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Game 1:
In a powerhouse matchup of San Carlos Aces' Gerritt Cole and
Springfield Isotopes' Chris Sale - who were part of a
blockbuster trade between these two teams just 18 months ago -
the Isotopes strike in the bottom of the first with a two-out
Freddie Freeman double, driving in Mookie Betts. Aces tie it up
in the 6th with a Mark Trumbo double and a Max Muncy fielder's
choice when the Isotopes can't turn the double play. It stays
1-1 with two outs into the 9th when Freddie Freeman hits a solo
shot to send the crowd home happy. Cole was a machine, giving
up just two hits and a walk across seven innings and definitely
deserved better. Sale did his best to match Cole, yielding four
hits and three walks. Isotopes bullpen gets nine straight outs
to set the stage for Freddie's heroics.
Game 2:
The scene shifts to Guaranteed
Rate Field. Isotopes strike early in the first with two off of
Aces starter, Jhoulys Chacin, courtesy of a Matt Carpenter two
out, two run double. Countering with Noah Syndergaard, the
Isotopes watch their lead get cut in half in the 2nd with a
Jorge Alfaro single that scored former Isotope Cody Bellinger.
Both Chacin and Thor settle down for a few innings until the 6th
when the Isotopes' Corey Seager leads off with a blast to right
center. The lead is extended to 4-1 the next inning when Mookie
doubles home Adam Eaton. Ex-Isotope Xander Bogaerts doubles
home Shohei Ohtani with two outs to get the Aces a bit closer at
4-2. Bellinger flies out to deep, deep left to end the inning.
Seranthony Dominguez comes in in the 9th to protect the two run
lead and nail down the series. He strikes out Christian Yelich
and Ohtani after giving up a leadoff Starlin Castro single.
Down to their last out, Bogaerts extracts sweet revenge by
launching a blast over the wall to tie it up against his former
team. Both teams escape jams across the next three innings but
then after the Isotopes set down the first two Aces in the 12th,
AJ Pollock doubles and Jason Heyward walks it off with a single
up the middle to even the series at one for the Aces. Instant
classic!
Game 3:
After two amazing, one-run games
that both featured a walk-off hit for the home team, Game 3 did
not follow suit. The Aces sent out CC Sabathia who gave up a
Steve Pearce single scoring ex-Ace, Josh Donaldson. Then CC
gave up seven more runs while only getting one out in the 2nd.
Isotopes go on to score in every inning but the 6th on their way
to a lopsided 15-2 victory. Mike Clevinger was dealing for the
Isotopes, carrying a perfect game into the sixth. He gets the
complete game, giving up just three hits and a walk.
Aces were let down by NL MVP
Christian Yelich and his .154/.214/.154 line as well as this
year's potential MVP, Cody Bellinger and his .091/.167/.182.
Even though AL MVP Mookie Betts
could only manage a .133/.188/.200 for the Isotopes, others
picked up the pace, most notably Freddie Freeman and his
.385/.467/.846 and 5 XBH, earning him series MVP.
Great season by Jeff and 103-win
Aces! He'll be back and even better next year with a loaded
roster, top to bottom!
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Wild Card
Series
League Division
Series
League
Championship
Series
