Two relatively smooth wins.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and (if applicable) winter break!
First-Round Third Round
Game 4
Select League
(1) Rochester Locks 4
(2) Bloomington Berries 9
Berries win series 4-1
It appears the Berries’ ninth-inning comeback two games ago permanently swung momentum their way.
Keyed by Brian Dozier’s bases-clearing double, Bloomington’s six-run second led to an easy 9-4 win and a casual stroll into the championship round.
While Mark Guthrie kept the Locks off the scoreboard for the first five innings, Rochester’s Bert Blyleven fell into trouble early, giving up a run in the second before disaster struck in the third. After a leadoff groundout, Bloomington loaded the bases on two singles and a walk; Steve Braun singled in one run before Dozier sent all three runners home with a double down the left field line. Mitch Garver added more damage with an RBI double and Dave Edwards capped the frame with a run-scoring triple before Blyleven could escape.
Rochester knocked Guthrie out of the game with three runs in the sixth (including a Graig Nettles two-run home run), loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate, but Ron Keller struck out Spencer Steer to quell the threat.
Bloomington got their own two-run homer in the seventh off Dozier’s bat and the Locks added one more longball in the ninth on Rich Becker’s solo shot. But despite getting two in scoring position with two outs, Rochester’s tournament chances ended when Kevin Ohme got John Castino to ground out, concluding the series.
Choice League
(1) Minneapolis Winners 7
(3) Racine Pieces 3
Winners win series 4-1
The Winners’ bats set the tone early; their arms kept Racine from getting close enough to threaten.
Minneapolis opened the game with a three-run first and never let Racine grab the lead, their 7-3 win earning them a trip to the Top Pick Series.
Pieces starter Tyler Anderson saw himself in peril early as the first three Winner batters reached base (two singles and a walk), but it looked as though he’d escape significant damage after a sacrifice fly and popout. However, Jay Bell doubled in the other two baserunners to set Racine further behind.
The rest of the game saw single-run innings from both teams and Racine never getting closer than 3-2, their third-inning rally cut short by a full-count flyout then matched by a Minneapolis run in the fourth. While starting pitchers Anderson and José Berríos each gave up double-digit hits, the Winners had the only extra-base knocks to the tune of four doubles.
Racine’s final threat came in the seventh, three singles scoring a run to make it 6-3 and chasing Berríos. Willie Banks entered in relief and got a quick pair of flyouts, then after loading the bases with a walk, struck out Brent Rooker to preserve Minneapolis’ lead.
Banks retired the Pieces in order in the eighth and Travis Miller did the same in the ninth, finishing the game by striking out Emil Brown to send Racine to their couches.
…well now I have to figure out something new for the polls as there’s only one possible game to play. For now: