Brassball NLDS - Metropolis vs. Parkland Series Review

The Metropolis Avengers swept their National League Division Series vs. the Parkland Green four games to zero.  Let’s take a look into some of the stats and stories from the series.

·         Both teams were free swingers in the series – Parkland batters struck out 35 times and Metropolis hitters K’d 38 times. 

·         The Avengers out homered the Green 12-4.  Metropolis hit eight bombs in the two games at Parkland. 

·         Parkland star Joey Votto did all he could, batting .500/.667/.1000 (and a 1.667) OPS in 15 plate appearances.  However, that didn’t prevent the Green from pinch hitting for him in the first game of the series.

·         Apparently Votto didn’t need much protecting, as Green second baseman Dustin Pedroia hit behind him and had a very rough series.  Pedroia collected just one hit in 13 at bats for a .071/.125/.143 in the four games. 

·         Avenger center fielder Andrew McCutchen did his best to keep up with Votto, hitting three homers, scoring seven times and putting up a .563/.611/1.313 line for a 1.924 OPS.

·         Metropolis relievers dominated in the series, allowing just three hits and two walks in 9 2/3 innings for a 0.00 ERA.  They also struck out ten hitters and gave up just a .103 batting average.

·         On the other hand Parkland relievers struggled mightily, giving up 18 runs (17 earned runs) in 18 innings, along with 19 hits, 8 homers and 13 walks for an 8.50 ERA and .260 average allowed.  Green starters had a better ERA at 6.75 but allowed a .324 batting average (22 hits in 16 innings) to the Metropolis hitters.

·         Parkland catcher Martin Maldonado made three errors all season, in 519 innings.  He made two errors in 34 innings in the NLDS.

·         Metropolis batters combined to go .291/.371/.596 for a .967 OPS.  As a team, the Green hit .195/.283/.341 for a .624 OPS.

·         Metropolis had two hits in their eight at bats with the bases loaded.  Both hits also happened to be grand slams.

·         Avenger ace R.A. Dickey was 2-0 in the series, but was not nearly as sharp as he was during the regular season.  He allowed 11 hits, two homers and seven walks in his 11 2/3 innings to go with his 4.63 ERA.

·         Doug Fister was even luckier to escape with a no-decision in his one start, as he allowed ten baserunners and two homers in 5 2/3 innings, along with two homers.  Dickey and Fister were the only Avenger pitchers to surrender a homer to a Parkland hitter.

·         Last year, Jose Bautista was the NLDS hero for Metropolis, hitting the series-winning homer in Game Seven.  This year he had only a single hit in ten at bats.  Of course, that one hit was a home run.

·         Green starter Jon Lester is now a free agent on the market.  If he signs elsewhere, his last start for Parkland was a good one - 6 1/3 IP with seven hits and just one walk in a no-decision.

·         Parkland's Joe Nathan, on the other hand, goes into free agency having given up four runs in just 2/3 of an inning, having surrendered three walks and a hit in his only NLDS appearance.  

·         Greg Holland allowed two homers  in 50 games (57 innings) during the regular season, as one of Parkland's relief aces.  He gave up three to the Avengers in just 2 1/3 innings in his three NLDS games. 

Primary Player Statistics For 2013 Metropolis Avengers Totals After 4 Games

NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E

A.Dirks           .750   2   4   2   3  0  0  0   3   1   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

F.Gutierrez       .600   2   5   2   3  1  0  1   1   0   2  0  0  0   0  0  0

A.McCutchen       .563   4  16   7   9  1  1  3   5   2   3  0  0  0   0  0  0

Y.Cespedes        .500   3   6   2   3  0  0  0   2   4   1  0  0  0   0  0  1

D.Freese          .353   4  17   3   6  2  0  2   5   1   5  0  0  0   0  0  0

R.Cano            .235   4  17   5   4  0  0  1   1   2   4  0  0  1   0  0  0

A.Gordon          .222   4   9   2   2  1  0  0   1   3   4  1  0  0   0  0  0

C.Ruiz            .211   4  19   4   4  0  0  2   5   0   4  1  0  0   0  0  0

J.Reyes           .200   4  15   1   3  0  0  0   0   1   4  0  0  1   0  1  0

J.Gomes           .182   3  11   2   2  0  0  2   5   1   4  0  0  0   0  0  0

B.Harper          .125   3   8   0   1  0  0  0   0   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0

J.Bautista        .100   4  10   1   1  0  0  1   2   2   3  0  0  1   0  0  1

J.Guzman          .000   2   4   1   0  0  0  0   0   1   3  0  0  0   0  0  0

L.Duda            ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

J.Sands           ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

M.Wieters         ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

L.Berkman         ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

B.Roberts         ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

T.Hafner          ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

M.Montero         ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

ALL PITCHERS      ----   4   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  1

