2015 BARB WORLD SERIES RECAP

The Yuma Firebirds (Cactus Division champion, 111-51 regular season) were the heavy favorites in the World Series matchup of division winners and looked to become the first back-to-back champions since the 2005-2006 Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels. But the New England Yankee Stompers (94-68, Grapefruit Division champion) picked up from an early shock and helped produce one of the most nail-biting championship series in league history.

GAME ONE:

Yuma, coming off a 10-3 bashing of the Brownsville Cutters to clinch the division series, didn’t let up with the bats in their home park. New England lefty Jon Lester allowed one base runner in each of the first two innings, but a Chris Sale bouncer spelled bad news for the visitors as it emerged on the center field grass. Lester battled Joey Votto to a full count but lost him to put two on, and with two out he hung a 2-2 fastball to Buster Posey. The catcher put on his best uppercut and deposited the ball into the left field bleachers for a 3-0 lead!

The runs seemed to settle Sale, as the tall southpaw had allowed a pair of doubles in the early going but escaped unscathed. Now he set down the Yankee Stompers in order for two innings in a row while watching the advantage grow to four runs with a Steve Pearce solo home run in the fifth.

New England finally cracked the goose eggs in the top of the sixth. Lester was removed for a pinch hitter (who struck out) to begin the frame, but Dustin Pedroia stung a double and scored two batters later on a soft Miguel Cabrera single.

To replace Lester, New England called on Luis Severino. The rookie right-hander was magnificent in the division series, earning a win in two long relief outings. But he didn’t appear ready on the bigger stage, as the Firebirds scored three times in the bottom of the sixth. Pearce doubled to drive in two, and Votto brought Pearce around with a single.

Sale remained in the game into the ninth inning and recorded two outs in the final frame (including a strikeout of Cabrera, Sale’s 12^th of the contest) before Yasmany Tomas got a hold of a 1-0 fastball. Jeff Samardzija got the final out to give Yuma a 1-0 series lead.

FINAL: YUMA 7, NEW ENGLAND 2

GAME TWO:

New England threw another lefty, and Yuma crushed the ball again. It was the same story as the past few years: the Firebirds offense feasted on left-handed pitching (29-12 against southpaws in 2015).

This time, Cole Hamels lasted one out into the seventh but was tagged for six runs. The first two scored in the bottom of the third, as Pearce singled, stole second base and scored on a Votto base knock. Votto then came around himself after a single and a double play. Hamels almost made it through the sixth without any more damage, but an Andrelton Simmons two-out triple plated Corey Seager. The death knell, however, was a one-out Posey homer—good for an additional three runs—in the seventh. It was a wonder Yankee Stomper management kept Hamels in the game to that point, considering he was over 110 pitches and Posey had blasted a three-run homer just the day before.

For the home side, David Price was dealing. He gave up six hits, spreading them all across different innings, walked none and struck out 12 in a 103-pitch shutout. It all combined for a commanding 2-0 lead for Yuma as the series shifted to the northeast.

FINAL: YUMA 6, NEW ENGLAND 0

GAME THREE:

Early returns made it appear the Firebirds would take a 3-0 lead in the World Series and likely coast to the title before returning home.

Yuma loaded the bases on two walks and a soft single in the top of the first inning, but Drew Pomeranz (another lefty for New England) induced a double play ball off the bat of Ben Zobrist to strand the runners.

More runners cluttered the bases in the third, as Pearce and Votto both singled to start the frame. Andrew McCutchen picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly, but two fly outs kept the lead from growing.

Carlos Carrasco endured trouble of his own in the first, but he kept the Yankee Stompers off the board until the sixth. Matt Wieters liked the first pitch he saw in the bottom half and lined it down the right field line. He rounded first and second, then started for third…and slid in ahead of the throw! The catcher scored two batters later on a Pedroia bloop single to tie the score. Pedroia later made it to third base with one out, but Cabrera came up empty on three pitches to strand him.

Pomeranz, still transitioning from the bullpen, wasn’t long for the game. He tired in the sixth inning, having thrown 99 pitches, and Severino took over. He was more in control than his Game One appearance, setting down the Yuma hitters inning after inning (with runners here and there).

