MLCS 2019 Games 1-2

Game 1:

With both Tonka and Hamburg having pitched in the decisive game against Florida, Neew York went with Jon Umber.  Portland started their ace Joseph Smith Langford, and both pitched well, going into the 6th inning and allowing 2 runs each.

In the 9th Craig Gendry led off with a walk,  and New York went to the closer Jon Papelbrad.  He struck out Jek Lewis, got Lannister on a ground out, and then struck out Michael Vaughn on 3 pitches.

In the bottom 9th Luis Harris led off with a walk against Mark Hunter.  New York pinch hit for Papelbrad with Brienne of Tarth.  The speedy Harris took off on the first pitch, but Tarth skied it into left for out #1.  Jeff Bowman did the exact same thing.  Finally Adrian Sandusky took a pitch allowing Harris to steal second, and then lined a hard single to right.  Harris slid in safely before Vaughn's throw home, and New York took game 1.

Game 2:

Portland scored the first 2 runs, with a first inning homer from Vaughn and a second inning homer by Hishashi Kondo off Mark Stevens.  New York tied the game in the second.  Wellington Bear doubled in a run in the 5th and Sandusky singled in an insurance run in the 8th.

Stevens was forced to leave the game in the 4th inning when he sprained his ankle coming off the mound.  Justin Zoolander came on in relief and was sensational, allowing one hit, no runs, no walks in four innings while striking out 9.

In the top 8th with Vaughn at the plate and 2 outs, New York pulled Zoolander for the lefty Olmos, who struck out Vaughn to end the inning.

Papelbrad came in for the 9th and got the first 2 outs.  Xian Guao homered to make it a one run game, but the next batter Yoda Moreno flew out to right.

New York heads on the road with a 2-0 series lead and will send Tonka and Hamburg to the mound to try and finish the series.