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

TEAM TOTALS       .291     141      41     1     30      38     0      0     3

                         4      32      5    12      18      2     3      1

NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO

A.Chapman         0.00  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   2.1   1   0   0  0   0   3

A.Ogando          0.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  0   1.0   0   0   0  0   0   1

K.Jansen          0.00  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   2.0   0   0   0  0   1   3

C.Kimbrel         0.00  1  0 1.000   1  0  0  0  0   1.1   1   0   0  0   1   2

H.Street          0.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  1   1.0   0   0   0  0   0   1

R.Valdes          0.00  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   2.0   1   0   0  0   0   0

K.Medlen          0.00  1  0 1.000   1  1  1  1  0   9.0   3   0   0  0   3   6

R.Dickey          4.63  2  0 1.000   2  2  0  0  0  11.2  11   6   6  2   7  14

D.Fister          6.35  0  0  ----   1  1  0  0  0   5.2   7   5   4  2   3   5

K.Lohse           ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

N.Feliz           ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

D.Hutchison       ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

S.Santos          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

S.Pryor           ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

A.Pettitte        ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

S.Strasburg       ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

R.Hernandez       ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

C.Kluber          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

W.Font            ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

N.Adcock          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

J.Chamberlain     ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

R.Choate          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

Team                                          0                   +0

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

TEAM TOTALS       2.50     0         4     1     1        24      10     15

                        4    1.000      4     1     36.0      11      4      35

Primary Player Statistics For 2013 Parkland Green Totals After 4 Games

NAME              BAVG  GM  AB   R   H 2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO HB SH DP  SB CS  E

J.Votto           .500   4  10   3   5  2  0  1   1   4   1  1  0  0   0  0  0

C.Crisp           .333   4  15   2   5  1  0  1   2   0   3  0  1  1   1  0  0

J.Lowrie          .231   4  13   2   3  0  0  1   1   2   1  0  0  0   0  0  1

D.Fowler          .214   4  14   4   3  0  0  1   1   3   9  0  0  0   0  0  0

Y.Escobar         .200   2   5   0   1  0  0  0   1   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0

S.Rolen           .167   4  12   0   2  1  0  0   1   1   3  0  0  2   0  0  1

N.Swisher         .143   4  14   0   2  0  0  0   1   2   5  0  0  0   0  0  0

Y.Grandal         .100   4  10   0   1  1  0  0   0   1   5  0  0  1   0  0  0

M.Maldonado       .077   4  13   0   1  0  0  0   0   1   2  1  0  0   0  0  2

D.Pedroia         .071   4  14   0   1  1  0  0   2   1   3  0  0  1   0  0  0

C.McGehee         .000   1   1   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0

W.Middlebrooks    .000   2   2   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  0  0  0   0  0  0

W.Bloomquist      ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

J.Baker           ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

B.Pena            ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

J.Mathis          ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

L.Cain            ----   1   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

A.Amarista        ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

M.Sierra          ----   0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

ALL PITCHERS      ----   4   0   0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  0  0  0   0  0  0

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

TEAM TOTALS       .195     123      24     0     10      35     1      1     4

                         4      11      6     4      15      2     5      0

NAME               ERA  W  L   PCT   G GS CG SH SV    IP   H   R  ER HR  BB  SO

P.Strop           0.00  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  0   1.1   1   0   0  0   3   2

C.Durbin          0.00  0  0  ----   2  0  0  0  0   4.0   3   0   0  0   1   4

J.Lester          2.84  0  0  ----   1  1  0  0  0   6.1   7   2   2  1   1   7

W.Miley           5.40  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0   5.0   5   3   3  1   0   5

W.Wright          6.75  0  1  .000   3  0  0  0  0   2.2   4   3   2  1   2   2

A.Crow            7.20  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  0   5.0   4   4   4  2   2   5

R.Vogelsong       7.71  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0   2.1   6   4   2  0   1   1

G.Holland        11.57  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  0   2.1   4   3   3  3   0   4

E.Frieri         18.00  0  0  ----   3  0  0  0  0   2.0   2   4   4  2   2   6

J.McDonald       19.29  0  1  .000   1  1  0  0  0   2.1   4   5   5  2   3   1

J.Nathan         54.00  0  0  ----   1  0  0  0  0   0.2   1   4   4  0   3   1

B.Beavan          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

H.Takahashi       ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

J.Teheran         ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

L.Mendoza         ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

J.Marinez         ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

M.Cleto           ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

T.Byrdak          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

J.Tomlin          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

H.Rodriguez       ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

B.Wilson          ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

ALL NON-PITCHERS  ----  0  0  ----   0  0  0  0  0   0.0   0   0   0  0   0   0

Team                                          0                   +0

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

TEAM TOTALS       7.68     4         4     0     0        41      29     18

                        0     .000      4     0     34.0      32     12      38

NLDS Game Four - Metropolis vs. Parkland

James McDonald took the hill
for Parkland in Game Four.

