Semifinals Game 1

ZSY - 0   BOB - 2   F
BOB leads best-of-five series 1-0
W - Halladay (1-0)  L - Wells (0-1)
BOB: Halladay: CG (1), 0 ER, QS (1)
ZSY: Wells: CG (1), 2 ER, QS (2)
BOB: Giles: 3-4, 2 2B, RBI (1)
BOB: Lowell: 3-4, RBI (1)
BOB: Aparicio: 2-4, 2 SB

It has been said that this series will be the real championship series, as the two best teams in the league face off for the Division 1 championship. This game did not disappoint and was very similar to the games played between these two teams in Series 12 during the regular season. A real pitcher's duel, Cy Young front runner Roy Halladay skillfully navigated through the Z-Slayers lineup, dominating especially in the early innings. Z-Slayers ace Kip Wells, also somewhat in the Cy Young discussion, also pitched an overall excellent game. He faltered however in the second inning, snake bit by a Marcus Giles double that drew first blood. However he settled down afterward and in the third inning managed to survive what has been called an "Aparicio triple", where Bobian leadoff man Luis Aparicio hits a single and then steals his way to third base. After an intentional walk to Travis Hafner, Wells was able to fly out Mike Lowell to end the inning. The Z-Slayers threatened in the fifth inning, with Jeff Cirillo hitting a leadoff triple. But with the heart of the Z-Slayer lineup failed to produce, with heavy hitter Albert Pujols grounding out on his own card. The Z-Slayers threatened again in the sixth, but Halladay got a clutch double play to quash that effort. Meanwhile the Bobian bats came alive in the seventh, with Mike Lowell atoning for stranding Aparicio in the third, this time with an RBI single. In the eighth inning, the pesky bottom of the Z-Slayers  lineup put together a couple of hits but fell short of scoring when Luis Aparicio used his golden glove and proved why the Bobian defense is the considered the best in the league, turning a double play on runners Carl Crawford and Juan Pierre, perhaps the fastest one-two hitters in the league. In the top of the ninth, Halladay went through the 3-6 hitters of the dangerous Z-Slayers to shut them out and earn the W in Game 1. Game 2 will feature the matchup of Tom Seaver vs. Runelvys Hernandez. Seaver faced the Z-Slayers in Game 1 of Series 12, pitching a complete game and allowing 2 earned runs in the win. Hernandez pitched Game 2 of that series, going six innings and also allowing two runs. That was exactly his by-line against Meow Meow Dui in Game 2 of the Divisional Series, which he ended up taking the loss for.
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MAX - 6   TYC - 5   F
MAX leads best-of-five series 1-0
W - Lowe (1-0)   L - Takatsu (0-1)
MAX: Pettite: 7 IP, 4 ER
TYC: Penny: 5 1/3 IP, 4 ER
MAX: Martinez: 3-4, 2 2B, HR (2), RBI sac fly, 3 RBI (4)
MAX: Kent: 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI (5)
MAX: Ashburn: 2-4, SB (4), 2 R, 3B (2)
TYC: McGriff: 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI (2)

The Bombers started off the game on the right foot; centerfielder Richie Ashburn tripled in the first at bat of the game and was then brought home two batters later with an Edgar Martinez sacrifice fly. Tycoon starter Brad Penny struggled in the second inning as well, giving up another run off the bat of Martinez, this one a solo blast to center field. The Bombers added yet another run
in the top of the third, extending their lead to three. Opposing starter and former Cy Young winner Andy Pettite didn't look very good early on either, and was the victim of a Tycoon four run rally in the third. Pettite survived the hell inning and pitched significantly better as the evening progressed, finishing strong in the seventh. Not so for Brad Penny, who could not protect the one run lead and was burned once more by a Richie Ashburn steal and a Edgar Martinez RBI. With a rather wild two thirds of the game behind them, both teams went to the bullpen. Bomber Sean Lowe entered in the eighth and pitched an uneventful inning; the same could be said for his Tycoon counterpart Shingu Takatsu. Come to the top of the ninth and both teams were thinking forward to extra innings. However, these thoughts were rendered unnecessary, thanks to a two run blast off the bat of Jeff Kent, his second homer of the postseason. It could not have been more clutch for the Bombers, giving them a two run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Lowe took the mound again in the ninth with the most dangerous part of the Tycoon lineup. After striking out both Giambi brothers, Lowe was taken deep by Fred McGriff, cutting the Bomber lead in half. Lowe ended the threat there, and retired the side with the next batter, getting the W in Game 1 and extending the Bomber's win streak to five straight games. Game 2 will feature the exciting pitching matchup of Roy Halladay against Randy Johnson.  

Divisional Series Game 4

ZSY - 6   MMD - 4   F

ZSY wins best-of-five series 3-1

W - D'Amico (1-0)   L - Schilling (0-1)   S - Graves 04 (1)

ZSY: D'Amico: 6 IP, 2 ER, QS (1) 

MMD: Schilling: 7 IP, 6 ER

ZSY: Harvey: 2-4, HR (2), 3 RBI (4)

ZSY: Kiner: 3-4, 2B, RBI (6)

MMD: Zaun: 2-4, HR (1) , 2 RBI (3)

The script was flipped in this exciting Game 4, which saw what appeared to be the rather lop sided pitching matchup of control 2 Jeff D'Amico going up against control 5 Curt Schilling. D'Amico was shaky early on and got burned early by a towering two run homer off the bat of hot hitting Gregg Zaun. It also looked like he was going to get tagged again in the third, but got out of a bases loaded jam thanks to a the heroics of his third baseman Jeff Cirillo who successfully turned a double play ball. On the other side of things, "Schilling was chilling" as they say, and made mincemeat of the Z-Slayers lineup, giving up only one hit and no walks in the first three inning. But here is where things changed. D'Amico pitched a strong top of the fourth; Schilling ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning. After surrendering two consecutive singles to Juan Pierre and Jack Wilson, a sacrifice fly from Albert Pujols moved Pierre to third. The rise was unnecessary however, as next batter Ralph Kiner split the right center field gap with a line drive, a double that brought home Kiner's sixth RBI of the series. Things went from bad to worse with the very next batter, second baseman Ken Harvey who brought Kiner and Wilson home with a three run homer. With that, the tables had turned D'Amico pitched the next two innings with confidence while Schilling was constantly under siege by the Z-Slayers attack, which added another two run rally in the fifth. With a comfortable 6-2 lead, Lord Sith turned to former Zachrian Ricardo Rincon, his team's best reliever this year. Rincon was a little shaky in the seventh, and even worse in the eighth, where he found himself in a bases loaded jam with only one out. After giving up a run, he was bailed out again by his defense coming up with a huge double play. Going to the top of the ninth, Z-Slayer closer Danny Graves entered the game in a save situation even though he was on short rest having pitched in the game prior. To the delight of the hometown MMD fans, in a matter of a few pitches Graves had loaded the bases without a recording any outs. In a very strange scene, Coach Sith was picked up and carried fireman style by General Manager Sinister out to a meeting on the mound. It is unsure what was said in this meeting, only that upon reaching the mound, Sith was handed over to Albert Pujols but slipped out of the first baseman's hands and limply fell into the dirt where he laid splayed out while Sinister gave the pep talk to his pitcher and infielders. After Sith was picked up and dragged back into the dugout, MMD shortstop Marco Scutaro hit a ground ball that barely dribbled into the outfield, good for an RBI single that brought MMD within two runs of tying the game. The next batter was Gregg Zaun, who had homered earlier in the game. He almost repeated that feat, rolling a 2 on his own card that was almost a 20. After him was Ryan Freel, who completed the tragedy by grounding out into a double play to end the game and the season for MMD. It was certainly a tumultuous season for the team, with the murder of their long time coach perhaps being one of the biggest stories of the year. Their future is uncertain, but if rumors are any indication, it's probable that the franchise will most likely be abolished in the offseason.  As for the Tuldarian Z-Slayers, this win sets up a long awaited showdown between them and the Bobians in what has been termed "the real Championship final." Although the games were close, the Bobians swept the Z-Slayers during their regular season matchup in Series 12.

