2023 A.L. LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

However, Chicago will face a significant challenge in this series as they’ll be without their rookie sensation, Julio Rodriguez, until Game #5. Rodriguez has been a crucial contributor to the team’s offense and will be sorely missed in the early games of the series.

On the other side of the diamond, the Hollywood Werewolves are no pushovers. With Aaron Judge patrolling the outfield and delivering his signature towering home runs, the Werewolves have their own offensive firepower to contend with. Their starting rotation, featuring Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and the legendary Clayton Kershaw, is nothing short of impressive.

This series promises thrilling matchups, with power hitters and dominant pitchers on both sides. The absence of Julio Rodriguez in the Mobsters’ lineup early on may create an opportunity for Hollywood to gain an edge, but Chicago’s experienced veterans will be determined to step up in his absence.

Baseball fans are in for a treat as these two juggernauts clash in a battle for supremacy in the American League. With the championship berth on the line, the Chicago Mobsters and Hollywood Werewolves are prepared to leave it all on the field, and every pitch and swing could be the deciding factor in this epic showdown. 

The best two teams in the American League face off in the League Championship Series.  Chicago took the regular season series 7-6 with key wins in Hollywood to secure home field advantage.  McClanahan and Gosilin trade zeroes through 5 innings.  McClanahan has given up 1 hit, while Gonsolin has been perfect through those 5.  Entering into the 6^th, Gonsolin gets Ketel Marte on strikes for 5 1/3 perfect, when JP Crawford breaks it up with a single to right for the first Hollywood base runner of the game.  With 1-out and Lane Thomas up, the ump calls him out on strikes as Thomas jumps up and down complaining it hit him.  The umps go to the headphones as Hollywood challenges the play.  The umps come back and announces, “After further review, the batter was hit on the forearm and takes 1^st base.”  Gonsolin kicks the dirt, upset at himself as Cristian Yelich steps in.  Yelich rips a double to right, scoring 2 and takes 3^rd on the throw home for a Hollywood 2-0 lead.  Alejandro Kirk bloops a single over 2^nd,driving home Yelich and Hollywood jumps out to a 3-0 lead.  McClanahan continues to be stellar, handing the ball off to the bullpen in the 8^th with that same lead.  Peter Fairbanks is the first one out of the pen for Hollywood and he walks Sterling Marte to start the 8^th.  The former Werewolf, Sam Haggerty, reaches on an error and we’ve made it interesting, bringing up the tying run Keibert Ruiz with no outs.  Ruiz pops out to center for 1-outs with the runners holding.  Luis Arraez singles homes Chicago’s first run of the game, cutting the lead to 3-1.  After some maneuvering, Chicago brings in pinch hitter Eric Hosmer and Hollywood counters with Cionel Perez.  Chicago then goes to Andrew McClutchen with runners on first & second.  Perez gets him on strikes and after walking Yoran Alvarez, is pulled with the bases loaded for closer Jordan Romano, who is looking to get 4 outs.  Romano gets Alex Bregman to ground out to end the threat, leaving it 3-1 after 8.  Hollywood goes quietly in the 9^th and Chicago gets Willy Adames on base to lead off the 9^th.  Diaz then steps in and doubles to left.  With no-outs, Chicago flashes the stop sign to Adames.  There’s a visit to the mound to talk to Romano.  No one is up in the pen as Starling Marte steps in.  Marte grounds out to short, moving the tying run in Diaz to 3^rd base with 1-out.  Haggerty steps in….let’s listen to the call.  The Werewolves are looking for the play at the plate … checks third … the pitch….in the air to center … no cause for alarm … Yelich has it in his sights…and he tucks it away … Yandy Diaz tags…..they’re waving him home … here comes the throw … and he’s … OUT!…on a close play….double play! … go to town, Werewolves! … they cut off the tying run!…..they cut off the tying run! Hollywood wins the game 3-2 to lead the series 1 games to 0

Hollywood 3 – Chicago 2

Win: Shane McClanahan 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Tony Gonsolin 0-1 (4.50)
Save: Jordan Romano #1

Jake Cronenworth walks in the second and Matt Chapman homers to give Hollywood another early lead at 2-0.  Chicago jumps on Rasmussen in the bottom half.  Alvarez walks, followed by a Diaz single.  With runners on first and second and no one out Adames singles home their first run, cutting the lead to 2-1.  Rasmussen gets the next 2 batters, bringing up Ruiz.  Ruiz doubles 2 home giving Chicago the 3-2 lead.  Starling Marte doubles him home extending the Chicago lead to 4-2.  The game stays that way into the 7^th inning until Chapman doubles and scores on a Crawford double, cutting the lead to 4-3.  In a surprise move, Chicago turns to game 3 starter, Julio Urias, to start the 9^th, with he lefty Cronenworth coming up.  On the first pitch, Cronenworth hammers the tying homerun, knocking Urias out after 1 batter.   All smiles in Hollywood as they let Adam Ottavino go out there for a second inning of work.  After getting Ruiz easily, Starling Marte steps in.  The pitch…Marte hammers it to deep center field, all Yelich can do is look up and Chicago wins 5-4!  The have evened the series at 1-game a piece.

