Batavia Muckdogs 105-57 vs. San Diego Tigersharks 111-51

 

Batavia wins series 4-3

Game 1 – GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK – Game 1 of the NLDS puts last year’s champion versus this year’s regular season’s best record.  Zack Wheeler started for the Muckdogs and Jose Berrios to the mound for the Tigersharks.  Wheeler was solid for 8 innings allowing 3 hits, 2 BB and a HR (to Corey Seager) and struck out 9.  Berrios allowed a leadoff triple to Jose Cabellero in the 3rd followed by 2 BB to load the bases.  Kyle Schwarber with the bases loaded ground into a DP but Cabellero scored.  Berrios cruised through the 4th but the fifth he ran into some serious trouble.  A single by Cabellero, and a HR a piece by Jose Ramirez and Pavin Smith put the Muckdogs up 4-1.  The visitors were not done in the inning yet with 2 singles and a double with 2 outs, Mickey Moniak getting the 2-RBI double to cap the Muckdogs scoring.  The Tigershark bullpen held the rest of the way but the damage was done. Ryan Yarbrough closed out the game with 2Ks and a flyout.  Muckdogs up 1-0 as they steal a win on the road to start the series and are hopeful to defend their championship from last year.

Game 2 – Game 2 had a premier matchup with Chris Sale starting for Batavia and Joe Ryan for San Diego.  Ryan put up solid numbers 6.2IP 3H 1BB and 1HR which was the only run allowed.  Sale on the other hand had a Good News / Bad News type of start.   Good News – 7IP 1BB 12K  Bad News – 2 HR 4ER. After 7 innings the Tigersharks are up 4-1 when they hand it over to the very competent bullpen.  The steady Jhoan Duran, setup man extraordinaire, was greeted by a walk by Trey Sweeney and a blast by Schwarber, to close the lead to 4-3.  David Robertson entered the ninth to close out the game.  He must not have warmed up properly as he plunked Jhonkensy Noel and uncorked a WP enroute to walking Gaby Moreno. Andres Gimenez bunted to advance the runners to second and third.  Sweeney flied to center, Wyatt Langford tried to double up Noel on the tag up and advance, but the throw got away from Freddy Fermin and Noel tied the score as Mickey Moniak advanced to third with 2 outs. Pete Fairbanks entered to douse the fire, getting Schwarber to ground out.  Fermin singled to start the bottom half prompting Hunter Gaddis to get the call from the ‘Pen.  The Muckdogs were able to force Fermin at second on a bunt attempt by Dylan Moore. Moore stole second on a strikeout by Bregman.  Manager Landhuis decided to walk season MVP Ohtani with a base open, wanting nothing to do with the slugger.  Gaddis got Victor Robles to K ending regulation all knotted up at 4-4.  Fairbanks stayed in to start the extra inning. Jose Ramirez singled, PHer Pavin Smith struck out and Lowe walked to put the potential go-ahead run in scoring position.  Moniak hit a seeing eye grounder up the middle as the speedy Ramirez got a good jump with 2 out to scampered home with the go ahead run.  The Muckdogs feeling pretty good about escaping with 2 wins on the road.  NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND.  Gaddis allowed a deep fly to LFer Smith who just entered the game in the field, Smith made a good play to catch it, 1 out.  Harper coaxed a walk out of a reliable Gaddis prompting Manager Mark Landhuis to call to the pen for Season Save leader Kenley Jansen.  He induced a strikeout from PHer Max Muncy.  The Tigersharks down to their last out. Corey Seager pulled a liner down the line and off the wall for a double, scoring Harper from 1st to tie the ballgame at 5-5 as the jubilant home crowd roared to life.  Then Jansen gave up another two-bagger to pesky Fermin to score Seager with the walk-off winner.  The home crowd went absolutely nuts on the walk off win knowing that it made a big swing in events.  The Tigersharks will go to Batavia relieved that they are tied at 1 game a piece instead of being down 2-0.

Game 3 – GLOBE LIFE FIELD – After the Batavia disappointment in not achieving a 2-0 advantage, they needed to collect themselves in front of their fans with starter Kutter Crawford against Kyle Gibson.  A big groan emanated from the crowd when Crawford hit Victor Robles in the side and Bryce Harper pulled a ball inside the right field foul pole, 2-0 San Diego, three batters in.  Gibson, though, could not capitalize on his good fortune. Richie Palacios singled and advanced on the grounder that was too hot to handle cleanly for a double play. Kyle Schwarber walked and both runners advanced one base on another grounder. Nathaniel Lowe, like Harper, smacked the ball down the right field line for a HR, Muckdogs 3-2.  Gibson’s woes continued in the second.  When the dust settled after 2 BB, a triple, a SF, a single and a double it was Muckdogs 6-2.  Batavia tagged on 2 more runs in the 3rd with 3 walks and a double.  It could have been worse as Gibson started a double play erasing 2 runners and Teoscar Hernandez making a great catch of a deep fly ball by Schwarber.  Gibson finished his start with a horrendous line of 4IP 6H 7BB 2K.   After his initial hiccup, Crawford settled in to finish with a line of 6.1 1H 2 BB and 4Ks. Zac Gallen cleaned up the final 2.2 innings while the San Diego bullpen mostly shut down the Muckdogs, however they capped the scoring in the sixth with a run on a HBP and 3 singles, 9-2.  The Muckdogs home crowd exited cheerfully with the lead in the series 2-1 and can only dream of the 3-0 start that could have been.

