Harrison’s wheel house. BOOM! Harrisson connected, deep to center, Dexter Fowler raced back to the wall, looked up & there was nothing Fowler could do, it was long gone! A two-run shot putting the Cougars in the lead by a 2-0 score. Hill shrugged his shoulders, smiled as Harrison crossed the plate & was ready to get back to work, hoping his Mobsters could muster something up in the 9th. An Error by J.D. Martinez allowed Jose Pirela to reach 1B, Hill was pulled by Manager Stray Corrado, but not before a thunderous roar from the crowd for the great work he did on the mound. Hill handed the Ball to the manager, walked toward the home 3rd base dugout, tipped his hat to the croud (for another thunderous roar) & headed down the tunnel for the evening. Anthony Swarzak was called upon & got Jose Abreu to go down on strikes & Justin Smoak to scorch a line out to Neil Walker for the 3rd out. Chicago was down to thier last 3 outs. Andrelton Simmons struck out on a check swing for out number one. Dexter Fowler came up & Chase Anderson walked him on four straight pitches. Jarl Jackson headed out from the 1B dugout & asked Anderson for the ball. Chicago’s great baseball crowd responded with cheering for the great job that Anderson did. Anderson pitched 8.1 Inings, 1 hit, 2 walks & struck out 9 Mobsters along the way. The cheering turned to boos when “Sugar” was called upon from the Cougars bullpen. Edwin Diaz had the Save in game #2 & was two outs away from locking this one down for Dallas. Alex Bregman stepped in the first batter to face “Sugar”. Chicago manager Stray Corrado put the Hit-N-Run on & Bregman grounded one to the right side, Josh Harrison was moving toward second base and Bregman hit it right through the hole. Fowler moved easily to third & Bregman perfectly placed that Hit-N-Run through the hole left by the Cougars infield for his 7th hit of the series. The tying run was now on 1B. Bregman went on the first pitch to Freddie Freeman, but Manny Pina threw the ball down to third as Fowler had wandered a little too far down the line. Jed Gyorko ran Fowler towards home, threw the ball to Pina – Pina threw back to 3rd, but Fowler got in with a head first dive. So now the tying run was on 2nd, the winning run was Freddie Freeman standing in the batters box with a 1-0 count. The count went 3-2, Freddie was ready. Diaz rocked & fired and Freeman with a half swing, he held up – but home plate umpire Jordan Baker went up with his right hand & called Freeman out for extensive window shopping. Two outs, two on, Chicago down by two. Jarl Jackson headed to the mound again & pointed at “Sugar”, telling his infielders & catcher that he only wanted to speak with Diaz. After a quick chat, smile & a pat on the ass for “Sugar”, Jackson was
done & the whole crowd figured that Jackson had instructed Diaz to walk the number four hitter J.D. Martinez in the Chicago line up. “Diaz waited for Martinez to step in, pointed at his catcher Manny Pina to sit down & was ready not to walk Martinez, but to face him. J.D. Martinez stepped out, gather his thoughts on what was about to happen. Jordan Baker pointed for Martinez to get in the box, J.D. stepped in. Diaz set, pitched & Martinez hit what looked like a blooper over the shortstop Miguel Rojas head, but Rojas leaped, backhanded it & caught the ball for the final out of game #5.

Final Score: Dallas 2 – Chicago 0
Win: Chase Anderson 2-0 (1.65)
Loss: Rich Hill 1-1 (1.35)
Save: Edwin Diaz #2
Home Runs: Josh Harrison (2)

