Anderson was on only allowed 1 hit but 2 runs in 7 innings. But selkirk got 3 homers Winker, Semien, and Longoria as Selkirk and Williams hold on to win

Selkirk 3 – Triple Creek 2

Selkirk shockingly hammer Bieber as Winker Semien and Hedges homer as Selkirk scores 6 in 3.2 innings. But Triple did not give up and hit (Piscotty homer) Fried hard 5 in 6.2 innings but Rosenthal and Williams locked it down. 

Selkirk feels lucky to be up 2-0. The team does not have a great offence but hitting 3 homers a game with A starting is a fine plan to win. Selkirk ready for games 3 4 and 5 as Keller our third grade A, Senzatela and Anderson get the call.

Selkirk 7 – Triple Creek 5

Semein homers again winker goes 5 for 5 and Keller was solid 1 earned in 6. 

Selkirk 7 – Triple Creek 3

Selkirk completes the sweep as Profar homers.

Selkirk 4 – Triple Creek 2

Mitch Keller (20) vs. Steven Brault (15)
So after 3 up and down in the top of the 1st, Jarrod Dyson leads off against the ace of the Coots and grounds to Paul DeJong and beats the low throw to first to get things going for Columbus. Keller then unloads one over Stephen Vogt’s head and Dyson trots to 2nd. A 1 out Charlie Blackmon groundout moves him to 3rd but Keller gets Salvador Perez to groundout 1 to 3 to end the threat.

Aledmys Diaz leads off the 2nd with double but Brault buckles down and gets a fly out followed by 2 groundouts. The next 9 batters go down in order and top of the 4th Enrique Hernandez enters the game in RF, Dyson moving to 3rd. And the 4th sees 6 more straight outs. Brault again sets down Bethesda in the top of the 5th – nothing since the leadoff double in the 2nd. Bottom of the 5th, the Explorers get some excitement going when former ‘Coot Trevor Story leads off with a double (crowd awakens and cheers!). He then steals 2nd, and that rattled Keller who then gives up a big gopher ball to Giovanny Urshela (1) and the Columbus grabs a big 2-0 lead. Keller quickly regroups and gets the next three.

So we move to the 6th and there’s the former Explorer Paul DeJong leading off with a walk. After a fielder’s choice, Brault hits Jeff McNeil to put runners on 1st and 2nd – that Brault control is starting get lost. So Homer Bailey comes in. Carlos Santana, swinging a guitar, pops up and Juan Soto flies out to RF.

Keller gets 2 in the 6th but walks Blackmon and that brings in Mike Mayers and he starts his K parade fanning Perez to end the 6th. Then Bailey and Evan Marshall pitched perfect 7th and 8th innings while Mayers did the same.

So – it’s the 9th and Liam Hendriks is called to close the door. With 1 out, Santana comes up – with bat in hand this time – and doubles off Hendriks. And then, so does Soto scoring Santana and it’s 2-1 with 1 down in the 9th. Schindel is going bonkers. Diaz then up, and he grounds to Story for the 2nd out. That brings up Kyle Seager to extend the game, and he connects on a hard liner that D.J. LeMahieu snags and ends the game.
BET 1-3-0 LP Keller (0-1)
COL 2-3-0 WP Brault (1-0) S Hendriks (1)

Columbus 2 – Bethesda 1

Merrill Kelly (15) vs. Matt Shoemaker (10)
After the non-slugfest of game 1 – the fans were hoping to see a bat breakout for the 2nd game. No such luck – combined 10 hits and 5 runs for this one. Explorers had a big chance in the 1st with D.J. LaMahieu hitting a 1 out double and Charlie Blackmon walking. But LaMahieu is thrown out at 3rd on a double steal attempt when Kyle Seager puts a lovely sweeping tag on him. In the 2nd, Brad Miller draws a 1 out walk and Carlos Santana singles him to 3rd. Former Explorer Victor Reyes then drvies one to wall for double driving in Miler with Santana stopping at 3rd. So in the 2nd the ‘Coots take a 1-0 lead. Then as noted, it stays a low scoring event and the Explorers start mining their bullpen in the 4th! It’s not until the bottom of the 6th that the score changes when Enrique Hernandez (Kiki) leads off with homer (1).

