Kluber started for the hometown Tempers and went three scoreless innings before yielding to a pinch hitter. Sale got the start for the Capital’s and racked up nine strike outs over seven scoreless innings. In the 6^th, Upton took Crick deep to break the 0-0 tie.  In the 8^th,  Upton went deep again to make it 2-0.  Tempe traded Upton mid-season to Sacramento, so he definitely made them regret that trade.  Perez and Strop pitched two scoreless innings to close it out.  Tempe managed only one hit and the Sacramento’s pitchers only faced 28 batters.

Sacramento 2-0,  W – Sale,  L – Crick,  S – Strop

Upton was back at it again hitting his 3^rd solo homerun of the series in the 1^st.  In the bottom of the 1^st, Tempe scored their first runs of the series.  Votto walked and Ozuna hit a two-run homerun.  Martinez then hit a solo shot to put Tempe up 3-1.  In the 2^nd, Stanton walked, Beltre doubled, and then Molina singled.  Stanton scored on the single, but Brantley gunned Beltre at the plate. 3-2 TEM.  Buchholz didn’t have his control, so Tempe did a double switch and brought in Sipp to pitch and Difo to play 3B.  Sacramento countered by bringing in the right handed hitting Reynolds to replace Moreland.  Reynolds grounded out, but Sac went to the bench again and had Grossman pinch hit for Greinke.  Grossman doubled to tie it up after two innings.  3-3.   In the bottom of the 5^th, Tempe went back on top on a Brantley rbi double.  4-3.  In the 6^th, Lindor reached on a walk, stole second base, moved to 3^rd on a fielder’s choice and then stole home with two outs to tie it up. 4-4.  In the top of the 7^th, Flores hit a solo homerun as a pinch hitter to give Sac their first lead since the 1^st.  TEM 5-4.  In the bottom of the 7^th a perfectly executed hit and run by Bogaerts put runners on the corners.  A Brantley sac fly scored JD and put Bogaerts at 2^nd when Stanton tried for the play at the plate. 5-5.  Braun struck out but ended up reaching on a passed ball.  Albies then walked to load the bases with one out.  Cespedes pinch hit for Castillo and hit a deep sac fly to put Tempe back in the lead.  6-5.   Braun tried to sneak a steal of home, but was called out for the final out.  In the top of the 9^th, Yates walked the lead off hitter Beltre.  DeShields then pinch ran for Beltre and stole 2B.  Molina then followed with a rbi sinlge.  Floro relaced Yates and then Castillo replaced Floro as Tempe played the platoons to get out of the inning.  6-6.  In the 11^th, Tempe’s last available pitcher Mikolas came on.  Sac’s last available pitcher Coleman came on in the 12^th.  The game remained tied until the 14^th, when Castro singled, was moved to second by Yadie, and then scored when Reynolds hit an RBI single.  7-6 SAC.  In the bottom of the 14^th, Bogaerts led off with a solo homerun to tie it again. 7-7.  Finally, in the bottom of the 17^th, Albies doubled to lead off the inning. The weak hitting Mathis fouled off two bunt attempts, so Tempe let him swing away.  The result was a slow grounder up the middle that scored the winning run.  8-7 TEM.  Mikolas got the win going 6 innings and only giving up one run in relief.

Tempe 8-7 17INN,  W – Mikolas,  L – Coleman

In the top of the 3^rd, Cespedes pinch hit for Mathis and doubled.  Tempe’s longest tenured player at eight years, Melky Cabrea then pinch hit for Kluber and singled to put runners on the corners.  Votto took one to the track that allowed Cespedes to outrun Stanton’s throw.  TEM 1-0.  Scherzer then settled down and didn’t allow a single hit for the next three innings.  Unfortunately for Sacramento, Tempe’s pen pitched seven scoreless innings, including 2.1 innings from Crick for the save.

