2008 DIVISION SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

For Immediate Release
October 22, 2008

Yonge Street vs. Chicago –  Written by Chicago Mobsters – John “Stray” Corrado – Games played Head 2 Head using Logmein.com

Game #1 – Yonge Street came out with their Bats a Blazing. Before the top of the 1st was complete the score was 3-0 Yonge Street.
Chicago got one back in the bottom, and then took a 4-3 lead in the 4th. But C.C. Sabathia was not his usual self and proceeded to give 2 runs back in the top of the 5th.
The Stalkers tacked on one more and the final score was 6-4 Yonge Street. Travis Hafner hit 2 Home Runs, and drove in 3 RBI’s in the game. Rick Ankiel went 2 for 4 with a HR, and 2 RBI’s. Gary Sheffield for the Mobsters hit a 3 Run Home Run, but it wasn’t enough as Scott Kazmir went 8 innings and Jonathan Papelbon closed it out for the save. Yonge Street 6 – Chicago 4

Game #2 – Was all Chicago and I mean all Chicago. Roy Halladay took a pounding and thought he went 4.1 Innings the game was done at the end of the 1st. Chicago scored 8 in the 1st, including 2 solo HR’s in the same inning by Barry Bonds. Placido Polonco went 4 for 5, Gary Sheffield hit another Home Run, and Todd Helton and Josh Phelps both homered as well. Fausto Carmona allowed 2 hits, and 1 walk and faced only 3 batters over the minimum as the Stalkers just simply didn’t show up for this one. Halladay was ejected for hitting Polonco in the 5th. Chicago 12 – Yonge Street 0

Game #3 – In a classic Pitcher’s duel and only 4 runs scored in the game, Chicago came away with another win. Josh Beckett went 6.1 innings and handed it over to the Chicago pen who held the Stalkers the rest of the way. James Sheilds went 8 innings for the Stalkers, and allowed only 5 hits and 3 runs, but the Stalker offense didn’t show up again for game #3. Curtis Granderson went 2 for 4 and drove in 2 RBI’s. Final Score Chicago 3 – Yonge Street 1

Game #4 – It took to the 2nd inning this time and Chicago’s bats came alive once again. 5 Runs scored in the 2nd, two runs scored off a Derek Jeter Double. Chipper Jones went 2 for 4 with a RBI. C.C. Sabathia righted his ship went 6.2 innings allowing only a solo home run to Scott Spiezio. Rick Ankiel went 2 for 4 with a RBI for the Stalkers. Greg Maddux pitched seven innings but was ejected for hitting Placido Polonco. Joe Nathan pitched 2 solid scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th, but the damage had already been done. Chicago’s pen picked up where C.C. left off and Billy Wagner picked up his 2nd save of the series. Final Score Chicago 6 – Yonge Street 4

Game #5 – Chicago held a 4-3 lead into the 7th, when the Mobsters offense showed up again with vengeance. A Seven spot sunk the sails for the Stalkers and their 2008 hopes of being a Cinderella story. David Ortiz homered and drove in 5 and Curtis Granderson homered and drove in 4. Cole Hamels went 5 innings and the Chicago pen pitched the last 4 innings. Final Score Chicago 11 – Yonge Street 3

Chicago heads home to rest for a few days before the American League Championship Series begins next week.

Severn vs. – Fremont

Severn starts defense of their 2007 MWBL Championship.

Game 1 Roy Oswalt vs Brandon Webb

After a couple of walks in the top half of the 2nd, Ben Broussard hits a bloop single to score Hank Blalock and give Fremont a 1-0 lead. Morneau leads off the 4th with a double. Oswalt retires ARod, but then walks Cabrera and Holliday to load the bases. Kent delivers an RBI single to tei the game at 1. Byrd would then clear the bases and get thrown out at 3rd, 4-1 Severn. Severn would add 2 more in the bottom of the 6th en route to a 6-1 victory. Brandon Webb gets the win and Oswalt takes the loss.

