HAR would strike first in the 2nd inning as Hudson reached base on an Alexi Ramirez error, was moved over by a Victorino ground out and scored on an Upton single. WAL answered with 2 in the 3rd on a Span double, Lopez single, and Morneau double. The score remained the same until the 7th when Francisco led of with a single and Rhodes was brought in to face Ankiel who also singled. Looking to stop the bleeding HAR brought in Mike Adams. Adams got Olivo to fly out and Span to ground out moving up the runners. Adams is so excited that he might get out of the inning without giving up a run that he throws one to the backstop scoring a run. He then settles down and strikes out Lopez. Adams was so mad about the 7th inning that he gave up a double to Youkilis, a homerun to Cuddyer and a homerun to Endy Chavez in the 8th. Those runs would prove to be crucial. Down 6 to 1 in the 9th Matsui drew a walk, Martinez singled, and Ramirez hit a homerun chasing Soriano from the game. Saito was brought in and walked Hudson, then got Victorino to line out before walking Kotsay. Enter Medders who walks Hamilton, followed by Jim Johnson who hits Bartlett knocking him out for 2 days. So trailing by 1 with the bases loaded on base machine Nick Johnson steps to the plate. Wallawalla brings in the infield and Johnson hits a shot to slick fielding Felipe Lopez who turns the 4-2-3 double play. Wallwalla wins 6 to 5.
The scoring would start quickly after a Span groundout Lopez singled and Youkilis ground out to move up the runner. Not wanting to face Morneau with 2 out he was intentionally walked followed up by a Cuddyer walk and then an Alexei Ramirez grand slam. Francisco followed up with a walk and Ankiel doubled off the wall but Upton made a strong throw to the plate and nailed Francisco trying to score. HAR answered with a Victorino triple and Johnson sac fly. Heading into the 2nd surely Harden would calm down, but no. Harden walked Olivo and gave up back to back singles to Span and Lopez before throwing a wild pitch. Harden got Youkilis to ground to 1st only to have Johnson kick the ball into the stands. Papelbon entered the game and got Mourneau to ground into a double play. Looking to be out of the inning Papelbon gave up a single to Cuddyer followed by a Ramirez double and a Francisco single tiring Papelbon and bringing in Adams to finish the inning. HAR would add 1 in the 6th on a Victorino single, wild pitch, and Martinez single. Nick Johnson added a homerun in the 8th countered by a Cuddyer 2 run shot in the 9th off Scott Downs. Wallawalla wins 10-3.
HAR got the scoring started in the 4th on singles by Baldelli and Upton around a wild pitch which scored a run followed by a Matsui sac fly. Billingsley threw shutout ball threw 5 innings so the move was definitely to bring in Mike Adams in the 6th who gave up a single and stolen base to Span before surrendering a Youkilis game tying homerun. HAR would answer in the top of the 7th with a Hudson walk, Bartlett single, and Johnson double scoring 2 runs. HAR added an insurance run in the 8th on an Upton walk and steal, Youkilis error at 3rd and a Josh Hamilton sac fly. Up by 3 Papelbon was brought in to finish the game in the 9th. After getting Lopez to ground out and Youkilis to strike out he gave up a long homerun to Mourneau before getting Cuddyer to groundout to end the game. Harmony Grove wins 5 to 3.
Span would lead off the bottom of the 1st with a solo shot to center. HAR answered in the 4th with singles by Ramirez, Hamilton, and Victorino. HAR ran Santana in the 5th on a Baldelli solo shot, Bartlett single and Ramirez homerun. In the 7th after Rhodes came in and struck out Morneau, Nathan entered the game and promptly allowed a solo shot to Cuddyer. Headed to the bottom of the 9th inning up by 1 Nathan struck out Lopez before walking Youkilis. In comes Papelbon to finish off the inning but the normally steady handed good defense playing Upton gives up a 2 base error to Mourneau followed by a Cuddyer sac fly and we are on to extra innings. Many pitchers and innings later (17 to be exact) HAR scored 3 runs on a Beltre single, Martinez double, Victorino single, and Hudson double. HAR would finish off the win 7 to 4 and even the series.
Game 5 would prove to be just as eventful as the previous game.WAL put up 4 in the 2nd on a Dye single, Ankiel double, Span single, Lopez double, and Youkilis double. HAR answered in the 3rd when Bartlett was knocked out of the game adn Morneau booted a Nick Johnson grounder. 3 runs would score on singles by Matsui and Martinez. HAR would add 2 more runs in the 5th on singles by Cora, Johnson, and Matsui followed by a Martinez sac fly and a Hudson single. HAR would tack on another run in the 6th on walks to Upton and Hamilton and a Matsui single. A Morneau homerun in the 8th of Rhodes brought WAL to within 1. Nathan entered the 9th to close out the win but he abruptly gave up a game tying homerun to Miguel Olivo, on to more extra innings. In the bottom of the 12 with the bases loaded and 1 out in steps Lopez to face Brett Tomko (with no one better left in the depleted bullpen). Tomko gets Lopez to fly out to shallow center and the runners hold. In steps Youkilis to try his luck vs Tomko and it is much better as he rips a single to rightfield to win the game. Walla Walla retakes the series lead winning game 5, 7 to 6.
Facing elimination HAR would get off to a fast start scoring 1 run in the first as Victorino reached on a Dempster error, advanced to second on a passed ball, stole 3rd and scored on a Johnson sac fly. HAR would tack on 2 more in the second on a Hudson single and Ramirez double, followed by a run scoring wild pitch and run scoring ground out by Bartlett. The game was uneventful after the second inning as no team was able to score. HAR would force a game 7, winning game 6 3-0.
Again HAR would start fast with a Johnson single and Ramirez homerun. With 2 outs in the 2nd Ben Francisco hit a solo shot. This would be followed by a walk to Dye and singles by Olivo and Span. A Felipe fly ball to Victorino who committed 1 error all year would surely end the inning, but no he commits a 2 base error and WAL takes a 3-2 lead. Billingsley would be replaced by Adams who gets Youkilis to groundout. HAR would threaten in the 3rd with a Bartlett lead off double. Bartlett was then thrown out at 3rd as Johnson tried to sacrifice him over. A Ramirez walk and Matsui single would load the bases for Martinez who hit a short fly to centerfield. Trailing by 1 Johnson takes off for home and he is thrown out at the plate, WAL still leads 3-2. A Bartlett solo shot in the 5th would tie the game at 3. In the bottom of the 8th Belasario would enter the game. Johnson drew a lead off walk and the hit and run ground out by Beltre would move him to 2nd. Matsui up next would weakly strike out and with two outs Martinez is issued an intentional walk. Hamilton steps into the box with two outs, scored tied and rips a single to rightfield. Looking to claim the lead Johnson is once again sent home, there is a play at the plate and Johnson beats the tag. Papelbon would enter the game looking to send HAR on to the next round of the playoffs but obviously he was nervous as he nailed Cuddyer with the first pitch. Papelbon would settle down and retire Ramirez, Infante, and Dye to end the game. HAR wins 4-3.
Congrats to Al on a good year. This was a very even series as both teams scored 33 runs. WAL out homered HAR 11 to 6, but many of the homeruns came with no runners on base. Besides the game 2 blowout by WAL all of the games were very close. Two games were decided by 3 runs, one game by 2 runs, and three games by 1 run.