Game 4 – GLOBE LIFE FIELD – In what feels like a must-win for the Tigersharks on the road, they send Shane Baz to face off against Joe Musgrove. Mike Trout greeted Baz in the bottom of the first with a double and Pavin Smith smashed a fastball over the right – center fence, Muckdogs lead 2-0 after one. Both starters cruised until Teoscar Hernandez barely cleared the fence down the left field line to narrow the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth. San Diego would tie the game on a single and a WP on the newly entered reliever Jeremiah Estrada. The top of the eighth, San Diego stole the lead on a single by Austin Martin, advanced on a FC on a hit and run then scored on a Corey Seager liner single to right center. David Robertson gave up a solo shot to Trout in the bottom of the eighth to lock up the score 3 a piece. After a clean top of the ninth, Jose Ramirez singled but was forced at second on a Gabriel Moreno grounder after a strikeout by Mickey Moniak. Down to the last out in regulation and looking like another extra inning game, Jose Caballero caught the defense sleeping on a bunt single with two outs. The light hitting leadoff hitter Rickie Palacios steps to the plate and hits a grounder up the middle. Although the outfield was playing in to cut down the slow footed catcher Moreno, Victor Robles has a brain fart and does not throw home. Muckdogs win in a walkoff and now lead the series 3-1, again dreaming of a series sweep win on the missed opportunity in Game #2.

Game 5 – GLOBE LIFE FIELD – Game 5, in what is now a must win for the Tigersharks down 3-1 in the series, San Diego sends Game 1 starter Jose Berrios against the Batavia ace Zack Wheeler. The Tigersharks draw blood first with a solo shot by Max Muncy in the top of the 2nd. They added 2 more runs in the 3rd on an infield single by Dylan Moore and with two outs a HR pulled down the RF line by Corey Seager (his second of the series). The Muckdogs finally get on the board in the bottom of the 3rd on Jose Caballero’s bunt single, a Jose Ramirez walk and Mike Trout’s infield single to load the bases with one out. Pavin Smith flied out to CF and the speedy Caballero scampered home for a SF. The Muckdogs threatened again in the bottom of the 4th on a leadoff double by Randall Grichuk. However, 3B Muncy made a great pick that Grichuk thought went through but was tagged out trying to advance. Muncy continued the great play by throwing in time to complete the double play at first. Berrios retired the next 10 of 11 to cruise to a 7ip 4H 1ER 4BB 3K line that he provided on a much needed excellent performance. The backend BP duo closed out the Muckdogs in the 8th and 9th with no hits and 1 walk. The Muckdogs BP was just as stingy but the damage was already done to game 1 hero Wheeler who finished 6.1ip 6H 3ER 2BB 5K to take a 3-1 loss for the home team Muckdogs. The Tigersharks head home needing to win both games left in the series. The Muckdogs know that they have their work cut out for them on the road despite have a 3-2 game lead in the series.

