World Series preview: Greatest pitching staff ever?

The NY Cobra rode their superstar pitching to the Major league pennant. They were very balanced, with no pitcher having an ERA north of 3.55.  Three relievers pitched full seasons with ERAs under 1, Tonka had a 2.23, Hamburg 2.77, and the other three starters were no worse than 3.23.  Overall they had a team ERA of 2.77 in a league of 3.69.  They were 33% better than the league, a figure topped by only one team : the legendary 1987 Shockers.

The Shockers had 6 innings with 6 earned runs from late season callup Don Johnson, other than that every other pitcher had no worse than a 2.79 ERA.their team ERA was 2.39 in a league of 3.23, 35 percent better than the league.

The 2017 Cobra did set a record with 1563 strikeouts, topping the 1988 Denver Rabbits.

MLCS game 3 to 5

Game 3:

Stephen Hamburg pitched 8 shutout innings, allowing only 4 hits and a walk while striking out 11.  Lee Thompson singled in Chad White for the first run in the 4th, and Wellington Bear added a 3 run homer in the 5th.  Manny Olmos started the 9th and gave up a homer to Bryce Parkman before getting two outs, and Nolan Stephens came on for the final out.

Game 4:  New York loaded the bases with 2 out in the first, and scored the first run when Ramon Ortega bobbled a ground ball. Silvanos Tonka was strong after that, striking out 11 over 7 2/3 shutout innings. New York added two in the 4th as Silvanos Tonka singled with 2 out and came home on a double by David Jackson.  Jeff Linden then singled in Jackson.  Jon Papelbrad allowed one run in the 9th before striking out Daniel Klein to end the game.

Game 5: Chad White singled in David Jackson in the top of the first, Simon Burgos singled in Ramon Ortega to tie things in the bottom of the inning.  Jeff Bowman homered off Mike Cottrell in the second and that was the end of the scoring.  Buddy struck out 9 over 6 innings, allowing 3 hits, and Rafael Hernandez pitched two innings of scoreless relief.  Todd McCarthy pitched the 9th, got the first two outs, allowed a single to Phil Banks, and struck out Orlando Strickland to send New York to the world series for the first time since 2009.

New York's dominant pitching, which had a league best 2.77 ERA in the regular season, held St Louis to 9 runs in the five games.

SLCS games 5-6

Game 5:

Boston holds off Texas with a 9-7 win.  Texas took a 3-0 lead on Travis Springer's 3 run homer, and Boston answered with 3 in the second.  Texas led 5-3 going into the bottom 6th when Boston scored 4 runs, highlighted by a bases clearing double from Jorge Cendejas.  Starters Erik Garcia and C.C. Salbacca were both hit hard, Garcia taking the loss and Salbacca getting a no decision.  Cendejas drove in 5 runs on the day and Ralph Everett pitched a scoreless 9th for the save.

Game 6: Texas wins a pitching duel 2-1 to advance to their first ever world series appearance.  With the score tied at 1 in the 6th, Travis Springer homered off R.D. Phillips to take the lead.  Brad Mulhern went 6 innings, pitching around 8 hits and a pair of walks.  Five Texas relievers held Boston scoreless for the last 3 innings.  With two out in the 9th Alex Hamilton hit a triple to bring the tying run within 90 feet, but Sam Parillo struck out Doug Frazier to end the game.

MLCS games 1-2

Broadcast on HSN, Brian Kaat joined the booth as a color commentator.

Bryce Parkman hit a one out double to send Ramon Ortega to third.  After Buddy Dervish struck out Simon Burgos, Drew Ward singled in two runs.

Mike Cottrell pitched a 3 hit shutout over 8 innings.  Dervish didn't give up any more.  In the 9th Edgar Sanders came on in relief.  Jeff Linden doubled with 1 out.  Bear walked.  Chad White struck out.  Chris Phillips singled to make it a one run game.  Chris Gruber hit a fly to center that Daniel Klein was able to run down and preserve the 2-1 game.

Game 2

Jeff Linden hit a pair of homers and Ron Moon broke a 2-2 tie in the 6th with a 2 run double.  New York added 4 insurance runs in the 7th, as David Jackson and Chad White homered.  New York went on to win 8-4 to tie the series.

