Seattle starter Christopher Hester (24-5, 2.46) pitched his worst game since April 9, but the Monarch batters saved his skin as Seattle took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Maui Mashers in the Cecil Cup series. Maui started the scoring in the bottom of the first with a 2 RBI single by Reijiro Kondo against Christopher Hester. Seattle evened the score with a two-run homer by Lucio Muniz in the top of the third. The score did not stay tied for long as Maui put up another three runs in the bottom of the inning.
The score remained 5-2 in Maui's favor until the top of the sixth. Terry Hubbard started the inning off with a solo shot to right. Then, with two outs, Steve Jones singled and went to second on Juan Gomez's double. Jones scored on Ronald Quijada's RBI single to center. That brought up Bas Bijkerk who blasted a first-pitch shot to right-center for 3 RBI, making the score 7-5 in Seattle's favor.
Maui made it a one-run game again in the bottom of the sixth, but then the Seattle bats put the game away in the seventh. Bill Dewall struck out the first two Monarch batters. Then, with two outs, Jonathan Anderson homered, John Hukill singled, Steve Jones homered, Juan Gomez doubled, Ronald Quijada singled and Bas Bijkerk homered again. The final tally -- six runs on six hits, all with two outs. The score stood at 13-6, which is how it ended.
Game 4 -- Thursday night.
Although clinging to a fragile 3-0 series lead, Seattle has to face Maui ace Juan Villatoro in Game Four. Villatoro is one of the greatest pitchers in SDMB OOTP history. A guy who is 10-2 in his postseason career with a 2.55 ERA. A guy who beat Seattle both times that he pitched against them this season.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Seattle is left with an aging starting pitcher with a one-star rating, a losing record in his playoff career, and a 4.52 ERA in the playoffs.
And Seattle has never swept a Cecil Cup series. Ever.
No chance Seattle wins Game Four. None. The Monarchs are bigger underdogs than ever.
I think that we can now say that Seattle is the favorite and we are no wamboozled by this underdog talk anymore. Go Maui!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am not a wamboozler, although I sincerely love that word.
ReplyDeleteThe Seattle Monarchs are no longer the unstoppable force trampling all before them. Instead, we're scrappy upstarts just trying to get a break in this harsh world. Think of how your average white utility infielder is described by the media. That's this Seattle squad.
Maui, on the other hand, is Alex Rodriguez.
All right, your reality distortion was mildly amusing at first, but now you're comparing my team to A-Rod? You've crossed a line, mister!
ReplyDeleteOh, this has just gotten personal...I want to see a bench clearing brawl in game 4!!!!
ReplyDelete