Hold My Log - 51.24 - Portland Advances to Brewster Series!
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:13 pm
After back to back series that saw the Portland Lumberjacks need a final deciding game to knock off Louisville and Nashville, the Lumberjacks were able to dispose of the Yellow Springs Nine in just 5 games to advance to the franchise's second Brewster Series in three seasons.
"This has the same feel to that 2049 run" commented Cartright Series MVP Ernest McBride. "No one really expected or predicted us to make it this far yet here we are. The more people doubt us the more we just try to prove them wrong."
Portland fell behind early in game 1, an eventual 8-5 loss to the Nine. Game 2 appeared headed for another loss on the road. Trailing 2-0 going to the 7th inning, McBride homered to get the Lumbjeracks on the board. They'd tie it in the 8th to force extra innings. In the 10th, Portland had 6 straight guys reach and scored 5 runs. The highlight was Jeffrey Smith's triple. The win sparked the club.
"After that game, we knew we had a shot" added McBride. "Losing both on the road would have made it a tough hill to climb. But I think winning that game, and doing it in a late, come from behind fashion, proved we could beat these guys. Many may have forgotten, but not us, that these guys knocked us out of the post-season last year!"
Game 3 will go down as the Mark Simpson game. Portland routed the Nine 13-3 in the contest and were sparked by Simpson's grand slam in the 2nd inning that gave the team a 6-0 lead. He added a 2-run homer in the 6th. He ended with 6 RBI.
"I'm trying guys" added Simpson after the game. "I want to play in a Brewster Series before I retire. I think we have the team to do it" concluded the 42-year old.
Game 4 was a sloppy affair as both teams committed 3 errors each. The teams exchanged leads and ties early. With the game knotted at 2-2 in the 7th, Yellow Springs committed back to back errors to start the inning. Hadji Ufanisi singled and broke the tie. Two more hits and a walk later, Portland had put up a 4 spot and led 6-2. That would be the final margin of victory.
The final game of the series will be one Portland fans will remember for a while. They'll remember it more if they win the Brewster. Yellow Springs scored lone runs in the 5th, 6th, and 8th innings and led 3-0. Yellow Springs starter Antonio Hernandez was near unhittable. He kept the Lumberjacks in check to just 3 hits for the game. But the Nine pulled their starter after 7 innings and 90 pitches and went to the normally reliable Derrick Chaney in relief. It was not Chaney's best night. Jose Benevidez (yep, same one) led off with a single. After a Zalapa strikeout, Shi and McBride followed with singles, the latter of which plated Benevidez. After a Ma strikeout, Smith laced a double to leftfield that scored Shi. It was now 3-2 and Portland had 2 in scoring position looking to tie or take the lead. The inning ended when Manny Aguilar, Jr laced a 110 mph ground ball to 1B that retired him and the side but Portland had cut into the deficit.
Xuan Ngo battled out of trouble in the 9th and set the stage. So Huynh flew out to leadoff the Portland bottom half. Then Francisco Otero (you read that right @Lane) homered to rightfield to tie the game at 3-3 and send the Trail at Multnomah into a frenzy. Jose Benevidez (yep) followed that up with a single and the Lumberjacks had the winning run abard. Angel Zalapa was then hit by a pitch, and then, well, it gets weird...
With one out, BENEVIDEZ TRIED TO STEAL 3RD!!! He stole 5 bases this year. Portland only stole 67 bases for the season, ranking 11th in the Frick. With Shi up and MCBRIDE IN THE HOLE, we tried to steal 3rd! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON! Needless to say, he was thrown out. Zalapa advanced to 2B but there were now 2 outs. 2 outs for Shi. With McBride waiting ON DECK!!!!! Well..... Shi walked. Then King decides to put Ufanisi in to run for Zalapa. And in strides... ERNEST MCBRIDE.
McBride got ahead in the count 3-1 and then laced a hard ground ball to right field. Ufanisi sprinted out of the box at 2B and rounded 3rd with no hesitation. The throw to the plate was no where near in time and Portland had won it. McBride the hero!
"To win the Frick Pennant on a walk-off hit is something else" commented McBride after the game. "You dream about this kind of stuff man. It's what ever kid envisions growing up. In the batters box, chance to win the big game. Now let's go out and win that ring!"
Portland returns to the Brewster series for the 2nd time in 3 years. And they did so this year in similar fashion. In 2049, the disposed of 3 Heartland teams (Yellow Springs, Nashville, and Madison) to get there. This year they did the same (Louisville, Nashville, and Yellow Springs). Will this year have a different ending?