Wieters was at the forefront of another New England scoring chance in the eighth. He led off again and this time skied it into shallow left, where the ball fell between three Yuma defenders! A classic Texas Leaguer, but Wieters didn’t hustle and only got a single. He did take second when Xander Bogaerts grounded one just under the glove of Brian Dozier. Pedroia also put it on the ground, but he beat out the back end of a double play to put runners on first and third with one out. Yoenis Cespedes cashed in, driving a 2-2 pitch to the wall in right. Mookie Betts made the catch, but Wieters, even being a catcher, was able to score without a play. New England had resurrected their division series magic and come from behind to take a late lead!

Jonathan Papelbon was shaky in his first appearance of this World Series. He began the ninth against Seager, who drove the ball to left. Cespedes tracked it down in time, though. Dozier struck out, but Jayson Werth walked on a full count. Simmons, who had tripled the previous game, fell behind in the count and lasered a one-hopper…AT his counterpart, Bogaerts, whose throw was in time. To the delight of the home fans, New England was on the board in the series, now trailing 2-1.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 2, YUMA 1

GAME FOUR:

Set back on their heels, the Yuma Firebirds turned to another cannon in their stable of aces to attempt to stay ahead in the series. Gerrit Cole was the choice, but he stumbled in the second inning. Corey Dickerson singled, and while standing on first he feigned an early steal. Cole hesitated in his delivery and was called for a balk! Tomas beat out a bouncer to second and New England had a prime opportunity, first and third with one out. After a visit from his pitching coach, Cole regrouped. He struck out Ian Desmond and ended the inning without damage as Rusney Castillo grounded into a twin killing.

Cole’s escape act allowed his offense to get on the board first. With McCutchen on third (after a Garrett Richards wild pitch) and two away, Seager beat out an infield single himself as the speedy McCutchen crossed the plate.

Both sides put a few runners on throughout the middle of the game, but neither could push across a run. Finally, Werth picked up a pinch-single to plate Seager with one down in the eighth.

Cole didn’t need help from the vaunted Yuma bullpen: he matched Price with six hits allowed in a complete-game shutout, though Cole walked two and struck out “just” nine. Just like that, Yuma was back ahead in the series by two—and more importantly, they needed just one more win to clinch the title.

FINAL: YUMA 2, NEW ENGLAND 0

GAME FIVE:

The final game in Fenway Park was another close, low-scoring affair. Lester went back to the hill and dominated, turning in the THIRD six-hit, complete-game shutout of the series. He walked one and K’d five, and Wieters supplied all of the offense he needed with a two-out, two-run single in the fourth.

Sale pitched well for the Firebirds, striking out nine over six innings, but with his offense stymied (one three runners reached second base) he had to settle for the loss. On the plus side for Yuma, they were headed back home still up in the series, 3-2, and with Price awaiting the call for Game Six.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 2, YUMA 0

GAME SIX:

The desert was abuzz with excitement. Price, who authored the most dominant game of the series so far, was back in the home whites and ready to clinch a title.

Hamels was ready this time, too, though he walked two batters and had to escape trouble in the first. Dozier singled in the second inning, but he, too, was stranded.

Cespedes led off the top of the fourth and just cleared the center field fence, a chink in Price’s armor and a lead for New England!

A string of zeroes followed: the Yankee Stompers put a runner in scoring position in the sixth but came up empty, and Hamels kept Yuma’s scoreboard reading goose eggs other than Dozier’s hit.

With one away in the top of the seventh, Tomas skied a ball into the right-center gap. McCutchen came up a few feet short of catching it and then misplayed it, turning the bloop into a double. After a Desmond strikeout, Castillo snuck a grounder into center field. Tomas raced around third and slid across safely to increase the New England lead.

After three perfect innings in the middle of the game, Hamels finally allowed another runner: a leadoff walk of Werth. Leadoff walks can hurt a team, but in this case the lefty turned to his strikeout pitch and retired Seager, Dozier and Simmons without Werth stepping away from first base.