Then with 1 out in the bottom of the 7th, Giovanny Urshela hits a solo homer (2) and Columbus grabs a 2-1 lead. Top of the 8th that Paul DeJong guy attempts to haunt his former mates and draws a leadoff walk off Tony Watson. So J.B. Wendelken comes on to hold it. Apparently he didn’t listen when told that’s was his job. Jonathan Arauz is called to PH and he lashes one to right that ends up a double with DeJong holding at 3rd, no outs! Jeff McNeil then steps in, infield deep, and he lines to Asdrubal Cabrera at 1st, caught, spins, fires to 2nd – DP and DeJong holds 3rd! Next, with a chance to get out of the jam, J.B faces Kevin Pillar – and he kills a quail (wouldn’t that be a correct way of saying “a dying quail”) and DeJong scores to tie the game!! But that’s all the ‘Coots get and it’s tied 1-1 after 7 ½. Bottom of the 8th, Jarrod Dyson draws the 1 out walk, Tyler Heineman (and his killer arm) is now catching and Mike Mayers is called to keep Dyson from scoring. LaMahieu up and he grounds to 3rd – only play is at first, Dyson to 2nd – 2 outs. Charlie Blackmon up and he grounds to DeJong at short to end the inning – EXCEPT Paul throws it right by Santana and Dyson comes all the way around to score the go ahead run!! Maybe DeJong was thinking of the fun times he had with the Explorer.

So, Liam Hendriks is coming in for the 9th – will he give up a run again? In a word – NOPE! He gets the 3 guys and locks down game 2, 3-2 for Columbus and a 2 games to none advantage heading to Bethesda.
BET 2-6-1 LP Kelly (0-1)
COL 3-4-0 WP Wendelken (1-0) BS (1) S Hendriks (2)

Columbus 3 – Bethesda 2

Series shifts to Bethesda where the Explorers hope to close it out, but the hometown Bandicoots are seeking a different result.

J.A. Happ vs. Austin Gomber
Gomber gets a big start in hopes of turning it around and the Coots get off to a 1-0 lead when Carlos Santana wallops a solo homer (1). But Columbus gets a 3 run homer by Enrique Hernandez (2) in the 4th and a solo shot from Asdrubal Cabrera (1) in the 6th. Happ goes 5, the bullpen goes 4 and holds off the Coots as Liam Hendriks gets his 3rd save in 3 games. However, the game wasn’t without mishap! And it’s a big one. Salvador Perez and Asdrubal Cabrera miscommunicated on a pop foul and collided – Perez to the tune of a 10 day injury and Cabrera will miss 12 days! Not good for the Explorers.
COL 4-7-0 WP Happ (1-0) S Hendriks (3)
BET 1-5-0 LP Gomber (0-1)

Columbus 4 – Bethesda 1

With their backs to the wall – Bethesda will pull out all the stops to stay in this thing.

Josh Tomlin vs. Tejay Antone
The Bandicoots start early and often getting a 2 run homer from Kyle Seager (1) in the first and a solo shot from Paul DeJong (1) in the 2nd for a quick 3-0 lead. Antone is making it stand up as he pitches 7 innings of 3 hit shutout ball – fanning 11 Explorers (4 of those were by the replacements for the injured Salvador Perez and Asdrubal Cabrera. In the 8th, Kevin Pillar adds to the long ball parade with a solo shot (1). Trevor Cahill started the 9th (his 2nd inning) but couldn’t get anyone out – he even hit a guy – no injury. Cody Heuer comes in, faces 2, walks 2, and then Mike Mayers comes in and he walks one. All those walks and hit batsmen result in 2 runs for the Explorers, but Mayers does get the job done and Bethesda lives to play another day.
COL 2-4-0 LP Tomlin (0-1)
BET 4-7-1 WP Antone (1-0) S Mayers (1)

Bethesda 4 – Columbus 2

Game 5 sees Columbus still with a chance to close it out on the road and the Bandicoots needing to keep winning to stay alive.

