MLDS: Alaska vs. Los Angeles

Game 1: LA 4 Alaska 0

Suzuke Mazdahonda struck out 10 over 7 innings.  LA scored 3 in the first off Brandon Bailey, and chased him after 2 innings.  Damon Lewis had 2 hits including a homer.

Game 2: LA 3 Alaska 0

Brett Edwards struck out 8, allowed 4 hits, and came one out away from a complete game shutout.  Matt King came on to strike out Robb Stark for the final out.  The Snow Sox failed to score in either game and as an 83-79 team that was outscored on the regular season look ready to make a quick playoff exit.

Game 3: Alaska 12 Los Angeles 0

Alaska wakes up, Ryan Hall, Reggie Rodriguez, and Robb Stark each have 3 RBI and a homerun.  Bartolo Fatone pitches 7.1 innings, while the Snow Sox pound Nathan Tabor.

Game 4: Alaska 4 Los Angeles 0

Once again the losing team is shut out.  Brandon Bailey allowed 4 hits over 8 innings, and Cesar Cordero struck out the side in the 9th.  For LA, Mazdahonda pitched into the 7th allowing only one run, but Ray Mohler allowed 3 in the 8th as the Snow Sox took control.

Game 5: Alaska 5 LA 2

A sac fly off Brett Edwards gave Alaska a 1-0 lead in the first.  In the 4th Stark led off with a walk, and moved to third one out later on a Sancho Pandaval single.  After another out moved the Panda up one base Pete Stallone brought both runners in with a single.  Blair Polanco followed with an RBI double to make it 4-0.

LA got 2 runs back in the bottom of the inning on back to back homers by Adrian Sandusky and Chris Hamilton.  Felix Bacani settled down and allowed no more runs through the 6th.  A sixth inning RBI by Panda made it 5-2 and Alaska turned it over to the bullpen with Kevin Stanfield, Elijah Tebow, and Cesar Cordero closing the game out. In the bottom of the 9th Cordero recorded one out but allowed a single and walk to bring the tying run to the plate.

Up stepped Kobe Jones, 38 years old, 3000 hits, future Hall of Famer, making perhaps his final appearance before his hometown fans.  After a 5 minute standing ovation Jones set to work on tying this do or die game up.  Cordero brought the heat, near 100 MPH, and for pitch after pitch Jones fouled the ball back to the screen.  After taking one outside, Kobe took one more swing, over the top of a slider for strike three.  On the next play pinch hitter George Rivera grounded to short, and the Snow Sox come back from a 2-0 deficit to advance.