Chicago 5 – Hollywood 4

Win: Jesus Luzardo 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Adam Ottavino 0-1 (6.75)

Urias is looking for redemption in almost blowing game 2, while Hollywood has seen disappointing performances by Kershaw all post season, except for his game 7 Divisional Series performance. Hollywood jumps out to a 1-0 lead in the second, thanks to a Cronenworth double and Ketel Marte single.  Then we had to the top of the 3^rd.  After Ruiz and Starling Marte strike out, Chicago gets a key 2-out single from Arraez.  Kershaw hits Bregman with an inside fastball, putting 2 runners on with 2-outs.  Kershaw walks Yordan Alvarez to load the bases and faces Willy Adames.  The runners take their lead … Kershaw brings it home … hit deep to left center … way back…. Thomas is racing back … it’s gone! … grand slam for Willy Adames and Chicago takes a 4-1 lead!!  Kershaw is disgusted with himself as Kirk visits the mound.  Hollywood down 4-1, chips away at the Chicago lead with a Kirk homer, and a Chapman solo shot in the 4^th to cut the lead to 4-3.  Kershaw gets into trouble in the 5^th and is pulled with 2-outs in favor of his long-time teammate, David Price, who gets the 3^rd out.  Hollywood ties it with an Aaron Judge leadoff homer in the 6^th off Jhoan Duran.  Judge had been quiet all series, not factoring into any of the scoring.  The bullpens trade zeroes into the bottom of the 9^th. 

With 1-out, Matt Chapman walked.  Chicago brings in Devin Williams to get them out of the threat.  Chapman steals 2^nd base.  Marte knocks him over to 3^rd base with an infield out, bringing up JP Crawford, with 2-outs.  Chapamn takes his lead at third … Devin Williams comes to the plate … big swing… it’s a dying quail to right … Dylan Moore gallops in … Luis Arraez races back…but it parachutes between them … a Texas League single for Crawford … Matt Chapman scores easily and Hollywood comes back to win 5-4, taking the series lead of 2 games to 1. 

Hollywood 5 – Chicago 4

Win: Jordan Romano 1-0 (4.50)
Loss: Edwin Diaz 0-1 (2.70)

Chicago’s bullpen, which is usually very tough, let them down in game 3, so they look to get back into the series sending their ace back out there.   Chicago jumps out on McClanahan in the first after Arraez reaches on a fielder’s choice.  Then with 2-outs, Yordan Alvarez hammered a homerun to make it 2-0 Chicago.  Chicago extends their lead in the 2^nd after Adames walks and moves to 3^rd on a Haggerty double. Ruiz brings him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.  With the game 3-0, we headed to the bottom of the second.  With 1-out, Matt Chapman reaches first on an error.  Marte reaches on an infield single putting runners at first & second for J.P. Crawford.  Crawford strikes out, bringing up Lane Thomas with 2-outs.  The runners take their lead … here he comes … Thomas swings … yes! … that ball is history…. way out in left … no doubt about it … what a clout! … a three-run dinger…Thomas ties the game at 3!  With the game tied, Hollywood heads to the bottom of the 3^rd.  Gonsolin walks Kirk to lead off the 3^rd, with Judge coming up.  The pitch … Judge drives one down the left field line … it’s deep enough if it’s fair….and it’s … long gone! … home run for Judge and Hollywood has come all the way back, taking the lead. 5-3.  The bullpen takes over from there for Hollywood.  With Fairbanks and Romano not available, they turn to Ottavino, Scott Effross and Cionel Perez, who put up goose eggs for the 5-3 win and 3 games to 1 series lead.

Hollywood 5 – Chicago 3

Win: Shane McClanahan 2-0 (2.02)
Loss: Tony Gonsolin 0-2 (4.09)
Save: Cionel Perez #1

Hollywood up 3 games to 1, while Chicago is looking to get back in the series.  Starling Marte walks to start the game for Chicago.  After a Judge error, Chicago put runners on 2^nd & 3^rd with no outs.  Yordan Alvarez, singles home Marte and Chicago is looking good, up 1-0 and runners at the corners with Julio Rodriguez returning after his injury.  Rasmussen uncorks a wild pitch, scoring a run and Alvarez looks to get all the way to 3^rd, but is thrown out!  Rasmussen settles down trailing 2-0 after 1.   In the bottom of the second, Paul Goldschmidt walks to lead off.  He’s been quiet all series. He moves to 3^rd, when Cronenworth reaches on a Manoah error.  With runners at the corners and 1-out, Cronenworth steals second.  Ketel Marte then doubles both of them home to tie the game at 2! Chicago is frustrated.  Every time it looks like they have momentum, Hollywood comes back.  With 1-out in the 5^th, Ruiz singles and steals second.  After Starling Marte walks, Alvarez singles home Marte for the 3-2 lead.  In the 6^th inning, Cristian Yelich leads off against Manoah.  Manoah into his motion … delivers … Christian Yelich juices this one … it’s got possibilities…. chasing Starling Marte to the fence … and gone! Hollywood tied the game once again at 3!  Hollywood looks to the bullpen to keep Chicago off the board and turns to Wade Miley with 2-outs in the 7^th and he gets Alvarez on strikes.  With the game tied at 3 in the bottom of the 7^th, JP Crawford steps in against Rafel Montero. Montero brings it … blasted deep … deep to left center over Julio Rodriguez‘s head … it’s long gone! Crawford has given Hollywood a 4-3 lead!!!  Hollywood turns to Effross in the 8^th who gets Chicago 1-2-3, bringing us to the top of the 9^th.  Hollywood sends out closer Jordan Romano.  Yandy Diaz flies out to Judge for 1-out. Sam Haggerty watches strike three for 2-outs.  That brings up pinch hitter Anderw McCutchen. The pitch… McCutchen pops a little fly … back of second…. Croneworth and Crawford going out … Christian Yelich coming in … coming in and Yelich makes the catch in front of Crawford for the 4-3 win!  Hollywood is going to the World Series!!!!

Hollywood 4 – Chicago 3

Win: Wade Miley 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Rafael Montero 0-1 (6.75)
Save: Jordan Romano #2