Steven Brault vs. Mitch Keller
Game 1 all over again and Brault has definitely saved his best for round 1 of the playoffs. He goes 6.1 innings of 1 hit ball, 9 ks, 2 walk and no runs. Mitch Keller is almost as good – 6 hits in 7.2 innings but one of those hits was 2nd inning solo homer from Enrique Hernandez, his 3rd, and an rbi double from D.J. LeMahieu in the 5th. So the Columbus bullpen takes over in the 7th and hold it to 2-0 until the bottom of the 9th. Then Liam Hendriks is called on and he gives up a single to Juan Soto and then an rbi double to Kyle Seager. Hendriks seems to like to use up all the cushion he’s been given. But then he strands Seager to save the game and Columbus wins the series 4 games to 1!
COL 2-6-0 WP Brault (2-0) S Hendriks (4)
BET 1-5-0 LP Keller (0-2)

Columbus 2 – Bethesda 1

Congratulations to Bethesda for a fine (“odd”) season. Good luck next year.

Tempe started quickly with a two run homerun by Ozuna in the first. Jeffers sac fly in the 4th briefly cut the lead in half. Tempe responded for three runs in the bottom of the 5th capped by a Peralta two rbi double that knocked Buehler out of the game. Homeruns by Freeman and Brantly later in the 6th and 7th allowed Tempe to relax. Darvish gave up one unearned run over six innings.
W – Darvish, L – Buehler

Tempe 9 – Portland 1

Valaka led off the game with solo homerun for Portland. Conforto added an rbi single in 3rd to put the Lumber Jax up 2-0. Tempe chipped away with a Peralta rbi sac fly in the 3rd and a Plawecki rbi single in the 4th. In the fifth they jumped ahead when Rendon doubled and Peralta singled him home. A Vlad solo shot tied it at 3-3 in the top of the 6th. In the bottom of the 8th with two out, Plawecki hit a huge double to drive two runs in. O’day closed out the 9th for the win.
W – Hahn, L – Peralta, S – O’day

Tempe 5 – Portland 3

Bogaerts hit a solo homerun for Tempe in top of the 2nd, but Arroyo answered with a two run homer in the bottom half. Tempe then fired back with an Ozuna two run rbi in the 3rd and a Freeman one run rbi double in the 4th. Ozuna and Dickerson solo shots in the 5th made a 6-2. Kim went 5 innings and then Ramirez pitched four no hit innings for the long save.
W – Kim, L – Marquez, S – Ramirez

Tempe 6 –  Portland 2

Portland started hot. Riddle rbi double and then a Valaika three run homerun in the 2nd gave the Lumber Jax their first significant lead. Torres solo shot in the 3rd made it 5-0 and forced Wainwright to leave early for the first time all year. Taveras solo in 6th made it 7-0 Portland. Mahle pitched six scoreless innings. In the seventh, Tempe woke up and scored four runs capped by a three run homer by Freeman. Conforto hit an insurance solo in the bottom of 7th to make a 8-4 game. Bogaerts two run homer in the 8th cut the lead to only two. In the 9th Ona hit a rbi double to make a one run game, but Hernandez was able to strand the runner on 2B and record the final out on a strikeout. Portland needed all eight runs to get the win and avoid the sweep.
W – Mahle, L – Wainwright, S – Hernandez

Portland 8 – Tempe 7

Torres solo and Taveras rbi double put Portland up 2-0 in the 2nd. Albies rbi single in 3rd put Tempe on the board. Peralta solo and Dickerson three run homer put Tempe back in charge 5-2 in the 4th. Darvish gave up just the two runs in six innings and the pen tossed three shutout innings to finish the series.
 W – Darvish, L – Buehler, S – O’Day

Tempe 5 –  Portland 2

Long Beach opened the scoring in the first when Bruce doubled in Reddick and Turner followed with a 2 run HR. In the bottom of the inning Mendick & Bruce collided on a popup allowing Ramirez to score. Both men were injured and out for the rest of the series. In the second Gregorius homered to cut the lead to 3-2. In the third Severino hit a 2 run HR. Calhoun’s 3 run HR in the bottom of the inning tied the game 5-5. Ramirez hit a solo HR in the 5th to give Jersey a 6-5 lead. It stayed that way until the 7th when Marmolejos, who replaced Bruce, hit a 2 run HR to give Long Beach the lead again 7-6. The Long Beach bullpen closed it out with Bleier, Green & Baez each getting an out in the 9th as Long Beach takes game 1.

