2022 AMERICAN LEAGUE WILD CARD SERIES “D”
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| SERIES PREVIEW – Yonge Street and Southbend face off in the Wild Card Round.
Yonge Street (85-77), 2nd place in the AL Central takes on Southbend (105-57), 2nd Place in the AL West in the first round of the playoffs. Younge Street was 4th in team batting and 7th in team pitching; Southbend was 5th in team batting and 5th in team pitching. Yonge Street’s hitting attack was led by A.Frazier (.299-87 runs-8-56), T.Turner (.260-29-97), K.Bryant (.244-26-930), and J.Soler(.225-28-67). Yonge Street pitching was led by Houser (14-8 4.52), G.Cole (13-8 3.39 236 Ks), E.Clase (43 SVS 1.98), and N.Cortes (7-6 3.07) Southbend’s hitting attack was led by K.Tucker (.325-30-87), J.Altuve (.286-27-101), Bichette(.279-37-100 & 128 runs), Muncy (.244-35-101), and Meadows (.222-32-100). Southbend was second only to Fremont with 273 HRs as a team.Southbend relied heavily on its bullpen this year and was lead by F.Peralta(20-6 2.79), T.Houck (7-2 3.33), C.Hernandez (10-5 3.68), Steckenrider (52 SVS 1.49), and L.Jackson (9-1 1.73). |
| GAME #1 – Gerrit Cole 13-8 (3.39) vs. Tanner Houck 7-2 (3.33)
YSS opens the scoring in the B1 when Heyward 1bs. Madrigal then smashes a ball of Escobar’s leg that turns into a 2b and Escobar is injured for Game 2; T.Turner then hits a SF8 for a 1-0 lead. On the mound YSS G.Cole opens the game by striking out the first 6 Lynx hitters before walking Canha to open the B3, Mayfield (in for Escobar) then 2bs, and SBL ties the game on a Zunino passed ball. YSS G.Cole and SBL T.Houck and A.Cimber take over from there and throw scoreless ball through the 6th inning. In the SBL B7 Altuve hits a solo-HR to give the Lynx the 2-1 lead. SBL A.Jackson comes on in the T8 and gives up a lead-off 2b to Madrigal, but gets T.Turner to L6 and fans Bryant before walking Ruf. Jackson then bears down and fans Pederson to end the threat. SBL D.Steckenrider comes on and tosses a perfect T9 to nail down the win for SBL. YSS G.Cole is the hard loser as he pitches a strong game only giving up 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, while fanning 13 Lynx batters Southbend takes a 1-0 lead in the series. SBL 2 – YSS 1 |
| GAME #2 – Taijuan Walker 8-7 (3.77) vs. Freddy Peralta 20-6 (2.79)
SBL doesn’t waste any time in this game and gets out to a 2-0 lead in the B1 when Bichette bbs, K.Tucker with a H&R rbi-2b, and Altuve with an rbi-2b. SBL add 2 more in the B5 when Soto bbs, Bichette 2bs, K.Tucker w/inf rbi-1b, and a Muncy SF7. On the mound SBL F.Peralta is masterful only giving up a 2nd inning 2b to Duffy and a 7th inning 1b to T.Turner while also fanning 4 in his 7 innings of work. SBL uses Barnes, Duffey, Sawamura, and R.Burr to close out the game for the 5 pitcher shutout. Southbend takes a 2-0 lead in the series as it shifts back to Yonge Street. SBL 4 – YSS 0 |
| GAME #3 – Carlos E. Hernandez 10-5 (3.68) vs. Michael Pineda 7-8 (4.13)
SBL C.Hernandez matches up against YSS M.Pineda SBL again takes the early lead in the T2 when Meadows bbs and 2 outs later Wynns hits a 2-run HR. SBL adds to their lead in the T3 when Bichette bbs and K.Tucker hits a 2-run HR. In the SBL T4 a common theme seems to be developing as Wynns reaches on Bryant’s error and then Soto hits a 2-run HR; the 3rd inning in a row for the Lynx w/ a 2-run HR. The SBL make it 4 innings in a row in the T5 when Muncy 1bs and Altuve hits a 2-run HR YSS looks like they might be getting something going in the B5 when Zunino bbs, Hicks 1bs, and Pederson 1bs to RF; but SBL K.Tucker nails Zunino at the plate. SBL would add two more in the T6 on a Muncy 2-run 2b and 1 in the T8 on a Mayfield rbi-1b. YSS can’t get anything going against the SBL bullpen as the Lynx get another multi-pitcher shutout from C.Hernandez, J.Familia, Duffey, and N.Pivetta. Southbend takes a 3-0 lead in the series. SBL 11 – YSS 0 |
| GAME #4 – Tanner Houck 7-2 (3.33) vs. Adrian Houser 14-8 (4.52)
YSS have their backs to the wall in a must win game. SBL out quickly again as Soto leads off the B1 with a solo-HR. In the SBL T4 Meadows 1bs, Canha is HBP, Escobar bounces into a FC, and Wynns with a SF8 for a 2-0 SBL lead. In the YSS B4 Solano breaks the scoreless streak for the Stalkers with a solo-HR. YSS starts to mount a rally in the B5 when with 2 outs Ortega 1bs and Bryant is HBP, but SBL calls on L.Jackson and he Ks Pederson to end the threat. SBL gets a run back in the T6 when Canha bbs, steals 2nd, Escobar is IW, Wynns works a bb, and then Soto hits into a FC scoring Canha. In the YSS B7 Frazier 1bs and Turner plates him with a H&R rbi-2b. But the YSS bullpen can’t keep the game close as H.Strickland comes on with 1 out in the T8 and walks PH Fraley, Fraley steals 2nd, Wynns hits a 2-run HR, Soto reaches on Turner’s throwing error, Bichette is HBP (Strickland ejected); W.Smith on for YSS and he walks Tucker, and Muncy hits a 2-run 1b to make it 7-2 SBL. SBL then use 4 relievers (Cimber, Barnes, Sawamura, and Steckenrider) to close out the last two innings of the game. Southbend sweeps the series 4-0 over Yonge Street SBL 7 – YSS 2 |
| SERIES SUMMARY – Southbend takes the series in a 4-0 sweep over Yonge Street. Certainly not what I anticipated or expected as I thought the series would go at least 6 games. Yonge Street has a much better team than this series showed, but lady luck was just not on his side in this series. YSS T.Turner had a real nice series going 7-16 with 3 doubles; but he didn’t score a single run and only drove in 2 as the rest of the YSS went cold.
I realize that there is no MVP in real life in the Wild Card Series, but I’m going to choose one in this MWBL Wild Card Series as being K.Tucker. SBL K.Tucker had the best series for the Lynx as he went 5-14 w/ 2 runs, 4 rbi, 1-2b and 1-HR. Muncy was close behind going 4-13 w/1 run, 5 rbi and a 2b. But as has been the case during the season the hitting for the SBL was balanced as they had 3 players with 2 HRs and 3 different players scoring 3 runs, and 8 players scoring at least 2 runs along with 5 players with 4 or more rbi in the series. |