Hamels’ night came to an end in the eighth. After a groundout, Desmond threw away a routine grounder off the bat of Pearce. Unlike Game Two, the manager pulled Hamels at the first sign of trouble. Dellin Betances was called upon and struck out Votto, but he walked McCutchen and gave way to Papelbon. Posey had a chance, but he was on top of a breaking ball and pounded it into the ground to end the inning. The book closed on Hamels, showing 123 pitches over 7 1/3 innings of work, four walks, 11 strikeouts and just the one base hit allowed.

New England threatened insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Cabrera lined a single (puffing up a rather empty .292 average for the series) and advanced to third on a Tomas hit. With two out, Castillo walked. That brought up the Yankee Stompers’ hitting star of the series, Wieters…who grounded harmlessly to third base.

Papelbon stalked back to the hill for the ninth and silenced the crowd’s attempt to rouse their Firebirds to a comeback victory. Werth and Seager lined the ball into waiting leather, and Dozier fanned on a 1-2 slider. Somehow, someway, New England had shut down the Yuma offense and put up enough clutch hits to TIE the series and send it to the rubber match, a winner-take-all Game Seven! The third-straight 2-0 game ended as a one-hitter for the visitors, one of the most dominant pitching performances in BARB World Series history!

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 2, YUMA 0

GAME SEVEN:

The atmosphere: ELECTRIC. The teams: PUMPED. The bats: NONEXISTANT?

Indeed, another pitchers’ duel was in store. Pomeranz vs Carrasco, a rematch of New England’s 2-1 victory in Game Three. This, however, was on Yuma’s turf, and they were doing everything they could not to disappoint their fans.

Most of the first three innings passed quietly. Seager made a great diving stop in the first, but Yuma couldn’t capitalize on the momentum. Werth doubled in the second and was seemingly glued to the bag as his teammates couldn’t move him around.

In the third, however, Carrasco decided to take things into his own hands. He dumped a single into center with one out, then dashed for second as Pomeranz wasn’t paying attention. A stolen base! The second by Yuma’s PITCHERS in these playoffs! Pearce popped up, but Votto made the pitcher’s hit hurt with a lined single to right. Carrasco hustled all the way around and back into the dugout with the lead.

The running apparently didn’t take anything out of the enigmatic righty, as he was perfect on the mound through five innings. Finally New England scratched out a runner as Wieters drew a walk in the sixth. The catcher then made an ill-advised attempt to replicate Carrasco’s daring, and he was thrown out trying to steal. It hurt the visitors even more as Pomeranz broke up the remaining no-hitter with his own single just two pitches later. Pedroia flied out to center to end the frame.

Again both sides struggled with the bat. The pitchers combined to set down the next 13 hitters in a row until Betances walked Simmons in the bottom of the eighth. Even that chance failed to materialize, as the tall right-hander struck out Betts (pinch-hitting for Carrasco) and Pearce to give his team one more shot in the ninth.

In the top half of the ninth, Jake McGee faced Wieters, who grounded to short. He struck out Bogaerts. Pedroia, with the season on the line, fouled off the first pitch. He took a called strike on the corner. One strike away from the title, McGee spun a rare, pretty curve….

FREEZING PEDROIA!

FINAL: YUMA 1, NEW ENGLAND 0

The Firebirds clinched their second straight World Series and fourth in franchise history (including 2007 and 2009) and rushed the field!

In the owner’s box, Chris Melkonian exhaled with relief and hugged friends and family.

“This series was so intense,” Melkonian said. “I personally though we would roll in this series in five games. James (Herndon) had a hell of a squad that didn’t back down.

“On a different note, this was an unbelievable season for me. I feel it was our most complete to date. We effectively used platoons and defensive alignments and got the most out of an offense that underperformed early and had key guys hurt. Of course, we hope to make it three in a row in 2016.”

In his box, Herndon looked stumped at the way his team got shut down in the deciding game. Certainly he was trying to figure out how a hitter of Cabrera’s caliber flailed and failed (.259 average, no XBH, 1 run, 1 RBI) in his team’s second Game Seven loss in four years.

