NLD 43 - Check in for NLD44

Well Smoke, we snuck by your squad. Lester was just good enough and we got a few breaks against Kazmir. A balk and an error got us our first run and the second game on a LFX. Well, there's a decent change that would have been a sac fly anyway, but yeah, some things certainly rolled our way. You definitely have a very good geam.

The 8th was huge for us because Smith, our only real closer, wasn't available. Well, we were 3-9 against you so I should probably be worried about facing Stoney because we went 10-2! Got our fingers crossed that our luck can continue against him!

I was looking at head to head records before playoffs started and if there was one team I didn't want to play... Oh well. Bring it Joe

I was looking at head to head records before playoffs started and if there was one team I didn't want to play... Oh well. Bring it Joe

Hey Stones, you know as well as I do, those head-to-head mean nothing in the playoffs. Waaaaay too often the opposite happens in the playoffs, look at Smokey and me.

We'll be missing Belt for the first three games so that'll hurt us some. We survived against Smokey because SVS hit .500 even if his D was bad. Not sure that luck can hold out, but hoping so!!!! Of course, against your two LHSP to start the series, the guy coming off of the bench is actually Reddick in RF with SVS moving to 1b.

Holy Smokes, two crazy games last night. Worth taking a look at guys.

Stoney wins the first one, both teams hit 1-2 bphrs, we lose Pollock for the rest of the game in the 3rd (thankfully only for that game) which puts Eaton in CF (ugh). We get a 3b and a sac fly to take the lead in the 8th, but Andrus gets to 3rd on a single and a 2 base error on Archer (3e14) then ties on a grounder. We leave Mesoraco triples with two out in the top of the 9th, but Posey can't bring him home. Ethier coutners with a leadoff triple and Baez wastes no time getting a 1-10 bpsi to win it in the bottom of the 9th. We left 10 guys on base!

Game 2 is just as crazy, Stones takes a 2 run lead, but we get three in the 5th with help of an error by Andrus (e23) and a single by Beckham (playing for an injured Van Slyke) Posey gets a big 2 run single, but Forsythe and Smolinski leave runners at 2nd and 3rd. Game stays 3-2 into the bottom of the 8th, but Gibson walks Brantley to start the inning and Socolovich comes in to load the bases on singles and then walks Ethier to tie the game. with NO outs, we somehow get our of the inning without more runs scoring, including a force out at the plate.

To extras we go and Pollock hits a 1-2 bphr to give us the lead. Smith comes in to K Etheir and Baez with Goldschmidt at 2b to end the game!

Wild and crazy games with breaks flying all over the field for both teams.

The upside for us is that we're coming home, the downside, we're missing both Belt and Van Slyke, not sure who's going to play 1b now.

Goodness, you can't say that Stoney and I don't play exciting games. I'd like to think I should have won both, but Stoney probably feels the same.

We blew leads in both of them. Stones built his season on pitching and D so when you get a lead against him, you'd *like* to think you can hold it, but his team has spunk for sure. Up 3-0 in the first one tonight, going to the 7th. Belte singles off of Lester and on comes Fien. Ethier PH's, but gets out. You like your chances with Fien against Andrus, but he gets a 1-12 bpsi. After Lagares grounds out, Choo ties it with a 1-13 (2b the rest) HR.

Ethier hits a 1-7 bphr in the 9th to gives Stones a 4-3 lead, but Posey reaches on a Beltre (e20) error to start the inning and Duffy singles with one out to advance him. That would be it however as Den Dekker hit into a FC and Aybar lined out. That was a TOUGH loss especially since we left 14 on base to his 4. We had the bases loaded with one out in both the second and third and got one run when Duffy walked.

The next one I'm sure Stoney thought was hopless and then in the bag. We have a 5 run first and race out to a 7-1 lead. Easy-peasy right? Heck no. In the 5th Ethier singles in 2 and Baez doubles in another two to make it 7-5.

But, we add on with a Duffy single and take an 8-5 lead to the top of the 7th. With 2 out in that inning, a WP and a Beltre 1-7 bphr makes it 8-7. Then, A realmuto and Andrus single and double off of Ross puts two on before Lagares hits a (clutch) pinch 2 run single! We had a runner on second with 2 out with the bottom of his lineup coming up and five straight base runners later we are trailing!

I'm watching the game on replay so I'm pretty bummed, figuring we're toast, but we come back in the bottom of the inning. With Kelley on, Pollock hits a 1-12 bpsi. After an out, Posey (1-16) singles. With the infield in, Belt follows with a (1-8) SSx single off Andrus to tie the game. Duffy gives us the lead with a sac fly.

However Ross is still on the mound and Socolovich isn't available. Not sure why Smith didn't come on, but Ross gets 'em 1-2-3 and Smith strikes out the side in the 9th. In this game Stoney leaves 9 on to my 4.

Series tied 2-2. Every game has been one run 4-3, 4-3, 4-3 and 10-9. Three of the games were decided in the final inning and the other Stones overcame an 7-1 deficit only to fall in the bottom of the 7th. It's been crazy watching the replays of these series. Not sure my heart can handle this!

Bum and Archer in my place tomorrow. Hopefully we can take a lead back to his place. I think it will be a lot harder to win 2 in his place.

Nice to see the comebacks. Game 5 should be fun

Well, no close game excitement tonight. Just lots of the bottom of Stoney's order killing me and injury replacement Lagares (for Choo) being a hero. Brantley, Goldschmidt and Ethier are going to their damage, but you have to keep Andrus, Baez. Lagares and Beltre (v RHP) from getting 9 hits between them. If you don't, you lose 8-3. Ouch. That was our best chance with Archer on the mound. Going to be really hard to beat Sale with Gibson and Richards with Lester in his field. We needed it. Oh well.

great series so far. maybe the ox can push it seven.!

Bats were rolling. But now we're without Choo. Should be interesting again.

Bats were rolling. But now we're without Choo. Should be interesting again.

Yeah, we went the first three without Belt and you get to go (hopefully) 2+ games without Choo. Without Choo I would say our offense is definitely deeper than yours, but Sale it a lot better pitcher than Gibson so we'll see how that plays out.