SLCS Boston vs Texas

Game 1: Texas wins 6-2 behind Jared Pollard.  The Texas ace allowed 1 hit and no runs through 5.1 innings.  Tommy Ross homered off the Wookiee Salbacca.

Game 2

Texas wins 5-1 as Brad Mulhern allowed only 2 hits through 6 innings.  Travis Springer and Miguel Fernandez both homered.

Game 3

Texas wins 9-4 as Springer and Fenwick homer, while Fernandez and Masterman have 4 hits each.  Jason Curry wins with 5.1 innings and 3 runs allowed, and Matt Rogers gets hammered for 10 hits and 7 runs in 3.2 innings.

Game 4

Boston stays alive with a 3-2 win.  Pollard started on 3 days rest but could only go 4.1 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 8.  Scott Cole gave Boston 7 innings, allowing 2 runs and striking out 7.

With the score 2-2 in the 7th, Reggie Moore hit a 2 out double to bring in the go ahead run.  Moore hurt his back on the swing and had to leave the game.

Julio Rodriguez pitched the 9th to save the game.

Game 5 Chicago vs Texas

Ruben Ramirez and Jason Curry held their opponents scoreless until the 5th.

With two out, Drew Fenwick launched a 2 run homer.  Chicago got one back on Javier Soto homer.  In the 7th pinch hitter Ramon Gallia doubled home Jose Santana to make it 3-1.

In the 8th Joey Howell pinch hit and singled, bringing up Soto.  The Chicago shortstop hit his 2nd homer of the game and everything was tied at 3.

Still tied in the bottom 9th, Danny Almonte came on in relief.  Manny Ortez singled and moved up on a bunt, but Almonte struck out the next 2 to send the game into extra innings.

Soto singled in the 10th but was erased on a double play.  Almonte tweaked his knee and was unable to continue, so Chicago went to closer Claude Smith.  He pitched a scoreless 10th and 11th.

In the top 12th Joey Howell hit a 1 out double, but Soto and LeRoy Brown grounded out to strand him.

On for his third inning, Smith walked Tommy Ross and struck out Jose Santana.  Orlando Cordero the snuck one down the right field line, only 332 feet, but just enough to get beyond the reach of Gregor Clegane and send Texas to the next round.

Game 5 - NYC vs Philadelphia

This was another strong pitcher's duel between Stephen Hamburg and Floyd Brennan.  Orlando Colangelo gave Philly a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the 4th.  NY got the run right back when Chad White stole second and scored on Ron Moon's double.

In the 5th Jesse Martinez took Hamburg deep for a 2 run, opposite field homer.  Hamburg pitches a scoreless 6th and kept the score at 3-1.  In the bottom of the inning New York loaded the bases with 1 out, bringing up Hamburg's spot.  LaDarrell Piniella pinch hit, and grounded into any inning ending double play.

Silvanos Tonka came on in relief and kept the score close with 2 scoreless innings. In the bottom of the 8th New York loaded the bases against Herschel Perry and David Jackson tied the game with a 2 run double.  The go ahead run was left on third when Eddie Walker hit one to first with the infield drawn in, and Wellington Bear popped out.  Closers Jon Papelbrad and Royce Walls kept things scoreless for a few innings.

With one out in the bottom 12th, facing Mark Axelson, rookie Victor Jacobs hit a 396 foot homer to right, sending New York to the next round.

Game 5 - LA vs STL

Bryce Parkman, Daniel Klein, and Drew Ward all homered as St Louis rocked the Shockers 11-2 behind Ryan Bordenick.  Suzuke Mazdahonda started well but gave up 3 runs in the 4th and 5 total in 5 innings.

Brian Kaat plays his final OOTP game

With Miami trailing 7-5, Brian led off the 9th with a walk and advanced to third before Billly Bass hit into a game ending double play.

MLDS game 4

Shockers beat STL in a slugfest, 12-9 to stay alive.  Brent Johnson had 4 hits, a homer, and drove in 5.  Chris Hamilton had a pair of homers and drove in 4.  Stl had a 7-3 lead into the 5th before LA scored 5 in the inning, and followed that with a 4 run 6th.