Tempe 1-0,  W – SIPP, L – Scherzer, S – Crick

Due to the fog of war…the script was lost for game four so we’ll start in the bottom of the 9^th with two outs.  Tempe was leading 1-0 after scoring an unearned run in the 1^st inning.  Sacrament had runners on 3^rd and 1^st.  They sent Dickerson (who only had 8 SB during the year) on a straight steal of 2B. Mathis the defensive replacement catcher (1 error in 575 TC) tried to gun him to end the game and he air mailed it over 2^nd allowing the tying run to score on the error.   1-1.  Buchholz took the blown save, but he managed to get out of the inning and pitch a scoreless 10^th.  Grienke (the other game two starter) pitched a scoreless top of the 10^th for Sacramento.  Fields pitched a scoreless 11^th for Sacramento and Mikolas was perfect for Tempe in the bottom of the 11^th.  In the 12^th, Brantley continued his playoff heroics with a solo shot.  TEM 2-1.  Mikolas pitched another perfect inning in the 12^th.

Tempe 2-1 12INN  W – Mikolas  2-0,  L – Fields

Unlike some of the prior games, both starters went deep into the game.  In the 2^nd, Tempe got on the board with a Brantley double and then a pinch hit double by Miggy. TEM 1-0.  In the 3^rd, Ozuna crushed a solo shot. TEM 2-0.  Sacramento finally got to Kluber in the 6^th, when Lindor hit a solo shot to right. TEM 2-1.  In the 7^th, Albies gave Tempe some insurance with a solo shot.  TEM 3-1.  In the bottom of the 7^th, Sac threatened with runners on the 3^rd and 2^nd, but Hughes bailed out Kluber.   Tempe ended up using six relievers over the final 8 outs to preserve the win and wrap up the series.

TEM 3-1, W – Kluber, L – Stanek, S – Yates.

It wasn’t easy to pick an MVP, but I’ll give the nod to the pitcher that only pitched when the games went into extra innings.  Mikolas was 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in 8 IP.  The series would have been completely different if he hadn’t won those two extra-inning games.  Sale was also deserving in a losing cause.  He was 1-0 with 0.00 ERA, 15 SO, 4 H, and 13 IP.

The Southbend Lynx face off against the Detroit Crime for the AL Championship.

Detroit was at #7 with .254/.330/.439. The long ball, which was key for both teams, is pretty even at 242 HRs for Southbend and 235 HRs for Detroit.

Southbend comes in at #2 in Pitching with Detroit hot on their heels at #3. Southbend’s one problem area is in giving up walks, tho they only yielded 149 HRs, the least in the AL. Fielding wise its all Detroit who were #2, whereas Southbend was at #10.

Southbend strikes first in the T3 when Zack Cozart 3bs and with 2 out Jose Altuve hits a 2-run HR for an early 2-0 Lynx lead. In the SBL T4 Max Muncy 2bs, after Eduardo Escobar and Jake Cave strike out, Austin Meadows plates Muncy with an rbi-1b. But SBL Michael Foltynewicz couldn’t protect the lead as Yasmani Grandal leads off the B4 with a 2b, Kyle Schwarber bbs, and Brandpm Belt ties the game with a 3-run HR. Its gets worse for the Lynx when J.P. Crawford 1bs and Brett Gardner hits a 2-run HR for a 5-3 Crime lead. SBL gets one back in the T5 when Cozart 2bs and Altuve 2bs him home. But Detroit would put the game away in the B5 off Jeurys Familia when Grandal bbs, Schwarber hits a 2-run HR, Belt bbs, Crawford bb, and Gardner bloops a 2-rbi 2b, moves to 3rd on the throw, and then scores on Ben Zobrist sac fly. The pitchers take over from here and there was no more scoring.

Both aces are less then stellar, but the Detroit bullpen is better then Southbend’s.  Southbend pitchers give up 9 walks in the game with 4 of those runners scoring. Detroit leads the series 1-0.

