Redwood and Camden hook up in the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row and the 5th time overall, with CMD holding a 3-1 series advantage.

Game 1

Burnes (RDW) vs. Urias (CMD)

A Yelich solo homer puts CMD up 1-0 in the first, then an Acuna two-run double increases that lead to 3-0 in the 4th.  Redwood finally breaks through against Urias on a Slater triple in the 8th, but that's all they can muster against the lefty as Camden takes the opener, 3-1.  And yes, you are reading that right, a Travis starting pitcher went 8 innings in the playoffs!

Game 2

Kelly (RDW) vs. Woodruff (CMD)

Redwood jumps in front 1-0 on a Schwarber solo shot in the 2nd, but a Semien solo homer in the 3rd ties the game.  Redwood regains the lead on a solo homer from Seth Brown in the 4th, but a Seager solo blast in the bottom half ties it up again as the two teams trade solo homers.  That trend ends in the 7th, as Jessie Chavez relieves for RDW and gives up a single and a HBP, lefty Sandoval gives a run-scoring single to Robles, then a McHugh wild pitch scores another and CMD leads 4-2.  Pressly closes it out and CMD takes a 2-0 series lead back to Redwood.

Game 3

Hill (RDW) vs. Darvish (CMD)

Both starters are solid as the game is scoreless through 3 innings.  CMD's D'Arnaud changes that with a solo homer in the 4th for a 1-0 lead.  That score holds into the 7th as Pressly enters to hold the lead with a runner on and no outs.  He gets two quick outs but then walks McNeil.  Tyler Stephenson then connects for a three-run homer and a 3-1 Redwood lead.  Jason Adam comes in to close it out for Redwood in the 9th but walks the first two hitters.  After a Semien popout, Seager singles to load the bases and Acuna walks to score a run.  But Yelich can't produce as he strikes out for the second out and Riley Greene flies out to end the 3-2 Redwood win.

Game 4

Burnes (RDW) vs. Syndergaard (CMD)

Runs have been hard to come by so far this series, but not so much in this game.  Redwood takes a 2-0 lead in the first on a McNeil sac fly and a Schwarber solo homer.  A Semien solo shot in the second cuts the lead, but a Stephenson run-scoring groundout puts the RDW lead back to two runs.  But in the third, Burnes makes a mistake and Arenado turns it into a grand slam and a 5-3 CMD lead.  The dust settles and the teams go scoreless into the 7th when Stephenson leads off with a single and Liam Hendricks is called upon to hold the CMD lead.  With two outs, Berti gets a 1-5 HR chance (pulled a 4) for a two-run homer and a tie ballgame.  With Loup now pitching for Camden in the 8th, McNeil singles and Schwarber follows with a two-run homer for a 7-5 RDW lead.  Mark Leiter and Brett Martin make it stand by putting down CMD in order in the 9th and Redwood ties the series at two games apiece.

Game 5

Kelly (RDW) vs. Urias (CMD)

Camden wasted no time getting started in this pivotal game 5, as Seager blasts a two-run homer and Acuna raps a two-run single for a four-run first inning.  That was a bad sign, given how Urias dominated Redwood in game one.  But today, the lefty didn't have the same stuff, as Redwood got two of those runs back in the bottom of the first on a Sal Perez groundout and McCarthy single.  In the 3rd, CMD would extend the lead to 5-2 on Goldy's solo shot, then again to 6-2 on D'Arnaud's solo blast in the 4th.  Urias looks like he's settling down, but in the home half of the 4th he walks Pinder after getting two quick outs.  Hoerner singles, Sosa doubles home two, then Slater singles in another and the CMD lead is now 6-5.  In the 5th, Meneses raps a one-out double and Pressly replaces Urias for CMD to protect the one-run lead.  But Pressly is shaky again as he gives up a run-scoring single to McCarthy that ties the game.  Pressly stays in for the 6th, but allows a two-out, two-run single to Meneses and Redwood leads 8-6.  The Redwood bullpen holds down the fort and Redwood takes game five and now leads the series 3-2.

Game 6

Sandoval (RDW) vs. Woodruff (CMD)

The two teams trade off two-run homers in the first (Stephenson for RDW, Goldy for CMD), then an Acuna single in the 2nd gives CMD a 3-2 lead.  But Schwarber's two-run double in the 3rd (on a ball Yelich couldn't quite get to) puts RDW up 4-3.  Goldschmidt strikes again with a solo homer in the 3rd to tie it up and the game remains tied into the 6th.  Chafin gives up a leadoff single to JD Davis and Loup comes in to face lefty Seth Brown.  Redwood counters with lefty-mashing Meneses, but he K's.  Slater follows with a double to the gap that scores pinch-runner McCarthy and Redwood leads 5-4.  The Redwood bullpen of Dylan Lee, Colin McHugh, Brett Martin, and Jason Adam hold down the bats of Camden over the final 4 innings, as Redwood wins game 6 by the score of 5-4, and take the series, 4 games to 2.

Travis was correct in lamenting his bullpen woes, as the usually strong group was let down by Pressly, Loup, Moran, and Chafin.  This group combined to take all four losses in the series (2 by Pressly), allowing 9 earned runs over 15 innings.  Arenado had a strong series with a .471 average, Acuna led the team in RBI's with 5, and Goldy hit 3 homers with 4 RBI's.

Redwood was led by Tyler Stephenson (.455, 2 HR's, 6 RBI's), Jon Berti (5 runs scored, 4 SB's), and Kyle Schwarber (3 HR's, 6 RBI's).  Jimmy Herget picked up 2 wins in relief, Colin McHugh twirled 6 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, a walk, and 7 K's, and Jason Adam had 3 saves.

Congratulations to Travis on a great season in CMD.  It's always a pleasure hooking up with him in the playoffs.  He's a master in managing his bullpen and the games always seem to be close and tense, especially in this series with all games being decided by two runs or less.  It was nice to win this series though, even if he still holds a 3-2 playoff series advantage over Redwood.