The Seattle Monarchs won Game 2 of their series easily behing eight innings of two-hit ball pitched by righty Christopher Hester and home runs by Armando Cedeno and Alberto Granado. Closer Timothy Vallejo came in to pitch the ninth and gave up the third hit of the game, but that was all for the Steamers.
The Maui Mashers defeated the Saskatoon Amigos by a score of 5-4. Maui batters chased righty Hector Orozco in the third inning after tagging him for five runs. The damage came from home runs by Dong Lutz, Willy Guzman and Gabriel Sequeiros.
Game 3 tomorrow night.
Good times. To lose the first 2 at home is not a good way to start the series. Kaler did not pitch poorly, but he did give up 2 big HRs, and only 3 hits...what a crappy time for my team to leave their bats at home. Goss no hits in the first 2 games after leading the league in hits in the regular season...COME ON STEAMERS, PICK IT UP!!!!
ReplyDeleteManaged to squeak by with a narrow one-run victory. I really needed that, with Demarcus Ramirez scheduled to take the mound for Saskatoon in Game 3.
ReplyDeleteAnother big-time performance by the Monarchs' starting pitcher. Only three hits--all singles--for the Cleveland offense. The lone Steamer run really should have been unearned, as it only occurred due to an error on a pickoff attempt allowing the runner to advance.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Kaler and Koepp struck out 11 Monarchs without walking a single batter. Unfortunately for them, the long balls by Granado and Cedeno provided enough offense for Seattle to get by.
In all, I'm very glad (obviously) to win the first two, primarily because I can now go with a four-man rotation regardless of what happens in Game Three. It's a good thing, as Placencia in particular threw a lot of pitches and I don't think he would have been ready for Game Four.
Looks like a lead will have to be protected by someone other than Vallejo, who is tired after pitching the final inning in each of the first two games. That will be a little window into the Monarchs' fortunes next season, since Vallejo will be leaving as a free agent.