Game 1 Greensboro (Lopez) at Volbeat (Gray)

Greensboro starts out quickly with a 1^st inning run. Ties it up in the bottom half. But after that, it is all Greensboro pulling away with a 10-4 win. A couple of big HR’s by Gorman and McMahon.

Game 2 Greensboro (Lorenzen) at Volbeat (Eovaldi)

Greensboro once again strikes in the 1^st with 2 runs. But this time Volbeat hammers 4 out in the bottom of the 1st and just pulls away from there. 4 total HR’s by Volbeat and Eovaldi pitches 8 strong after the shaky 1^st. Volbeat 11-3

Game 3 Volbeat (Rodriguez) at Greensboro (Montgomery)

Greensboro once again jumps out with 5 runs in the 1^st inning. Volbeat scrapes runs across and gets it back to within 1 run, but a 5-run 8^th inning by Greensboro ends all doubts. Greensboro wins 11-7

Game 4 Volbeat (McClanahan) at Greensboro (Lopez)

Volbeat bats are on fire the entire game. Acuna 2 HR’s. Belt 2 HR’s. Mclanahan takes a shutout into the 9^th inning. 4-2 final for Volbeat

Game 5 Volbeat (Gray) at Greensboro (Boyd)

In a greatly pitched game by both teams, the only runs are a 2 run Bombs by Adolis for Volbeat going to the 9^th. Then Volbeat is able to get to Greensboro's bullpen with 4 runs... helped by some shaky defense by Greensboro. Greensboro gets a run in the bottom of the 9^th and has the bases loaded, but Hader is able to stop the rally. Volbeat wins 6-1.

Game 6 Greensboro (Lorenzen) at Volbeat (Eovaldi)

Smoke scores in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings to take a 2 run lead. Zack Gelof ties the game in the bottom of the 3^rd with a 2 run HR. It's back and forth after that. Greensboro takes the lead in the top of the 7^th. In the bottom of the 7^th Volbeat loads the bases with 1 out and Marcus Semien rips a triple to clear the bases that gives the lead back to  Volbeat.

Voleat brings in Hader to pitch the last two innings. Only allowing a walk.

Volbeat wins the closest game of the series 6-4 and wins the WORLD SERIES 4 games to 2.

Ronald Acuna wins MVP with 5 HR’s and 7 RBI’s. Volbeat hit 16 total HR’s.

All games were played today via Netplay. Thanks to Lars for a great series.

This is Volbeat’s 2^nd World Series win. 1^st time in 20 years as the last World Series win for Volbeat was in 2004 against Albany.

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Dateline:  December 16, 2024 - Greensboro, North Carolina & Shoreline, Washington.

In the late fall, with autumnal leaves changing and falling, the hopes of a Pennant and an invitation to the G.U.S.S.O.M.O. World Series seems to have been as foreign to the boys from Bellemeade and Edgeworth as bikini weather this time of year.  Greensboro coming off their series win against Michigan, packed up their fall attire and flew to the Pacific Northwest for a series against the defending World Champion, Shoreline Sockeyes.  

Never has such a team risen to such meteoric heights, as Shoreline was able to destroy Virginia last year four games to two in the World Series, after putting up a staggering 127 wins in 2023... and this year’s team seems as formidable with 123 wins.   

As one newspaper reporter mentioned in the Pacific Northwest, “Shoreline has more victories since 2023 than the University of Washington has since our beloved Don James retired in 1994.” 

The boys of Charcoal and Emerald came into this beautiful stretch of Puget Sound to Lake Washington.  Owner Lars Nielsen looked at his team and stated, “Men, just like this city was only incorporated in 1995, this franchise is new.  If we just play our style of baseball and trust in the Good Lord, we might have a chance.”   The team filtered out of the team charter to taste the waters of Lake Washington and then began their attempt at a ticket to the "Big Show". 

