MLDS: Florida vs. New York Cobra

Game 1: Florida 4 New York 0

Peter Buchanon struck out 9 over 7.1 innings, allowing 4 hits.  David Tejada got the last 5 outs.  Joey Howell homered, Maldonado, Ortiz, and Conn Barbarian each had 2 hits and scored a run.  Florida beat Stephen Hamburg, who allowed 7 hits over 6 innings.

Game 2: Florida 9 New York 6

Florida scored 2 runs in each of the first 2 innings off Buddy Dervish, prompting Bob Zygyk to pinch hit for him in the bottom of the second and turn it into a bullpen game.  New York was able to get a few runs back off a shaky Doug Guzman (5 walks, 4 runs in 5 innings).  In the 4th however Florida blew the game open, scoring 5 runs to push the score to 9-3.  Joey Howell homered and both Guzman and Mitch Oakenshield (on short dwarves legs) tripled.  Jon Papelbrad pitched the 7th and 8th, striking out 5 and allowing no runs to keep things close as NY scratched across a few runs against 6 Florida relievers.

In the bottom 8th, with Florida up 9-6, New York got a walk and a double to bring the tying run up.  Harold Perez struck out Eddie Walker and Keith Lee, bringing up Chad White.  Florida brought Grant Hansen out of the pen, and White lashed a line drive into the right field corner.  Instead of 2 runs, an incredible effort by Conn Barbarian, ending with a diving catch, brought the inning to a close.  Hansen had less trouble in the bottom 9th, with a perfect inning and two strikeouts.

Game 3: NY 3 Florida 0

Sylvanus Tonka pitched a 3 hitter over 8 innings, and Papelbrad a perfect 9th for the save.  Joel Camels pitched well, but Florida's bats did not show up.  Keith Lee and Sal Rodriguez had RBI hits, and Reggie Moye added a 9th inning insurance run with a pinch homer.

Game 4: New York 5 Florida 4

New York scored all 5 runs off Chris Reyes in the first 3 innings, including a 2 run homer by Sal Rodriguez in the 3rd.  Florida tried valiantly to come back.  Alex Maldonado had a 2 run homer off Hamburg in the 4th, and in the 8th Gromit Peveto's 2 run shot off Brian Avila made it a one run game.  After the homerun, Papelbrad came in to strike out Oakenshield and pinch hitter Bob King.

In the 9th, Melvin Ortiz led off with a walk.  David Baron popped up.  Conn Barbarian then came close to winning the series for Florida with a deep drive to left center that just stayed in the park for Jay Bourn.  A single by Howell put the winning run on base.  An exhausted Papelbrad then got Alex Maldonado to ground out to third to end the game.

Game 5: Florida 3 New York 2

Back in New York, the Cobra would have to play this one without Papelbrad being available.  It would turn out to be a real nail-biter, as Cobra president Brad and president-elect Trump watched from the owners box.

Florida scored in the second as pitcher Peter Buchanon lined a 2 out single off Dervish to bring a runner in from third.  In the 4th, New York put runners on the corners with nobody out.  Florida played back for the double play and got it, but the tying run scored.

In the 5th, it was Buchanon again, drawing a lead off walk.  He would end up scoring on a Joey Howell sacrifice fly.  New York, in the bottom of the inning, got a 2 out single by Gonzalo Veres.  Jay Bourn pinch ran and stole second, then scored on pinch hitter Reggie Moye's double.  Innings 6-8 came and went with no score.

Top of the 9th, Mitch Oakenshield doubled with one out, and Florida chose to leave pitcher Tejada in the game.  He bunted the dwarf to third.  New York went to hard throwing Rudiger Rocker to face lefty David Baron.  Baron lined a single into left for a 3-2 lead.

Bottom of the 9th, Tejada struck out Jay Born, Sal Rodriguez, and then faced LaDarrell Piniella, the last man off NY's bench and a weak hitting catcher.  He lifted a medium fly to right, Conn Barbarian took it, and Florida advances to the championship series.