Detroit 10, Southbend 4

DET W – Aaron Nola (1-0)  SBL L – Michael Foltynewicz (0-1)

Southbend jumps on DET Carlos Carrasco quickly in the T1; Jed Lowrie bbs, Max Muncy 1bs, Eduardo Escobar rips a 1b to LF and Brett Gardner pegs Lowrie at the plate, but wait! Yasmani Grandal drops the throw and Jed Lowrie scores! Both Muncy and Escobar move up to 2nd and 3rd. Austin Meadows, 1 out later, blasts a 2-rbi 1b for a 3-0 SBL lead. In the SBL T3 Jake Cave 1bs with 2 out and scores on Meadows rbi-3b. That would be the end of the scoring for Southbend. But they don’t need it was Edwin Jackson is on the mark tossing 5 innings of Shutout ball as he fans 4 and only gives up 4 hits. The SBL bullpen comes through in this game giving up no hits over the last 3.2 innings to even the series at 1-1. Carrasco was the victim of the normally strong DET fielding as he gives up only 1 ER in 6.1IP. Zobrist is the lone hitting star for DET going 2-3
with a walk. Southbend finally wins a game at Detroit after 8 tries!

Southbend 4, Detroit 0

SBL W- Edwin  Jackson (1-0) DET L – Carlos Carrasco (0-1)

Southbend opens the scoring in the B3 when Jose Altuve smacks a 2 out solo-HR. In the DET T4 Manny Machado 1bs, steals 2nd, and then scores on Yasmani Grandal‘s rbi-1b when the ball is cut off to get Grandal at 2nd. SBl retakes the lead in the B4 when Max Muncy hits a lead-off solo-HR. Eduardo Escobar then 2bs and 1 out later Mark Canha singles him home for a 3-1 SBL lead. But DET is not to be denied as in the T5 Adam Jones hits a lead off solo-HR of his own, Brett Gardner 1bs, steals 2nd, moves to 3rd on Ben Zobrist fly to RF, Justin R. Miller comes on for the SBL, and Harper bbs, Machado then crushes a 3-run HR to give DET a 5-3 lead! In the BL B6 Canha blasts a 2 out 2b, Stephen Strasburg is pulled for Madison Bumgarner. Bumgarner comes in faces Mason Williams, throws a wild pitch, and then gives up an rbi-1b. In the SBL B8 DET Seranthony Dominguez is on for his 2nd inning of work and faces Muncy to lead off the inning. Muncy belts his 2nd HR of the game, a solo-HR to tie the game at 5-5! Dominguez settles down and gets the next 3 Lynx to end the inning. SBL Moronta is stil on the mound for the SBL to start the T9 and Gardner leads off with a 1b, but he’s nailed by Maxwell trying to steal 2nd. Escobar then throws away J.P. Crawford‘s grounder, and Zobrist follows with a rbi-3b, but is thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it into a inside-the-park HR. DET goes to R.Elias to close out the game and PH Mark Trumbo fans, Zack Cozart then 1bs, Bruce Maxwell flies out to CF, and Lucas Duda is called on to PR, and he then steals 2nd on a broken H&R play with Altuve at bat. But Roenis Elias is able to strike out Altuve to end the game! Detroit takes a 2-1 lead in the series!

Detroit 6, Southbend 5

DET W – Seranthony Dominguez (1-0) S – Roenis Elias (1) SBL L –Reyes Moronta (0-1)

DET gets on SBL Michael Foltynewicz right away in the T1 when Bryce Harper gets his 1st hit of the series a solo-HR to deep RF. But SBL is used to this and comes right back in the B1 when Max Muncy draws a 2 out bb and Eduardo Escobar buries a 2-run HR off Nola for a 2-1 SBL lead. Jake Cave would follow with a long 2b, but that would be the rest of the hits for Southbend in the game as Aaron Nola bears down. Nola would retire the next 22 SBL in a row. Fortunately for the Lynx Foltynewicz only gives up the HR to Harper through 6 innings. Foltynewicz would bend giving up 6 walks and 1 more hit, but would not break, as he turns the ball over to Sean Gilmartin, Reyes Moronta, and Roberto Osuna to close out the game. The SBL tie up the series at 2-2 going into Game 5.