Divisional Series Game 3

ZSY - 3   MMD - 1   F
ZSY leads best-of-five series 2-1
W - Graves (1-0)   L - Miceli (0-1)
ZSY: Day: 8 IP, ER, QS (1)
MMD: Pavano: 7 IP, 0 ER, QS (1)
ZSY: Kiner: 1-4. HR (2), 3 RBI (5)
MMD: Williams: 2-4. 2B. RBI (1)
ZSY: Crawford: 4-5, SB (3)

Former Cy Young winner Carl Pavano got off to a rough start. His first pitch was hit for a double by Carl Crawford and his second pitch was a Juan Pierre single. When Crawford attempted to score from second and was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Eric Chavez, the crowd knew that they were in for a good game. Especially when, in the bottom of the inning, their home town team celebrated first blood in the form of a Bernie Williams RBI double. The Z-Slayer starter Zach Day struggled in the first couple of innings, but then settled down and was absolutely dominant, only surrendering three hits between the third and eighth innings. Back on the other side, Carl Pavano also showed why he is a former Cy Young winner, and handled the dangerous Z-Slayer batting order with relative ease. So with the score standing at 1-0, this pitching duel went very fast as batter after batter got mowed down. Fast forward to the top of the ninth, where Ralph Kiner smashed a three run jack, putting the Z-Slayers ahead for the first time in the contest. By the way, that's Kiner's second home run of the series, and his fifth RBI. That ended up being the ball game, as Tuldarian closer Danny Graves put MMD to rest in the bottom of the ninth and secured the win. Game 4 will feature the rather lopsided pitching matchup of fourth starter Jeff D'Amico (ZSY) vs second starter Curt Schilling (MMD). It will be D'Amico's second career playoff appearance, the first of which was a victory over the Darkpaws back in Season 4. As for Schilling, a former Bryn and Z-Slayer, his career playoff record is 1-2 in five appearances with a complete game.
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RED - 4   MAX - 5   F
MAX wins best-of-five series 3-0
W - Halladay (1-0)   L - Takatsu (0-1)   S - Urbina (1)
MAX: Halladay: 7 IP, 4 ER
RED: Sheets: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (1)
MAX: Matsui: GW 2R HR (1), 2 RBI (3)
MAX: Martinez: 2-3, 2 BB, 2 R, HR (1), RBI (1)
RED: Pierzynski: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI (2)

In Game Three, the Maxion Bombers had the chance to knock off their division rivals, the Red Clay Aces, who were fighting for their very survival. Things did not get off to the best of starts for them however, as their former ace Roy Halladay stumbled badly out of the gate. In the second inning he gave up two runs thanks to a bottom of the lineup rally from the Aces. The big hits came in the form of an RBI double for catcher A.J. Pierzynski and an RBI single from shortstop Miguel Tejada. Halladay ran into problems again in the third when A.J. Pierzynski increased Red Clay's lead to 3-0 with yet another RBI double. By this point the Maxion faithful had been completely silenced by the results so far, but they were brought back into the game when Edgar Martinez homered in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 3-1. But the wind was out of the Maxion sails soon after that, when Halladay was smoked for a solo homerun off the bat of All Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano. After a few quiet innings, the Maxion bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth, when Tony Clark and Derek Jeter hit back to back solo homeruns to make the score 4-3 in favor of Red Clay. Aces starter Ben Sheets was able to finish the sixth and earn a quality start; besides the back to back jacks he surrendered just before leaving, he had been rather dominant. But as by-lines go. this is exactly the kind of start the has earned Sheets a reputation as the most reliable pitcher in the league. Getting back to the game, Halladay lasted until the seventh, having pitched much better after the fourth inning. In the bottom of the seventh, the Aces elected to go with long relief specialist Shingu Takatsu over Paul Quantril, who had pitched in the game previous. GM Ishmael von Corrin afterward stated that this decision was rooted in the fact that he wanted a rest day for Quantril as well as the fact that Takatsu in theory would be able to pitch two games in a row if needed with fourth starter Ramon Ortiz possibly needing help in a theoretical Game 4. Either way, the decision was the wrong one. After Takatsu easily grounded out lead off man Richie Ashburn and second hitter Corey Koskie, he walked three hitter Fredgar Martinez. Then came the fatal blow: a two run homerun off the bat of left fielder Hideki Matsui, giving the Bombers a lead for the first time in the game. With their entire season on the line, the Red Clay Aces went on the attack in the top of the eighth. But Maxion reliever Mike Stanton managed to pour water on the hot hitting bottom of the Red Clay lineup and earn a hold. Come the ninth inning, the Bombers had to make a bullpen decision of their own: use their closer Mariano Rivera on short rest or someone else? Eventually the call was given to back-up closer Ugueth Urbina. The Maxion faithful were shocked to see him walk leadoff hitter Tom Goodwin. But with the tying run on base, Urbina went into beast mode and threw six consecutive strikes against Miguel Tejada and Alfonso Soriano, two of the best hitters in the league. Urbina then considered intentionally walking the heavy hitter Paul Konerko, but eventually opted to pitch to him. The result? A shallow fly ball to center field that was harmlessly caught by Richie Assburn, ending the Aces season and giving the Bombers their first playoff series win since Season 1 as well as their first franchise playoff series sweep. While the Bombers celebrated the continuation of their miracle season, the Red Clay Aces yet again struggle in the playoffs. "This wasn't our year," said general manager Ishmael von Corrin. "I'll tip my hat to the Bombers; they simply out pitched us. I wish them luck in their next series against Mao." Von Corrin's team, who had lost four straight games against the Bomber's including the last regular season game of the year, will have a brand new waterfront stadium in Red Clay to look forward to next year, but Von Corrin was mum on any word of personnel changes. He did say however that he will remain as one of the most vocal and active GMs in the league, especially as the discussion comes up as to a possible rearranging of the divisions. As for the Bombers, they will now prepare to take on the two year defending champs Mao's Tycoons for a chance to play in the championship. When the Tycoons swept the Bombers in Series Four, the Bombers were mired in the middle of their nine game losing streak. It's safe to say that now, the Bombers are a changed team. Game 1 starting pitchers have yet to be announced.   