SERIES MVP: CARLOS CARRASCO

The Game Seven starter earned the accolades with one hit allowed over eight frames in the clincher while walking one and striking out eight. Along with a solid performance in Game Three, Carrasco (on the scrap heap before the season) was 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA. He struck out 17 batters in 15 innings and gave up just eight hits. For good measure, of course, he provided all of the scoring in the final game as well.

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHRIS MELKONIAN AND HIS YUMA FIREBIRDS

YUMA TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS

Still, Brownsville shows promise in playoff debut

GAME TWO

With Yuma leading the series, 1-0, after a nail-biting 3-1 Game One, the Cutters put young righty Jose Fernandez on the hill to face David Price. Price got himself into trouble right away by walking two batters in the top of the first, but only one run scored. That run almost didn’t cross the plate, but Michael Cuddyer beat Price to first on a slow roller with two out for the single and RBI.

BROWNSVILLE 1, YUMA 0

The lead extended to three in the fourth, as Cuddyer, Manny Machado and Evan Gattis lashed a double-single-double in succession. The inning ended with Gattis stranded at third base, and that unscored potential run would loom large as the game progressed.

BROWNSVILLE 3, YUMA 0

Yuma got one of the runs back with the first hitter in their half of the fourth, Andrew McCutchen. After his offense managed a lone single against Fernandez the first time through the order, “Cutch” took matters into his own hands and crushed an 0-1 slider deep into the desert night.

BROWNSVILLE 3, YUMA 1

With that bomb the pitchers seemingly changed roles. Price got out of a two-on, one-out jam the next inning and settled down for a shutdown sixth before handing it to the bullpen. Fernandez, meanwhile, didn’t make it out of the fifth inning. The only out he recorded in the frame was a strikeout of Price, but only after his counterpart worked the count full. The big hits contributing to the three runs were a Brian Dozier leadoff solo shot, Andrelton Simmons double and Joey Votto two-run double to take the lead.

YUMA 4, BROWNSVILLE 3

With the lead, the Firebirds bullpen did its job, allowing just two runners over the final three innings for the victory and 2-0 series lead.

FINAL: YUMA 4, BROWNSVILLE 3

GAME THREE

The first divisional-round playoff game at Cockerton Field saw the hosts get off to a fast start. Brownsville’s offense came out hot against Carlos Carrasco with a walk, single and Alex Rodriguez three-run homer.

BROWNSVILLE 3, YUMA 0

The Cutters extended their lead on a Machado solo shot in the sixth.

Edinson Volquez was in control, facing just four batters over the minimum through six. He tired in the seventh and was pulled after a Dozier homer and a Steve Pearce walk. Five relievers picked up the final three frames, and Machado added an insurance run in the eighth with his second jack of the contest to put Brownsville on the board in the series and hopefully give them momentum to pull off the upset.

FINAL: BROWNSVILLE 5, YUMA 1

GAME FOUR

Let’s just say this one was over almost before it began. Some Brownsville fans were seen leaving the stadium…in the top of the first inning.

Cutters ace Core Kluber was the home squad’s starting pitcher, and he almost didn’t get three outs.

On the second pitch of the ballgame, Votto laced a triple to right-center. McCutchen brought him home with a double and Corey Seager tallied an RBI with a bouncer up the middle. After a pop out, Michael Brantley lined a double down the line and Dozier was walked intentionally to create a force at every base. Kluber got ahead of Pearce at 1-2, but a changeup didn’t drop and the slugger didn’t miss. In just a matter of seconds Pearce was slowly trotting around the bases and the Brownsville crowd was dead silent.

It was safe to say the Brownsville momentum gained in a Game Three win was lost less than 30 pitches into Game Four. Kluber erased the next two hitters, but the damage was done.

YUMA 6, BROWNSVILLE 0

While Kluber was setting down the Firebirds in order the next two innings, his offense was threatening their own big inning against Gerrit Cole. Runners reached first and third with two out in the bottom of the first, but a harmless grounder ended the chance. The Cutters got on the scoreboard in the second as George Springer doubled (his first hit of the entire series), advanced on a groundout and score on a Cole wild pitch.