Game One: Shoreline 6, Greensboro 1

WP: Z. Eflin (1-0) LP: P. Lopez (0-1)

HR: N. Gorman (1), J. Altuve (1)

Banners of Silver, Red and Green welcomed Greensboro into Little Coors Field on the shores of Lake Washington to a raucous crowd of 45,964 to witness Greensboro Ace, Pablo Lopez square off with Zach Eflin in what would prove to be a dual of the highest order.   Eflin was simply masterful in his seven innings of work.   Walking only Ryan McMahon on the evening, Eflin struck out nine hitters and gave up a mere four hits.  Aside from a hanging slider left out over the plate to Nolan Gorman, he was near untouchable all night.  Limiting the Smoke to four hits and one run, did not bold well for the challengers from the Gate City.

Pablo Lopez seemed to have a bit of jitters in facing his first post-season brutal road assignment.   That was readily apparent on his first pitch of the game, a “get it over” fastball, which Jose Altuve was more than happy to deposit in the bleachers in left field.   Manager Lars Nielsen was heard from the dug out, “OK, you got one over.  Now pitch your game!”   The words seemed to stoke a fire in Lopez who then went on to strike out 12 hitters over the next seven innings, giving up just 5 more hits.  However, each time Shoreline scored in the future, it was due to butterflies in Lopez’s stomach as he uncorked two wild pitches, scoring a run in the third and a run in the fifth.   “I just was nervous,” he stated after the game.  “The crowd was really loud and it got me amped up when I overthrew the ball.”

Lopez exited the game down 3-1 and the Greensboro bullpen seemed rattled coming in the eighth inning when relief time for Victor Gonzalez turned into mop up time as he simply struggled, walking the bases loaded before giving up a sac fly and a ground out before being replaced by James McArthur to stop the bleeding.  “It just seemed that a couple of key moments swung the game in their favor,” Lars Nielsen said after the game.   “Those wild pitches hurt us a great deal, as our strategy had to change.  Following getting down, our guys seemed to be more enraptured by the Big Fly then in playing Smoke Baseball.”

When asked about team captain Tommy Edman’s healthy scratch from the lineup, Nielsen responded with, “Gorman did a good job tonight.   But we only have so many players that can hit the field and the lumber.   I’m sure he will play a factor going forward.

Greensboro sends long-time Smoke member Michael Lorenzen to the mound tomorrow, trying to right the ship against Sockeye Stud, Merrill Kelly.

Game Two: Shoreline 16, Greensboro 2

WP: M. Kelly (1-0) LP: M. Lorenzen (0-1)

HR: A. Judge 2 (1,2), Y. Alvarez 1

October 23^rd, 2024; a date that will live in infamy.  Not due to the James Beard Event in Seattle that night at the Four Seasons for Taste America: Seattle.  Rather, this is the date that seemed to show all of America just what a championship team looks like in the Shoreline Sockeyes as they completely dismantled the Greensboro Smoke by the score of 16 to 2.  Riding high on the emotional wave from their Game One win, the Sockeyes were able to bring in another large catch of fans into Little Coors Field, just outdrawing Game One with 46,001 fans.   The constant, deafening noise of the fans, seemed to be more akin to a Seahawks game with the fans wearing the #12, than at your typical Baseball affair.

The home team, build on that emotion and put on a display.  In the bottom of the first inning, after two-outs were made, Yordan Alvarez seemed to feed on the vast energy and hit a ball that would make the Babe stand up and be in sheer disbelief as the ball cleared the stadium and landed in Lake Washington.  “We don’t see any ‘Splash Hits’ here in Shoreline.”  One fan said after the game.  “Well, we didn’t until now.”  This sheer disbelief that overcame the whole crowd only fueled an already fever pitch in the stands, like gasoline being poured on a lakeside bonfire… it only took an instant before the entire place exploded with seismic energy.

Shoreline then put up two more runs in the second, after two base on balls came around to score on a single and a sac fly.  More runs came across the plate in the fourth as the levies which held back the constant stream of trout simply were no more and it was spawning season around the basepaths.  After Parades was walked on four pitches, Seiya Suzuki hit a seeing eye single to right before Mitch Garver hit a lazy fly ball to Centerfielder, Cedric Mullins.  That was the start of the levy giving way.  Mike Ford walked of four pitches, loading the bases, before Altuve hit a rope to centerfield scoring the fourth run of the game.   It was at this time that Aaron Judge strode to the plate, looking more like a Greek God than an outfielder. 