Game 2 Ted Lilly vs Tim Hudson

Fremont plates a run in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th to jum out to a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the 5th, Matt Holliday delivered an RBI triple to cut the lead to 4-1. Holliday later scored on a sac fly by Byrd, 4-2 Fremont. After Burrell and Morneau strike out to start the bottom of the 6th, ARod, Cabrera, and Holliday go back to back to back, to give Severn a 5-4 lead. The lead would be short lived though, as Fremont scores 2 in the top of the 7th on a bases loaded walk by Broussard and a wild pitch, Fremont leads 6-5. Justin Morneau hits a bomb in the bottom of the 8t to tie the score at 6. The Express would take the lead on a fielder’s chocie, 7-6. Top 9 – Isringhausen comes in to close the game. NOT! With 2 outs and no one on, Issy promptly walks Nady. PR Gomez replaces Nady. Nick swisher then hooks one down the right field line to score Gomez, tied 7-7. Broussard delivers an RBI single to give fremont a 8-7 lead. Closer Heath Bell comes in for Fremont. With one out in the bottom of the 9th, Burrell manages a walk. Morneau would then pop out. ARod delivers a double to give the Express 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Miguel Cabrera would then deliver a 3 run homer to give the Express a 10-8 victory. On to Fremont for games 3, 4, and 5.

After a long delay caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ike, the power was finally back on at the old ballpark and the series was ready to resume.

Game 3: Zambrano vs. Billingsley

The Express scored first, but the Cannons came back in the sixth off of Trevor Hoffman to tie it at four apiece. The Cannons turned it over to Pat Neshek, but after a scotreless eighth, he allowed a HR to Brian McCann in the ninth to give Severn the 5-4 win. Jose Valverde nailed down his first save of the series.

Game 4: Webb vs. Buehrle

This one turned out to be a real pitchers’ duel. Both sides managed only 5 hits in the game. Severn took the lead off a Jeff Kent HR in the fifth, but Xavier Nady countered with a HR of his own to tie it at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame. The teams traded goose-eggs until Severn again used some ninth inning magic, with Holliday doubling home the winning run. Valverde again picked up the save.

Fremont’s vote for MVP would go with Brandon Webb, going 2-0 and allowing only a run in each of his two starts. Congratulations to Severn as they take their first step towards repeating by knocking Fremont out for the second straight year.

 

Kentucky vs. Tempe – MWBL Division Series – (Played via logmein on 9/12/08)

Game 1
TEM 8 11 0
KEN 3 6 1

Tempe jumps all over Ben Sheets, and Kentucky can’t recover.

W: Donnelly (1-0)
L: Sheets (0-1)
Sv: none
HR: Glaus (1), Byrnes (1)

Game 2
TEM 2 6 0
KEN 4 4 1

Kentucky manages only 4 hits, but makes them count for 4 runs. Series tied 1-1 heading to Tempe.

W: Burnett (1-0)
L: Escobar (0-1)
Sv: Springer (1)
HR: Matsui (1)

Game 3
KEN 2 7 1
TEM 3 9 1

Wang is injured for 11 games in the 2nd inning. This game is tied until the bottom of the 7th, when Tempe gets a run off of Cordero. Series 2-1 to Tempe.

W: Moylan (1-0)
L: Cordero (0-1)
Sv: Accardo (1)
HR: Rowand (1)

Game 4
KEN 3 6 0
TEM 2 7 1

Kentucky had managed only 1 hit through 8 innings, but found away to score 2 in the top of the 9th to get the victory and tie the series at 2-2. With the Wang injury and this improbable come from behind victory, it appeared the series might have turned in Kentucky’s direction.

W: Hampson (1-0)
L: Accardo (0-1)
Sv: Dotel (1)
HR: Rollins (1), Lowell (1)

Game 5
KEN 4 5 0
TEM 5 9 0

Kentucky gets 2 in the 1st, and Tempe gets 4 in the 1st. Its 5-3 Tempe into the 9th, and Kentucky rallies in a strong way only to score 1 run but still lose 5-4. Tempe is up 3-2.

W: Bannister (1-0)
L: Owings (0-1)
Sv: Chulk (1)
HR: D Lee (1), Gonzalez (1)

Game 6
TEM 4 9 0
KEN 2 5 1

Kentucky has the bases loaded, two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Tempe’s pen is depleted, and Chris goes with Embree to face Derrek Lee. Ballgame and series to Tempe.

