Playoff Recap and Pitching Matchups

Saturday's Games

Tri-City's Game was postponed until Sunday due to rain

Lancaster over High Desert 8-7 in 12 innings
Yes, the recap is later than usual, but that's because I hung in with Jason Schwartz on the broadcast until 1:30 a.m. CST listening to it. What an unbelievable game! Schwartz was actually speechless during the recap trying to sum up what he'd just witnessed.

Lancaster led 6-2 going into the seventh inning thanks in large part to a strong five innings of work from starter Blair Walters and a JetHawks offense that made the most of a wild pitch, a couple of passed balls and a few walks, with an exclamation point in the form of a Jonathan Meyer three-run home run in the fifth.

But with both teams stranding the bases loaded in the early innings in a hitter's park, you just knew that four run lead probably wouldn't be enough with three innings left to play. And it wasn't. In the seventh, relievers Jose Trinidad and Pat Urckfitz combined to allow two runs across to bring the score to 6-4. Then in the eighth inning, things got really dicey as Chia-Jen Lo allowed a one-out home run to bring the Lancaster lead down to one run, immediately followed by a double, a single and another run scored on a Jio Mier fielding error to tie the game before Lo was replaced by Jorge de Leon. De Leon loaded the bases with a single before inducing a double play and a heart attack by yours truly.

De Leon stayed in for the ninth and tenth innings and kept the game tied to give Lancaster the opportunity to get the go ahead run in the 11th inning by way of a walk, fielding error and Jed Lowrie ground out scoring Domingo Santana (yes, that Jed Lowrie who was getting a rehab start). But the 7-6 lead was short-lived as Andrew Robinson came in to pitch and allowed two one-out singles, followed by what should have been a game-ending double play but a Delino DeShields throwing error allowed High Desert to tie things back up instead before Robinson got the final out via a line drive with the next batter. Add some more gray hair to go with the earlier heart attack.

So we go to the 12th inning and Jason Schwartz' call is the only thing keeping me alive. Delino DeShields, wanting to make up for the error in the 11th, singled to left and then stole the most crucial base of his short career. With two outs, Domingo Santana singled and DeShields scored from second to give Lancaster a one-run lead yet again. From listening to the call, a slower runner would not have made it. So the question was, can the bullpen hold the lead? Andrew Robinson was lights out during much of the season, but could he get it done in this situation? Yes, he could. Strikeout, fly out, strikeout. Game. Set. Match. JetHawks win Game 1 of the Southern Division Championship Series. Phew!

Domingo Santana has continued to ride his hot streak and went three-for-five with two walks, a double, an RBI and scored three times. Jonathan Meyer was two-for-five with a walk and the three-run home run. Chris Epps was two-for-five with a double and a walk. Andrew Aplin did not have a good night, going 0-for-seven with three strikeouts. Jed Lowrie got two RBI via a sac fly and a ground out in his rehab appearance, but did not get a hit.

Sunday's Pitching Matchups

4:00 CST - Auburn at Tri-City (Game 2; Tri-City leads the series 1-0)

RHP Brady Rodgers is scheduled to pitch for Tri-City. Rodgers was 7-2 with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.139 ERA during the regular season. One of his two losses was at the hands of the Auburn team. RHP David Fischer will be the starter for Auburn. He was 3-3 with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.429 WHIP during the regular season. He did not have a start against Tri-City this season.


9:05 CST - Lancaster at High Desert (Game 2)
LHP Colton Cain takes the bump for Lancaster. In seven starts for the JetHawks, Cain has faced High Desert twice and was 1-0 with a no-decision, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.545 WHIP in those two games. RHP Trevor Miller, scheduled to start for High Desert, has faced Lancaster twice in his five starts for the Mavericks. In those two starts, he is 0-1 with a no-decision, a 2.70 ERA and a 1.300 WHIP.