Brooklyn started the game off with a little ball run and felt good but things turned pretty quickly. Cliff Lee had not yet recovered from the Wild Card game, so big 2013 C auction acquisition Arroyo took the mound and immediately imploded. Austin cranked 3 home runs in the first, including an inside the park job by Desmond. Brooklyn claws back to tie it but Charlie Blackmon puts it away in the 7th with a three run shot.
Held our nose and started Ubaldo and he came up big. Danced with a little trouble, including no outs bases loaded in the 4th. Tazawa comes on to close it out in the 7th but Austin can't push the needed run across either of them. Fernandez is fantastic (CG 12K) but without run support there's nothing he can do. Brooklyn scores first with a Belt triple and holds on to tie the series.
3-0 BRK W: Tazawa (1-0) L: Fernandez (0-1)
Game 3: Miller vs. Lee
Cespedes HR starts things off right for Austin but Lee rallies and holds the line. Brooklyn scrapes together single runs against a parade of Austin releivers in the 4th, 5th and 8th to hold on to win.
3-1 BRK W: Lee (1-0) L: Miller (0-1) HR: Cespedes(1), Reyes(1)
Game 4: Wacha vs. Eovaldi
Austin jumps out early again taking a 2-0 lead in the first and chasing Eovaldi with three more in the 4th. First series injury in the 2nd when Lemahieu grounds out and is carried off on a stretcher. Brooklyn breaks through in a big bottom of the fifth capped by a three run pinch hit homerun by mister popular, Alex Rodriguez to tie the game. Nothing doing till the 9th when substitute shortstop Nick Punto lucks into a 2 out RBI single to send the fans home happy.
Facing elimination, Austin trots out game 1 starter Ivan Nova, hoping for a repeat of that outcome. Things get exciting in the second when a Presley 2 run shot gives Austin the early lead. Brooklyn scores three in the bottom of the inning and Austin, feeling the heat of elimination, pulls Nova. Vaguely competent catcher EJ Ellis has to be medevac'd after running out a grounder in the 6th. Austin nearly ties it up in the 8th but Brooklyn is able to contain the damage and holds on to a one run lead. Austin ends up using 8 pitchers in a wild game to end a great season.
So a somewhat surprising result for a disappointing (so far) Brooklyn team this year. Austin got some bad breaks and, with the exception of the first game, just couldn't keep the Blow Monkeys off the bases. Ultimately the series was closer than it seemed - 21-18 runs. Giving up 25 walks, including 4 intentional to Trout, probably didn't help.
Including the wild card game I'd probably give MVP honors to Brandon Belt .320/.346/.480 2 DO, TR, 5 RBI although really good performances were broadly spread.
The Ellis injury is concerning, but assuming Brooklyn sweeps Surprise in the FLCS he should be back in time for the Series... Kratz/Ross will carry us to glory!