With the crowd at an already fever pitch, a hush came over the crowd as Judge smiled to the crowd and gave them the smallest hush.  Every one of those 46,000 souls held their breath as not only could a pin drop be heard across the park, but the grinding of hickory in the hands of the massive man at the plate.   As the first pitch came, a Herculean thunderclap exploded off the bat as if might Zeus himself had just struck with a lightning bolt at home plate.   The ball did not just fly over the outfield wall, it hit supersonic by the time it went past the pitcher’s mound.  If Lorenzen hadn’t tightened his belt, he would have pulled a Charlie Brown on the field as the sheer force of the ball passing him by would have blown his clothes clean off. 

Aaron Judge.  Stood there.   Silent.  Admiring the work he had just done.  Like a great master painter, finalizing his masterpiece.  Aaron Judge had done it, a grand slam.  Teammates came around home plate like Salmon all trying to swim upstream simultansesously.  The roar of the crowd a cacophony of praise and adulation as it seemed the World Series Champs were well on their way back to the big show. 

This was only increased more and more as Judge hit a two-RBI double in the 6^th and a follow-up curtain call in the bottom of the eighth.   Judge went 3-for-5 with 7 RBIs, leading the way for the Sockeyes offense. 

Not to be outdone, Merril Kelly pitched a masterful 6 and a third innings, of one-run ball, giving up a measly four hits, however showed signs of rust in issueing five walks. 
 

Greensboro packed their bags in stunned silence as they took the return flight home to the Gate City.   We should have never had drunk that water.

Game Three: Greensboro 4 Shoreline 0

WP: J. Montgomery (1-0) LP:L A. Wood (0-1)

HR: T. Edman (1)

October 25^th, 2024; A date to remember. 

With everyone’s head held low, Nielsen gave the two captains his full attention.  The flight coming home and the day of rest allowed the two captains; Jordan Montgomery and Tommy Edman time to compose their thoughts as how to try to salvage a mere game in this series.   As they got ready to take the field, Montgomery was given the ball and came around the team; “This is my family. It's all I know. I've been playing with the same guys for years.”  He began.  “I’ll pick you up and Tommy Tanks will be there with me.”

The Smoke took the field in front of a slightly, diminished crowd than the reported 48.382.  The proper Carolinians seemed dignified but lacked the normal optimism that accompanied the State Toast.   As Montgomery took the bump, the crowd began:

            “Here’s to the land of the Long Leaf Pine,

            The Summer Land, where the sun doth shine:

            Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great –

            Here’s to “Down Home,” the Old North State!”

It was Tommy Edman who came to the pitcher’s mound, putting his hand around his pitcher and the two Captains took off their caps, bowed their heads and prayed in front of almost 50,000 people.  Later that day Edman explained on his podcast, “I think the more I spend time with Jesus and abide in Jesus, hopefully the more I become like Him, and the more natural it becomes.  Having your identity in your faith, and in who you are, and with Jesus, is way more important than your success on the baseball field,… What it really means to be all in for Jesus is it’s something that can definitely transform you.””

And it was as if Divine Providence shined down on Bellemeade and Edgeworth at the Smokehouse, transforming more than just the two captains on the field.  It was as if David got his five smooth stones, and it was time to hunt some Giants.

Game Three began with nothing out of the ordinary in the top of the first.  A lazy fly ball to hometown hero Cedric Mullins before Garver collected a base on balls.   Edman could be heard saying something to his pitcher, which led to the mighty Aaron Judge rolling over a ground ball to short, leading to a 6-4-3 double play.   Everyone had a lightened step going back to the dugout as the crowd gave a polite acknowledging golf clap for the first inning come to an end.

It was the captain, Tommy Edman who strode to the plate, not as a giant with his 5’9” stature overshadowed by everyone else on the diamond except Altuve.  He cleaned off his cleats and took his stance before hitting a ball down the left field line, which snuck over both the wall and cleared the foul pole in left field, giving the Smoke a 1-0 lead.  The dugout began to get something they hadn’t had yet… Belief.

