Wild Card Round - Game 3 and 4 Recaps

AL Wild-Card Round
Game 3 Recaps
#4 Fargo @ #5 Salem
Salem’s Vic Escobar pitched 7.1 innings of 5-hit 4-run ball to complete the sweep of Fargo. Diego Nieto and Kiki Vazquez gave up a walk combined in the final 1.2 innings to complete the victory. Salem rode the offense of Joe Campbell (2-4, 2R), Ivan Martis (2-4, HR, 2RBI, 1R), and Travis O’Keefe (2-3, HR, RBI, R) as they scored 8 runs in game 3. Marlon Hegan (5.2, 10H, 7ER, 2BB, 6K) got knocked around and took the loss for Fargo. Esteban Galvez hit a 2-run homer in the 4th, and Marc Everhart knocked a 2-run double in the 8th for Fargo’s offense.
* Salem beats Fargo, 8-4. Salem sweeps the series, 3-0.

#3 Florida @ #6 New York
Trent Clark pitched 6 innings of 6-hit, 2-run baseball as Florida came back from a disastrous game 2 loss to take the series lead. With 10 hits and 5 walks Florida’s offense came from many sources. Chad Selby, Dante Thompson, Dernell Cameron, and Harry Minor each had two hits while Lou Glynn had a hit and knocked in 3 runs and Stu Ford had a hit and 2 ribbies. Despite New York’s Scott Graham and Max Pineda having 3 hits a piece, the only runs were scored when Napoleon Saunders went deep to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth. Pinky Matheson got knocked around for six runs in five innings as he picked up the loss.
* Florida beats New York, 8-2. Florida leads the series 2-1.

NL Wild-Card Round
Game 3 Recaps
#4 Austin @ #5 Scranton
In a game that was 1-1 before everyone had even gotten their hot dogs and beer, the pitchers really buckled down and made these teams work for runs. Austin’s pitching was good, but not quite good enough as Clay Lavarnway hit his second home run of the night, a 2-run blast, off of Haywood Thompson in the 8th to win the game for Scranton. Austin’s David Shibata went 5 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and striking out 4 and Miguel Veras followed it up with 2 perfect innings. Lavarnway was all over the place today hitting 2 home runs while going 2 for 4 and also had an error in the first inning that allowed the only run to score and blemished Dwight Weathers’ great performance (7.0IP, 3H, 1R(unearned), 1BB, 7K). Quinton Hamilton picked up the victory with 2 perfect innings.
* Scranton beats Austin, 3-1. Austin leads the series, 2-1.

#3 Dover @ #6 Detroit
Dover led this game going into the 9th, 3-1, and was looking to complete the wild-card sweep of Detroit when the unthinkable happened…usually reliable closer Nicky Drew (44/48 in the regular season) blows the save and the game goes into extra innings. Drew struck out the first batter he faced, then walked 1, and gave up back-to-back-to-back singles to allow Detroit to tie the game. Dover’s Junior Benjamin hit Christopher Jones in the leg with a pitch to open the bottom of the 11th, then gave up a single to Mitch Carter and is pulled. Willie Sabathia came on and promptly recorded a ground out and a line out before giving up the game-winning single to winning pitcher Herm Thompson.
* Detroit beats Dover, 4-3 (11 inn.). Dover leads the series 2-1

AL Wild-Card Round
Game 4 Recaps

#3 Florida @ #6 New York
This hard fought game saw New York fighting for its playoff life while Florida was hoping to advance with a victory. Florida’s Lou Glynn was 3-4 with 2 HR and 2 RBI while scoring every time he reached base. This was a back-and-forth contest that saw New York Score 4 in the 3rd and again in the 5th, but Florida put up runs in the 2nd through 6th to lead 7-5 after 6. In the bottom of the 9th, normally solid closer Adrian Kendall is brought in to preserve the victory in the 8th and records a 1-2-3 inning. It is the 9th inning that really gives him problems as he allows a single and a walk to begin, he then strikes out Napoleon Saunders as Florida brings in Liang to pitch. Stu Ford boots the double play ball to load the bases. A lineout by Max Pineda brings Florida within one out of the Division series…back-to-back singles by Hall and Hiljus tie the game and it looks like Florida’s plans are going to be pushed back at least one game. Ernie Helton pops out to 3rd base to end the threat. Fast forward to the top of the 11th and Dante Thompson rockets a 2-run home run to left field and Florida’s Luis Diaz comes in to record the save.
* Florida beats New York, 9-7 (11 inn.). Florida wins the series, 3-1.

NL Wild-Card Round
Game 4 Recaps

#4 Austin @ #5 Scranton
Scranton was looking to send the series back to Austin all tied up. Let’s pick this game up in the 7th, when all of the action took place. In the top of the 7th, Castilla beat out an infield single, stole second and then Wilson crushed a 2-run home run over the left-centerfield fence to put Austin up 2-0. Terrific relieve Jose Rodriguez comes in for Austin looking to bridge the gap and keep the lead, ultimately leading to the series victory as well, but it was not to be. One out later and Rodriguez is on the bench having surrendered a home run, walk, and double to tie the game…Thompson gives up a single allowing Rodriguez to pick up the loss and blown save to go along with it. Victor Infante gave up a hit in the 9th, but managed to hold off the attempt at a rally as he strikes out Young looking to end the game.
* Scranton beats Austin, 3-2. Series tied, 2-2.

#3 Dover @ #6 Detroit
Dover is looking to put the wraps on this series in Comerica Park and started out looking like that’s exactly what was going to happen. Following a groundout by leadoff hitter Moreno, Manuel Guillen misplayed a flyball and allowed Roger Valentin to reach base. Harris strikes out looking, then Dover gets three straight singles (Martin, Spencer, and Thompson) to take the 2-0 lead. That was the extent of their scoring. Shane Cyr was solid, going 6.1 innings and giving up 4 runs, but solid was not good enough when facing a spectacular Ching-Lung Komatsu (8.0IP, 4H, 2R, 1BB, 9K). Detroit got a 2-run home run from Mitch Carter in the 4th to take the lead and never looked back. Manuel Guillen tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th and Ronald Berger pitched a perfect 9th for the save.
* Detroit beats Dover, 4-2. Series tied, 2-2.