YUMA 6, BROWNSVILLE 1

Other than that, Brownsville hit some balls hard but directly at Yuma fielders. The Firebirds added to their lead in the fourth (Cole solo home run) and sixth (Brantley infield single after Kluber was knocked out of the game).

YUMA 8, BROWNSVILLE 1

As the game went on the crowd thinned out. Those who stayed got to watch one of their young stars, Machado, homer twice for the second game in a row (both solo shots, as in Game Three). Yuma added two runs on an eighth inning single, and Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson closed out the final three innings to send Yuma back to the BARB World Series.

FINAL: YUMA 10, BROWNSVILLE 3

An anticlimactic ending to what was, for the first three games, an exciting series. In an unusual move, officials gave the MVP award to a player on the losing team. Yuma’s performance was well-rounded, but no one player stood out. Brownsville’s Machado, on the other hand, demolished Firebird pitching to the tune of a .467 average, five home runs, six RBI and seven runs scored (the team scored 12 as a whole in four games). “What might have been” was the cry for the Grapefruit wild card, as they saw Springer, Gattis and A.J. Pollock combine to go 4-for-46.

The Cactus division champs, however, felt they were on a roll heading into a World Series showdown of division winners. Yuma would surely be the favorite in their quest for a fourth World Championship, and second straight.

YANKEE STOMPERS OUTLAST CAROLINA

Epic Division Series sees string of comebacks; New England takes advantage

GAME TWO:

Carolina, down 1-0, came out swinging against Cole Hamels. Anthony King’s Wildcats plated two in the third (using small ball) and three in the fifth (a Josh Donaldson two-out, three-run big fly after Yoenis Cespedes let a can of corn clank off his mitt) to knock out the veteran lefty.

Carolina starter Jordan Zimmerman allowed a Yasmany Tomas RBI single in the fourth before falling apart beginning in the sixth. Miguel Cabrera drove in a run with a double just out of the reach of Yasiel Puig, and Tomas grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and no one out to pull New England within two.

Zimmerman still made it almost all the way through the seventh inning. He gave up his fourth run on a pinch-single and was pulled with the bases loaded and two away. Tony Watson did his job and induced a harmless groundout to send the game to the eighth.

Watson, however, failed in his second go-round. Accustomed to facing left-handed batters, the southpaw gave up a lined single and a smash ruled an error on Eric Hosmer, both off the bats of right-handed hitters, before Matt Wieters clubbed a 1-2 hanging breaking ball over the Green Monster for a 7-5 Yankee Stomper lead.

Luis Severino, who took over for Hamels in the sixth, came back out for the ninth and allowed a single but induced a double play to end the game and give James Herndon and his New England squad a commanding 2-0 series lead.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 7, CAROLINA 5

GAME THREE:

Drew Pomeranz, the New England starter, got rocked early and often. He faced 25 batters and didn’t make it out of the fifth inning, walking four and allowing seven base hits. But he evaded enough trouble that he only gave up four runs and didn’t factor in the decision.

The Carolina onslaught began in the first, after Stephen Strasburg dealt a perfect top half of the inning. Jose Altuve greeted Pomeranz with a single and swiped second. With two away, Nelson Cruz was given an intentional pass and Yasmani Grandal drew a walk himself. However, Josh Donaldson, while ahead in the count, pounded into the turf harmlessly to second base.

With one away in the bottom of the second, Yasiel Puig got something started with a four-pitch walk. Altuve reached with his second single to bring up Brandon Crawford, who yanked a 2-0 Pomeranz offering barely over the deep (340 feet) right-field fence to put the Wildcats on the board! Adam Jones watched a called strike before also pulling a pitch deep—this a shot to left! A lightning-quick strike of runs had given Carolina comfort with their ace dealing on the mound.

CAROLINA 4, NEW ENGLAND 0

Strasburg held up his end in the third, completely a perfect first time through the order. His offense again put men on, with the help of a Rusney Castillo error, and had the bases loaded for Altuve, 2-2 already in the game. With the Yankee Stomper bullpen starting to warm up, Pomeranz jammed Altuve. The flair sailed into shallow left. Yoenis Cespedes sprinted in…reached down…and MADE THE SHOESTRING CATCH! It kept at least two runs from scoring (more had he misplayed it) and the deficit of four didn’t get out of control.