Southbend 2, Detroit 1

SBL W – Michael Foltynewicz (1-1) S – Roberto Osuna (1) DET L – Aaron Nola (1-1)

SBL scores first in the B2 on a Mark Canha solo-HR. In the T3 DET Maybin 2bs, Brett Gardner then 1bs to LF, and Cameron Maybin scores as Gardner is cut down at 2nd. In the SBL B3 JoseAltuve 1bs, steals 2nd, and then Max Muncy 2-out rbi-1b puts SBL back out on top. Pitching takes over from there as SBL E.Jackson goes 5IP giving up the lone run while fanning 4, and amazingly not walking anyone. Jeurys Familia comes on for 2IP of scoreless work through the 7th. For DET Carlos Carracso goes 4IP giving up the 2 runs, then turns the ball over to Mike Minor, who eventually will go 5IP giving up only 2 hits and no runs. The turning point of the game is in the T8 when SBL Seasn Gilmartin is brought in, he walks Maybin, then gives up a infield 1b to Gardner, after J.P. Crawford grounds out back to Gilmartin, Ben Zobrist follows with a 2-rbi 2b for a 3-2 DET lead. One out later Manny Machado would put the game away with a 2-run HR. SBL would get two runners on in the B8, but DET would stay with Minor who Ks Austin Jackson and Mason Williams to end the inning. Minor would throw a perfect 9th for the DET win! DET now leads the series 3-2!

Detroit 5, Southbend 2

DET W – Mike Minor (1-0) SBL L – Sseasn Gilmartin (0-1)

Both starters are solid through 4 innings. In the B5 DET Brandon Belt 1bs, Cameron Maybin grounds out moving Belt, Brett Gardner then hits a rbi-2b off the wall for a 1-0 DET lead. SBL Freddy Peralta gets out of the inning by getting J.P. Crawford to P5 and Ben Zobrist to F8. DET Stephen Strasburg would mow through the SBL through 7IP racking up 8 Ks along the way. In the SBL T8 Jose Altuve leads off with a 2b, Jed Lowrie draws a walk, and DET calls on Roenis Elias (Game 3 closer) to faceMax  Muncy. But Muncy stuns the home crowd as he belts a 3-run HR to give SBL the lead and possibly save their season. SBL still has Reyes Moronta on the mound to start the B8, and Zobrist leads off with a 1b, Bryce Harper gets a scratch infield hit, bringing up Manny Machado. But Reyes Moronta bears down and Fans Martin Machado, gets Maldonado to F9. Roberto Osuna is brought in and gets Kyle Schwarber to L4 to end the inning. In the B9 Osuna would give up a 1b to Belt, but get Maybin to hit into a 6-4-3 DP and Gardner to F7 to end the game and knot the series at 3-3!

Southbend 3, Detroit 1

SBL W – Reyes Moronta (1-1) S – Roberto Osuna (2) DET L – Stephen Strasburg (0-1)

The all or nothing game for both teams!

Game 7 would follow the same track as Game 6 as the pitcher’s would dominate. DET Aaron Nola picked up where he left off in Game 4 keeping the SBL scoreless through the 8 innings he pitched. SBL had their chances during the game as they left 9 runners on base and had the bases loaded twice in the game. But they just couldn’t come up with the big hit. The only scoring came in the DET B8 when Brett Gardner bb’s, J.P. Crawford bounces into a FC, Ben Zobrist bb’s, and Bryce Harper hits a 3-run HR to atone for his poor overall series. SBL Mark Canha would lead off with a 1b in the T9, but DET Seranthony Dominguez would come on and strikeout Zack Cozart, get PH Mark Trumbo on a FC, and then finish the game getting PH Austin Meadows to hit into a FC.
Detroit wins the game 3-0 and takes the series 4-3!

Detroit 3, Southbend 0

DET W – Aaron Nola (2-1) S – Seranthony Dominguez (1) SBL L – Michael Foltynewicz (1-2)