Let's be open and honest up front: No one who bought tickets to the 4-game series between the Yellow Springs Nine and Portland Lumberjacks at the Trail in Multnomah this past week expected to see top notch baseball. The two teams entered the series a combined 26-games under .500 with 21 of those being the fault of the home squad. So while fans may not have expected good, clean baseball, the home fans were treated with some exciting results that ended with Portland sweeping the 4-game series against the Nine.
"That series reminded me of the one in 2051" commented one fan leaving after the finale. "No, the stakes weren't as high. The teams weren't as good this week. But Portland still took 4-games in 2051 and they did it again this week so that was fun" concluded the fan referencing the 2051 Cartright Series when Portland defeated the Nine in a best of 7 series 4 games to 1. But this series didn't appear to be going Portland's way for many occassions.
Portland took the opener of the series after holding on to a slim 2-1 victory. Renato Lacerda was able to nail down his 5th save of the season by striking out the final two batters of the game, stranding Dong-Po Thum, the tying run, stranded at second base. While that game went true to a normal game form, games 2 and 3 went off the reservation.
Portland led game 2 of the series 4-0 thanks to early RBI triples by Alvin Conley and Pedro Rosales. But just as quick as fans saw Portland on top, they were behind as Yellow Springs stormed back to score 8-runs over the next 4 innings to take a 8-4 lead. But the LUmberjacks weren't done. A 2-run homerun in the 8th by Squires capped a 4-run rally that tied the game up at 8-8. But just as fans thought Portland was going to come out on top in a great comeback, 3 walks and a single by Luis Equivel plated a run for the Nine who took a 9-8 lead to the bottom of the 9th. Daniel Frampton promplty singled to lead off the 9th and then Pedro Rosales doubled. So with no outs and the winning runs in scoring position, the Nine opted to intentionally walk Roundfield (that doesn't work, does it Omaha?) to load the bases for Squires. Squires, who finished the game 3-5 with 4 RBI, singled to tie the game at 9-9. With still no outs and the infield in, Jim Ashford got just enough on an 0-1 pitch to score the winning run for a 10-9 win.
Game 3 might have been just as whacky and we'll fast forward to the 9th where Portland held a 3-1 lead and called again on Lacerda for the save. But this time the 40-year old wasn't up to the task. Of course it seemed things were ok despite a single and a double as Lacerda sandwiched a pair of outs around the hits. Granted one was a sac-fly that made it 3-2, but up 3-1 with 2 outs in the 9th the Nine weren't done. Ragheb promptly doubled, tying the game at 3-3 and then Encarnacion belted a 2-run homer that not only chased Lacerda from the game but gave the Nine a 5-3 lead. Lewis Norman got the final out to send the game to the bottom of the 9th, a place the Lumberjacks hoped to not see on this night. But Portland wasn't done either. Ohayashi led off with a single and Conley followed with a single after Rosales had grounded out. So Portland now had the tying runs aboard with 1 out. Daniel Frampton singled and now the bases were loaded for Edward Roundfield. Maybe the Nine should have walked him, but instead they pitched to him and he promptly signled to right and Conley raced home from 2nd to tie the game. Jim Ashford nearly sent the home faithful into a frenzy when he cranked a pitch that STATCAST registered as coming off the bat at 110mph. The ball went to the furthest depths of RF before being caught at the warning track. It was deep enough to allow the runner at 2B to tag and go to third but the grumbling off the home crowd could be heard loudly as they all though the game was over. It was, just on the next pitch as little known Jesus Leon singled on the first pitch to win the game.
"These last two nights have been crazy" commented Leon after the game on what was his first career walk-off hit. "I think all involved though would rather see us win these games a little more comfortably but we'll take wins."
A comfortable win was in store for the finale as Portland won 8-1. They did trail 1-0 early before scoring 8 unanswered runs to win the game and take the series sweep. The 4-game sweep puts Portland's record at 10-10 versus the Heartland on the season (we've dropped 2 since to Chicago to fall to 10-12)