Long Beach 7 – Jersey 6

Jersey exploded for 8 runs in the second with Santana’s grand slam the highlight and rolled to an 8-2 win. Lamet threw 6 shutout innings to get the win.

Jersey 8 – Long Beach 2

Long Beach took an early lead in the 1st when Marmolejos tripled in 2 runs. Jersey got a run back in the 4th when Romine singled in Nunez. Long Beach took advantage of Alzolay’s wildness in the 6th when they scored runs on a WP and 2 bases loaded walks for a 5-1 lead. After Guzman led off the 7th with a HR cutting the lead to 5-2, Severino hit a 2 run HR in the 8th to give Long Beach a comfortable lead and they went on to an 8-2 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Long Beach 8 – Jersey 2

This was a scoreless game until the 6th when Pham and Turner traded 2 run HRs keeping the game tied at 2-2. It stayed that way until the 8th when Severino singled in Ervin to give Long Beach a 3-2 lead. Webb came on in the 9th to get Jersey 1-2-3 to close out the Long Beach win and 3-1 series lead. Gonzales went the distance giving up just 6 hits in taking the loss. The Long Beach bullpen was strong again throwing 3 2/3 innings of 1 hit ball.

Long Beach 3 – Jersey 2

Long Beach took their only lead of the game in the 1st when Ervin & Andrus led off with back to back 2Bs. After that it was all Jersey. Pham tied the game in the 3rd on a solo HR and they took the lead for good in the 4th when Calhoun scored on an Encarnacion error and Odor had a 2 run 2B for a 4-1 lead. They put the game away in the 7th on HRs by Ramirez & Gregorious and went on to an 8-4 win. Long Beach loaded the bases 3 times against Wisler but couldn’t get the hit to knock him out.

Jersey 8 – Long Beach 4

Jersey got all their runs on HRs by Nunez HR, Guzman & Ramirez (2) as they won 5-2 to even the series 3-3. Lamet pitched into the 8th to pick up his second win of the series.

Jersey 5 – Long Beach 2

Jersey opened the scoring in the 5th when Naquin scored on infield single by Pham. It was still 1-0 in the 9th when Turner homered to tie the game and send it to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th Long Beach dodged a bullet when Grossman threw out Pham trying to score from second on a Guzman single. But the next batter Ramirez hit a walk off 2 run HR to give Jersey a 3-1 win and the series 4-3.

Jersey 3 – Long Beach 1 (10 Innings)

A trio of homers by VIR put them out front 5-0. J.Bradley and G.Springer lofted solo shots and W,Merrifield a 2-run blast. Despite getting only 4 hits in the game, FRE came back on T.Hernandez’ 2-run homer and RBI’s from Y.Gurriel and M.Brosseau. But VIR’s bullpen came on to throw 3 innings of no-hit ball and give VIR a surprising win.

Virginia 5 – Fremont 4

W-T.McKenzie (1-0) – L-D.Bundy (0-1) – SV- T.Webb (1)
HR – VIR- W.Merrifield (1), J.Bradley (1), G.Springer (1) FRE- T.Hernandez (1)

Virginia exploded out of the gate. A 2-run homer from E.Jimenez in the 1st, two solo shots from C.Biggio in the 2nd and 3rd, and a 2-run blast from J.Segura in the 3rd. Just like that it was 6-0 VIR. Before the end of the 2nd inning, Z.Gallen had enough and plunked two VIR batters. The umps quickly gave him the heave-ho. Two innings later VIR’s E.Hernandez had a little retaliation and nailed M.Brosseau,…for which he received an early exit from the game. T.Hernandez’ 2-RBI double gave FRE their firsst runs in the 5th. Y.Gurriel and M.Thaiss tried to help Fremont with solo long balls later in the game, but VIR held on to get the win and head home with a 2-0 advantage. By the way, FRE’s two firstbasemen, Gurriel and Thaiss, were a combined 4-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and 2 HR.

