Legends Defeat Fairfax 4-2 in NLDS
Thanks to Alan for the writeup
The NL Division Series boiled down to Lonesome Dove’s starting pitchers against Fairfax’s powerful lineup. And for almost 4 games the Pilots seemed to be running away with it. But up two games to one and two outs away from the their third win, Chad Qualls couldn’t hold a late lead for Fairfax in game 4. The Legends rallied to win that game and won in six.
Albert Pujols shook off a mildly disappointing regular season to hit .600 with a .800 slugging percentage. At one point, he had eight hits in a row at one point.
In game 1, Gil Meche outpitched Roy Halladay in the opener as Fairfax won 2-1. Chase Utley’s RBI in the 4th broke the goose egg. But Ryan Howard tied it with a single in the sixth. Then Kevin Youkilis took Brian Fuentes deep to cap the scoring in the 9th. Qualls worked a scoreless 9th for a tense save.
Game 2 was far closer than the 9-3 final would indicate. Greg Smith and Cole Hamels locked into a tight pitcher’s duel and left the game with a the Pilots up 2-1 in the seventh. But in the home 8th Ryan Theriot threw away a sure double play ball that would have ended the inning. Instead, a hit batsman and a strikeout led to a two out bases loaded situation. Chris Denorfia drew a walk off Justin Miller to tie the game. Then Daniel Murphy cleared the bases with a double down the line. When the dust settled, the Legends had scored eight gift runs to pull out the win.
In game 3, Lonesome Dove jumped out to a 3-0 win thru three innings off Bronson Arroyo. But Ichiro Suzuki slammed a two run homer off Johan Santana in the third. Youkilis slammed his 2nd homer of the series to tie it in the 4th. In the bottom of the 7th, Ichiro struck again. This time his two out liner to centerfield hit the turf about a half second before Carlos Beltran could snag it. That plated the deciding run, as Jonathan Broxton and Will Ohman threw two scoreless frames.
Game 4 seemed another road nightmare for the Legends. Lonesome Dove picked up an early 2-1 lead on a single by Pujols and an inning later, a Jose Guillen solo homer. Like clockwork though, the Pilots tied the game and pulled ahead in the mid innings. Carlos Quentin hit a two run blast to make it 3-2 in the 4th and hit a solo to put his team in front 4-3 in the 6th. In the next inning, Brian Fuentes wiggled out of a tight jam, with runners at 2nd and 3rd with two outs, inducing a pop up that Pujols dove to snag and a hard grounder that Pujols speared to end it. In the 9th, Pujols singled with one out in the 9th off Qualls. Micah Hoffpauir delivered the biggest hit of his BYOF career, a ringing double to the LCF wall. Ryan Doumit followed with a grounder slow enough to score Pujols and knot the game at 4. Francisco Rodriguez threw a scoreless inning in the 9th and saw his offense take over in the 10th. Murphy and Denorfia started the rally with one out singles. An out later, Beltran tripled them both in and scored on Pujols’ sixth hit of the game. Rodriguez made the 7-4 lead stand up and the series was tied after four brutally tight games.
Unlike the others, game 5 featured NO runs thru the first 5 frames as Halladay and Meche again handcuffed the hitters. The in the top of the sixth, Hoffpauir again doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Pujols knocked in the first run with a single, his 8th hit in as many at bats (he had a walk mixed in). Utley’s sac fly scored Hoffpauir for a 2-0 advantage. In the 7th, Edgar Renteria’s single made it 3-0. Halladay and the bully held on for a 3-1 win.
Game 6 was anticlimactic. The teams came back to Lonesome Dove but the off day didn’t give the Pilot pen time to rest enough. Smith wasn’t sharp, giving up four early runs in a very unlikely 2nd inning rally. With two outs and nobody on, Smith walked the bottom of the order and Hamels (yes, the pitcher) laced an RBI double to start the scoring. Renteria then hit a huge homer into the bullpen to cap the uprising. Hamels gave up a solo homer to Brian McCann and a two run shot to Quentin, but the game was never in doubt. Hamels whiffed eight, giving up only five hits and a walk in the 8-3 clincher.
“Our pitchers really stepped up,” said Pujols as he received his MVP trophy. “My stats look good, but if they didn’t throw such a great series, we probably lose this and go home.”
Hamels dodged champagne near his locker as he disagreed. “Don’t listen to Albert,” he said. “We did ok, but without him carrying us we don’t go to the league championship series next week. People didn’t give him credit for his solid regular season, but you saw the real Albert here. He is nails.”
Ron could well have won this series if not for a fluky error in game 4. His team is superb and he deserved better. I want to thank him for playing and being a great sport.