The great catch must have woken up New England’s bats, as Dustin Pedroia became their first runner with a broken-bat grounder and Cespedes lined a double into the corner to start the fourth. Miguel Cabrera picked up an RBI with a groundout, and after a strikeout Yasmany Tomas drove in his fellow Cuban émigré with a first-pitch single.

CAROLINA 4, NEW ENGLAND 2

Strasburg settled down again until the seventh. Tomas and Ian Desmond singled, sandwiched between harmless groundout, and Matt Wieters drew a walk. With the bases loaded Xander Bogaerts punched it through the four hole for a run, and Pedroia followed with a liner in the same spot to tie the game! Finally Carolina pulled Strasburg in favor of A.J. Ramos, but the damage was done.

NEW ENGLAND 4, CAROLINA 4

Though Ramos got the out to end the seventh, he didn’t make his pitches in the eighth. After a three-pitch strikeout of Cabrera, Corey Dickerson lashed a drive that Puig couldn’t cut off, and he didn’t stop running until he was standing on third. Tomas followed with his third hit and second RBI of the contest, this on a double inside third base! Unbelievably, the Yankee Stompers had come from behind to take a late lead for the third time in three games!

NEW ENGLAND 5, CAROLINA 4

With a one-run lead in the eighth, a 2-0 series lead and Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances and Jonathan Papelbon available, the clubhouse staff prepared for a champagne celebration.

Miller was the choice for the bottom half of the frame. With one out, Puig turned on the jets for a bunt single. Austin Jackson moved him to third and turned the lineup over with a solid line drive single, but Altuve grounded toward Pedroia, who for some reason was playing closer than double play depth…and he threw HOME—NOT IN TIME! The veteran had made a monumental mistake, going for a tag play with an inning-ending double play in order! Tie game!

CAROLINA 5, NEW ENGLAND 5

Mouth agape, Miller had to recover and pitch his team out of the inning. He did with two strikeouts, but as he walked toward the dugout he was visibly shaking his head.

Ramos, still in the game, struggled with his control and allowed New England another rally in the top of the ninth. Other than a slow roller off the bat of Pedroia, Ramos issued free passes to three hitters. With Cabrera looming, Wade Davis was called in. The slugger evened the count at 2-2 but waved at a wicked Davis cutter for the second out, continuing his disturbing trend of disappearing in the BARB playoffs. Dickerson made contact on his first pitch, but it was a grounder to first base for the third out.

Carolina didn’t do much in the bottom half and the game went to extra innings.

The 10th inning passed relatively uneventfully. Lefty Tony Watson set down New England in order in the 11^th. Kevin Quackenbush got an out in the Carolina half, but Yasmani Grandal saw a straight fastball with a 3-1 count and didn’t miss. The catcher, acquired before the season from Yuma, endeared himself to his new fanbase with a walk-off shot in Carolina’s first-ever playoff home game! The Wildcats kept their season alive with momentum going into Game 4, though they still trailed by a game.

FINAL: CAROLINA 6, NEW ENGLAND 5 (11)

GAME FOUR:

The final game in Carolina appeared, early on, to be another Wildcats victory. The home side went on the board first with the help of Garrett Richards’ wildness. Adam Jones singled and advanced to second and third on consecutive wild pitches, and after a walk he scored on a Brandon Crawford sacrifice fly.

CAROLINA 1, NEW ENGLAND 0

The Yankee Stompers tied it right away in the third, as their first three hitters—Bogaerts, Pedroia and Cespedes—walked, doubled and singled, respectively. The single was of the infield variety and plated Bogaerts while leaving runners on first and third with none out and the 3-4-5 hitters coming up. Francisco Liriano earned his keep, though, by striking out Cabrera, Dickers and Tomas to keep it tied.

NEW ENGLAND 1, CAROLINA 1

Richards didn’t hold the tie long, as Puig walked, sped to third on a double and scored on a groundout in the bottom of the third. The lead extended by one the following inning on an Altuve RBI single, as Jackson wheeled home just ahead of the throw.