Alex Wood was able to stay for part of the second inning before being pulled and the bullpen by committee for Shoreline should have worked.  But the most unlikely of heroes stepped up big for the Smoke.   J.P. Crawford led off the third inning with a walk, before two easy outs were made at the arm of Craig Kimbrel.  Then Charlie Blackmon strode to the plate and laced a double high off the Warehouse in Right, plating Crawford for a 2-0 lead.  Then in the fourth, Colin Poche gave up two walks and two base hits for two runs for the home squad, to drive their total up to four.

And all this time, like the slow process of drying tobacco, stood Jordan Montgomery; the Carolina Gentlemen.  Monty was not dominant in the 2024 sense.  He was dominant in the 1924 sense.  A complete game, three-hit shutout, striking out eight in 110 pitches, helped by J.P. Crawford in his robbery of Jose Altuve’s potential base hit in the fifth inning.

“I am very impressed with my guys today,” Nielsen said in his postgame address.  “Monty and Tommy really brought things together for the guys.”  When asked about the pre-game prayer that took place, Nielsen replied, “We need all the help we can get against these guys.”

Shoreline trots out Ace in the hole, Luis Castillo, while Greensboro finds themselves back at it with Pablo Lopez for game four.

Game Four: Greensboro 1, Shoreline 0

WP: P. Lopez (1-1)  LP: L. Castillo (0-1)  SV: V. Gonzalez (1)

HR: None

The rolling hills of North Carolina seemed to have a cold front blow in as the temperature dropped and the relative humidity seemed to rise, creating a bitter cold condition with weather in the low 40’s that left all of Greensboro rushing to the local stores to grab winter coats, gloves and galoshes.  However, the cold did not deter 48,683 souls from bundling up and checking out game four with Shoreline.  This time on the bump was an incredible matchup of Pablo Lopez vs. Luis Castillo.  

The home plate umpire let both players know that they were allowed to blow in their hands all night to maintain feeling, which seemed to bring about pitching that might have just had a former North Carolina player, Gaylord Perry, happy as a fox in a hen house.  The two pitchers were not just outstanding, they were completely dominant.  

Castillo went seven innings of two-hit ball, giving up a meaningless single to Drew Waters in the third inning, but the hit that mattered was a two-out double by Ryan McMahon in the fith that plated Salvador Perez after he was plunked on the posterior.  Castillo was seemed to have Smoke batters baffled all night as he was pulled in the eighth inning.

Pablo Lopez, however, was not to be outdone.  Lopez went eight shutout innings, striking out 12, walking three and giving up a mere two hits.  However, it was the top of the seventh that seemed to cause all of their air in North Carolina to be gasped at the same time.   Aaron Judge hit a ball deep into Left Center Field, toward section 127, which looked like it would tie the game.   However, hometown hero Cedric Mullins dawned his Superman cape and flew through the air, lept over a tall building, to rob Judge of what would be the tying homerun.

The ninth inning, Nielsen decided to pull Lopez as he seemed to be tiring, in favor of a turnstyle of relievers.  With two men in the top of the ninth, James McArthur struck out Clement for the second out, before Victor Gonzalez came on to retire Hanley Ramirez for the final out and a Greensboro 1-0 win.

With this win, the series is tied up at two games of piece and both managers had to take a break from all the in game drama in an attempt to put Band-Aids on their nubs of fingernails.

Game Five: Greensboro 7, Shoreline 5

WP: M. Boyd (1-0) LP: Z. Eflin (1-1) SV: C. Hernandez (1)

HR: A. Kirilloff (1)

With the series tied up at two games apiece with each side holding serve on their home field, game five is perhaps the most critical game for the home team.  Without holding home field at this point, the series would return to Shoreline only needing one game in hand.   This is why October 27^th, 2024 was declared a “Smoke Out.”   People from across the Carolina’s turned out early for an impromptu BBQ, smoking delicious Pork all day, for the valued prize of tickets to the owner’s box for Game Five.   Not only was there a delicate smoke ring permeating the pork shoulder and occasional brisket in the parking lot, but there was such a haze of Cherry, Walnut, Apple and Maple smoke clinging to the air, that Game Five took on the smell of a feast for all the world to enjoy.  If that was not enough, the first 40,000 fans (regardless of age) received a free “Smoke Out” noisemaker and cigar for all the world to see the Smoke rise from the crowd.

