Playoff Recaps and Pitching Matchup

Thursday's Games

Hudson Valley over Tri-City 8-3 (Hudson Valley wins the series 2-1)
Tri-City starter Joe Bircher had a rough start and got the early hook as he allowed three runs across while only recording one out in the first. With runners at the corners, Skipper Stubby Clapp replaced Bircher with Brady Rodgers who allowed one of his inherited runners to score before getting two strikeouts to quell the threat. The ValleyCats got one run back in the top of the second as Tyler Heineman scored from third on a wild pitch and scraped another one across in the third as Jesse Wierzbicki drove in Austin "Catfish" Elkins on a ground-rule double. In the meantime, Rodgers pitched brilliantly allowing only one hit and no walks with six strikeouts in three and two thirds innings. Lance Day was sharp in the fifth but got into trouble in the sixth, trouble that Jeremiah Meiners couldn't keep under control thanks in part to a fielding error by Neiko Johnson. Before all was said and done, Hudson Valley plated two runs to give them a 6-2 lead in the inning. The 'Cats answered with one in the 7th on a Joe Sclafani RBI single scoring Jarrod McKinney. Blake Ford came in with one out in the bottom of the seventh and was removed with one out in the bottom of the eighth after walking a batter, in favor of Travis Ballew. Ballew and Scott Zuloaga allowed another two runs across before the eighth was over, giving Hudson Valley an 8-3 lead. And that was where it ended although Tri-City did threaten in the ninth. Tri-City was held to five hits with Wierzbicki's ground rule double being the only extra base hit. Joe Sclafani was one-for-three with an RBI, two walks and a run scored. Jarrod McKinney was hitless but walked three times and scored a run. And so ends an otherwise fantastic season.

Lancaster over Modesto 7-4 (Lancaster leads the best-of-five series 1-0)
David Martinez got the start and pitched a mostly effective six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts and was rewarded with his second win of the post-season. The bullpens could very well be the key to this series and Lancaster has a leg up in that regard having had a day off between series to rest and getting six innings from Martinez while Modesto had no time off and had to go to the 'pen in the third last night. The Nuts struck first with a run scored on a sac fly in the bottom of the second, but the lead was short-lived as Lancaster came back with a vengeance in the top of the third, scoring four on a two-run Jio Mier double and RBI singles from Domingo Santana and Jonathan Meyer. But the Heart Attack Hawks were back as the Nuts got two back in the bottom of the frame on a two-run triple before a fly out double play with a missile to home from Santana in right field ended the threat. Lancaster added on a pair in the fifth with a double off the very hot bat of Jonathan Meyer and the Nuts answered with one in the sixth to keep it close. Jose Trinidad entered in the seventh and got three quick outs and one more in the eighth before giving way to Kenny Long who gave up a single before retiring the next two. After Delino DeShields scored on an error in the top of the ninth for an insurance run, Andrew Robinson made quick work in getting the final three outs. There were several nice offensive performances:

Delino DeShields - 2x4 BB 2R
Jio Mier - 3x5 2B 2RBI R
Domingo Santana - 3x4 RBI 2R
Jonathan Meyer - 2x3 2B 3RBI BB
Rafy Valenzuela - 1x2 2B 2BB R

Friday's Pitching Matchup

9:05 CST - Game 2 of the LCS: Lancaster at Modesto
LHP Blair Walters goes to the mound for Lancaster. Walters was 3-3 with a 7.62 ERA and a 1.641 WHIP in 8 starts after coming into the Astros organization and did not face Modesto during the regular season. The JetHawks won Walters' one post-season appearance but he didn't get a decision in that game. RHP Juan Gonzalez gets the start for Modesto. In 27 games (26 starts) during the regular season, he was 6-13 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.727 WHIP. He was 1-1 in starts against Lancaster during the season. His only post-season appearance thus far resulted in a loss.