Fighting for their playoff lives down three games to one, the Parkland Green called on James McDonald to face Metropolis Avenger ace R.A. Dickey in Game Four of the National League Division Series.  McDonald was 11-9 on the season but also had a 5.26 ERA in 29 starts.  Dickey, on the other hand, was one of the best pitchers in all of Brassball and already won Game One in the series, despite being somewhat shaky in his five-innings.

Andrew McCutchen's third homer
of the series tied the game 1-1.

Metropolis scored five runs in the last inning of Game Three and picked up where they left off, as star center fielder Andrew McCutchen hit a two-out homer to stake Dickey to a 1-0 lead.  Dickey, however, looked just as shaky in Game Four as he did in Game One, giving up a walk to Dexter Fowler and a double to Joey Votto to start the game.  After retiring Dustin Pedroia, Dickey walked Nick Swisher to load the bases and give Parkland hope for a big inning.

Left Fielder Coco Crisp lined a hard single that scored Fowler and tied the game, but Votto held at third rather than challenge right fielder Yeonis Cespedes's arm.  It's possible the Votto thought back to Game One, when a Jose Reyes relay from McCutchen nailed him at the plate.  Votto's hesitance may have cost the Green a run, as Jed Lowrie left the bases loaded after grounding out to end the inning.

With the game tied at one, Avenger third baseman David Freese led off the second inning with a double.  Cespedes walked and, two outs later Reyes was awarded first when his bat clipped the glove of catcher Martin Maldonado.  The controversial catcher's interference call loaded the bases for Carlos Ruiz.  The Avenger leadoff hitter worked the count full, but hit an easy ground ball to the Green third baseman Scott Rolen to end the inning, leaving the score knotted at one.

Jonny Gomes's grand slam
put Metropolis up for good.

McCutchen came to bat with one out in the third inning and gave the Parkland fans a repeat performance of his at bat in the top of the first - a solo home run against McDonald.  McCutchen had personally put the Avengers up 2-1 and his second homer may have unsettled McDonald, as he gave up a walk, a double and another walk to the next three hitters, Alex Gordon, Freese and Cespedes.  That was all for McDonald, as Aaron Crow came in and struck out Jose Bautista for the second out of the inning.  Crow missed badly on a pitch in the next at bat, but Jonny Gomes didn't.  Gomes turned on a fastball in the middle of the plate and drove a homer out to left-center field, clearing the bases and putting Metropolis up 6-1.

The Avengers added two more runs in the top of the fourth.  Ruiz singled and Robinson Cano walked to lead off the inning and drive Crow to the showers.  Reliever Pedro Strop came in and McCutchen hit another ball hard, but this was right at Lowrie for the first out of the inning.  Strop then got sloppy and walked Gordon, Freese and Cespedes in a row, plating two runs and increasing the Green deficit to 8-1.

Aroldis Chapman closed out the win and the series,
sending Metropolis to the NLCS

Those three consecutive walks seemed to let the air out of the Parkland crowd and, to some extent, the Parkland players.  The Green did score single runs off Dickey in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, but they never really threatened the Avengers' lead.  Metropolis pushed across insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings and then trusted Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman to close out the game and the series.  The relievers did just that, with Chapman inducing a Yasmani Grandal double play to end the game.

With the sweep, Metropolis advances to the National League Championship Series for a rematch of the 2012 National League Division Series between Fleetwood and Metropolis.  The Avengers won that series, but only after surviving an epic fifteen inning marathon in Game Seven, which ended 1-0 on a Jose Bautista home run.  The Green turn their attention to the postseason and whether they can afford to resign free agent Dustin Pedroia while staying competitive in the National League East.

BOXSCORE: 2013 Metropolis Avengers At 2013 Parkland Green          10/12/2013

  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Green              AB  R  H RBI AVG