Jake Riggs hit a 2 run single off Pedro Lewis in the first, and Humberto Castillo had a solo homer in the third.  That's all the runs they would need to beat NY 3-1.  David Tyler, pitching on 3 days rest, only went 4 2/3 innings before the bullpen shut down NY to force game 5.

SLDS Texas vs Chicago games 3-4

Game 3:  Texas scored in the second against Doug Guzman.  Chicago got 4 in the bottom of the inning as Alfonso Gorin hit a grand slam off Brad Mulhern.

With 2 out in the 6th, Tommy Ross singled, Drew Fenwick singled, and Jose Lopes walked to load the bases.  Jose Santana's 2 run single made it 4-3.

Chicago got one back in the bottom of the inning.  In the 7th Phil Pepsi came on to face Manny Ortez with one out.  Ortez singled.  Miguel Fernandez tripled, and Johnny Lewis singled to tie the game.

Joey Howell pinch hit in the bottom 7th with a single, stole second, and scored on a Gorin single.  Gorin scored on a Javier Soto double.  Carlos Floyd pitched a perfect 8th, and Claude Smith struck out two to earn the save in the 7-5 victory.

Game 4:

Texas scored 5 times in the 1st inning off Felix Cabrera, all with 2 out.  He didn't give up anymore, and Jeff Powell pitched the final 5.2 innings without allowing a hit.

Only one Chicago player brought his bat to the park:  Mitch Oakenshield.  The dwarf homered in the 5th off Jared Pollard and in the 8th off Cody Alexander.  Pollard allowed 2 hits over 5.1 innings, striking out 7, and Sam Parillo closed out the 5-2 game with 2 strikeouts in the 9th.

SLDS Stars Boston games 3-4

Miami vs Boston game 3

Stars scored first as Joe Young and Devan Arceneaux hit back to back doubles.  Boston scored 3 in the 2nd, starting with a homerun from Kodos.  Next inning Michael Sanders hit a 2 run homer to make it 5-1.  Doug Frazier homered in the 4th, and Boston scored 3 runs in the inning to make it 8-1.

The final score was 9-2, with Matt Rogers striking out 9 over 7 innings.  For Miami, Larry Reed was charged with 5 runs on 9 hits and did not make it out of the 3rd.

Game 4

Aaron Moore hit a 2 run first inning homer off Bryan Castillo.  Castillo barely survived the inning, with the final 2 outs recorded with the outfielders going to the wall.  Alex Williams homered in the 2nd, and one out later a double by Jorge Cendejas chased Castillo.  Miami would unload the bullpen to try and save their season.

Travis Howard walked the first batter he faced, but then recorded two strikouts.  Howard threw 52 pitches over 2.2 innings to keep things from falling apart.  He struck out 5 before tiring.

Peter Rabbitt put Miami on board with a 5th inning homer.  In the 6th, Young and Arceneaux doubled before Billy Bass put Miami 4-3 with a homer.  Oswipe Cabrera reached on an error, stole second, and scored on a Mathis single.

In the bottom 6th Boston tied the game back up on an Alex Williams 2 run homer.  Johnny Anderson relieved Tom Knight and got out of that inning.  In the 7th Aaron Moore homered to put Boston back on top 6-5.

Dwight Schrute came on for the bottom 8th.  He walked Williams, who moved to second on a bunt, and Jorge Cendejas singled him home for an insurance run.  Schrute struck out the last 2 and Miami had one more chance against closer Julio Rodriguez.

Brian Kaat, in his possible final plate appearance, drew a walk.  He moved up on a wild pitch. Joe Young flew out to center.  Arceneaux walked.  Billy Bass hit a ground ball to first which Aaron Moore turned into a game ending 3-6-3 double play.

Miami won 109 games in the regular season, but could only manage one in the playoffs.

More MLDS

Game 2 NY vs PHI

Philadelphia scored an unearned run in the second off Silvanos Tonka when Lee Thompson's error let Lance Harper score.  That was all Philly would get as Tonka settled down, pitching a 4 hitter over 7 innings with 8 strikeouts.

New York tied the game in the 4th as Chad White led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch.  The next inning Eddie Walker doubled with 2 out and scored on Wellington Bear's single.