Divisional Series, Game 2

MMD - 2   ZSY - 1   F
Best-of-five series tied 1-1
W - Rodgers (1-0)   L - Hernandez (0-1)  S - Biddle (1)
MMD: Rodgers: 7 IP, ER, QS (1)
ZSY: Hernandez: 6 IP, 2 ER, QS (1)
MMD: Freel: 3-4, RBI (1)
MMD: Zaun: 1-4, 2B, RBI (1)
ZSY: Pujols: 2-3, 2B, RBI (3)
MMD: Biddle: 2 IP, 0 ER, S (1)

During the regular season, Runelvys Hernandez was one of the most steadfast pitchers in the league, racking up an astounding six quality starts. But out of the gate, Hernandez struggled in a very ugly first inning in which he was lucky to escape with only giving up one run. The Z-Slayer offense didn't take that lying down, with Albert Pujols tying up the game in the bottom of the first with an RBI double. With both teams scoring in the first, the fans buckled in for a wild ride...that never actually happened. Hernandez struggled the rest of the night, but always managed to sneak out of trouble. He surrendered an RBI double to MMD All Star catcher Gregg Zaun, but besides that finished out the sixth and earned a quality start. The real story in this game, however, was that of MMD starter Kenny Rodgers who settled down after his rough first inning and absolutely manhandled the Z-Slayers offensive attack. He was at times unhittable, surrendering the odd walk or so, and produced crucial double play balls when he needed them. As a free agent, it will indeed be interesting to see where he ends up in the offseason. His wonderful performance was capped off by a two inning save from reliever/closer Rocky Biddle, evening up the series at one win apiece, and moving the series into Game 3, where MMD will enjoy home field advantage.
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MAX - 5   RED - 3   F
MAX leads best-of-five series 2-0
W - Franklin (1-0)   L - Fogg (0-1)   S - Rivera (1)
MAX: Franklin: 6 1/3 IP, 2 ER, QS (1)
RED: Fogg: 4 1/3 IP, 5 ER
MAX: Jeter: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI (2)
MAX: Ashburn: 2-3, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 SB (3)
RED: Tejada: 2-4, HR (1), RBI (1)

Much like Game 2 of the Division 1 Series, Game 2 of the Division 2 Series saw both offenses get started in the first inning. Red Clay starter Josh Fogg was under siege the entire evening, never settling down and eventually surrendering more runs than innings pitched. In the first inning, the Maxions rallied for two runs, thanks to RBI singles from second baseman Jeff Kent and first baseman Tony Clark. In the bottom of the inning the Red Clay offense answered with a Miguel Tejada solo shot. Fogg stumbled again in the second inning; smart base running and a stolen base from Richie Ashburn set up a Hideki Matsui RBI single that extended the Bomber lead to 3-1. Although fraught with danger, the third and fourth innings passed without any bloodshed. However the pressure could not be contained, and the Bombers put together another rally in the fifth, with the big hit being a bases loaded double by Derek Jeter. That was the end of the night for Fogg, a second straight major disappointment for Red Clay starters. He was relieved by Paul Quantril, who got out of the fifth inning jam thanks to a crucial double play. On the other side of the mound, Maxion starter Ryan Franklin  was ok, but appeared shaky at times. Thanks to good defense and some mistakes in the batter's box on the part of the Aces, Franklin went out to the mound in the bottom of the seventh with a 5-1 lead. He gave up a solo home run to Paul Konerko, and then proceeded to walk the next two batters. Sean Lowe came in on relief and managed to end the inning as well as pitch a scoreless eighth. For the Aces, credit must be due to reliever Mike Myers, who appeared in his second straight game and went three innings of relief, giving a rest to his team's already beleaguered bullpen. Moving along to the bottom of the ninth, there was still some drama to be had. The Maxions brought in closer Mariano Rivera in a save situation. His very first pitch of the evening was a mistake, sent over the left field wall by a Keith Ginter solo homerun. After a Jose Cruz walk and a Tom Goodwin single, the Aces now had the tying run on base, the heart of their lineup approaching, and still nobody out. Stepping up to the plate next was the very dangerous Miguel Tejada, who had homered earlier in the game. Rivera threw his infamous cutter fastball which jammed Tejada's swing, resulting in a ground ball. It very easily could have been a double play, but Bomber third baseman Corey Koskie bobbled the play, resulting in Tejada to reach first on a fielder's choice. The next batter was three hitter and All Star Alfonso Soriano, who crushed a Rivera fastball to deep center field, but not deep enough to avoid being called out on a fly ball. Next up was clean up hitter Paul Konerko, who also had homered earlier in the game. With a full count, Konerko had the discipline to not bite on an errant Rivera cutter and ball four was called to load the bases. With two outs, bases loaded, and the tying run in scoring position, Jason Giambi stepped to the plate. Every Red Clay fan was on their feet as the fate of Game 2 hung in the balance. Control five Rivera got the sign from the catcher...winded up...and dealt a roll of a seven against Giambi's on-base rating of thirteen. With the crowd at a complete fever pitch, Giambi's roll was...a three! A harmless ground ball fielded by Rivera himself, who threw out Giambi at first to end the game. An absolutely thrilling finish to Game 2, which sets up a dramatic Game 3 in which the Bombers will go for the sweep on their home field. At this point the Aces are hoping to repeat the outcome of their Season 4 Divisional Series against the Bombers, in which they won in five games. For Game 3, the Maxions send former ace Roy Halladay to the mound, who showed marked improvement in his pitching in the second half of the year. In five career postseason appearances, his record is 2-1, with that loss coming at the hands of the Red Clay Aces in Game 3 of the Season 4 Divisional series. For the Aces, they probably could trust no man more with the season on the line than starter Ben Sheets, who will try to initiate a renaissance in terms of his team's pitching. A Red Clay stalwart, Sheets is a veteran who has been on the team since it's inception and also served as the team's ace for several seasons. He's pitched quality starts in all five appearances this year; he is no stranger to playoff baseball either, with a career record of 2-2 with five appearances.

DIVISIONAL SERIES! First Games of the Playoffs

MAX - 8   RED - 0   F
MAX leads best-of-five series 1-0
W - Pettitte (1-0)   L - Buehrle (0-1)
MAX: Pettitte: 7 IP, 0 ER, QS (1)
RED: Buehrle: 3 1/3 IP, 6 ER
MAX: Koskie: HR (1), 2B, 3 RBI (3)
MAX: Ashburn: 3B (1), SB (1), 2 RBI (2)
MAX: Kent: HR (1), 2 2B, 2 RBI (2)

