Majors  Division, Playoffs

Angels  9  Redsox 1

The regular season champs opened the play-offs with a stellar pitching performance as Doug Nimura, Max Flower and Grant Young combined on a two hitter. Bryan Stone's hot hitting continued as he ripped two doubles and drove in two. Doug Nimura, Grant Young, and Chad Johnson joined the Angel hit parade with two a piece. Jack Stryker got it started in the first with an RBI single, Max Flower added a ground rule double and Andrew McKendell  chipped in with a perfect bunt base hit. Michael Fink and Brady Aiello had hits for the Red Sox.

Yankees 12  Dodgers 1

The Yankees won their first playoff game, cruising to victory behind two sparkling, rally-killing double plays. The Yankee offense was a true team effort, led by Ben Miller (3 runs), Ryan Cardiff (1 RBI, 3 runs), Will Brueckner (1 run, 3 RBI), Devin Regan (1 RBI, 1 run), Joey Hewitt (1 run, 3 RBI), Nathan Ferreira(1 RBI, 1 run), Jack Thoren and Ben Salquist.  The Dodgers had hits from Jack Eisner, who roped a double to center field and Jackson Taylor who scored the Dodger run on a fielder’s choice by Alex Barnes.

Cubs 3  Cardinals 0

Alexie Shurtz, Drew Ventrelle, and Tom Henderson combined to pitch the Cub shutout. Henderson and Ventrelle also each had hits on 2-strike changeups to spark the Cubs' offense.  Will Price added a hit for the winners and Leo Barakos scored a run. Jack Brydon pitched 3 scoreless innings for the Cardinals. Max Burdock and Casey Harrington added hits for the Cardinals and Logan MacDonald threw out a Cub runner at the plate with a fantastic throw from left field.

A's 4  Redsox 0

The A's remained alive in the playoff chase with a hard fought win, as Joey Layshock, Ryan Levy and Jake Berry combined for a 4-hit shutout. Leadoff hitter Christian Linfoot triggered the A's attack with 2 hits in 3 trips, and Cameron Dunmire, Berry, Chris Mickas and Justin Reilly had RBIs for the winners. The first pitch of the bottom of the third produced a true defensive gem. Grant Vogel hit a screamer up the middle that was ticketed for centerfield until shortstop Berry speared it with a headlong dive, then threw from the seat of his pants to nip Vogel by a step. For the Redsox, Matt Jorgensen shutdown the A's in the final two innings, and Vogel, getting a measure of revenge, singled off of Berry in the sixth. Nash Wardy, Jorgensen and Dillon Foster all tallied hits for the Redsox.

Giants  6  A's  5

 The A's jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a leadoff walk and then 4 consecutive hits by Zach Kramer, Jake Berry, Cameron Dunmire and Chris Hansen. The Giants battled back to take the lead with 5 in the third on hits by Zach D'Amante, Cannon Armistead, Harrison Joy and Kevin Attiyeh.  Back came the A’s in the bottom of the innings, eking out a run on an infield single by Jake Bequette.  The Giants took the lead for good on in the fifth  on singles by Sam Dinerman and Gavin Thatcher, then hung on as Kevin Attiyeh gunned down the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the 6^th.  Mathew Barr earned the save for the Giants.

Angels   6  Giants  3

The Angels held off a game Giants team who had to battle back after losing their spiritual leader Trevor Martinho to a serious wrist injury in the 1st inning. After holding off the Giants in the 1st, the Angels scrapped together 2 runs in the bottom of the inning to take an early lead. In the Giants’ second, with Matt Barr on first, Michael Rolodari blasted a double to the fence in center field, but Angel centerfielder Doug Nimura gunned a strike from the fence to the plate to nail Barr for the 3rd out. With the momentum on their side, the Halos strung  together 6 hits in the 2nd to score 4 runs to break the game open. Josh Goodell clubbed a one out double, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Then, with 2 out, the Angels got hits from  Andrew McKendell, Tommy Nimura, Grant Young and Max Flower, then a bases clearing  triple by Doug Nimura to put the game out of reach.