  C.Ruiz C            6  1  1  0 .211     D.Fowler CF         3  1  1  1 .304 

  R.Cano 2B           5  2  2  1 .235     J.Votto 1B          3  2  3  1 .424 

  A.McCutchen CF      5  2  3  2 .563     D.Pedroia 2B        4  0  0  0 .244 

  A.Gordon LF         3  1  0  0 .222     N.Swisher RF        3  0  0  0 .375 

  D.Freese 3B         4  2  3  2 .353     C.Crisp LF          4  1  2  1 .154 

  Y.Cespedes RF       2  1  1  1 .500     J.Lowrie DH         3  0  1  0 .227 

  J.Bautista 1B       5  0  0  0 .100     S.Rolen 3B          3  0  0  0 .150 

  J.Gomes DH          4  1  1  4 .182   A-W.Middlebrooks PH   1  0  0  0 .429 

  J.Reyes SS          4  0  0  0 .200     Y.Escobar SS        4  0  1  1 .136 

                                          M.Maldonado C       3  0  0  0 .227 

                                        B-Y.Grandal PH        1  0  0  0 .278 

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

         Totals      38 10 11 10                 Totals      32  4  8  4

A-Pinch Hit For Rolen In 9th Inning

B-Pinch Hit For Maldonado In 9th Inning

Avengers........ 1 0 5  2 0 0  1 1 0  - 10 11  0

Green........... 1 0 0  1 1 0  1 0 0  -  4  8  2

Avengers (4-0)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

R.Dickey WIN(2-0)         6 2/3   7   4   4   4   6   2   4.63  A1 D2

K.Jansen                  1 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D3 D6

A.Chapman                 1       1   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D7

Totals                    9       8   4   4   4   7   2

Green (4-7)              IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

J.McDonald LOSS(0-2)      2 1/3   4   5   5   3   1   2   9.64  A1 B6

A.Crow                    0 2/3   2   3   3   1   1   1   6.14  B7 C2

P.Strop                   0 1/3   0   0   0   3   0   0   3.18  C3 C6

C.Durbin                  3       2   0   0   1   3   0   4.91  C7 D9

W.Wright                  0 2/3   2   1   1   0   2   1   9.00  E1 E4

G.Holland                 1       1   1   1   0   2   1   3.24  E5 E8

E.Frieri                  1       0   0   0   0   3   0   6.75  E9

Totals                    9      11  10  10   8  12   5

ATTENDANCE- 49,676 DATE- Saturday, October 12th 2013 TIME- Day WEATHER- Good

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

T- 3:28

LEFT ON BASE- Avengers:10  Green: 5

DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 2  Green: 1

ERRORS- S.Rolen, M.Maldonado

DOUBLES- D.Freese-2(2nd), J.Votto-2(4th)

HOME RUNS- R.Cano(1st), A.McCutchen-2(3rd), D.Freese(2nd), J.Gomes(2nd),

           D.Fowler(1st), J.Votto(1st)

STOLEN BASES- C.Crisp(1st)

WALKS- R.Cano, A.Gordon-2, D.Freese, Y.Cespedes-3, J.Gomes, D.Fowler, J.Votto,

       N.Swisher, J.Lowrie

STRIKE OUTS- C.Ruiz-3, R.Cano-2, A.Gordon-2, Y.Cespedes, J.Bautista, J.Gomes-2,

             J.Reyes, D.Fowler, D.Pedroia, N.Swisher-2, C.Crisp, Y.Escobar,

             M.Maldonado

GIDP- J.Bautista, S.Rolen, Y.Grandal

CATCHERS INTERFERENCE- J.Reyes

WILD PITCHES- R.Dickey

2-out RBI- A.McCutchen, C.Crisp, J.Gomes-4, R.Cano, D.Fowler

RLISP 2-out- N.Swisher-2, J.Lowrie-3, J.Reyes, C.Ruiz-2, M.Maldonado,

             A.McCutchen, J.Gomes-2

NLDS Game Three - Metropolis vs. Parkland

After losing the first two games of the NLDS at Metropolis, Parkland was hoping a few nights in their own beds could turn the momentum in their favor.  The Game Three matchup paired Green lefty Jon Lester (14-7, 4.45 ERA) and Avenger right-hander Doug Fister (12-4, 2.86 ERA). 

Coco Crisp rounds third after his solo home run.

The hometown Green got to work right away, as Dexter Fowler and Joey Votto hit back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the first.  Fister coaxed a double-play grounder from Dustin Pedroia, but Fowler scored the first run as the Avengers let him score in exchange for the twin-killing. 

Things didn’t get any easier for Fister in the second, as Green left fielder Coco Crisp lined a home run and shortstop Jed Lowrie followed with a solo blast of his own.  That put Parkland up 3-0 and everyone in the park felt momentum shift to the home-town team. 

Jed Lowrie's homer put the Green up 3-0.

To start the bottom of the third, Avenger left fielder Yeonis Cespedes misplayed a Joey Votto flyball into a single and a two-base error, putting Votto on third with none out.  Parkland was looking to add to extend their lead, which Pedroia did as he lifted a Fister fastball into center field for a sacrifice fly and a 4-0 Green lead. 

