I wasn't feeling too optimistic coming into this, partly because I was down 2 games to 0, and, what was the other thing? Oh yeah, that's right, Santa Fe's team is better. But, hey, anything can happen in a short series right? So here's what did happen when we moved to my place:
Game 3:
Peavy and Pinena provided a pitcher's duel punctuated by power from unlikely people. (That's the last time I do any of that alliteration crap, I promise.) SFE SS Cabrera and SEW SS Barmes each delivered a solo homer in his first at-bat. Pineda pitched out of a bases-loaded 2-out jam in the bottom of the first, and the next time anybody on either team got past first base (not counting the solo homers) was the sixth inning! That was when Big Papi's single created a first and third, one out jam that chased Peavy, but Bastardo took care of Napoli and Robertson came on to retire Downs to avoid damage. Pineda and Robertson then engaged in a K-fest for the next couple innings- Pineda finished the game with 11 and Robertson pitched to 7 batters, retired all 7 and struck out 5. That brought us to the 9th. Sewell brought on Craig Kimbrel, the goat who took the loss in both games 1 and 2, but he picked up right where Robertson left off, side in order with two more strikeouts. Pineda took care of the first two batters in the bottom of the 9th, and Sewell summoned Pat the Bat Burrell to pinch hit. He singled, bringing Jason Bay in to pinch run and Bobby Abreu to the plate. Abreu smacked a walkoff homer! Pineda pitches a complete game but takes the loss, 3-1. Wow, look at that 9th inning- Michael Pineda, Pat Burrell, Jason Bay and Bobby Abreu- that's really a who's who of guys who weren't relevant in MLB 2012, isn't it?
Game 4:
CC Sabathia and Roy Halladay hooked up in a good old fashioned pitcher's duel... oh, who am I kidding? Truth is Halladay was fantastic, tossing one-hit ball for 7 innings, while CC was pretty fair, but his own error on a bases-loaded comebacker led to two runs in the second and a Pence 2-run blast made it 4-0 in the 4th. Nobody scored or even had another credible scoring threat until the bottom of the 8th, when Sewell's 7-8-9 hitters finally figured out Halladay, ringing up three straight hits, scoring one run, and chasing Doc with the tying run at the plate and the top of the order coming up. Mariano Rivera came on and all he did was pitch to six batters and retire them all with four strikeouts. Wow, that Rivera character is almost as good as David Robertson, isn't he? SFE wins it 4-1.
Game 5:
Tim Lincecum and Carlos Villanueva were the starters in this one. Villanueva pitched around two walks for a scoreless first, but wasn't so lucky in the second, allowing a single and a Cabrera homer. Curtis Granderson cut it to 2-1 in the 4th when he tripled with one out and Carlos Ruiz drove him home. In the top of the 5th, though Villanueva hadn't allowed a hit since that second innning homer, Sewell went to the pen and Kimbrel went the next three innings without allowing a hit. Meanwhile, Timmy got into a spot of trouble in the 5th. Casey Blake, who was only playing because ARod is usage-limited, walked with one out and advanced to second on Abreu's groundout. When Konerko singled to center, Tomlinson had a big decision to make- throw home (65% safe chance) or allow the tying run to score and accept Konerko's noble sacrifice (10% safe chance at second). His decision to throw home proved pivotal- Blake was safe and after a Granderson walk, Konerko scored on Burrell's single! Christian Martinez relieved Timmy and got out of the inning without further incident, but it was 3-2 Sewell. The pens were terrific and the next real scoring opportunity for either team came in the 8th, when SFE's first two batters went down, but a Pence single, a walk and a wild pitch produced a sudden go-ahead-run-in-scoring position opportunity for Big Papi! Wait, what? Seriously? Matt Downs? Yes, it turns out Matt Downs was a better option than Big Papi against David Robertson. At least in theory. In practice, he struck out, Sewell went quietly in the bottom of the 8th and we went to the 9th still 3-2. Robertson rang up two more K's for the first two SFE batters, but fatigued when he walked Wright. So both teams went to their benches- Sewell for reliever Antonio Bastardo, and SFE for pinch hitter Geovany Soto. Bastardo won that battle, getting a grounder to first! And Craig Kimbrel is now 2-2 for the series!
So at minimum we managed to send the series back to Santa Fe, but the Lizards are still up 3 games to 2.