This game was nothing like that the two teams played against each other in the last two games of the season. While those were edge of your seat nail-biters, this one turned into an ugly blowout. At first it seemed as if the Aces were going to strike first, loading the bases with only one out in the bottom of the second. However, Maxion starter and former Cy Young Andy Pettitte got a crucial double play ball from Keith Ginter to put the kibosh on that. It was the fourth inning in which things unraveled for Red Clay starter Mark Buerhle. It started off innocently enough with a Jeff Kent two run homer; ok, Bombers up 2-0. But that was followed by a Tony Clark single, which was followed by a Derek Jeter double which was followed by a Bengie "Don't Make Fun of My Speed" Moline RBI single. Richie Ashburn then struck the real heavy blow with a bases clearing triple, bringing the Bomber lead to 5-0. Buerhle was yanked at that point, but his successor, Travis Harper, couldn't prevent Corey Koskie from bringing home Riche Ashburn with yet another RBI single. When all was said and done, the Bombers had batted around their lineup in the fourth and produced six runs. Harper was beaten again by Koskie in the sixth, when he smashed a home run again bringing home an on base Richie Ashburn. Eight runs was more than enough for Pettitte, although he did struggle somewhat in the sixth and seventh. Credit must be given to the Aces relievers Harper and Myers, who managed to finished the rest of the game and keep the rest of their bullpen available for series to come. An honorable mention to Maxion reliever Shigetohsi Hasegawa, who despite having a rather crummy season, pitched two strong innings of relief to complement Pettitte's scoreless effort. In the aftermath of the loss, immediate criticism was hurled at Red Clay GM Ishmael von Corrin for his choice of Buerhle to start Game 1. In response to the criticism, von Corrin had the following to say: "Obviously Mark has had some rather awful starts during the regular season, but he had been improving as late. My idea was that I would rather play Mark now while he is hot, rather than in a higher pressure Game 3 or 4 situation. Obviously this wasn't the start that any of us envisioned." When reporter Al Leiter pointed out that this meant that Buerhle would have to start a Game 5 if it arose, von Corrin paused a moment before saying "One step at a time." Game 2 will most likely feature the pitching matchup of Ryan Franklin vs. Josh Fogg.
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MMD - 3   ZSY - 7   F
ZSY leads best-of-five series 1-0
W - Rincon (1-0)   L - Hammond (0-1)
ZSY: Wells: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (1)
MMD: Ortiz: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (1)
ZSY: Pujols: 3-5, 2 RBI
ZSY: Kiner: HR (1), 2 RBI
MMD: Chavez: HR (1), 3 RBI

With the specter of a very emotional murder investigation haunting the background of this game, two Division 1 powerhouses went to battle in what looked to be an epic series. The potent Z-Slayers offense was relentless from the get-go in this one. After a stolen base from leadoff man Carl Crawford, Albert Pujols drew first blood for the Z-Slayers, bringing him home with a base hit. Meow Meow Dui answered right away with a two run shot from their home run king Eric Chavez in the top of the second. The lead didn't last long however, with the Z-Slayers tying it up at 2 in the third, thanks again to good base running from Juan Pierre and another RBI single from Albert Pujols. The lead lurched back in favor of Meow Meow Dui in the top of the fifth, thanks to an Eric Chavez notching his third RBI of the game with a single, but this lead was too short lived, with the Z-Slayers coming up with a Jason Larue single in the bottom of the inning. Nevertheless, it was a disappointing inning for the Z-Slayer offense, who managed to only score one run from a bases loaded and no outs situation. Both starters had an identical by line, going six innings and allowing three runs, just barely squeezing out a quality start. The battle of bullpens thus commenced in the seventh, with Chris Hammonds taking the mound for MMD and Ricardo Rincon stepping up for the Z-Slayers. The Z-Slayers bats welcomed Hammonds to the game with artillery; MVP candidate Ralph Kiner smashed a two run shot, which was followed in the next at bat with a Ken Harvey solo shot. Things went much differently for Rincon, who pitched three shutout innings where the MMD offense never really threatened. The Z-Slayers added another run in the bottom of the eighth off MMD reliver Dan Miceli, thanks to a solo homerun from leadoff man Carl Crawford. After the game, ZSY GM Lord Sinister was quite pleased with the result, but appeared quite irate when asked about the ongoing Taklamente murder investigation, to which he replied by banning the reporter in question from attending games in Tuldaria. Game 2 will feature the pitching matchup of Runelvys Hernandez, season leader in quality starts, against MMD Kenny Rodgers, also taking place at Sinister Industries Stadium.

Home Run Derby and Season 6 All Star Game Results

The thirteen top homerun hitters in the league met at Dulcolax Stadium for the first ever Home Run Derby. The rules were as follows: each player would have fifteen pitches to hit as many home runs as possible. The top six hitters would advance to the second round, which would also be fifteen pitches. Advancing to the third round would be the top four cumulative hitters from rounds 1 and 2. In round three, the score would reset, so that the top two would duke it out, one on one, in the fourth and final round.

The night got off to an exciting start with the first round results as follows:

1. Alber Pujols (ZSY) - 8
2. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 7
3. Gregg Zaun (MMD) - 7
4. David Ortiz (TEN) - 7
5. Eric Chavez (MMD) - 7
6. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 6
7. Ellis Burks (QEY) - 6
8. Larry Walker (STL) - 4
9. Magglio Ordonez (TEN) - 4
10. Jeff Kent (MAX) - 4
11. Jorge Posada (TEN) - 3
12. Miguel Tejada (RED) - 3
13. Jason Giambi (RED) - 1

In the event of the tie between Ellis Burks and J.D. Drew, both were accepted to advance to Round 2. Also of interest to note was the early departure of Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker, who only hit four homers in this round. Round 2 went as follows

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 14 (+6)
2. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 14 (+7)
3. David Ortiz (TEN) - 14 (+7)
4. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 13 (+7)
5. Ellis Burks (QEY) - 12 (+6)
6. Eric Chavez (MMD) - 12 (+5)
7. Gregg Zaun (MMD) - 9 (+2)

While Pujols, Ortiz, and Kiner continued with the fireworks, there was a three way tie for the number 4 spot. It was agreed on the spot for a sudden death elimination, which was won by Tenbil Town Green Sock J.D. Drew, sending Eric Chavez and Ellis Burks home. Down to the final four, Round 3 commenced.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 6
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 5
3. Ralph Kiner (ZSY) - 4
4. David Ortiz (TEN) - 3

Two Z-Slayers faced off against two Green Sox, and the result was surprising, namely the very bad performance from sluggers Ralph Kiner and David Ortiz. Both posted their worst performance of the evening in the crucial Round 3, paving the way for J.D. Drew to challenge Albert Pujols, who had remained atop the leaderboard the entire evening. Round 4 would prove even more dramatic than the third.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 4
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 4

The rules once again had not provided for the case of a tie. In a gentleman's agreement made right there on the field, the two agreed upon a repeat of the same conditions in a fifth round.

1. Albert Pujols (ZSY) - 5
2. J.D. Drew (TEN) - 4

And thus, with a razor thin margin of one home run, Albert Pujols was crowned the first ever Champion of the Home Run Derby.