Nolan Stephens started the 8th and gave up a leadoff single to Humberto Castillo.  Manny Olmos came on to face Philadelphia's lefty hitters, struck out the first two and got Lance Harper on a flyout.  Jon Papelbrad pitched a 1-2-3 9th to close out the 2-1 game.

Game 3 LA vs STL

St Louis jumped all over Brett Edwards and coasted to an 8-1 win.  Bryce Parkman and Brandon Cohen homered, and Orlando Strickland added two.  Mike Cottrell pitched 7 innings for the win.

Game 3 NY vs PHI

Wellington Bear doubled in Eddie Walker in the first inning.  Buddy Dervish ran into trouble in the 3rd.  With one out, pitcher Scott Elzy doubled.  Jose Alvarado walked.  Colangelo singled to load the bases. A Castillo single brought home two.  One out later Jake Riggs walked to reload the bases.  Lance Harper doubled in two and only a strong throw from Jeff Linden kept 3 runs from scoring.

New York pinch hit for Dervish after four, but could not get the offense going and Philadelphia won 7-2.

MLDS game 2 LA vs STL

Paul Finch pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and Los Angeles held a 1-0 lead in the 7th when light hitting Terrell Larkin hit a grand slam off Ryan Bordenick.  St Louis scored twice in the bottom 8th as Bryce Parkman and Simon Burgos hit solo homers, LA went on to win 5-2.  Matt King struck out two for a perfect, 9th inning save.

MLDS game one

St Louis beat the LA Shockers 7-5 to take a 1-0 lead in their series.  Simon Burgos hit homeruns in both the second and third innings to chase Suzuke Mazdahonda, and set the Robins off to a 5-0 lead.  Nick Lawson pitched 7 innings for the win, allowing 3 runs and striking out 7.

Stephen Hamburg took a no hitter into the 6th inning before pinch hitter Hansel Wilson homered to put Philly on the scoreboard, cutting New York's lead to 2-1.  Cobra scored in the 4th on Jeff Bowman's sacrifice fly, and again in the 5th on David Jackson's solo homer.

In the 7th inning Hamburg still had a one hitter going with two out when Frank Oakley hit a weak grounder to first.  Bear fielded the ball and flipped to Hamburg in an extremely close play.  Oakley was called safe and the call was upheld on review.  Jake Riggs sent the next pitch into the right field seats to put Philly on top.

Hamburg stayed in and pitched a scoreless 8th.  With one out in the bottom of the inning, facing Philadelphia's right handed relievers, Jeff Linden pinch hit for Ron Moon and tied  the game up with a 442 foot blast to center field.

Hamburg got Jose Alvarado to fly out to start the 9th, then walked Orlando Colangelo, his first walk issued since August.  Todd McCarthy relieved Hamburg and got Humberto Castillo to fly to center.  With two out and the dangerous Oakley up, manager George Kird elected to summon the seldom used Rudiger Rocker.  Rudiger threw one pitch and got Oakley to ground out to second.

In the bottom of the 9th New York's first two batters were retired by closer Royce Walls.  David Jackson singled on a line drive over the shortstop's head.  He stole second on a 1-0 count, and came around to score as Wellington Bear singled into right field for a game ender.  New York leads 1-0 in the best of 5 series.

SLDS game 2 - CHI vs Texas

Chicago roughed up Tim Sullivan for 3 runs in the 2nd and two more in the third, then coasted to a 6-0 victory.  Danny Almonte went 7 innings, allowing 3 hits, 4 walks, and 8 strikeouts.  Alfonso Gorin had 3 hits and 2 RBI, LeRoy Brown had 3 hits including a homer, scored twice and drove in 2.

The series is now tied at one game each.

SLDS - 2 games

Manny Ortez, Drew Fenwick, and Travis Springer hit solo homers off of Ruben Ramirez in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings.  Javier Soto hit a homer for Chicago in the 4th, their only run off the dominant Jared Pollard.

Ramirez went 7 innings and allowed no runs other than those three homers.  Texas added a pair in the 8th as Miguel Fernandez hit a 2 run homer.  Pollard went 6 innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 5.  Four Texas relievers combined to pitch scoreless ball over the last 3 innings.