Virginia 7 – Fremont 4

W- T. Williams (1-0) – L-Z.Gallen (0-1)
HR – VIR- E.Jimenez (1), C,Biggio 2(2), J.Segura (1) FRE-Y,Gurriel (1), M.Thaiss (1)

The series shifted to Virginia with Virginia holding a 2-0 lead in the series. Fremont’s T.Hernandez, who was 3-7 with a homer and 4 RBI in the first two games, started off the Fremont scoring in the first by ripping a fastball over the LF wall to give Fremont a 1-0 lead. A.Rizzo tied it for VIR with a RBI single in the 2nd. Y.Gurriel’s blast over the CF wall followed shortly by T.Hernandez’ 2nd homer of the game, a 2-run shot, put FRE up 4-1 in the 5th. VIR came right back in the bottom of the 5th. A.Rizzo lined one out in CF. C.Biggio walked and W.Merrifield stepped in the box, “W. MERRIFIELD facing D. DUFFY, B 5th, No Outs, Runner on 2nd, Behind 2-4 …He comes home … that’s hit … back and deep the other way … back … back… … back……HEY-HEY!! … a two-run shot over the right center field wall … attaboy MERRIFIELD…CANNONS 4, SLUGGERS 4.” One inning later, with the bases loaded, C,Biggio sliced one in the hole driving in 2 and giving VIR a 6-4 lead. M.Margot got FRE within 1 with a SF in the 8th, but once again VIR’s bullpen held on and VIR eked out another close win.

Virginia 6 – Fremont 5

W-L.Castillo (1-0) W-D.Duffy (0-1) SV-T.Webb (2)
HR – FRE-T.Hernandez 2(3), Y.Gurriel (2) VIR-W.Merrifield (2), A.Rizzo (1)

Down 3 games to none, Fremont needed a win to stay alive. Well, the hot bat of T.Hernandez got them off on the right foot, “ T. HERNANDEZ facing A. PLUTKO, T 3rd, 2 Outs, Runner on 1st, Tied 0-0 …The pitch … high fly ball to center … BRADLEY’s racing to the track … he’s against the wall…but there’s nothing he can do … it’s long gone! … a two-run shot…CANNONS 2, SLUGGERS 0.” Virginia had their own hot bat in the form of #9 batter A.Rizzo, “A. RIZZO facing Z. GALLEN, B 3rd, No Outs, 2nd and 3rd, Behind 0-2 …Infield deep … SEGURA with a head fake at third … the pitch … and it’s pulled hard to right…it’s deep enough if it’s fair … hooking … fair ball! … a three-run homer for RIZZO…Anthony trots around the bases … he loves a trip downtown … he claps his hands…he’s greeted at home plate … congratulations all around … GALLEN is giving himself a lecture…CANNONS 2, SLUGGERS 3.” In the bottom of the 4th inning J.Bradley stepped up with 1 out and nobody on, “BRADLEY hits it nine miles … deep to right field … fair ball!…and it’s long gone! … home run for BRADLEY …CANNONS 2, SLUGGERS 4.” In the top of the 8th, that guy T.Hernandez (what a series he had) got FRE within 1, “HARTLIEB with the pitch … uh-oh! … way back … SPRINGER looks up … put it on the board… YES!
CANNONS 3, SLUGGERS 4.” FRE was not going to go away easily. Unfortunately for them, R.Devers finally got in the long ball game, “R. DEVERS facing G. GALLEGOS, B 8th, 2 Outs, Runner on 2nd, Ahead 4-3 …FRAZIER at second takes a big lead … he lets it go … and DEVERS unloads on it…that’s long gone … a tape measure job deep to right…CANNONS 3, SLUGGERS 6” With a 3 run lead, the pen came in once again and gave VIR it’s first Playoff series win in so long I can’t remember when the last time was.

Virginia 6 – Fremont 3

W-A.Plutko (1-0) L-Z.Gallen (0-2)
HR – FRE-T.Hernandez 2(5) VIR- R.Devers (1), J.Bradley (2), A.Rizzo (2)