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SEASON 6 ALL STAR GAME

D2 - 0   D1 - 9   F

D1: Ellis Burks: 3B, 3 RBI

D1: Ralph Kiner: HR, 3 RBI

D1: Luis Aparicio: 3B, SB

D1 Jack Wilson: RBI

D1: Gregg Zaun: HR, RBI

D1: Albert Pujols, HR, RBI

In the first All Star Game since Season 3, the entire league cast their attention towards hosting Dulcolax Stadium on this muggy summer evening. Division 1 did not waste any time in flexing their muscles and exerting their dominance over the Pee Wee League, with Coach Greg Maddux's incredibly dangerous lineup punishing Division 2 starter Jamie Moyer with a leadoff Luis Aparicio triple, followed by a rally bringing home two runs. The Ghost of Mao rotated a different pitcher each inning, with Brad Penny and Andy Pettite both pitching scoreless innings. But Ben Sheets ran into trouble in the fifth surrendering home runs to Z-Slayer sluggers Ralph Kiner and Albert Pujols. Kiner's was a three run shot, while Pujols's could be considered his 40th of the night if you factor in his performance in the Home Run Derby earlier that day. As for the Division 1 pitching, the Bobian starters did what they do best. Roy Halladay, Tom Seaver, and Tom Glavine SS all put in 2 dominant innings each, leaving the Division 2 lineup speechless. Division 1 did not let up, eventually expanding the lead to 9-0, thanks to a Gregg Zaun solo shot and an Ellis Burks triple. The Ghost of Mao went to the bench in the eighth and ninth innings, which seemed to finally bring a spark to the team's offense. In the top of the ninth, the team managed to load the bases with two outs. The Ghost of Mao opted to pinch hit the Tycoons Fred McGriff with the Marauders Fred McGriff, which ended up backfiring when the latter struck out to end the game. After the game, all players shared a good natured laugh over a highlight reel that included bloopers and achievements during the season. A Little League game between Georgia and Hawaii followed after, but was cut short after both teams strategy of "swing at everything" failed to break the tie after extra innings. Even still, the mood with the Division 2 players seemed dampened, with Coach Ghost of Mao wondering aloud at one point how any Pee Wee team would have any chance of winning the championship after such a humiliating performance.  

All Star Team and Home Run Derby Qualifiers!

After a long season, the League Commissioner presents the highly anticipated All Star Teams. The teams will play against each other next week. The number in parenthesis shows how many times that player had been named to the All Star Team.

This year, the Division 1 Team has made two slight adjustments. Since there were no outstanding second basemen and two very highly qualified shortstops, one of the shortstops can also play second base and has been accordingly granted that spot even though he played most of the season as a shortstop. Next, a team usually carries four starters and four relievers. Due to the very high caliber of starters in Division 1, an exception has been granted whereby the team will carry five starters and three relievers.  

For Division 2, a special congratulations is in order for Red Clay second baseman Alfonso Soriano, the only player who has made every single All Star team since Season 3.

DIVISION 1

Coach - Greg Maddux, BOB

C - Gregg Zaun, MMD (1)

1B - Albert Pujols, ZSY (3)

2B - Jack Wilson, ZSY (3)

SS - Luis Aparicio, BOB (1)

3B - Mike Lowell, BOB (1)

LF - Eric Chavez, MMD (1)

CF - Ellis Burks, QEY (3)

RF - Ichiro Suzuki, BOB (1)

DH - Ralph Kiner, ZSY (3)

Bench - Frank Catalanotto, QEY (2)

Bench - Jason Larue, ZSY (1)

Bench - Manny Ramirez, LIN (3)

Bench - Rondell White, LIN (3)

Bench - Travis Hafner, BOB (1)

Starter - Roy Halladay, BOB (1)

Starter - Tom Glavine SS, BOB (1)

Starter - Tom Seaver, BOB (1)

Starter - Kip Wells, ZSY (1)

Starter - John Burkett, BOB (1)

Reliever - Rollie Fingers, BOB (1)

Reliever - Tim Spooneybarger, QEY (2)

Reliever - Steve Karsay, LIN (2)

Closer - Keith Foulke, MMD (2)

Closer - Danny Graves, ZSY (3)

Division 2

Coach - The Ghost of Mao

C - Bengie "Don't Make Fun of My Speed" Molina, MAX (2)

1B - Fred McGriff, TYC (1)

2B - Alfonso Soriano, RED (4) 

SS - Miguel Tejada, RED (2)

3B - Edgar Martinez Jr., TEN (1)

LF - J.D. Drew, TEN (1)

CF - Richie Ashburn, MAX (3)

RF - Larry Walker, STL (2)

DH - David Ortiz, TEN (1)

Bench - Edgar Renteria, STL (1)

Bench - Jorge Posada, TEN (2)

Bench - Fred McGriff, MEL (1)

Bench - Scott Rolen, MEL (1)

Bench - Jeff Kent, MAX (2)

Starter - Andy Petitte, MAX (3)

Starter - Brad Penny, TYC (2)

Starter - Jamie Moyer, MEL (2)

Starter - Ben Sheets, RED (2)

Reliever - Shingu Takatsu, TYC (3)

Reliever - Shingu Takatsu, RED (3)

Reliever - B.J. Ryan, TYC (1)

Reliever - Dave Veres, STL (1)

Closer - Mariano Rivera, MAX (3)

Closer - Danny Kolb, TYC (1)

HOME RUN DERBY

All players who hit five or more homeruns during the regular season will qualify for the Home Run Derby. The qualifiers are as follows.

David Ortiz (TEN)

Albert Pujols (ZSY)

Eric Chavez (MMD)

Ralph Kiner (ZSY)

Larry Walker (STL)

J.D. Drew (TEN)

Ellis Burks (QEY)

Jason Giambi (RED)

Magglio Ordonez (TEN)

Miguel Tejada (RED)

Jorge Posada (TEN)

Jeff Kent (MAX)

Gregg Zaun (MMD) 

 

Series 12: Part 4: So it Comes to This...

TEN - 4   MEL - 6   F
W - Politte (1-1)   L - Foulke (1-3)
MEL: Beckett: 4 1/3 IP, 4 ER
TEN: Ishii: 5 IP, 3 ER
MEL: Jeter: GW HR (4), 2 RBI (10), SB (3)
TEN: Drew: HR (6), 3 RBI (13)
MEL: Groom: 2 2/3 IP, BB, 0 H, 0 ER

The tension could not be thicker as both teams stared down elimination in the ultimate contest of do or die in their last game of the season. The nervous energy could be felt in the packed crowd at Melmegetia Municipal Stadium in which every seat was filled this evening. Nerves certainly seemed to be an issue for both starting pitchers, as neither seemed comfortable throughout the evening. Veteran Josh Beckett was the first to stumble, rocked by a J.D. Drew three run home run in the third inning. Beckett stumbled again in the fourth, surrendering a leadoff triple to Omar Vizquel, his league leading sixth of the year. Magglio Ordonez brought him home with a single on the next pitch, expanding the Green Sox league to 4-0. Beckett did not survive the inning, resulting in a very disappointing 4 and a third inning performance. He was relieved by Buddy Groom who was dominant in his first appearance in a while, not surrendering a hit in almost three innings and being a solid bridge to the late innings. On the other side of things, Tenbil Town starter Kaz Ishii ended up in some hot water himself in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff single from catcher Miguel Olivo, team captain and manager Adam Kennedy made things interesting by crushing a double and moving himself and Olivo into scoring position. The Marauders then finally got on the board with a Scott Rolen single; this ended Ishii's night as Emerick Jones called in Paul Shuey from the bullpen. But Shuey had a bit of a choking incident; Kennedy scored on a Brandon Larson single, Scott Rolen scored on a Fred McGriff double, and Larson scored on a Frank Thomas single. But the time Shuey finally ended the inning, the Marauder rally had brought the score to 4-4. Both bullpens kicked into high gear, and neither offense had any spark in the seventh and eighth innings. As the game went to the bottom of the ninth, the entire stadium held their collective breath as it looked like they were in for a long night. But there was to be drama before regulation was over. In the bottom of the ninth, with a runner on first, hot hitting Derek Jeter stepped to the plate. Tenbil closer Keith Foulke dealed a  fastball that hung just enough over the plate for Jeter to connect. The ball then sailed over the right field wall, and just like that, the Tenbil Town Green Sox season was over. While Melmegetia celebrates for the time being, their fate now rests in the hands of the Red Clay Aces. If the Aces when, then the Marauders punch their ticket to the playoffs...
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RED - 1   MAX - 3   F
W - Daal (2-2)   L - Fogg (1-2)   S - Rivera (6)
MAX: Daal: 7 IP, ER, QS (3)
RED: Fogg: 7 IP, 3 ER, QS (4)
MAX: Koskie: 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI (5)
MAX: Martinez: 1-3, 2B, RBI (17)
RED: Walker 04: 2-3, HR (2), RBI (7)