CAROLINA 3, NEW ENGLAND 1

In the bottom of the sixth, Jackson doubled to left. Three batters later Puig grounded a single to left and Jackson was sent home again. This time, Cespedes’ cannon got it there in time and Wieters applied the tag for the out.

New England was still struggling at the plate until the eighth, when Tomas walked and moved to third on a Desmond single. Desmond stole his way into scoring position as the potential tying run before Castillo lined a sacrifice “fly” to center field to plate Tomas. That out didn’t moved Desmond up, but an ensuing fly ball did the job and made it easy for Bogaerts to tie the game on a single!

Lance McCullers Jr. was put on the mound and tasked with recording the final out to get the Wildcat batters to the plate. Pedroia, however, had other ideas—lining a triple down the right field line to score Bogaerts and take the lead!

NEW ENGLAND 4, CAROLINA 3

Yet ANOTHER spirited New England comeback left the home crowd crushed; just a small group of red-clad fans were partying.

This time around, the vaunted Yankee Stomper bullpen wouldn’t relinquish the lead. Papelbon was the choice for the bottom of the eighth, and he set down the Carolina hitters 1-2-3. The enigmatic righty went out for the ninth as well. He quickly disposed of Puig and Donaldson on strikeouts before a four-pitch walk to Nelson Cruz. Grandal was the last chance, but he grounded into a force at second and the Yankee Stompers celebrated.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 4, CAROLINA 3

An amazing, nail-biting series with multiple comebacks seemingly each game concluded with a New England 3-1 series victory. Carolina out-hit their opponents, .258 to .243, and featured three players, Jackson (.455, 3 runs), Altuve (.381, 3 runs, 2 RBI) and Jones (.353, 3 runs, 1 HR) who might have laid claim to MVP honors. Those went instead to the winning side’s Pedroia, who hit .381 and slugged .714 to drive in four and score three times. His performance was recognized by King, who was overheard saying, “Pedroia is killing me this series.”

It was a crushing end to another great season by the Wildcats, who won 98 games to outpace all but Cactus division champ Yuma. And with a talented roster their fans felt some comfort in looking forward to next season.

For New England, they would get a chance to claim their first BARB World Series title after losing in a close Game 7 in 2012. The biggest key for their championship hopes would be to get Cabrera on track, but Miggy had just hit .176 in the division series. 

YUMA-BROWNSVILLE GAME ONE: FIREBIRDS FIRE FIRST SHOT

Technically, the Cutters (91-71) scored first. But Yuma (111-51) quickly announced they weren’t cold after a five-day layoff and took a 1-0 series lead.

The pitching matchup for this division series opener in the desert was each team’s ace, Corey Kluber (14-9, 3.33) for the visitors and Chris Sale (19-3, 1.74) in the home whites. Not much offense was expected, as the hurlers ranked fourth and second in BARB, respectively, in strikeouts.

Sale, the league ERA champ, was the first to crack, though it was minor. In the top of the second, Brownsville third baseman Manny Machado took him deep for a solo shot. Sale struck out the other three batters in the inning.

His offense picked him up in the bottom half, with Buster Posey singling to lead off and Michael Brantley launched a two-run homer to right. The Firebirds kept swinging, dumping two more singles up the middle. A grounder to third got the out at the plate, but Joey Votto drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Andrew McCutchen, who drove a 1-1 Kluber offering DEEP to left…WAY BACK….CAUght.

YUMA 2, BROWNSVILLE 1

That score held until the ninth, although there were a few eyebrow-raising moments in between. For instance, in the bottom of the fourth, Sale grounded slowly to first with a runner on. The throw to second base was in time, but the lanky lefty beat out the return peg. On the very next pitch, with Kluber not bothering to glance over, Sale took a HUGE lead—and swiped second! The pitcher advanced another base on a single but was stranded at third.

The Cutters put up their best rally in the eighth when Carson Smith replaced Sale (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 8 K) and walked two batters. A ground out, strikeout and fly out sandwiched the free passes, however, and Smith was able to send the lead into the ninth.

