In a rematch of last years division championship Harmony Grove would play Belfast.
Game 1: Kazmir vs Hudson
Harmony Grove would jump out to a 3 run lead in the 1st on a walk by Hudson and hits by Upton, Ortiz, and Thome. Belfast would get 1 back in the 2nd on hits by Lowell, Cano, and Swisher. Neither team would score again until Rivera was brought in to close the game out with a 2 run lead. After getting two outs Hatteberg singled and Josh Hamilton was brought in to pinch hit. Hamilton immediately took a Rivera pitch into the rightfield seats and we are tied up. Neither team scored in the 10th. In the top of the 11th pinch hitter Timo Perez lead off with a double, Ramirez then walked and both runners were moved over with a sac bunt by Schierholtz. Tejada would score a run with a single and then Keppinger lined into a double play. The bottom of the 11th inning would get interesting. Cano lead off the inning with a strike out, Redman then singled followed by a Hatteberg double. With runners on 2nd and 3rd Harmony Grove wanted no part of Hamilton so he was intentionally walked. With the bases laoded Gagne was able to strike out Sizemore. Gomez was brought in to pinch hit and Speier replaced Gagne. Speier was able to nail the save by getting Gomez to foul out. Rivera gets the win 4 to 3 with Speier getting the save.
Game 2: Wolf vs Wang
Harmony Grove would jump out to a 2 run lead in the first on hits by Ortiz, Thome, and Matsui. Belfast would answer with 2 in the bottom of the inning on a Werth walk and hits from Posada and Lowell. Harmony Grove came back with 4 in the 3rd on a walk by Hudson and singles by Upton and Ortiz followed up by a Matsui 3 run homerun. Belfast would score runs in the 3rd and 4th on rbi's from Posada and Theriot. Harmony Grove would add an insurance run in the 9th on an Upton homerun. Rivera would close out the 7 to 4 game with Otsuka getting the win.
Game 3: Zambrano vs Smoltz
Game 3 would prove to be a pitchers duel. Josh Hamilton was lost for 2 more games in the 1st inning. Harmony Grove scored a run in the 2nd with a Ramirez double play ground out. Belfast tied it up in the 6th on a Werth rbi. Harmony Grove would regain the lead in the 7th on a Matsui double and would add an insurance run in the 8th on a double from Estrada. With a 2 run lead the 9th would again prove to be interesting. Rivera lead the inning off with a Lowell ground out then gave up back to back singles to Werth and Swisher. Gomez was brought in to pinch hit but he struck out and Rivera ended the game on a Sizemore fly out. Otsuka got the 3 to 1 win with Rivera earning the save.
Game 4: Hudson vs Kazmir
Harmony Grove jumped out to a 6 run lead in the 3rd on hits from Hudson, Upton, and Thome with walks mixed in from Ortiz, Matsui, and Keppinger. The big hit was provided by Tejada, a 3 run homerun. Belfast scored a run in the 6th on a Werth walk and a Bonds double. Harmony Grove added 3 runs in the 7th on hits from Thome, Ramirez, and Estrada with Matsui getting walked and Keppinger get plunked. Harmony Grove would add another run in the 8th on hits by Upton, Ortiz, and Blanco. Kazmir would earn the complete game 10 to 1 win.
Needless to say a very surprising sweep. Congrats to Dave on his season, this was just one of those series where everything goes the way of one team...gotta love strat.