The last game of the season had so much riding on it. Would the Aces win the division? Could the Bombers pull off an incredible second half of the season turnaround and secure a playoff spot? Would they fail and allow the equally incredible story of the Marauders to have the Cinderella ending? Both teams threatened early, with both offenses getting runners on second and third in the first inning. Neither team capitalized on this chance, nor on the other opportunities in the early innings. Both starters indeed seemed nervous and were working in and out of trouble most of the evening. Huge double play balls saved each respective starter in the fourth inning; very tough rolls were achieved by the Maxion defense thanks to a very tough turn by second baseman Jeff Kent, while the Aces were able to emerge unscathed from a bases loaded situation with only one out when Bomber LF Hideki Matsui grounded out into a double play. But the Maxions bats finally hit pay dirt in the fifth inning, when the first three men of their lineup, Richie Ashburn, Corey Koskie and Edgar Martinez, hit three consecutive doubles. The Aces answered back in the sixth with a Larry Walker solo homerun, bringing the score to 3-1. Both starters pitched the seventh without incident before turning it over to their bullpens. The Maxions went to normally solid setup man Ugueth Urbina who started off the inning with two quick strikeouts. But two walks and a single lead to a bases loaded situation where they called in the closer Mariano Rivera. Using his signature cutter fastball, he struck out Jose Cruz to end the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Aces reliever Paul Quantril struggled but managed to get out of a jam without any bloodshed. In the top of the ninth, Rivera was to face the top of the Aces order. After surrendering a walk to leadoff man Tom Goodwin, the Bombers could not capitalize on a ground ball from the next batter. The number three hitter, Paul Konerko, then singled, moving a runner to scoring position and allowing the go ahead run to come to the plate. But Rivera did not falter. After popping up the hot hitting Alfonso Soriano, he put the game to rest but catching Jason Giambi looking and sending the Maxion Bombers to the playoffs!

What an incredible run for this team, who bounced back after a 1-9 start to finish the year with a record of 10-12. They will play in the first round of the playoffs against the Red Clay Aces, a rematch of this epic series where they were able to secure the third Pee Wee League playoff spot.

So ends the regular season of Season 6. With the playoff picture decided, stay tuned for the All Star Team announcements.

League News Roundup 02 AUG 2018

Your Guide to the Thrilling Pee Wee League Finish

Although there are only two games left in the season, Division 2 standings could change radically based on the outcome of these two games. Here is a breakdown of exactly what each team is playing for:

RED: Has already clinched a playoff spot, but a win against MAX will give them the division crown, a first round bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They will send second starter Josh Fogg to the mound. In five appearances this year, he is 1-1, with 3 quality starts and one complete game.

MAX: Will be eliminated with a loss. Will clinch the number 3 playoff spot with a win over RED and a TEN loss. If they get the win over RED, but TEN also wins, the Maxions will face off against TENin a one game playoff due to a perfectly even tie breaker. Omar Daal, who has been reliable in the second half of the year, will start their final game (5 starts, 1-2 record, 2 QS).

TEN: Is in the same exact situation as the Bombers. A loss means elimination. A win plus a MAX loss gives them the third spot, while a win and a MAX win results in the one game playoff. The team has lost two games in a row, games which GM Emerick Jones called "easy wins transformed into nightmare losses." Jones hands the ball to Kaz Ishii, who in five largely disappointing starts is 1-3 with only 2 quality starts.

MEL: Incredibly, Doctor Vindaloo's squad could still grab the number three spot with a win over the Green Sox and a MAX loss. They would have a similar record as the Bombers and Green Sox if this were to happen, but would control the tie breaker over both of them thanks to head-to-head record and division record. A loss results in their immediate elimination. Veteran and long time Marauder Josh Beckett 03 will take on the very dangerous Green Sox offense. In five starts, Beckett is only 1-3 with three quality starts, but is admittedly better than that might lead one to believe.

Z-Slayers GM Implicated in "Mister B" Plot; Makes Strange Comments

A leaked police report shows that several calls on murderer Tomo Ohka's mobile device have been traced back to the Tuldarian Z-Slayers clubhouse of all places. There's no word yet on how this exactly factors into the investigation, but Z-Slayers GM Lord Sinister blasted the accusation as "utterly false" and "slanderous of my team's immaculate reputation." In an open press conference in which all journalists except for John Kruk were invited, Sinister went on to explain that the Tuldarian Z-Slayers were the one and only team in the entire league that did not have any player or coach on the roster whose first or last name started with the letter "B", and therefore it was absurd to even think that someone in his organization had any involvement in the plot. But that's when league luminary Butthead asked a very poignant question: "Uhhhh...uhuh, uhuh...like, why do you even know that?" Butthead's co-host of the Leit'em Up Roster Report, Al Leiter, then rose as well and said "Yes, that is indeed a random fact. What if "Mister B" picked that alias for himself, knowing that would direct the search elsewhere?" There was then a moment of very awkward silence until it was shattered by a furious outburst from Sinister. "LISTEN HERE, IF I WAS GONNA KILL A COACH, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THAT CHUMP TAKLAMENTE. DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF TAKING OUT THAT BOBIAN A**HOLE RONDE BARBER? THERE'S MY ANSWER TO THAT. NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! ALL OF YOU! YOU SO CALLED "SPORTS JOURNALISTS MAKE ME SICK!" And thus ended a very interesting press conference.  

Stadium Mania: Report initiates Renovations Across the League

A report commissioned by Red Clay GM Ishmael van Corrin has published the result that a well perceived stadium directly correlates to a team's success on the field. Driving the result were the Spartans of Bobia and the Tuldarian Z-Slayers, whose home field's (Dulcolax Stadium and Sinister Industries Stadium) both received the highest rankings of A+. Aside from commanding scenic views of their respective hometowns, both are world renowned for the variety and sophistication of their dining options. Both are also relatively new builds as well and are number 1 and 2 in the league in terms of crowd capacity. Both stadiums also feature very unique aspects such as a high tech drainage system in Bobia and a Zachrian war memorial in Tuldaria. Other stadiums around the league that scored decently were Melmegetia Municipal Stadium (B+), the South Queynos Grounds of Fate (B), and Beanway Park (B). In light of this report, many other teams launched initiatives to "spruce up" their home fields. The Red Clay Aces, Tenbil Town Green Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Alyxian Darkpaws, Maxion Bombers and Mao's Tycoons all released statements that they would be looking to rebuild, renovate, or rebrand their home fields. But the big news was that Ishmael von Corrin unveiled plans for a new waterfront stadium in Red Clay, which will be started in the offseason if he can receive proper permits and funding from the city.  

