NLCS Metropolis vs. Springfield - Game One

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After a grueling seven-game NL Division Series, the Metropolis Avengers invited the Springfield Isotopes to the Hall of Justice for the NL Championship Series.  The Avengers outlasted Fleetwood in the Divison Series while Springfield defeated SoCal in six games to advance to the NLCS.

Springfield sent ace Tim Lincecum to the mound to face Doug Fister, as Metropolis ace C.C. Sabathia was unavailable after starting game seven against Fleetwood.  Two-time defending Brassball champion Springfield was looking to return to the World Series while Metropolis aimed for another National League title to go with the one it won on the way to the 2006 league title.

McCutchen homered off Tim Lincecum
for an early 3-0 Avenger lead.

Springfield overcame an early 3-0 deficit and put together three rallies against the Metropolis bullpen to win game one 8-3.  Rehabbing starter-turned-shutdown reliever Stephen Strasburg showed some signs of tiring as he gave up the lead and took the loss after dominating in the Division Series.

Avenger center fielder Andrew McCutchen started the scoring by launching a Lincecum changeup for a three-run homer in the third inning.  Jose Reyes singled and Jose Baustista walked to set the stage for McCutchen's homer. 

Ryan Zimmerman's triple put
Springfield on the board.

Hunter Pence led off Springfield's fifth inning with a walk and scored on a Ryan Zimmerman triple.  Zimmerman then scored on Jerry Hairston's single to cut the Avenger lead to a single run. 

Helton's single gave Springfield the lead.

Springfield's go-ahead rally came in the sixth.  Metropolis pulled Fister after a one-out walk and  Strasburg immediately surrendered a double to Lance Berkman, putting runners on second and third.  Pence tied it with a sacrifice fly and Todd Helton put the visitors ahead with a clean single.

Lincecum showed his post season experience as he appeared unfazed by McCutchen's homer and the early 3-0 deficit.  That was the only hard hit ball Lincecum allowed in his six innings of work, striking out four while also allowing four free passes.  He gave way to the Isotope bullpen in the seventh as the team clung to a one-run lead.

Isotope closer John Axford and
catcher Josh Thole shake hands after the
last out gives Springfield a 1-0 lead.

Al Alburquerque and Troy Patton did their jobs and didn't allow a hit in two innings.  The Springfield hitters put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs with the help of four walks and an Alex Gordon error.  Isotope closer John Axford had a nice cushion and allowed two base runners as he finished off the 8-3 victory and a 1-0 series lead.

With the victory, Springfield took the home-field advantage from Metropolis.  The Avengers have Alexi Ogando scheduled for game two while the Isotopes counter with Freddy Garcia. 

BOXSCORE: 2012 Springfield Isotopes At 2012 Metropolis Avengers    10/20/2012

  Isotopes           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG

  N.Morgan CF         5  1  3  1 .500     J.Reyes SS          3  1  2  0 .353 

  M.Scutaro SS        4  1  0  0 .226     J.Bautista 3B       3  1  0  0 .308 

  L.Berkman DH        3  1  1  1 .231     R.Cano 2B           4  0  0  0 .097 

  H.Pence RF          3  1  0  1 .258     A.McCutchen CF      3  1  1  3 .267 

  T.Helton 1B         5  0  1  1 .231     A.Gordon LF         4  0  1  0 .152 

  R.Zimmerman 3B      3  2  1  1 .407     C.Hart RF           3  0  0  0 .250 

  M.Cabrera LF        4  0  0  0 .222     L.Duda 1B           3  0  1  0 .233 

  J.Hairston Jr 2B    3  0  1  1 .176     M.Wieters C         2  0  1  0 .208 

B-R.Doumit PH         0  1  0  0 .500   D-J.Guzman PH         1  0  0  0 .250 

C-M.Cairo 2B          0  0  0  0 .375     T.Hafner DH         4  0  0  0 .250 

  J.Posada C          3  0  0  0 .250                                          

A-J.Thole C           0  1  0  0 .500                                         

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

         Totals      33  8  7  6                 Totals      30  3  6  3

A-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Posada In 7th Inning

B-Pinch Hit For Hairston Jr In 9th Inning

C-Subbed Defensively (2B) For Doumit In 9th Inning

D-Pinch Hit For Wieters In 9th Inning

Isotopes........ 0 0 0  0 2 2  0 0 4  -  8  7  0

Avengers........ 0 0 3  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  3  6  1

Isotopes (5-2)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

T.Lincecum WIN(1-1)       6       4   3   3   4   4   1   9.64  A1 C7

A.Alburquerq HOLD(2nd)    1       0   0   0   1   0   0   0.00  C8 D1

T.Patton HOLD(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   2   0  10.13  D2 D4

J.Axford                  1       2   0   0   0   1   0   4.91  D5

Totals                    9       6   3   3   5   7   1

Avengers (4-4)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

D.Fister                  5 1/3   3   3   3   2   2   0   4.76  A1 C2

S.Strasburg L(0-1)B(1st)  1       2   1   1   0   1   0   3.38  C3 C7

K.Jansen                  1 2/3   1   0   0   1   2   0   2.16  C8 D5

S.Santos                  0 1/3   0   3   2   3   1   0  54.00  D6 D9

C.Kimbrel                 0 2/3   1   1   0   1   1   0   0.00  E1

Totals                    9       7   8   6   7   7   0

ATTENDANCE- 46,963 DATE- Saturday, October 20th 2012 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average

UMPIRES- Mike Dimuro, Tim McClelland, Larry Vanover, Mike Everitt

T- 3:28

LEFT ON BASE- Isotopes: 6  Avengers: 6

DOUBLE PLAYS- Isotopes: 1  Avengers: 1

ERRORS- A.Gordon

DOUBLES- L.Berkman(1st)

TRIPLES- R.Zimmerman(1st)

HOME RUNS- A.McCutchen(1st)

STOLEN BASES- J.Reyes-3(3rd)

SACRIFICE FLIES- H.Pence

WALKS- M.Scutaro, L.Berkman-2, H.Pence, R.Zimmerman, R.Doumit, J.Thole, J.Reyes,

       J.Bautista, A.McCutchen, C.Hart, M.Wieters