The 2018 American League Championship was shaping up to be a dog fight.   Dallas was down 3 games to 1 in Chicago, but managed to win game 5 & brought the series back home to Dallas for at least a game 6 and hopefully a game 7.  The Cougars faithful were buying tickets on the street for as high as $750.00 a piece for good box seats.  Even the low end bleacher seats were tripled in price & going for more than $125.00.   Chicago was not looking forward to being back in Dallas & were disappointed they didn’t win game 5, take a few extra days of rest.  The plane ride to Dallas was quiet, however the captain did come on the loudspeaker and asked the players to look out the left side of the planes windows, stating over the intercom “If you look real close about & were about 12,000 feet up you can see the ball that Josh Harrison hit off Rich Hill starting it’s decline”.   The Mobsters team erupted in laughter & Rich Hill’s smile was from ear to ear.  It was a good laugh for the Mobsters team & that seemed to relax them as they headed into Dallas still up 3 games to 2.
GAME #6 – Carlos Matias Martinez (11-9 3.47) vs. Andrew Cashner (18-6 3.01)

JD_MartinezALCS18Dexter Fowler lead off the game back in Dallas. Fowler told on deck batter Alex Bregman “If Cash throws me a first pitch fastball, I am talking him downtown”. Bregman smiled as Dexter, & said “You go Homie – You go get it”. Surer than s#it, that’s exactly what Andrew Cashner threw first pitch to Dexter & surer than S#it, Dexter did just as he said & started a trend of long balls for Chicago.
In the top of the 2nd Ining it was Justin Turner’s turn. He socked a Cashener fastball deep to left & gone to make it 2-0 Chicago after 1.5 Innings of play.
Dallas had a hot bat as well with Justin Smoak who wasn’t hitting much for average, but in the bottom of the 2nd Smoak took a Carlos Matias Martinez pitch down the line in right field for a Home Run. At the end of 2 Innings of play, Chicago held a 2-1 lead not only in Home Runs, but the overall score too.  Chicago must have seen something in Game 2 as Cashner seemed to be tipping his pitches. In the top of the 3rd Alex Bregman spotted a Cashner fastball (meatball) & took it for a ride over the left field wall, putting Chicago up 3-1. But that wasn’t it in the 3rd. After a Freddie Freeman single, J.D. Martinez stepped in. Martinez saw a 2-0 fastball from Cashner & went the opposite way, deep to right, Josh Harrison got a good jump & went back to the wall, but he ran out of room as J.D. Martinez deposited a 2-Run Home Run over the right field wall. Andrew Cashner was pulled after 2.1 Innings of play, his line was 7 Hits, 5 Runs (all earned) 0 Walks, 2 K’s but the thing that hurt Cashner was the 4 long balls. Chicago had a 5-1 lead at the end of 2.5 Innings of play.
In the 5th Brock Stewart hit Justin Turner in the helmet. Turner got up slowly walked vaguely down to 1B & after getting the concussion protocol cleared stood at 1B with one out. Andrew McCutchen stepped in & uncorked one for a 2-Run Home Run & giving the Mobsters a sizable 7-1 lead.
Meanwhile Carlos Matias Martinez rolled through 5.1 Inings of work before Chad Green took over. Green allowed only a solo Home Run in his 2.1 Innings of work to Justin Smoak his 2nd of the game (Smaok also had a Double giving him 10 bases on the day).
Chicago went with Anthony Swarzak for 1/3 of an Inning & brought in Andrew Miller in to face Carlos Gomez (Struck Out), A.J. Pollock (Struck Out), Josh Harrison (Walk) & Alexander Presley (Struck Out) to close out the game & the series for Chicago.

Final Score: Chicago 7 – Dallas 2
Win: Carlos Matias Martinez 2-0 (2.19)
Loss: Andrew Cashner 0-2 (7.88)
Home Runs: Dexter Fowler (1), Alex Bregman (2), J.D. Martinez (2), Justin Turner (1), Andrew McCutchen (2) & Justin Smoak 2 (3)

Chicago & Dallas played a great series.  Dallas scared Chicago quite a bit, & there 2-0 win in game #5 felt like a down turn for the Mobsters.   However in the end the Mobsters prevailed winning the series 4 games to 2.  Congratulations to Dallas on a great season.  Chicago now awaits the winner of the Sacramento Capitals & Columbus Explorers National League Championship – before they head off to the 2018 Mid-West Baseball League World Series.

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