Dodgers  3  Cardinals 1

 The Dodgers edged the Cardinals in a tough, tight game at Buckeye Field.  The Dodgers threatened in the first as Jack Eisner singled and advanced to second on a passed ball.  Jesse Longchamps ripped a single to center and the Cardinals executed a perfect relay from Cristo Collet to Casey Harrington to nail Eisner at the plate and end the inning.  The Dodgers broke through for 3 in the bottom of the second highlighted by a RBI hits by Cole Ashburn and Brian Buckley.  That was all the scoring the Dodgers would get as Cardinal hurlers Kyle Everly and Harrington pitched shutout ball the rest of the way.  Longchamps and Ashburn combined to pitch five shutout innings before the Cardinals put up a run in the sixth and threatened more.  Matt Bostwick pitched his way out of a bases loaded sixth inning jam to secure the win.  Harrington led the Cardinal offense with 3 hits and  Ethan Lindgren had a hit and scored a run for the Dodgers.

 AAA Division,  Playoffs

 Cubs 12  Marlins 5

In a first round game, Michael Bone led the Cubbies to victory with with two hits and 4 driven in. Also contributing with multi-hits games were Ty Whelehan, Connor Yee, John Leamy, Adrian Guzman Jake Finegold and Arden Childers. Guzan also starred on the mound, needing only 16 pitches to complete two perfect innings.

Redsox 12  Mets 5

The Redlegs won a seesaw affair at Chaney Field, recalling the 1986 World Series. The Sox took an early 3-0 lead behind 2 shutout innings by Matt Clark, but the Mets stormed back to take a 5-3 lead on a double by Daniel Kim, who would have 3 hits on the night. Back came the Redsox in the 4^th on consecutive hits by Nick DeCool, Jerry Liu, and John Torchio. Robby Rowell shutout the Mets in the top of the 5^th and his teammates exploded for 5 in the bottom of the frame, led by Dylan DeCool’s clutch double. Rowell pitched a shutout 6^th inning to preserve the win.    

Dodgers 2  Cardinals 1

Michael Everton banged out the game winner to cap his 2-double game, propelling the Dodgers to a hard fought win over the Cards. Tyler Ewing went 2 for 3 for the Dodgers and scored both runs. Michael Williams was a perfect 2 for 2 on the night for the boys in blue, and Anthony Schatz added a hit and a scoreless innings on the mound. Brad Zamanian and Ewing also completed perfect innings for the winners. Seppi Ortman starred for the Redbirds, pitching a scoreless innings, scoring the Cards’ lone run, and making several great plays at shortstop.

Yankees 9  Marlins 6

Starting pitcher Kevin McConnell and closer Colin Fogarty combined to hold the Marlins to 1 run over 4 innings of work as the top-seeded Yankees survived a furious Fish comeback late in the game.  Matty Vicencio scored 3 times for the winners, and ripped a one hopper to the fence for a triple to start a crucial 2-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.  Justin Plummer smoked an RBI double and added 2 runs and Fogarty added an RBI single.  The Marlins tallied 8 hits in the game lead by Harley McKee's 3 singles and Jack Lewerenz 2 base hits. Mason McKay clubbed a key double for the Marlins, and Jonathan Barnes added a 2-run single..

A’s 16  Cardinals 0

Williams Grace, Brad Robison, Paul Griessel and Tim Sears combined to toss a 4-hitter for the Athletics. At the plate, Robison ripped 2 doubles and drove in 3 and Ryan Burnett was 2 for 2 and scored 3 runs.Tom Caprio, Gordon Kerns and Paul Griessel all bang out hits for the winners, and Cam Burrill and Chris Gonser sparkled in the field.

Dodgers 13  Cubs 0

The Dodgers were led by the familiar combination of Tyler Ewing and Jason Cornell, who both had perfect days at the plate. Dexter Varrelmann was 2 for 3, and Connor McCarthy and Drew Wondolowski had key bunt hits to trigger Dodger rallies. On the mound,  Cornell, Bradford Zamanian, and Ewing each pitched 2 scoreless innings. The Cubs went down fighting, with Tyler Whelehan and John Leamy turning in stellar defensive games.