Mike comes over this afternoon for the final series of our 2021 campaign.
Game 1 - Stroman vs Buehler.
The Insaneddy plate 2 in the first on a two-run Omar Narvaez single and Buehler wiggles out of trouble in multiple innings as the TBirds strand 5 in the first 4 innings. Particularly painful to manager Mike was having Dansby Swanson pegged on a stealing attempt only to have 2 of the next 3 hitters hit singles. An RBI single by Juan Soto in the 5th stretches the lead to 3-0 and that is how it ends. W-Buehler, L-Stroman, S- Bednar.
Game 2 - Eovaldi vs Peralta.
Ortega leads off the game with a single, but gets pegged stealing. The TBirds would draw first blood though in the second as a FC grounder scores Lamont Wade who had tripled. In the 5th, Mike's roster adjustment pays big dividends as Dan Jansen hits a 3-run natural bomb for a 4-0 cushion. Austin Riley misses a BP HR chance (1-18) in the inning, but the 4-0 lead was never in jeopardy. Swanson swats a solo dinger in the 7th for a 5-0 lead. Alonso gets a meaningless HR in the bottom half and the TBirds knot the series at 1 apiece, tacking on 2 more in the 8th for a final margin of 7-1 thanks in part to a solo blast by Austin Riley. W-Eovaldi, L-Peralta, HR-Jansen, Swanson, Alonso, Riley.
Game 3 - Alcantara vs Giolito.
Each team plates an unearned run in the first, but an Ortega HR gives the homestanding TBirds a 2-1 lead in the second. A solo Austin Riley shot in the 5th stretches it to a 3-1 TBird lead and then they plate 2 more in the 6th on an error and an Ortega sac fly to make it 5-1, which is how it ends. The TBirds through 3 games have limited the Insaneddy offense to 12 hits and take a 2-1 series lead. W-Giolito, L-Alcantara, HR-Ortega, Riley.
Game 4 - Buehler vs Stroman.
A Juan Soto triple plates one and a Pete Alonso double plates another as the Insaneddy stake themselves to a 2-0 first inning lead. It would be very short lived as Austin Riley homers for the third straight game ( a 2-run shot) to tie it a 2 after 1. A solo Jake Fraley bomb gives the TBirds a 3-2 lead in the third, but the Insaneddy bats would finally awaken in the top of the 4th. 5 extra base hits would lead to a 6-run inning and the end of Stroman. It ends up 8-3 Insaneddy. W-Buehler, L-Stroman, HR-Riley, Grandal, Adames.
Game 5 - Peralta vs Eovaldi.
Cedric Mullins leads off with a natural homer. The Insaneddy would get 2 more on in the first, but Mike Yastrzemski missed a 1-12 BP shot that could have made it 4-0. Dansby Swanson swats a solo shot in the second to tie it. A Yasmani Grandal sac fly in the third gives the Insaneddy the lead. A two-run double by Mullins in the 4th stretches it to 4-1 in favor of the Insaneddy. Undeterred, the T Birds counter in the 6th with a two-run drive by Marcus Semien and an RBI double by Ryan Longoria to tie it a 4. Ty France breaks the ties in the top of the 6th with an RBI knock and a solo Ryan McMahon homer in the 7th gives the visitors a 6-4 lead that the Insaneddy bullpen would preserve. W-Peralta, L-Eovaldi, S-Bednar, HR-Mullins, Swanson, Semien, McMahon.
Game 6 - Giolito vs Alcantara.
The Insaneddy get the jump with 2 in the first thanks to RBI singles by Pete Alonso and Yasmani Grandal. It stays 2-0 until the 7th, when Juan Soto provides some insurance with a solo shot. Two more in the Insaneddy 8th pushes it to 5-0 and that is how the game and the 2021 season ends as the Insaneddy take the Series in 6. W-Alcantara, L-Giolito, HR-Soto.
Congrats to Mike a nice season and a great playoff run. He was the ultimate gentleman despite enduring 3 stealers getting pegged and missing two 1-18 BP HR shots.