While the Parkland bats were putting up runs, Lester held Metropolis in check.  He was hitting his spots in the early innings and the Avengers failed to put any pressure on him.  Lester's only mistake was to Metropolis right fielder and lefty-masher Franklin Gutierrez.  Gutierrez didn’t miss a changeup that got too much of the plate and he hit it into the right field stands for a solo homer in the top of the fourth. 

Parkland added a run and Lester took a 5-1 lead into the top of the seventh.  He retired Jonny Gomes for the first out but then walked Jesus Guzman, bringing Cespedes to the plate.  Green manager Tom Keenan quickly went to his bullpen, which had been deep and reliable all season.  Ernest Frieri (4-1, 1.75 ERA in 46 innings) got the call but couldn't find the plate.  He walked Cespedes and Jose Reyes and suddenly the Avengers had loaded the bases without collecting a hit in the inning. 

That brought the tying run to the plate and the Green faithful had gone eerily silent as leadoff hitter Carlos Ruiz adjusted his batting gloves.  Ruiz had come to Metropolis in a July trade with the West Hills Bravos and supplanted Reyes as the leadoff man for the National League Division Series.  Ruiz doesn't have the speed of a traditional leadoff hitter and Frieri was hoping his infield would turn a ground ball into a double play to escape the inning. 

Carlos Ruiz stunned the Green fans with his grand slam.

Ruiz had other plans and hit a Frieri fastball high into left field.  Crisp backpedaled and seemed like he expected to make the catch, but the ball kept carrying in the Parkland night.  The outfielder looked shocked as his path took him to the wall and the ball kept going.  Ruiz made the Green pay for their three walks in the inning and the game was tied, but the inning wasn't over.

That was all for Frieri, but the Avengers now had the momentum.  Robinson Cano singled off reliever Wesley Wright and then Andrew Mccutchen singled off Pedro Strop.  Keenan next called on Aaron Crow in his search for any reliever that could simply get Parkland out of the inning.  Crow did strike out pinch hitter Alex Gordon and coaxed David Freese into a very weak dribbler in front of the plate, which looked like the third out.  Parkland catcher Martin Maldonado quickly pounced on the ball, but twice failed to pick it up as McCutchen was speeding home behind him.  At the same time, Freese was hustling down the first base line and, by the time Maldonado could even think about making a throw, everyone was safe and Metropolis had the lead.  

The Green had been cruising to what looked like an easy win, but they were now behind 6-5 - the victim of three walks, a grand slam and an error on a ball that went less than 20 feet.   With the Avenger hitters giving the team new life, the Metropolis bullpen was not going to led that lead go.  Craig Kimbrel and Raul Valdes easily controlled Parkland in the seventh and eighth innings, each allowing just a single baserunner. 

Jose Bautista's homer capped the Avenger comeback
and sealed their Game Three win.

Joe Nathan came on to start the ninth inning and quickly got the first out, but then the wheels fell off.  Nathan walked Cano and McCutchen and advanced each of them by throwing a wild pitch to Alex Gordon.  He then intentionally walked Gordon and tossed another wild pitch.  After three walks, two wild pitches and a single, Nathan finally gave way to Greg Holland, with two on and Jose Bautista at the plate.  If there had been any hope in the Parkland dugout, Bautista extinguished it when he crushed a Holland fastball for a long, three-run homer and an 11-5 Avenger lead.

Alexi Ogando closed out Game Three by retiring Scott Rolen, Yasmani Grandal and Dexter Fowler in order, giving the Avengers a commanding 3-0 lead and leaving Parkland to wonder what happened in a game they led 5-1 in the seventh inning.

BOXSCORE: 2013 Metropolis Avengers At 2013 Parkland Green          10/11/2013

  Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Green              AB  R  H RBI AVG

