NLDS Metrpolis vs. Fleetwood - Game Four

In a rematch of Game One, Fleetwood sent Chris Carpenter to the mound to face Avenger C.C. Sabathia.  Neither starter got a decision in the series opener, as they passed the game to their bullpens, where Metropolis's Kenley Jansen got the win and J.J. Putz the loss.  The Avengers were desperate to avoid going into a three-games-to-one hole and were pleased to have their big off-season acquisition on the mound.

Slumping Robinson Cano slams his helmet after hitting into a double  play.

Carpenter induced slumping Robinson Cano into an inning-ending double play in the top of the first and the Walker bats quickly got to work in the bottom.  Chris Iannetta drew a one out walk and Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Beltran followed with line-drive singles, driving home Iannetta and putting runners on the corners.  Jim Thome hit an easy sacrifice fly and the Walkers were up 2-0.  David Wright singled and Nick Evans walked to restart the rally, but Sabathia got shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to ground out and end the inning.

Walker started Chris Carpenter was in control early.

Carpenter was in control from the beginning, cruising through the sixth inning with relative ease.  The best chance for Metropolis to break through was in the top of the fifth inning, when Corey Hart hit a two out triple and Travis Hafner followed with a walk.  Carpenter, however, fooled shortstop Jose Reyes with a curveball, striking him out to end the inning.

Sabathia matched Carpenter pitch-for-pitch and out-for-out after his shaky first inning.  The Walkers had just two base runners from the second inning through the sixth and the score stayed 2-0.

Carpenter got two quick outs in the top of the seventh but then surrendered a double to Hart.  Eduardo Sanchez was called in to face Hafner and may have crossed up his catcher, as Iannetta let a fastball bounce off his glove for a passed ball, sending Hart to third.  Hafner then hit a fastball on a line over center fielder Nick Markakis's head for a double, pulling the Avengers to within a single run.  However, Reyes once again failed to drive home an important run and Hafner was stranded on second.

JJ Putz reacts after closing out the Walkers game four win.

Sabathia gave way to the Kenley Jansen with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and a tight game was, once again, in the hands of the bullpen.  This time, Sanchez and Putz slammed the door and Fleetwood's two first-inning runs held up for a tight 2-1 win in game four, giving them a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Metropolis sends Doug Fister to the mound hoping to keep its season alive against Walker Colby Lewis.  Fister started and lost game two in Fleetwood, giving up three hits and two runs in six innings.  He'll have his work cut out for him as Lewis was 20-6 on the season with a 3.27 ERA. 

BOXSCORE: 2012 Metropolis Avengers At 2012 Fleetwood Walkers       10/13/2012

  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG

  J.Reyes SS          4  0  0  0 .500     H.Kendrick 2B       4  0  0  0 .219 

  A.McCutchen CF      3  0  1  0 .313     C.Iannetta C        1  1  0  0 .500 

  R.Cano 2B           4  0  0  0 .059   B-A.Avila PH,C        1  0  0  0 .118 

  J.Bautista 3B       3  0  1  0 .357     M.Cabrera 1B        4  1  1  0 .156 

  A.Gordon LF         4  0  0  0 .125     C.Beltran RF,LF     4  0  1  1 .242 

  M.Wieters C         3  0  0  0 .154     J.Thome DH          3  0  0  1 .250 

C-J.Guzman PH         1  0  0  0 .000     D.Wright 3B         3  0  1  0 .156 

  L.Duda 1B           4  0  0  0 .067     N.Evans LF          2  0  1  0 .250 

  C.Hart RF           4  1  3  0 .357   A-M.Joyce RF          0  0  0  0 .261 

  T.Hafner DH         2  0  1  1 .273     A.Cabrera SS        3  0  0  0 .219 

                                          N.Markakis CF       3  0  1  0 .194 

                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---     

         Totals      32  1  6  1                 Totals      28  2  5  2

A-Subbed Defensively (RF) For Evans In 7th Inning

B-Pinch Hit For Iannetta In 7th Inning

C-Pinch Hit For Wieters In 9th Inning

Avengers........ 0 0 0  0 0 0  1 0 0  -  1  6  0

Walkers......... 2 0 0  0 0 0  0 0    -  2  5  0

Avengers (2-2)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

C.Sabathia LOSS(0-1)      6 2/3   5   2   2   3   8   0   1.50  A1 D1

K.Jansen                  1 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   5.40  D2

[1]Totals                    8       5   2   2   3   9   0

Walkers (6-3)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

C.Carpenter WIN(2-1)      6 2/3   5   1   1   2   5   0   3.42  A1 C8

E.Sanchez HOLD(3rd)       1       1   0   0   1   1   0   0.00  C9 D4

J.Putz SAVE(2nd)          1 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   3.12  D5

Totals                    9       6   1   1   3   7   0

ATTENDANCE- 49,058 DATE- Saturday, October 13th 2012 TIME- Day WEATHER- Average

UMPIRES- Tim Tschida, Jim Joyce, Jeff Nelson, Mark Carlson

T- 2:14

LEFT ON BASE- Avengers: 7  Walkers: 6

DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 0  Walkers: 1

DOUBLES- C.Hart(1st), T.Hafner(1st)

TRIPLES- C.Hart(1st)

SACRIFICE FLIES- J.Thome

WALKS- A.McCutchen, J.Bautista, T.Hafner, C.Iannetta-2, N.Evans

STRIKE OUTS- J.Reyes, A.McCutchen, J.Bautista, M.Wieters, L.Duda-2, C.Hart,

             H.Kendrick-2, C.Iannetta, M.Cabrera, J.Thome, D.Wright, N.Evans,

             A.Cabrera, N.Markakis

GIDP- R.Cano

PASSED BALLS- C.Iannetta

2-out RBI- T.Hafner