The NL Division Series boiled down to Lonesome Dove’s starting pitchers against Fairfax’s powerful lineup. And for almost 4 games the Pilots seemed to be running away with it. But up two games to one and two outs away from the their third win, Chad Qualls couldn’t hold a late lead for Fairfax in game 4. The Legends rallied to win that game and won in six.
Albert Pujols shook off a mildly disappointing regular season to hit .600 with a .800 slugging percentage. At one point, he had eight hits in a row at one point.
In game 1, Gil Meche outpitched Roy Halladay in the opener as Fairfax won 2-1. Chase Utley’s RBI in the 4th broke the goose egg. But Ryan Howard tied it with a single in the sixth. Then Kevin Youkilis took Brian Fuentes deep to cap the scoring in the 9th. Qualls worked a scoreless 9th for a tense save.
Game 2 was far closer than the 9-3 final would indicate. Greg Smith and Cole Hamels locked into a tight pitcher’s duel and left the game with a the Pilots up 2-1 in the seventh. But in the home 8th Ryan Theriot threw away a sure double play ball that would have ended the inning. Instead, a hit batsman and a strikeout led to a two out bases loaded situation. Chris Denorfia drew a walk off Justin Miller to tie the game. Then Daniel Murphy cleared the bases with a double down the line. When the dust settled, the Legends had scored eight gift runs to pull out the win.
In game 3, Lonesome Dove jumped out to a 3-0 win thru three innings off Bronson Arroyo. But Ichiro Suzuki slammed a two run homer off Johan Santana in the third. Youkilis slammed his 2nd homer of the series to tie it in the 4th. In the bottom of the 7th, Ichiro struck again. This time his two out liner to centerfield hit the turf about a half second before Carlos Beltran could snag it. That plated the deciding run, as Jonathan Broxton and Will Ohman threw two scoreless frames.
Game 4 seemed another road nightmare for the Legends. Lonesome Dove picked up an early 2-1 lead on a single by Pujols and an inning later, a Jose Guillen solo homer. Like clockwork though, the Pilots tied the game and pulled ahead in the mid innings. Carlos Quentin hit a two run blast to make it 3-2 in the 4th and hit a solo to put his team in front 4-3 in the 6th. In the next inning, Brian Fuentes wiggled out of a tight jam, with runners at 2nd and 3rd with two outs, inducing a pop up that Pujols dove to snag and a hard grounder that Pujols speared to end it. In the 9th, Pujols singled with one out in the 9th off Qualls. Micah Hoffpauir delivered the biggest hit of his BYOF career, a ringing double to the LCF wall. Ryan Doumit followed with a grounder slow enough to score Pujols and knot the game at 4. Francisco Rodriguez threw a scoreless inning in the 9th and saw his offense take over in the 10th. Murphy and Denorfia started the rally with one out singles. An out later, Beltran tripled them both in and scored on Pujols’ sixth hit of the game. Rodriguez made the 7-4 lead stand up and the series was tied after four brutally tight games.
Unlike the others, game 5 featured NO runs thru the first 5 frames as Halladay and Meche again handcuffed the hitters. The in the top of the sixth, Hoffpauir again doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Pujols knocked in the first run with a single, his 8th hit in as many at bats (he had a walk mixed in). Utley’s sac fly scored Hoffpauir for a 2-0 advantage. In the 7th, Edgar Renteria’s single made it 3-0. Halladay and the bully held on for a 3-1 win.
Game 6 was anticlimactic. The teams came back to Lonesome Dove but the off day didn’t give the Pilot pen time to rest enough. Smith wasn’t sharp, giving up four early runs in a very unlikely 2nd inning rally. With two outs and nobody on, Smith walked the bottom of the order and Hamels (yes, the pitcher) laced an RBI double to start the scoring. Renteria then hit a huge homer into the bullpen to cap the uprising. Hamels gave up a solo homer to Brian McCann and a two run shot to Quentin, but the game was never in doubt. Hamels whiffed eight, giving up only five hits and a walk in the 8-3 clincher.
“Our pitchers really stepped up,” said Pujols as he received his MVP trophy. “My stats look good, but if they didn’t throw such a great series, we probably lose this and go home.”
Hamels dodged champagne near his locker as he disagreed. “Don’t listen to Albert,” he said. “We did ok, but without him carrying us we don’t go to the league championship series next week. People didn’t give him credit for his solid regular season, but you saw the real Albert here. He is nails.”
Ron could well have won this series if not for a fluky error in game 4. His team is superb and he deserved better. I want to thank him for playing and being a great sport.
posted by robo at 8:35 PM
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