  C.Ruiz C            5  1  1  4 .231     D.Fowler CF         5  1  1  0 .302 

  R.Cano 2B           4  2  1  0 .167     J.Votto 1B          2  1  2  0 .367 

  A.McCutchen CF      4  1  3  0 .545     D.Pedroia 2B        3  0  0  1 .268 

  F.Gutierrez RF      3  1  2  1 .600     N.Swisher RF        4  0  0  0 .405 

A-A.Gordon PH,LF      1  1  0  0 .333     C.Crisp LF          4  1  1  1 .114 

  D.Freese 3B         5  0  0  0 .231     J.Lowrie SS         3  2  2  1 .211 

  J.Gomes DH          4  0  0  0 .143     M.Maldonado C       3  0  1  0 .263 

D-A.Dirks PH,DH       1  1  1  2 .750     S.Rolen 3B          4  0  1  1 .176 

  J.Guzman 1B         2  1  0  0 .000     Y.Grandal DH        4  0  1  0 .286 

C-J.Bautista PH,1B    1  1  1  2 .200                                         

  Y.Cespedes LF       2  1  1  0 .500                                          

B-B.Harper RF         2  0  1  0 .125                                         

  J.Reyes SS          4  1  2  0 .273                                         

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

         Totals      38 11 13  9                 Totals      32  5  9  4

A-Pinch Hit For Gutierrez In 7th Inning

B-Subbed Defensively (RF) For Cespedes In 7th Inning

C-Pinch Hit For Guzman In 8th Inning

D-Pinch Hit For Gomes In 9th Inning

Avengers........ 0 0 0  1 0 0  5 0 5  - 11 13  2

Green........... 1 2 1  0 0 1  0 0 0  -  5  9  1

Avengers (3-0)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

D.Fister                  5 2/3   7   5   4   3   5   2   6.35  A1 C7

C.Kimbrel WIN(1-0)        1 1/3   1   0   0   1   2   0   0.00  C8 D3

R.Valdes HOLD(2nd)        1       1   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D4 D7

A.Ogando                  1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D8

Totals                    9       9   5   4   4   8   2

Green (4-6)              IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

J.Lester                  6 1/3   7   2   2   1   7   1   8.53  A1 C7

E.Frieri                  0       1   3   3   2   0   1   8.31  C8 D1

W.Wright LOSS(0-1)        0       1   1   0   0   0   0   8.44  D2 D2

P.Strop                   0       1   0   0   0   0   0   3.38  D3 D3

A.Crow                    1 2/3   0   0   0   1   2   0   2.70  D4 D9

J.Nathan                  0 2/3   1   4   4   3   1   0  21.60  E1 E6

G.Holland                 0 1/3   2   1   1   0   1   1   2.45  E7

Totals                    9      13  11  10   7  11   3

ATTENDANCE- 48,866 DATE- Friday, October 11th 2013 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average

UMPIRES- Bill Hohn, Ron Kulpa, Dan Iassogna, Dale Scott

T- 3:17

LEFT ON BASE- Avengers: 7  Green: 5

DOUBLE PLAYS- Avengers: 2  Green: 2

ERRORS- J.Bautista, Y.Cespedes, M.Maldonado

DOUBLES- A.McCutchen(1st), S.Rolen(1st), Y.Grandal(1st)

HOME RUNS- C.Ruiz(2nd), F.Gutierrez(1st), J.Bautista(1st), C.Crisp(1st),

           J.Lowrie(1st)

CAUGHT STEALING- J.Reyes

SACRIFICE FLIES- D.Pedroia

WALKS- R.Cano, A.McCutchen, A.Gordon, J.Guzman, J.Bautista, Y.Cespedes, J.Reyes,

       J.Votto-2, J.Lowrie, M.Maldonado

STRIKE OUTS- C.Ruiz, F.Gutierrez, A.Gordon, D.Freese-3, J.Gomes-2, J.Guzman-2,

             J.Reyes, D.Fowler-4, D.Pedroia, N.Swisher, C.Crisp, Y.Grandal

GIDP- R.Cano, J.Reyes, D.Pedroia, S.Rolen

WILD PITCHES- J.Nathan-2

2-out RBI- S.Rolen, A.Dirks-2, J.Bautista-2

RLISP 2-out- D.Fowler, F.Gutierrez, D.Freese-2, J.Gomes, M.Maldonado, A.Dirks-2

National League Division Series - Metropolis vs. Parkland Games One and Two

After starting the season 10-18 (.357 winning percentage) in April, the Metropolis Avengers righted the ship and went on a five-month tear, going 107-27 (.798) the rest of the way.  That gave them a 117-45 (.722) record and the best record in Brassball.  The Avengers earned a first-round bye and they watched Parkland and Sacramento battle it out in the Wild Card round.  The Green won the deciding seventh game of that series, heading to Metropolis as the Senators went home for the winter.

Parkland played Metropolis close during the regular season, winning three of the seven matchups between the teams.  Despite the close regular season series and the Green's excellent 94-68 record, the Avengers came into the National League Division Series as heavy favorites.  They had the better offense, the best pitching staff in baseball and home field advantage.

Game One

Carlos Ruiz's leadoff homer tied
the game 1-1.

Parkland sent Wade Miley (13-12, 3.88 ERA) to the mound in game one and Metropolis countered with Cy Young candidate R.A. Dickey (21-4, 2.49 ERA).  The Green were ready, jumping to a quick 1-0 lead as Nick Swisher singled home Dexter Fowler after Dickey had walked Fowler and Dustin Pedroia.  Avenger trade-deadline acquisition Carlos Ruiz quickly got the run back for the Avengers, taking a Miley fastball over the wall for a leadoff homer and a 1-1 tie.

Joey Votto was out by a step in the third.