Game 6 – GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK – Game 6 features two great pitchers, mid-season acquisition Chris Sale for the Muckdogs and Joe Ryan for the Tigersharks. In game 2, these two starters faced off in a tight game that ended in an extra inning victory for San Diego that was a major swing in the series tally. It would have had the Tigersharks down 2-0 in the series if they hadn’t got 2 runs in the 10th inning after letting the Muckdogs tie the score in the 9th and go ahead in the 10th. San Diego scored first in the 3rd on a solo HR by Corey Seager batting 8th in the lineup due to his weakness vs LHP, it was his third HR of the series. The home squad struck again with a wild bottom of the 4th. Bryce Harper singled to lead off the inning. Sale struck out Wyatt Langford on 3 straight pitches. Then Harper tried to steal second to get in scoring position but Gabriel Moreno threw a perfect throw to Richie Palacios who applied the tag to nab Harper. It proved costly as a pesky Freddy Fermin doubled off the wall that Harper most likely would have scored. Sale then uncorked a pitch that Moreno couldn’t corral, advancing Fermin to 3rd. Alex Bregman then had a slow chopper that Ramirez hurried the throw pulling Nate Lowe off first base and allowed Fermin to score, 2-0 Tigersharks. Lowe greeted Ryan in the top of the 5th with his 3rd HR of the series to cut the lead to 2-1. The Tigersharks would take the lead back to 2 with scoring a run on a double by Dylan Moore sneaking just inside the bag at third followed by a ground single that Moore had to ensure the ball went through and only advanced to 3rd. In stepped an unusually quiet undisputed season MVP Shohei Ohtani who was 3-21 1D 0HR 0RBI so far in the series. Ohtani lines a single to score Moore. Sale recovered by striking out Teoscar Hernandez and Harper and induced a grounder to Langford to get out of trouble. Meanwhile, Ryan holds the Muckdogs in check by finishing with a 6.2ip 4H 2ER 0BB 6K. A single by Lowe ended the tiring Ryan day and was relieved by Ryan Brasier. Muckdog manager PH for Randall Grichuk with Mickey Moniak who crushed a 2-0 fastball to tie the score at 3 a piece. That blow muted the home crowd. A bend but not break Sale was lifted with 2 out in the 7th and finished with a line of 6.2ip 8H 3R 0BB 10K. Kris Bubic got the final out of the 7th and manager Mark Landhuis left him in to face LHB Harper who got to fly out to RF. Bubic had to face one more batter before the Muckdogs could bring in their best firemen. The RHB Langford who at that point was 2-22. Bubic caught too much of the plate and slugger Langford deposited the ball into the LCF seats. The home crowd went absolutely nuts with go ahead dinger and knowing the tough Tigershark bullpen had a high probability to close out the victory. Sure enough Jhoan Duran closed out the game but not without drama. Duran’s first batter got to a 2-2 count, and Ramirez guessed right on the next pitch. The crowd held their collective breath as Hernandez with his back against the wall had to reach up to pull in the long flyout. Duran hit Jhonkensy Noel for the 4th time in the series before striking out Lowe to end it. The Tigershark fans were very happy that their team had fought back to even the series at 3-3 and forced an ‘anything can happen’ game #7.

Game 7 – Game 7 where ‘anything can happen’ with the winner advancing to the NLCS.  San Diego is back at home hoping the home field advantage brings the extra push to win and advance.  Game 3 starters face off again – Kutter Crawford had an excellent start for the Muckdogs while the Tigersharks send Kyle Gibson who struggled. After a clean first, the Muckdogs get on the board first with a single by Nathaniel Lowe, who has hit .385 with a double and 3 HR for the series, and scored on a double by Mickey Moniak.  The visitors get a second run in the inning on a 2 out single that Moniak scored with a good jump due to 2 outs. Wyatt Langford tried to cut him down, but the bounce got away from Freddy Fermin at home and allowed Jhonkensy Noel to advance to 3rd.  Gibson then walked the #9 hitter Gabriel Moreno.  Manager Korey Klecker gets the bullpen active to relieve struggling Gibson.  Gibson bears down to get a K with runners at the corners to end the inning.  However, Shane Baz, game 4 starter, enters the game in the 3rd.  Baz shuts down the Muckdogs for 3 innings and Taylor Scott has a 1-2-3 sixth. Cole Sands enters the game in the top of the 7th.  He gets Trey Sweeney to fly out to deep center and then Noel bashes a solo HR just inside the foul pole in left, Muckdogs 3-0.  Meanwhile, Crawford is in a zone.  He goes 6.2ip 3H 0BB and 9K, one of the hits was a single by Victor Robles but was caught trying to stretch it into a double by Noel. Danny Coulumbe finishes the 7th to get Bryce Harper to fly out.  He continued to quiet the Tigershark hitters with 2 outs in the eighth, one being a deep fly by Max Muncy. Hunter Gaddis steps in and walks the pesky Fermin but gets pinch hitter Matt Thaiss to fly out. David Robertson and Jhoan Duran shut down the visitors in the top of the ninth.  That leaves the three more outs that are needed by the Muckdogs to advance to the NLCS but it will be San Diego’s tough top of the order.  Gaddis faces Shohei Ohtani to lead off the bottom of the ninth.  Ohtani is smoked in the side by Gaddis, lead off batter is on.  Ohtani swipes 2nd to get into scoring position and eliminate the easy DP.  Robles pops up to Sweeney at SS, 1 out.  Seager steps to the plate and crushes a 0-2 fastball that Richie Palacios, who moved from 2b to LF, snags the deep fly before he hits the wall.  He holds on but Ohtani is able to advance to 3rd, 2 outs.  Manager Mark Landhuis goes to the ‘pen to bring in closer Kenley Jansen, who blew a save in game #2, to redeem himself. Teoscar Hernandez swings at a 3-1 pitch which weakly gets to center fielder Moniak to end the game.  A dogpile ensues to celebrate the improbable victory and the Muckdogs advancement to the NLCS for the 4th time in 5 years.  Series co-MVPs Crawford (13IP 4H 2BB 13K 2ER 2W 1.38 ERA) and Lowe (10-26 1D 3HR 6RBI 6R 1.236 OPS) were instrumental in the Muckdogs advancing.  Seager tried to carry the Tigersharks with a 9-27 2D 3HR 6RBI 4R 1.098 OPS line and Joe Ryan pitched well with a line of 13.1IP 7H 1BB 11K 3ER 2.03 ERA but was unable to get credit for the victory with these great stats even though San Diego won both games.