Game 1 - Tillman vs Hernandez. Scoreless after two. Rollins reaches on a Machado error to start the third. Pagan with a one out single. Rizzo doubles off the wall with two outs to score Rollins. Miggy is intentionally walked to load the bases for a lefty match up with Rizzo. Bad decision. Rizzo takes Tillman deep for the granny and a 5-0 lead. NMO scratches out a run in the 8th to make it 5-1. Then makes it really interesting in the 9th. Street now on the mound for DBX. Rodriguez starts the inning out by leaning over the plate and throwing his elbow into the pitch for a hit by pitch. No biggy, we'll handle it. Then Santana swings from his heels and sends one deep over the CF fence. Score now 5-3, no outs. Lagares doubles off the wall. Andrus up, and he bloops a little seeing eye single into left field. Runners on the corners, no outs. Street is done and Britton is called in for the lefty matchup. Carpenter singles to score a run and make it a one run game. Runners on first and second, no outs. Walker lays down a sac bunt moving runners to second and third. NMO brings in lefty killer Cuddyer. DBX counters with righty Wilhemsen. then intentionally walks Cuddyer to load the bases and set up the double play. Wlhemsen then strikes out Byrd ( 194 k's during the season ) and gets Harper to fly out and end the ninth inning threat. DBX wins first game 5-4.
Game 2 - Teheran vs Sale. A one out walk to Grandal starts the second. Hunter doubles. Phillips with a sac fly to score Grandal. While running to first, Phillips tweaks a hammy, taking him out of the game. Pagan then singles score Hunter. Stanton draws a walk. Rizzo to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. A big swing. NO! It can't be! Yes! His second granny of the series, and the second consecutive game he has sent the starting pitcher to the showers. NMO brings in Walden and he walks Miggy. Up 5-0 with Sale on the mound for DBX, the manager sends Francisco to the plate saving at bats for Pearce. He draws a walk. Grandal draws a walk. NMO sends Leone to the mound and PH Bruce strikes out to end the threat. In the third, Rollins walks, Miggy singles and Pagan singles to drive in the 6th run. Pagan then steals second. Stanton then crushes one for a 3 run blast and DBX goes up 9-0. A two single by Cowgill adds a run in the fourth. In the fifth, Miggy unloads for a 3 run blast followed by Francisco with a solo blast. DBX now up 15-0. NMO brings in Chapman and the DBX offense goes quietly the rest of the way. Sale with a complete game 2 hit shutout.
Game 3. Gray vs Cashner. Rollins gets a one out single and steals second to start the third. One out later, Pagan singles to make it 1-0. Stanton singles. Afraid of Rizzo after the first two games, NMO pitches him carefully and he draws a walk to load the bases. Miggy doubles off the wall clearing the bases and goes to third on the throw to the plate. A wild pitch later Miggy scores. DBX leads 5-0 after three. Third game in row that they take and early 5-0 lead. In the 5th. NMO counters with a Gose single, Carpenter walk, Machado single (loading the bases) and a Walker single, driving in two to make it a 5-2 game. Britton and Street are called on early to quell the rally. A two out double by Mesoraco brings home run number for three for NMO in the seventh. DBX manages to scratch out a run off Chapman inthe eighth. Quackenbush and Wilhemsen finish for DBX and the games ends 6-3.
Game 4. Tilman vs Hernandez. After 3 disheartening losses to DBX, Warren called it a night. He stated that the series was not going well and that I could just play the remaining game(s) and send him the results. Well, sounds good for DBX, hunh? Unfortunately the box score did not get saved for this game. So, I will brief in the recap as I don't remember much about it. Hunter homered for DBX. Hernandez pitched a complete game giving up 2 runs, 1 earned. Tilman went seven giving up 2 hits and no runs. Leone pitched the last two for NMO earning the save with no runs allowed. NMO wins 2-0.
Game 5 - Ryu vs Teheran. Rivera with a single to drive in the first run for DBX in the second. Rodriguez counters with a two out single to tie it in the bottom of the inning. Remains tied at one thru the fifth. In the sixth, Mesoraco leads off with a double. One out later, Saunders walks and then Lagares strikes out. Rodriguez doubles to score one for NMO. DBX brings in Britton and Carpenter doubles to drive in two more. NMO leads 4-1 after six. Rodriguez drives in another run for NMO in the eighth and the bullpend shuts down the DBX hitters the rest of the way. NMO wins 5-1. NMO has now won the last two games without a manager, bringing the series to a 3-2 DBX lead.
Game 6. Fister vs Sale. What? The NMO manager has reappeared. After winning the last two without him, he has decided to not let his players down and bring the magic on the road. Phillips blasts one over the fence for a DBX two run lead in the second. Cowgill leads off the third with a hit by pitch. One out and passed ball later, Rizzo is intentionally walked to avoid his hot bat. Maybe, just maybe, intentional walks bring out the best in the on deck hitter. Remember that Rizzo granny after an intentional walk earlier in the series? Well, Miggy was on deck this time. Yeah, he thought they disrespected him. Walk Rizzo to face him?!! Be damned. Swing for the fences! Boom! Could it be? Yes! A 3 run blast and DBX takes another early 5-0 lead. Rodriguez leads off the fifth with a homer for NMO. NMO brings in Chapman to stop the bleeding in the in the 5th down 5-1. NMO starts the seventh with a single and a walk and DBX counters with Street to try and shut down the brewing rally. A double play and pop out later the inning is over. DBX threatens again in the eighth, loading the bases with one out, but Walden gets Phillips to hit a hard shot to third base and Miggy is thrown out at the plate. Street goes the last 3 innings for the save and DBX wins the game 5-1 and the series 4-2.
Congratulations to Warren and his New Monmouth team for a fine season. Unfortunately for him, the DBX hitters decided this was the series to get hot, out homering his squad 9-2 in 6 games. Now on to the CLCS against Harmony Grove. The same Harmony Grove that destroyed us 11-1 during the season series (0-6) at home. We're really looking forward to this series (sarcasm intended).