Taking the bump for the home team was veteran lefty, Matthew Boyd, whose limited post-season experience seemed to be a difficult uphill task against the Shoreline secondary Ace, Zach Eflin.  The home fans were in for a treat as both teams offense seem to catch their stride, perhaps based upon the smell of delicious pork, perhaps based upon the electricity that filled the air.  The game was full of drama and surprises from the first pitch to the last.

In the top of the first, the 48,000 fans were ready for another pitchers duel when Shoreline manufactured a run on a one-out single, Davis getting hit on an excuse me cutter, before a soft ground out to first.  With two outs, Wander Franco (he who shall not be named in the future) hit an RBI single to center, before Aaron Judge struck out with two men on.   With the home team coming to bat, the crowd seemed to be energized both by the beer men coming up and down the rows, but by the Smoke putting up two runs on a Big Fly by Alex Kirilloff.  It was at this point that Eflin seemed to point to the ump about a new ball, which he began to rough up in his mit, knowing that this could be a long night.  That only became more apparent at the top of the second inning when local hero, Cedric Mullins robbed Isaac Paredes of a Homerun.

After this, the game settled into a nice rhythm until we reached the bottom of the fourth inning, when Eflin seemed to hit a roadblock.  Nolan Gorman led off with a single, which began the Softball league inning, when the Smoke hit four consecutive singles (Kirilloff, Perez, Waters, McMahon) to score three runs.  Shoreline answered in the top of the fifth inning, when a one-out walk seemed like no big deal with a flyball to Cedric Mullins, however, it seems that the Good Lord giveth and the taketh away as Mullins dropped a catchable fly ball, putting two men on.  Davis then hit a triple into the centerfield triangle scoring two runs and then coming in on a groundout to short, bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of the Emerald and Charcoal.

Little did anyone know what was in store in the bottom of the fifth.  With Eflin up against the ropes, the Smoke were able to get a lead off single from Cedric Mullins before a softball single by Nolan Gorman and then an RBI single Alex Kirilloff.   Salvadore Perez came up with runners on 1^st and 2^nd and no one out, when the strangest of all plays took place.   The mighty Smoke catcher, hit a laser to third base, which hit the ground before it was picked up on a shorthop by Parades, who was guarding the lines, who then fired the ball to second, as Altuve was able to make an easy adjustment to then catch the lumbering catcher by two steps for an inning-ending 5-4-3, Triple Play!

Both managers pulled their pitchers in the seventh with thte Smoke up 6-4.  Shoreline was able to pick up a run in the eighth on a wild pitch, before stranding two men on at the end of the inning.  Greensboro was able to manufacture a run on a Sac Fly by Ryan McMahon to bring the tally to 7-5, before Carlos Hernandez came in to pitch a simple ninth inning, putting down the Sockeyes in order.

At the final out of the ninth inning, the entire stadium erupted as you saw flames ignite victory cigars from across the whole of the stands.  From the owners box, to the cheap seats in Section 127, a great plomb of smoke rose up to the heavens as a victory cheer.   Greensboro was going back to the West Coast not only with a game up on the Sockeyes, but with something they hadn’t had all season long, Belief.

Game Six: Greensboro 4, Shoreline 0

WP: Michael Lorenzen (1-1) LP: Merrill Kelly (1-1)

HR: Nolan Gorman (2), Salvador Perez (1)

There are times in a man’s life where they sense things are perfect, perfect moments in time, if you would.  The birth of a first child marks the transition for a man into fatherhood.   The doors opening to a place of worship to display his bride marks the transition from bachelorhood to the joys and rigors of being a husband.   In baseball, there are few such moments for individuals, a perfect game, getting your first cup of coffee in the Bigs.  However, for an owner it is seeing the team he lovingly put together squeeze the leather for the final out, to bring the franchise to their first World Series. 