Series 12: Part 3: Wrapping Up Division 1

QEY - 4   LIN - 0   F
W - Rodgers (2-2)   L - Schoenweiss (2-3)
QEY: Rodgers: CG (1), 0 ER, QS (5)
LIN: Schoenweiss: 6 IP, ER, QS (5)
QEY: Catalanotto: 2-4, 2B, RBI 12)
QEY: Jenkins: 3-3, 2 2B, RBI (9)
QEY: Guillen: 2-3, RBI (1)

Got his first CG of the year

Both teams were attempting to imitate the Bobians early on, with rather aggressive base running. From both teams, three players were caught stealing while two others were thrown out trying to go for extra bases during the first third of the game. The help from the defense was not wasted by either team's respective starter, who both settled down and pitched rather well in the middle innings. The Warriors were able to squeeze out a run in the fifth, however, thanks to a Frank Catalonotto double. Both offenses went back to being very quiet, as the Lindsyan bullpen and Queynos starter Kenny Rodgers powered through the late innings. But Lindsyan reliever Aquilino Lopez ran into trouble in the top of the ninth, loading up the  bases with only one out. Lindsyan closer Robb Nen then entered the game, but he was not able to stop the bleeding and proceeded to surrender a three run rally to the Warriors. Interesting to note, Warriors shortstop Carlos Guillen achieved his first RBI of the season during this rally...despite the fact that it was also the very last game of the season. A four run lead was more than enough for Rodgers to go the distance, as his 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth secured the victory. Not a very meaningful game, as both teams have long since been eliminated from playoff contention. Nevertheless, decent but overall disappointing seasons for both teams who had the unfortunate circumstance of being in a very difficult division.
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MMD - 1   AXN - 3   F
W- Zito (3-0)   L - Schilling (4-2)   S - Kolb (7)
AXN: Zito (6 IP, ER, QS (5)
MMD: Schilling: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (5)
AXN: Fullmer: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI (6)
MMD: Zaun: HR (5), RBI (18)
AXN: Cameron: 2-4, RBI (12)

16th career win; most in AXN history

With the expectation of a pitching duel, both teams entered their final game of the season without much to play for. While the Darkpaws are just trying to avoid a last place finish, Meow Meow Dui could secure second place and homefield advantage for the first round of the playoffs with a win. The Darkpaws got off to a promising start in the first inning, completing a two run rally off the normally unhittable Curt Schilling, with the help of a completely botched double play attempt by the Meow Meow defense. On the other side of things, long time Alyxian starter Barry Zito was effective, looking strong, but not dominant. He surrendered a run in the fifth, however, when MMD catcher Gregg Zaun capped off his career year with his fifth homerun and eighteenth RBI. The Darkpaws responded in the sixth, thanks to an RBI double from former Melmegetian Brad Fullmer, his second of the game. Schilling was then pulled from the game, a quality start but undoubtedly his worse showing of the year which could affect his chances at a spot in the very competitive all star rotation. Back to this game, both teams went to the bullpen after the sixth, and both bullpens pitched shutout baseball: two innings from Kevin Gregg for Meow Meow while Vladimir Nunez and Danny Kolb rounded things out for the Darkpaws. Interesting to note that Danny Kolb earned his league leading seventh save, which says a lot when the entire team has only nine wins. Because of the strong showing of the Darkpaws in the second half of the year, the team has agreed to keep GM ALLIED_MASTERCOMPUTER on for another year. But he has said that the team will most likely undergo some restructuring in the offseason. As for MMD, they now prepare for their first ever playoff appearance against the Z-Slayers.
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TYC - 2   STL - 8   F
W - Oliver (1-2)   L - Wood 04 (0-2)
STL: Oliver: 7 1/3 IP, 2 ER, QS (4)
TYC: Wood: 5 IP, 6 ER
STL: Walker: 3-4, 2 HR (8), 4 RBI (17)
STL: Polanco: 4-4, RBI (6), SB (3)
STL: Renteria: RBI (15)

Weapon of Mass Destruction

Since the Marauders own the tie breaker, the Cardinals tonight were simply playing the role of spoiler as well as hopefully positioning themselves not to finish the season with the worst record in the league. As for the Tycoons, much more was at stake; a win would clinch the division, a first round bye, as well as homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. But as John Kruk called it at the beginning of the game "There was no chance that the Tycoons were gonna win this game. The gut has spoken." His intuition seemed on point from the get go, with the Tycoons looking very shaky in the first two innings; they were quite lucky to come out of it only one run behind. On the other side of things, the highly serviceable Cardinal starter Darren Oliver had yet another very solid performance, and was dominant in the early and middle innings. Tycoons starter  Kerry Wood 04 seemed to settle in after the second, going 1-2-3 in both the 3rd and 4th innings. But he simply fell apart in the fifth, surrendering a five run rally, which was culminated in the form of a Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker three run blast to the upper deck. Walker homered yet again in the 7th, this one a solo shot representing his eighth of the year. At 7-0, things looked all but over until Darren Oliver allowed two Tycoon baserunners on in the eighth before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Closer Jason Isringhausen struggled to the point that both those base runners came home, tagging two runs to Oliver in what was otherwise a near immaculate performance. The Cardinals added yet another run in the ninth, before putting the Tycoons to be in the ninth with a very nifty gold glove double play. After the game Kruk remarked "What a shame these Cardinals aren't going to be in the playoffs. They sure are a fun team to watch. Not like these Tycoons, they stunk up the joint like Doc Vindaloo on falafel day. No offense to the good doctor, by the way." Indeed, for a team that was entertaining hopes of winning Division 2, the win represents a bittersweet end to a wild season for a team that is not likely to change much in the offseason. They will most likely finish the year in the number 5 spot of the Pee Wee league. As for the Tycoons, they could still win the division and the first round bye IF the Red Clay Aces lose their last game against the Bombers. If the Aces win that game, the Tycoons drop down to the second seed and will need to face off against the yet to be determined third seed in the first round of the playoffs.