Miami's Roman Matos, baseball's only 20 game winner this year, pitched a great game to even the series with Boston.  Matos went 6 innings, allowed 2 hits, one walk, and struck out 4.  Boston's biggest threat came when Aaron Moore, back in the lineup, hit a leadoff triple.  Matos stranded him on third with some help from Brian Kaat, who caught two medium deep fly balls to left while Moore elected not to challenge his paw.

Joe Young singled in Kaat to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the first.  While Miami had 13 hits in 6 innings off R.D. Phillips, they could not another run across until scoring 3 in the 5th, 2 on Mike Conner's RBI single.

A 45 minute rain delay in the bottom of the 6th inning ended the night for Matos, who threw 89 pitches.  Travis Howard pitched 2 innings, allowing no hits and striking out 2, and Dwight Schrute struck out the side in the 9th to finish the 4-0 shutout.

SLDS game 1

Boston tee'd off on Jered DeMario.  Jung Ho Kodos hit a 2 run shot in the second. In the 4th Francisco Nunes crushed a 467 foot bomb.  Alex Williams hit a 2 run shot later in the inning, and DeMario was gone.  CC Salbacca pitched 8 innings, striking out 10.  He gave up a 2 run homer to Joe Young in the 6th, but brought a 4 run lead to the 9th.

Arceneaux led off with a walk and Bass was hit by pitch, and Julio Rodriguez came on in relief.  Conner singled.  Rabbit struck out after a wild pitch brought home a run.  Cabrera grounded out.  Trevor Burton, representing the tying run, struck out to end the game.  Final score was 6-3.

Aaron Moore was at the ballpark but Damon Nkik did not play him, 2 days after Moore survived a horrific car crash.  

Major league wild card

Portland started the scoring when Zandar Dukakis hit a 2 run homer off David Tyler in the third inning.  Roger Lewis, who had only allowed 13 homers all season, gave up 3 in the bottom of the inning.  Jose Alvarado and Orlando Colangelo went back to back, and Jake Riggs added a 2 run shot.  Tyler settled in to pitch 8 innings, allowing 3 runs and striking out 9.  Royce Walls pitched a scoreless 9th to save the 6-3 game.

Game 2:

Scott Elzy and Ricardo Diaz matched shutout innings for the first 4.  Humberto Castillo hit a 2 run double in the 5th.  Philadelphia added another in the 6th.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom 8th, Jek Lewis launched a 2 run homer, 417 feet to left center, to tie the game.  Portland stuck with Carlos Garrido to start the 9th.  Garrido had struck out the side in the 8th.  Julio Batista led off with a grounder to third which the Panda booted for an error.  Jesse Martinez struck out.  Hansel Wilson singled, sending Batista to third and taking second on the throw.

Portland went to closer Kevin Ribaudo.with the infield in, he struck out Jose Alvarez.  Colangelo then knocked a 3 run homer down the line in right.

Walls came in for the bottom of the 9th.  Alzugaray led off with a double.  Treanor struck out.  Evans singled, putting runners at the corners and bringing the tying run to the plate.  Lannister hit a sac fly to make it 6-4.  Headley flew to center, and Philly advanced.  They will play Nee York next.

Moore injured in car wreck

Aaron Moore, who hit 2 homers as Boston defeated the NY Knights, crashed and totaled his Maserati after the game.  Moore's injuries were not serious and he is expected to play against Miami.

Superior League Wild Card

Game 1:Boston scored 3 runs off Zoolander in the first and knocked him out in the 5th. Jung Ho Kodos homered and drove in 4.  RD Phillips picked up the win, allowing 1 run over 7 innings while striking out 7.  Final score was 9-3.

Game 2: NY got off to a 2-0 lead against Matt Rogers.  Aaron Moore tied the game up at 2 with a 6th inning homer, then added another homer during a 3 run 8th.  Julio Rodriguez pitched a scoreless 9th to close out the 8-4 game.  Boston will play Miami next.

Pollard signs for 165 million

Texas signed ace Jared Pollard to a 6 year, 165 million dollar extension.  Pollard had been one of the best closers in the league, but Texas tried him as a starter this year with great success.

For the season Pollard went 15-2 with a 1.89 ERA.  He struck out 185 while walking only 20, pitching just enough innings to win the ERA title.  Pollard was under team control through arbitration for two more seasons.  He will make 7.9 million next year, 21 in 2019, and 34 million in each of the next four years.