Shoreline brought out 47,000 of their finest fans to witness a gem of a pitching outing by Michael Lorenzen.  How fitting that the longest tenured member of the Smoke, was the one who took to the hill in perhaps the biggest game (to this point) in Franchise History.  Lorenzen was dominant, giving up just four hits over six innings of work.  His counterpart Merrill Kelly was also quite good but gave up a solo home run to Salvador Perez in the second before giving up a three-run blast to Nolan Gorman in the sixth.  Every baserunner that Kelly allowed came around to score on this blast. 

The Smoke bullpen came together for three innings of solid relief, though there were moments in the seventh that caused concern, a weak ground ball by Adley Rutschman stopped the threat for the only out with runners in scoring position all night.  Romano and McArthur came in to close down the eighth and ninth inning in a non-save opportunity.  As the game ended on a tailor made 6-4-3 double play.  Andrew Vaughan squeezed his glove and pumped his fists in the air as the team rushed out to the mound to celebrate their Pennant and driving on to the World Series.

Shoreline was a formidable team and excellently managed.   They will continue to be setting records across the league as they prepare for the 2025 season.

Next up – The Volbeat Ghost Archers…. Where I am sure that the Hutts of Nal Hutta will be making an appearance at the 2024 World Series.

Quarterfinal Round results of the Greensboro Smoke Series with the Michigan Marvels

As always, Strat-O-Matic playoff series seem to hang on a few rolls of the dice, one way or the other, and this series was no different. For those of you with nothing better to do, game by game series recap below.

It is always fun regardless of the outcome, and was great hanging with Ray on the phone throughout the series. By the end, I finally memorized the spelling of Puyallup, and also now know that the city's name comes from the Puyallup Tribe of Native Americans and means "the generous people"- pretty cool as a team name for sure!

In one way, it did resemble, at least a little, the 1960  Yankees-Pirates WS as Puyallup outscored Albany 25-2 in its two wins, while Albany prevailed in two extra inning nailbiters along with 2 other wins with (very) late game-winning scores. We had some fun with that as Ray pointed out his childhood affiliation with the Pirates as his favorite team, while I was growing up on the other side of the state rooting for the Yankees and Mickey Mantle. 

Game 1:

Spartan ace G Kirby and Albany #1 SP, Sandy Alcantara each duel for 7 1/3 innings:

G.Kirby     7 1/3   6   2   2   3   6   0 106;

Alcantara   7 1/3   6   2   1   1   2   0 105  

Yelich thrown out at home in the 6th to preserve the tie. and the bullpens hold firm through 9. 

The rolls fall Albany's way in the 10th.. The Spartans open their half with successive BB's to Albies and Soler, bringing up 3-4-5 hitters, Bregman, Pederson, and Murphy.  A "reversed" Mason Miller stays in the game to face Bregman who flies out, and Pederson who K's. Puyallup brings in F Fermin to PH for Murphy (fewer overall chances, but more hit chances) and Albany counters with Aroldis Chapman who K's Fermin to end the inning. In the bottom half, Alec Bohm opens with a single, and Fermin commits an error (goat horns awaiting in the dugout), giving Albany the same opportunity. Wade sacs the runners and Yandy Diaz laces a clean single off of stud stopper D Williams for the win. For the game, the Spartans were 1-11 with runners in scoring position. 

Spartans........   0 1 0  1 0 0  0 0 0  0 -  2  6  1 

Internationals.. 0 0 0  0 2 0  0 0 0  1 -  3  8  2

GAME 2   (Albany leads series 1-0)

Ace #2, Logan Gilbert vs surprise Starter Louie Varland, he of the VG WHIP(1.13) and eye-watering 2.13 HR/9. 