Series 12 Part 2: Down to the Wire

TYC - 5   STL - 1   F
W - Johnson (2-3)   L - Veres (2-1)   S - Ryan (1)
TYC: Johnson: 7 IP, ER, QS (3)
STL: Smith: 6 IP, 0 ER, QS (3)
TYC: Beltre: 2-5, HR (3), 4 RBI (11)
STL: Walker: 1-3, HR (6), RBI (13)
TYC: Ryan: 2 IP, S (1)

The Tycoons were playing to punch their tickets to the playoffs...a win would make them the first Division 2 Team to clinch a playoff spot. Both starters were in excellent form, with both Bud Smith and Randy Johnson looking dominant in the first three innings. The Cardinals drew blood first, however, when Larry "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Walker knocked a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, his sixth of the year. Johnson ran into trouble again in the fifth, but got out of a bases loaded jam with a clutch double play ball. His opponent Bud Smith never really ran into trouble and threw six very strong innings, giving up only two hits. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa decided to go to the bullpen in the seventh, but this proved to be a fatal mistake. The normally very solid Dave Veres quickly got into trouble and found himself with runners on second and third with nobody out. That's when former Green Sock Adrian Beltre stepped to the plate and "Beltre'd" an upper deck monster which put the Tycoons ahead 3-1. The Cardinals once again had a chance in the eighth when they loaded the bases, but Tycoon reliever B.J. Ryan shut the door on that. The Tycoons struck again in the top of the ninth with an end of the batting order rally, in which Adrian Beltre notched another RBI with a single and rightfielder Aaron Freel doing the same. B.J. Ryan went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save of the year and seal the Tycoons spot in the playoffs. Big celebrations in Tycoonia as they will head to the playoffs for the third straight year. A win in their final game of the year will clinch the Division lead and a first round bye. As for the Cardinals, this is a shattering blow but they are not technically eliminated yet. They can still sneak into the third spot if all of the following occur: they win their final game against the Tycoons, the Maxions lose their final two games, and Tenbil Town loses their final game against the Marauders. In other words, it doesn't look good.
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MAX - 0   RED - 2   F
W - Buerhle (1-4)   L - Halladay (0-3)   S - Wagner (4)
RED: Buerhle: 6 1/3 IP, 0 ER, QS (1)
MAX: Halladay: CG (1), 2 ER, QS (4)
RED: Tejada: RBI (16)
RED: Konerko: RBI (12)
MAX: Ashburn: 1-3, 2 SB (18)

In a much anticipated showdown, two down trodden pitchers took to the mound to continue the struggle for a playoff spot. Mark Buerhle, who has been one of the worst pitchers in the league this year, thankfully for the Aces had by far his best game of the year. Although it was his best performance and although he didn't give up a single run, the real story is how bad the Bombers offense was in this one. Incredibly, they got a runner in scoring position in EVERY SINGLE INNING yet failed to score a run. Missed swings and vicious double play balls struck in every inning, resulting in a very ugly game that was hard to watch. The disease must have been infectious since this affected the Maxion lineup in it's entirety. As for the other side of things, Maxion starter Roy Halladay 02 had probably his best outing of the year, at some points dominant and never really losing control of the pace of the game. He did stumble however in the fourth, when the Aces managed to rally for two runs, thanks to singles from SS Miguel Tejada and 1B Paul Konerko. Halladay was able to pitch the rest of the game without any further trouble but the complete lack of run support results in him taking his third loss of the year. With this win, the Aces clinch a spot in the playoffs; they still have a chance to win the Division if they win their final game and the Tycoons lose theirs. As for the Bombers, they are still alive but they must win their last game of the season against Red Clay. If Tenbil Town loses, then they will be the number three seed team. If Tenbil Town wins, then the Bombers will face the Green Sox in a one game playoff to determine who will advance.
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BOB - 5  ZSY -2   F
W - Seaver (3-1)   L - Wells (5-1)
ZSY: Wells: 6 IP, 3 ER, QS (5)
BOB: Seaver CG (3), 2 ER, QS (4)
BOB: Hafner: 2-4, HR (3), 2B, BB, 3 RBI (12)
BOB: Ichiro: 2-3, 2 RBI (15)
BOB: Aparicio: 2 SB (26)

In what many billed as a preview to the Divisional Championship round, the first place Spartans of Bobia faced off against the Tuldarian Z-Slayers. Both teams are having such impressive years that they are both in the process of recording top five all time winning percentages of teams. In the first game of the double header, both teams sent their ace to the mound in what was sure to be a pitchers duel. The Bobians were the first to strike, with Travis Hafner coming up with a clutch double to put the Bobians ahead by two. Very aggressive base running also paid off for the Spartans, with one stolen base from Juan Pierre, two from Aparicio, and several extra bases which resulted in the classic Bobian manufacturing two more runs. Especially clutch was hitting from Ichiro Suzuki, who has clearly emerged at the offensive leader of this team and is now in talks of making the all star team despite missing almost the entire first quarter of the season. Travis Hafner reared his head once more later in the game, with a towering solo homerun, his third of the year. The Z-Slayer's answered in turn, with heavy hitter Ralph Kiner tacking Tom Seaver deep for two runs. The Z-Slayers were on top of Seaver for most of the game, but Seaver was very good under pressure and navigated out of trouble with help from the always solid Bobian defense. A crucial moment came when Z-Slayer Jack Wilson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, but was popped up by the resilient Seaver, who went on to finish the game earning his third complete game of the year. After the game, Bobian GM Ronde Barber highlighted the performance of Travis Hafner, whose hitting seems to conveniently get hot whenever the likes of Mike Lowell or Fredgar Martinez falter.
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ZSY - 2   BOB - 3    F
W - Halladay (5-0)   L - Myers (0-2)
BOB: Halladay: CG (5), QS (5), 2 ER
ZSY: Hernandez: 6 IP, 2 ER, QS (6)
BOB: Ichiro: HR (3), RBI (16)
BOB: Aparicio: 2 SB (28), 3B (1), 2 R
ZSY: Kiner: HR (9), 2 RBI (25)

Although these games won't change much in the standings, you could feel both teams on edge, probing each other for weaknesses that might come in handy if these teams face off in the playoffs. The tension was especially thick on the Z-Slayer side, as the invincible aura of the Bobians had withstood the test of their firepower in Game 1. Both teams were threatening early, with Bobian Roy Halladay uncharacteristically working into trouble in the first inning. But his best friend, the double play ball, was faithful to him then and throughout the rest of the game. In the middle innings, Louie Aparicio solidified his reputation as the most dangerous base runner in the league, playing crucial roles in the manufacturing of two runs. One of which was from a Mike Lowell sacrifice fly and the other being brought home by Raul Mondesi after his first triple of the year. But in a strange similarity to game one of the series, the Z-Slayers responded with a Ralph Kiner two run shot. Both teams had quite a few opportunities, often generated by the bottom of their respective orders, but the score remained stubbornly stuck at two apiece until the seventh inning, when Ichiro belted a home run off Z-Slayer reliever Mike Myers which would put his team ahead and notch his team leading 16th RBI of the year. Halladay steamed ahead despite a very shaky seventh inning himself, putting together a respectable eighth. But come the ninth inning, the Z-Slayers managed to get the tying run in scoring position with the two players with the most RBI's in the league stepping to the plate. In a moment which was fraught with tension, Halladay spiked the Dulcolax stock price by grounding out Albert Pujols and striking out Ralph Kiner, thus completing the sweep of the Tuldarians. Z-Slayers Coach Lord Sith was frozen in his seat in amazement at the end of the game, in what some described as rather unsportsmanlike conduct. So ends the regular season for these two amazing teams. For the Bobians, they finish the year with a nine game win streak and will enjoy their first round bye, waiting to see if they will play against Meow Meow Dui or the Z-Slayers in the second round. As for the Z-Slayers, they finish the year with a rather ugly five game losing streak, despite finishing the year near the top of the rankings both in terms of pitching and hitting. Coach Sith will need to create some kind of spark to lift this team above Meow Meow Dui for even a possibility of getting revenge on the Bobians in the playoffs. If MMD wins their final game of the year against the Darkpaws, then the Z-Slayers could drop to third place and lose home field advantage.