The Green top of the order started another rally in the third, as Pedroia hit a line drive double with two runners on.  The speedy Fowler scored the go-ahead run easily, but slugger Joey Votto chugged around the bases and was nailed by a good-but-not-great Jose Reyes relay throw.  After the game, Parkland manager Tom Keenan defended his third base coach's decision to waive Votto home, "He's our best player and a professional athlete - we all thought he was going to score."

Aroldis Chapman is just one weapon
in the Metropolis bullpen.

Parkland held onto their 2-1 lead into the fourth, when Metropolis finally put together some baserunners.  Andrew McCutchen singled and Franklin Gutierrez doubled, putting two on with one out.  David Freese hit a sharp ground ball, and the Green conceded the run rather than try to throw out the fast McCutchen at the plate.  Outfielder Yeonis Cespedes singled home Gutierrez to put Metropolis ahead 3-2, their first lead of the 2013 postseason.

Dickey completed the top of the fifth and then turned the game over to the deep Metropolis bullpen.  Raul Valdes, Kenley Jansen, Aroldis Chapman and Huston Street combined on four no-hit innings, allowing just one walk and striking out six hitters.  Metropolis added runs on solo homers by Jonny Gomes in the seventh and McCutchen in the eighth and closed out Game One 5-2.

Game Two
Metropolis sent its mid-season pickup Kris Medlen (8-0 2.06 ERA with Metropolis) to the mound to face Parkland's Ryan Vogelsong (14-10, 2.85 ERA).

McCutchen's third inning triple plated the
first two runs of the game.

Medlen dominated the game, tossing a complete-game shutout while scattering just three hits and three walks.  He kept Green hitters off balance all night, inducing weak contact and never getting into real trouble.  From the other dugout, Vogelsong started strong but was stung by an Andrew McCutchen triple and a Jed Lowrie in a four-run third inning.

Kris Medlen gets a hug after his Game Two shutout

Metropolis added insurance runs in a fifth-inning rally and on a David Freese solo homer in the seventh inning.  Medlen retired Green catcher Martin Maldonado to ground out for the last out of the game, giving the Avengers a 2-0 series lead as the NLDS moved to Parkland.

BOXSCORE: 2013 Parkland Green At 2013 Metropolis Avengers           10/8/2013

  Green              AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG

  D.Fowler CF         3  2  1  0 .343     C.Ruiz C            3  1  1  1 .333 

  J.Votto 1B          1  0  0  0 .375     R.Cano 2B           4  0  1  0 .250 

D-W.Middlebrooks PH,3 1  0  0  0 .450     A.McCutchen CF      4  2  2  1 .500 

  D.Pedroia 2B        3  0  1  1 .324     F.Gutierrez RF      2  1  1  0 .500 

  N.Swisher RF        4  0  2  1 .500   A-A.Gordon PH,LF      1  0  0  0 .000 

  C.Crisp LF          3  0  0  0 .037     D.Freese 3B         4  0  0  1 .000 

  J.Lowrie SS         3  0  0  0 .167     Y.Cespedes LF       2  0  1  1 .500 

G-Y.Escobar PH        1  0  0  0 .111   B-B.Harper PH,RF      2  0  0  0 .000 

  M.Maldonado C       4  0  0  0 .308     J.Guzman 1B         2  0  0  0 .000 

  S.Rolen 3B          3  0  0  0 .091   F-J.Bautista PH,1B    1  0  0  0 .000 

E-C.McGehee 1B        1  0  0  0 .190     J.Gomes DH          3  1  1  1 .333 

  Y.Grandal DH        2  0  0  0 .321     J.Reyes SS          3  0  0  0 .000 

C-L.Cain PR,DH        0  0  0  0 ----                                         

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

         Totals      29  2  4  2                 Totals      31  5  7  5

A-Pinch Hit For Gutierrez In 6th Inning

B-Pinch Hit For Cespedes In 6th Inning

C-Pinch Ran For Grandal In 7th Inning

D-Pinch Hit For Votto In 7th Inning

E-Subbed Defensively (1B) For Rolen In 7th Inning

F-Pinch Hit For Guzman In 7th Inning

G-Pinch Hit For Lowrie In 9th Inning

Green........... 1 0 1  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  2  4  0

