OK, the result was posted, so there's no point in building suspense, so I'll just give the game recaps. I will say Buda that a bottom of the ninth GIDP prevented Buda from taking Harmony Grove in 4 straight, but Buda managed to fritter away that opportunity, allowed Harmony Grove to even the series at 3, and needed to win the series on a walk, wild pitch, groundout to advance the runner, and wild pitch. Playoff baseball at its finest.
Game 1--Smoltz vs. Patterson
The Toppers get singles from Lugo and Ensberg in the first, giving Ortiz his first chance to go Big Papi. Ortiz doubles, but Ensberg stops at third, and Patterson gets Griffey to strike out and Dye to pop out, escaping further damage. Arod homers in the bottom half with Johnson on to make it 2-1 Buda.
Patterson settles down, allowing just 2 singles over the next two innings, and picking Helton off in the third. In the bottom of the third, Smoltz walks Arod, Floyd singles, and Andruw is intentionally walked to load the bases with no out. Mauer grounds out with Arod nailed at the plate, but relay is too late to catch the speedy (for a catcher) Mauer. Young beats out a double play ground ball, plating Floyd and keeping the inning alive. Morneau and Iguchi follow with singles, and Buda goes up 5-1.
The pitchers then take control until the bottom of the fifth, when Young singles with 2 out and Morneau follows with a double, scoring Young and advancing to third on the throw home, causing Harmony to go to the deepest bullpen in ARBA. Cotts gets Iguchi to ground to Ensberg, who muffs it. Buda up 7-1 and ready to coast.
Griffey gets injured trying to beat the flip from Johnson in the 7th, but the effort seems to tire Patterson, who gives up singles to Dye and Estrada and a homer to Belliard. Munter comes in, only to have Thome hit a ph homer, and he gives way to Villone, who gets Helton to end the inning. 7-5 Buda, but Harmony Grove is now out 2 CF, as Lofton started the series with a big injury.
Buda goes quietly in the bottom of the 7th, and Villone starts the 8th by inducing a ground out from Ensberg, but he fails to get the lefty Ortiz, who singles. Duchscherer comes in and gets the lefty ph Burroughs to hit a fielder's choice, but Burroughs steals second and scores on a Dye single. 7-6 Buda.
Duchscherer gets Estrada, Belliared and Uribe 1-2-3 in the ninth, preserving a close win, despite Buda being outhit 12-9 and outhomered 2-1.
Game 2--Harden vs. Garcia
Divisional series MVP Freddy Garcia took the mound and is staked to early 1-0 lead, thanks to Johnson walk, followed by ARod and Floyd singles. However, league HR and RBI champ Jones is shocked to see Floyd picked off first, so his groundout can't score ARod from third.
Heartened by Floyd's gaffe, Harmony puts together 4 straight hits, highlighted by Estrada's double, and goes up 2-1. In the top of the third, Ensberg walks with 2 out, and Matsui hits a bomb to dead centerfield. Har 4-1.
Buda gets closer on a Morneau HR to lead off the fifth, but Matsui gets that run back by leading off the sixth with his second HR of the game.
Wagner comes in for the bottom of the sixth and gets ARod to fly out before Floyd hits a sinking liner that lands for a single. Matsui lets the ball roll under his glove to the wall, and Floyd scores on the 3 base error. Har 5-3.
The teams combine for 11 straight outs until Bruntlett ph's to start the bottom of the 8th and works a walk. He steals second and third around a Nick Johnson K. Arod singles to score Bruntlett, but Rivera gets Kapler and Andruw to end the inning. Har 5-4.
Freddy (still out there) gets three straight ground outs in the ninth. Mauer leads off the bottom of the ninth with a single, and Young walks, bringin up Morneau with none out. He hits into a double play, but Iguchi singles to score Mauer, and the teams go to extra innings.
Both teams bats go dead innings 10-12, as Buda manages just a walk in the 10th and the 1th, and Harmony Grove gets no runners on against Villone and Duchscherer.
Starting the 13th, Har gets back to back singles from Terrero and Helton, but Duchscherer looks to escape by getting out Ortiz and Ensberg. Quinton McCracken then stuns the crowd with a triple, and Juan Uribe follows with a single. Har 8-5.
Buda goes quietly in the 13th, as Cotts whiffs ARod, allows a single to Kapler, but gets Jones and Mauer to fly out.
Series tied 1-1 going to Harmony Grove, with Roger Clemens ready to face Jason Marquis.