Varland, on a short leash, gives up a run in the 1st, escaping a bases loaded jam, but gets the early hook with 2 runners on and 2 outs in the 2nd, as the Spartan lineup turns over to the top. RH stopper Leclerc snuffs out the threat. Gilbert works out of some jams himself,  finally giving up the lead in the 6^th when Estuary (+12 clutch) PH's for Laureano with 2 outs and smacks a bases loaded double. Bohm was thrown out at the plate trying to score from 1^st to keep the game tight at 2-1. Gilbert tires in the 7th after issuing a lead-off BB. Yimi Garcia K's Yandy Diaz before issuing a BB to Seager and a HR to the other Diaz,  padding Albany's lead. The Albany bullpen is the story of the game with 7 IP-3hits-0 BB's and 7K's

Spartans........ 1 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  1  7  1

Internationals.. 0 0 0  0 0 2  3 0    -  5  8  0

GAME 3   (Albany leads series 2-0)

After analyzing Albany stats, Puyallup decides on LHP B Garrett to face off against Joe Musgrove. Musgrove had very good real-life stats, but struggled in GUSSOMO as teams compensated for his massively reversed card splits. Not a good match-up vs a RH oriented Spartan team, and the results proved the point! Musgrove lasted 4 innings, and together with mop-up men, Middleton, N Martinez, and Touki Toussaint, gave up 19 runs, 15 earned on 16 hits (4 HR's), 7 BB's and 3 Albany errors. The choice of Garrett is a good one as he finishes 6 innings giving up only 1 hit, a J Turner HR in an otherwise brilliant performance against the shellshocked Internationals.

Internationals.. 0 1 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -   1  4  3 

Spartans.......... 3 0 1  0 6 3  1 5 x   - 19 16  0

GAME 4   (Albany leads series 2-1)

With Garrett's performance in the books, Puyallup opts for LH starter James Paxton facing off against Charlie Morton. Both pitchers pitch well enough. Morton gives up 2 runs on 2 hits, including a Bregman HR, and is lifted in the 5^th after issuing a lead-off 1B. Garrett completes 6 giving up 4 hits and just 1 earned run, including a Seager solo shot, and is replaced in the 7^th after giving up a lead-off 1B. After a couple of lead changes, Albany tied the score in the 8^th on a 2 out Laureano 1B and Yandy's 2B gapper to score Ramon (1-14) from 1st. 

Yainer Diaz's strokes the game winning 1B following a lead-off walk and SAC bunt squeak out the win. The Albany bullpen shines again in the late going with Chapman-Chavez-Moll-Leclerc combining for a line of

4-0-0-0-7 f rom the 9^th to 12^th innings.

Internationals.. 0 1 0  1 0 0  0 1 0  0 0 2  -  5  9  0

Spartans........   1 0 0  0 1 0  1 0 0  0 0 0  -  3  6  0

GAME 5  (Albany leads series 3-1)

Rematch of Game 1 SP's. Obvious must-win for the Spartans, but also an important game for Albany with the reality of Varland and Musgrove scheduled for games 6-7.

The Spartans put on their hitting shoes, breaking the game open in the 3rd with 5 straight batters reaching base before an out is recorded. Kirby pitched like an Ace through 7 innings for the easy win. The silver lining for Albany in the 2 blowout losses was the preservation of precious bullpen innings.

Internationals.. 0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 0  -  1  6  2

Spartans........   1 1 4  0 0 0  0 0 x  -  6 11  1

GAME 6  (Albany leads series 3-2)

Varland vs Kirby. Varland cruises through the 1st, but gives up a 1B and BB to Pederson and Murphy to start the 2nd. Solano and Margot due up are W's, negating the HR potential, but Albany opts for Nick Martinez to try to avoid the extra-base hit and potential big inning. The move to the bullpen pans out as Martinez-Moll-Sandlin-Leclerc combined for 6 innings of 1 hit no run ball and a slim 1-0 lead after 7. With 2 outs in the 8th and their backs to the wall, the Spartans manage a true Strat-O-Matic comeback with a HBP followed by an x-chart 3B over the head of RFer Lamonte Wade.

Puyallup SP, Kirby starts the 8th strong striking out Bohm and Perkins, but weakens after Wade and Yandy D single. Munoz replaces Kirby and regular season Albany MVP, Kyle Seager hits a series winning HR- the final dice rolls falling in Albany's favor. When asked to comment from the locker room/living room following the win, the Albany Mgr quoted the great Yogi Berra who purportedly once said, ..." it's better to be lucky than good!".