Avengers........ 1 0 0  2 0 0  1 1    -  5  7  1

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

W.Miley LOSS(1-2)         5       5   3   3   0   5   1   6.23  A1 C2

P.Strop                   1       0   0   0   0   2   0   3.38  C3 C6

E.Frieri                  1       1   1   1   0   3   1   2.08  C7 D2

G.Holland                 1       1   1   1   0   1   1   1.29  D3

Totals                    8       7   5   5   0  11   3

Avengers (1-0)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

R.Dickey WIN(1-0)         5       4   2   2   3   8   0   3.60  A1 C4

R.Valdes HOLD(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  C5 C7

K.Jansen HOLD(1st)        0 2/3   0   0   0   1   2   0   0.00  C8 D1

A.Chapman HOLD(1st)       1 1/3   0   0   0   0   3   0   0.00  D2 D5

H.Street SAVE(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D6

Totals                    9       4   2   2   4  14   0

ATTENDANCE- 49,058 DATE- Tuesday, October 8th 2013 TIME- Day WEATHER- Average

UMPIRES- Gary Cederstrom, Fieldin Culbreth, Jim Reynolds, Tim Timmons

T- 2:43

LEFT ON BASE- Green: 6  Avengers: 4

DOUBLE PLAYS- Green: 0  Avengers: 1

ERRORS- R.Dickey

DOUBLES- D.Pedroia(4th), F.Gutierrez(1st)

HOME RUNS- C.Ruiz(1st), A.McCutchen(1st), J.Gomes(1st)

SACRIFICE HITS- C.Crisp

WALKS- D.Fowler, J.Votto, D.Pedroia, Y.Grandal

HIT BY PITCH- J.Votto, C.Ruiz, A.Gordon

STRIKE OUTS- D.Fowler-2, J.Votto, W.Middlebrooks, N.Swisher-2, C.Crisp,

             M.Maldonado, S.Rolen-3, C.McGehee, Y.Grandal-2, R.Cano,

             A.McCutchen-2, F.Gutierrez, A.Gordon, D.Freese-2, J.Guzman,

             J.Bautista, J.Reyes-2

GIDP- C.Crisp

2-out RBI- Y.Cespedes

RLISP 2-out- N.Swisher, M.Maldonado, B.Harper

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

BOXSCORE: 2013 Parkland Green At 2013 Metropolis Avengers           10/9/2013

  Green              AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG

  D.Fowler CF         3  0  0  0 .316     C.Ruiz C            5  1  1  0 .250 

  J.Votto 1B          4  0  0  0 .321     R.Cano 2B           4  1  0  0 .125 

  D.Pedroia 2B        4  0  0  0 .289     A.McCutchen CF      3  2  1  2 .429 

  N.Swisher RF        3  0  0  0 .455     A.Dirks DH          3  1  2  1 .667 

  C.Crisp LF          4  0  2  0 .097     D.Freese 3B         4  1  3  2 .375 

  J.Lowrie SS         4  0  0  0 .125     A.Gordon LF         4  0  2  1 .400 

  M.Maldonado C       3  0  0  0 .250     J.Bautista 1B       3  0  0  0 .000 

  S.Rolen 3B          2  0  1  0 .154     B.Harper RF         4  0  0  0 .000 

  Y.Grandal DH        3  0  0  0 .290     J.Reyes SS          4  0  1  0 .143 

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

         Totals      30  0  3  0                 Totals      34  6 10  6

Green........... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  0  3  1

Avengers........ 0 0 4  0 1 0  1 0    -  6 10  0

Green (4-5)              IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

R.Vogelsong LOSS(1-2)     2 1/3   6   4   2   1   1   0   4.50  A1 B5

W.Wright                  2       1   1   1   2   0   0   8.44  B6 C5

A.Crow                    2 2/3   2   1   1   0   2   1   3.60  C6 D6

C.Durbin                  1       1   0   0   0   1   0   8.31  D7

Totals                    8      10   6   4   3   4   1

Avengers (2-0)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

K.Medlen WIN(1-0)         9       3   0   0   3   6   0   0.00  A1

Totals                    9       3   0   0   3   6   0

ATTENDANCE- 49,739 DATE- Wednesday, October 9th 2013 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average

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

T- 2:58

LEFT ON BASE- Green: 7  Avengers: 7

DOUBLE PLAYS- Green: 0  Avengers: 0

ERRORS- J.Lowrie

DOUBLES- C.Crisp(1st), A.Gordon(1st)

TRIPLES- A.McCutchen(1st)

HOME RUNS- D.Freese(1st)

WALKS- D.Fowler, N.Swisher, S.Rolen, A.McCutchen, A.Dirks, J.Bautista

HIT BY PITCH- M.Maldonado

STRIKE OUTS- D.Fowler-2, D.Pedroia, J.Lowrie, Y.Grandal-2, R.Cano, A.McCutchen,

             J.Bautista, B.Harper

WILD PITCHES- K.Medlen

2-out RBI- D.Freese

RLISP 2-out- N.Swisher-2, C.Crisp, J.Bautista-2, B.Harper-3, M.Maldonado,

             Y.Grandal

WEB GEMS- Top 6th: Bryce Harper robbed Dustin Pedroia of an extra base hit.