This year's Landis is a rematch of General Managers from the 2004 Landis where Chris Wilson (then with Madison) faced off against Jim Roberts (still with New Orleans). Wilson and Madison prevailed in 6 that year. With this one end differently?
"This has the same feel to that 2049 run" commented Cartright Series MVP Ernest McBride. "No one really expected or predicted us to make it this far yet here we are. The more people doubt us the more we just try to prove them wrong."
Portland fell behind early in game 1, an eventual 8-5 loss to the Nine. Game 2 appeared headed for another loss on the road. Trailing 2-0 going to the 7th inning, McBride homered to get the Lumbjeracks on the board. They'd tie it in the 8th to force extra innings. In the 10th, Portland had 6 straight guys reach and scored 5 runs. The highlight was Jeffrey Smith's triple. The win sparked the club.
"After that game, we knew we had a shot" added McBride. "Losing both on the road would have made it a tough hill to climb. But I think winning that game, and doing it in a late, come from behind fashion, proved we could beat these guys. Many may have forgotten, but not us, that these guys knocked us out of the post-season last year!"
Game 3 will go down as the Mark Simpson game. Portland routed the Nine 13-3 in the contest and were sparked by Simpson's grand slam in the 2nd inning that gave the team a 6-0 lead. He added a 2-run homer in the 6th. He ended with 6 RBI.
"I'm trying guys" added Simpson after the game. "I want to play in a Brewster Series before I retire. I think we have the team to do it" concluded the 42-year old.
Game 4 was a sloppy affair as both teams committed 3 errors each. The teams exchanged leads and ties early. With the game knotted at 2-2 in the 7th, Yellow Springs committed back to back errors to start the inning. Hadji Ufanisi singled and broke the tie. Two more hits and a walk later, Portland had put up a 4 spot and led 6-2. That would be the final margin of victory.
The final game of the series will be one Portland fans will remember for a while. They'll remember it more if they win the Brewster. Yellow Springs scored lone runs in the 5th, 6th, and 8th innings and led 3-0. Yellow Springs starter Antonio Hernandez was near unhittable. He kept the Lumberjacks in check to just 3 hits for the game. But the Nine pulled their starter after 7 innings and 90 pitches and went to the normally reliable Derrick Chaney in relief. It was not Chaney's best night. Jose Benevidez (yep, same one) led off with a single. After a Zalapa strikeout, Shi and McBride followed with singles, the latter of which plated Benevidez. After a Ma strikeout, Smith laced a double to leftfield that scored Shi. It was now 3-2 and Portland had 2 in scoring position looking to tie or take the lead. The inning ended when Manny Aguilar, Jr laced a 110 mph ground ball to 1B that retired him and the side but Portland had cut into the deficit.
Xuan Ngo battled out of trouble in the 9th and set the stage. So Huynh flew out to leadoff the Portland bottom half. Then Francisco Otero (you read that right @Lane) homered to rightfield to tie the game at 3-3 and send the Trail at Multnomah into a frenzy. Jose Benevidez (yep) followed that up with a single and the Lumberjacks had the winning run abard. Angel Zalapa was then hit by a pitch, and then, well, it gets weird...
With one out, BENEVIDEZ TRIED TO STEAL 3RD!!! He stole 5 bases this year. Portland only stole 67 bases for the season, ranking 11th in the Frick. With Shi up and MCBRIDE IN THE HOLE, we tried to steal 3rd! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON! Needless to say, he was thrown out. Zalapa advanced to 2B but there were now 2 outs. 2 outs for Shi. With McBride waiting ON DECK!!!!! Well..... Shi walked. Then King decides to put Ufanisi in to run for Zalapa. And in strides... ERNEST MCBRIDE.
McBride got ahead in the count 3-1 and then laced a hard ground ball to right field. Ufanisi sprinted out of the box at 2B and rounded 3rd with no hesitation. The throw to the plate was no where near in time and Portland had won it. McBride the hero!
"To win the Frick Pennant on a walk-off hit is something else" commented McBride after the game. "You dream about this kind of stuff man. It's what ever kid envisions growing up. In the batters box, chance to win the big game. Now let's go out and win that ring!"
Portland returns to the Brewster series for the 2nd time in 3 years. And they did so this year in similar fashion. In 2049, the disposed of 3 Heartland teams (Yellow Springs, Nashville, and Madison) to get there. This year they did the same (Louisville, Nashville, and Yellow Springs). Will this year have a different ending?
This year's Landis is a rematch of General Managers from the 2004 Landis where Chris Wilson (then with Madison) faced off against Jim Roberts (still with New Orleans). Wilson and Madison prevailed in 6 that year. With this one end differently?