Spartans.........    0 0 0  0 0 0  0 1 0  -  1  3  0 

Internationals..  0 0 1  0 0 0  0 3  x  -  4  7  0

MISSISSIPPI at KONA COAST

Today, Kona Coast closed out the Mississippi Big Orange, four games to two,  by winning Game 6 in Hawaii. Thanks again to John for the fun and graciousness of playing via NetPlay and chatting on the phone.  All files are attached.

Game 6: Coffee Growers 6, Big Orange 1

This game was much closer than the final score. Mississippi’s fortunes most likely turned in the 7^th inning. Mississippi led off the game in Schwarber-esk fashion, with TJ Friedel smashing a homerun off Zac Gallen. But Gallen worked out of subsequent difficult situations, stranding two runners in the 1^st inning, Brian Anderson’s lead-off double in the 2^nd inning, and Shohei Ohtani’s one-out triple in the 3^rd inning. Meanwhile, the Big Orange’s Kyle Bradish was impressive again, limiting the home squad to just one hit and one walk through the first five innings. Kona Coast broke through in the 6^th inning by getting two runners in scoring position to lead off the inning. After Gunnar Henderson struck out, Bradish uncorked a wild pitch to score Triolo from third base. Lindor then hit a sacrifice fly to score Casas who ran on 1-9 “fly-rfB?” chance to make it 2-1 Coffee Growers.

The game turned in the top of the 7^th, when Mississippi loaded the bases with NO outs. With Tyler Holton coming from the bullpen into the mess, Mississippi countered with Rob Resnyder and his .360+ OBP. With the infield in, he hit a “gb-ssA,” and Lindor turned it into a 6-2-3 double play. PH Matthew Batten then flew out to end the threat with no runs allowed.

The Coffee Growers then delivered the death by a thousand cuts stringing together timely hits over the next two frames. The final death blow was via William Conteras’ double and LF error to plate Kona’s final two runs in the Coffee Growers 3-run 8^th inning.

Series Highlights and Factoids

Both teams hit under .200 (Mississippi .194, Kona Coast .187)

Mississippi out-hit Kona Coast 37 to 35 while outhomering the Coffee Growers 5 to 3.

Kona Coast scored 18 runs over the six games, to 14 runs for Mississippi

Kona Coast pitching staff struck out 71 batters over 54 innings with a 2.33 Team ERA.

Mississippi's pitching staff struck out 61 batters over 53 innings with a 2.89 Team ERA.

Shohei Ohtani was clearly the series MVP. He hit .286 with a .619 slugging. He dominated with 15 innings, 0.60 ERA, two wins, allowing 3 hits, 3 walks, and 16 strikeouts.

When SOM game calculated the All-Star lineup, only two Kona Coast position players were on it, Francisco Lindor and Max Kepler.

Mississippi was only 2-20 in Clutch situations. Kona Coast wasn’t much better at 3-18 (but two were doubles).

Kona Coast made only 1 fielding error, Mississippi only two. There was only 1 unearned run across the two teams.

DATE  VIS  R  H  E  HOME R  H  E INN  WIN                   LOSS

----- ------------  ------------ ---  --------------------  -------------------

10/ 2 MBO  4  7  0  KCC  1  1  0      S.Ohtani (1-0)        Z.Gallen (0-1)

10/ 3 MBO  2  4  0  KCC  3  5  1      B.Graterol (1-0)      K.Bradish (0-1)

10/ 5 KCC  3  5  0  MBO  1  6  1      A.Puk (1-0)           M.Wacha (0-1)

10/ 6 KCC  3 10  0  MBO  2  3  0 10   T.Holton (1-0)        G.Santos (0-1)

10/ 7 KCC  2  6  0  MBO  4  7  0      S.Ohtani (2-0)        S.Strider (0-1)

10/ 9 MBO  1 10  1  KCC  6  8  0      Z.Gallen (1-1)        K.Bradish (0-2)