| JACKSON, NJ
The 2013 Post Season kicks off with a
match up of two teams from New Jersey. The Lincoln Tunnel Rats
are based out of Asbury and won 83 games in 2013. The Rats are
skippered by Bob W. while the Jersey Damage are based on Jackson and
won 84 games in total. The Damage won the season series
against the Rats 9-3. These two teams last met in the post
season in 2006 when the Damage won in 5 games.
Game 1 -- Matt Cain (12-15) vs Jered
Weaver (13-10) The two aces
matched up in game 1 of the series which was won by the Damage 4-1.
Cain went 7 strong innings and allowed just 1 run and Aroldys
Chapman closed the door in the 9th with 3 Ks. Jersey was
powered by the Cuban Missle Cespedes and his 2-run HR to take a 1-0
series lead. Game 2 -- Adam
Wainright (12-12) vs Miguel Gonzalez (6-6)
Game 2 saw Jersey jump out to an early
3-0 lead after Ian Desmond homered in the 1st and Adam LaRoche
scored on an infield out in the 2nd. Wainright gave up back to
back runs in the 5th and 6th and was pulled in favor of a LH match
up specialist in Lucas Luetge. Jesse Crain replaced Luetge and
gave up the tying run in the 8th inning after Lincoln got their
running game going. Rollins singled, stole 2nd and scored on a
Pagan hit but Crain settled down and we went to the bottom of the
9th tied at 3. The Captain, Derek Jeter had a one out double
and scored on a 2B by Cespedes giving Jersey the 2-0 lead in the
series. Game 3 -- Jarrod
Parker (11-7) vs Chris Capuano (9-15)
Jersey once again jumped out to a 3-0
early lead and held on to win 5-2 taking a 3-0 series lead.
Parker went 7 strong and turned the game over to the pen who made it
interesting in the bottom of the 9th. Jim Henderson loaded the
bases and gave up a run before giving way to Aroldys Chapman with 2
outs. Lincoln countered by pinch hitting Nolan Reimold (who
crushes LHP) and with the bases loaded in a 3 run game flied out to
CF. Game 4 -- Chris Tillman
(7-4) vs Jered Weaver (13-10)
Weaver coming back on short rest was a
good decision by Lincoln as he stymied the Jersey offense for 5.1
innings. Lincoln got a 2-run homer from Scott Moore early and
led 3-0 heading into the 7th inning where the pen unraveled.
Peralta started the inning by getting LaRoche on a fly out but then
walked Belt and McKenry got aboard on an error by Brendan Ryan.
Altuve then grounded out and with 2 outs Austin Jackson lined a
triple down the 1st base line scoring 2, followed up again by a
clutch 2-out single by Jeter and a 2B by Cespedes. Jersey took
the lead 4-3 and turned the game over to their pen. Chapman
came in with trouble brewing in the 8th and recorded 5 outs for his
3rd save in the series. Jersey won 4-3 and swept the series
from the Rats. The Series MVP
was Aroldys Chapman who appeared in all 4 games and was 1-0 with 3
saves. He went 4 innings and had 9 Ks and allowed just 1 hit.
Derek Jeter, who was not protected this winter hit .533 and was his
usual clutch self.
Thanks to Bob for playing the
series H2H and congrats on a nice season. |