W: Chulk (1-0)
L: Burnett (1-1)
Sv: Embree (1)
HR: Griffey (1), Lowell (2), Rowand (2), Backe (1)

Kentucky hits .179/.236/.326 for the series. Its amazing I could keep it that close considering the hitting. Tempe hit .252/.306/.416 which wasn’t spectacular but well better than Kentucky. Tempe was 18-4 in steals; Kentucky was 5-2. Kentucky couldn’t run the bases as no one was ever on base. Despite the batting advantage by Tempe, the team ERA difference was less pronounced at 3.06 Tempe and 3.81 Kentucky. Two ways to look at this — Tempe was unlucky and Kentucky was very lucky.

Although it might not hold, I suggest the series MVP is Jimmy Rollins who hit .409/.458/.727 with 7.8 r/g. The next two players in r/g were 5.1 and 4.4. Tempe’s best option is Victor Martinez, but he was held to 18 plate appearances due to defensive replacements (Tempe got such strong early leads that Victor was subbed out). He hit .412/.444/.529 but only 4.1 r/g.

The absolute boob of the series — and no one can debate this — is Ichiro. He had 24 at bats, with 2 singles. That would be a .083/.083/.083 hitting line. He scored 1 run, had 1 steal and 1 caught stealing. He killed me, absolutely killed me. Compare Ichiro’s shitfest to pitchers Bannister (2-3 in the series) or Backe (1-2 with a homer). For everyone that voted for the new pitching’s hitting rule, thank you — it will make the league better.

I play in a head 2 head league where all 162 games are played via logmein. I have been in this league for 8 years. I can say without a doubt that Chris is the best in game ABPA manager I have ever played against. He doesn’t make mistakes, and when his players perform he is unbeatable. When his players don’t perform, he is always in it. He manages brilliantly. Congrats to Tempe on a fine season.

Midland vs. Northridge –

Game 1 – Penny vs Bedard
Top of the 1st, a 2 out double by Teixeira, a walk by Berkman, and Hunter launches one for a 3-0 Midland lead. And that is all Midland would really need as they cruise to a Game 1 victory. Midland added a run in the 4th and a HR by the Quakes Adrian Gonzalez ended the shutout. Bedard gets the win going 6 strong innings, giving up 4 hits, 1 run, and striking out 11. Midland 4, Northridge 1

Game 2 – Smoltz vs Guthrie
The Quakes strike first, scratching out a run in the 1st and 2nd innings and jumping to a 2-0 lead. Teixeira gets Midland on the board with a solo shot in the 4th inning. Berkman gives Midland the lead in the 6th with a 2-run shot. The Quakes tie it up in the 7th. In the 9th inning McLouth gets on base with no outs for the Quakes, steals 2nd and on the attempt to throw him out the ball goes into the outfield, moving the runner to 3rd. Mike Young singles and the Quakes take game 2. Northridge 4, Midland 3
The series heads to Midland for games 3-5.

Northridge takes the first 2 games at Midland to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Game 3
Robinson Cano bangs out 5 hits including 2 HRs to lead the Quakes to a 15-9 win. Dunn chips in with 4 RBIs and a HR and McLouth gets 3 RBIs with a HR. Clemens picks up the win.

Game 4
Penny shuts down the Mud Hens for 6 strong innings and the Quake bats continue to roll as Northridge wins 8-0. Escobar gets 3 doubles and 3 RBIs to lead the way.

Game 5
Bedard shuts down the Quake offense with 2 hit ball for 7 innings. Teixeira provides all the offense with a 3 run blast in the sixth. Midland wins 3-0.

Game 6 – Guthrie vs Penny
The series moved back to Northridge with the Quakes leading 3 games to 2. The Quakes sent Penny to the mound in Game 6 hoping to close it out, knowing that Game 7 would bring an almost unhittable Bedard back for Midland. In the top of the 2nd a walk for Berkman, a double for Blake, and a single for Kendall and Midland led 2-0. Guthrie pitched a strong 5 innings, but in the 6th with two men on Sizemore connected giving Northridge the lead. The Quakes tacked on another run in the 6th and added three more in the 7th, and closed out the series with a 7-2 win.
Congrats on a great season Phil! Next up for the Quakes is the mighty Tempe Tempers. People have already written Tempe into the world series, but Northridge win or lose will not be intimidated!

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