He got there with an extra run of insurance, as Brantley lined a single to right center and stole second before a Steve Pearce seeing-eye single brought him around. Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for a two-inning save and 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

FINAL: YUMA 3, BROWNSVILLE 1

NEW ENGLAND-CAROLINA GAME ONE: INSTANT CLASSIC

Extra frames needed as one impressive bullpen fails to hold a lead, a theme that would be repeated in the divisional round

Fenway Park was abuzz with excitement. The Grapefruit Division champion New England Yankee Stompers (94-68) were in the playoffs for the first time in three years (after falling to the Pottsylvania Creepers in a seven-game World Series in 2012). Their opponent, the Cactus Division wild-card winning Carolina Wildcats (98-64) came in after a sweep of the wild card series but with extra wear-and-tear; they played their games while New England recuperated and rested heading into the division series.

New England ace Jon Lester (17-12, 2.90 in the regular season) got the call in his home park to face another lefty, Carolina’s Scott Kazmir (17-5, 3.31; didn’t appear in wild card series). They both started strong in the cold, northeastern fall weather; through five innings neither faced more than four batters in an inning more than once, and both of those were in the second. The top half of that frame became promising for Carolina when Yasmani Grandal drew a one-out, four-pitch walk and stole second base. The steal, after he beat out a double play ball to allow the only run to score in a wild card game, had observers wondering what had gotten into the beat-up catcher this late in the season to perk up his speed.

Grandal was stranded at second, however, as a line out and harmless grounder sent Kazmir back to the mound. The veteran lefty proceeded to get two quick outs before Ian Desmond stung an 0-1 pitch over Austin Jackson’s head in left field for a double. Rusney Castillo stepped up and bested the Carolina bats by cashing in for his Yankee Stompers, lining a first-pitch changeup to right-center for an RBI single.

NEW ENGLAND 1, CAROLINA 0

It would be the sixth inning before either side put a man past first base. Carolina finally got to Lester: Jackson led off with a single and raced around to score on a double by Brandon Crawford. The inning could have been bigger, but Crawford was gunned down attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. Adam Jones dumped a soft single to center on which Crawford may have been able to score had he remained at second. In any case, it was all tied up.

CAROLINA 1, NEW ENGLAND 1

The visitors kept the momentum from their tying run, shutting down New England in the bottom half despite a leadoff double and walk. The Yankee Stomper fans were ready to explode with Miguel Cabrera at the plate, two on and no one out, but he grounded into a twin killing (a foretelling of his performance the entire postseason, maybe?). The Wildcats kept pressure on and broke the tie in the seventh (Josh Donaldson just kept a solo shot fair inside Pesky’s Pole) before adding to the lead in the eighth (Crawford singled with runners on first and third; Jackson scored easily and Jose Altuve came across from first when Corey Dickerson, trying to throw him out at third, missed the target completely).

CAROLINA 4, NEW ENGLAND 1

With just six outs left for the hosts and Carolina’s imposing bullpen warming, some fans started to head for the exits. Those still in the park, however, were treated to a comeback by the home squad.

Joakim Soria was handed the ball in the bottom of the eighth, tasked with preserving the three-run advantage so Wade Davis could close it down in the ninth. James Loney pinch-hit for Xander Bogaerts and grounded the ball up the middle…off the glove of Altuve for a base hit. Crowd favorite Dustin Pedroia picked a good time to get into one—his shot barely cleared the Green Monster, and just like that it was a one-run game! Soria finally recorded an out—two to be exact, including a strikeout of Cabrera—but hung an 0-1 curve to Corey Dickerson. It was a no-doubter to straightaway center, and a tie ballgame headed to the ninth!

NEW ENGLAND 4, CAROLINA 4

Dellin Betances replaced Lester (8 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 8 K) to start the ninth. He set the Wildcats down, 1-2-3, but not without a scare: Eric Hosmer’s drive was caught at the fence. Soria remained in the game for the bottom half and recorded an out before issuing a walk, which brought on Davis. The former starter was slow in his first approach to the plate and Castillo stole second. Matt Wieters and Loney both met the same fate, wicked two-strike cutters, and the potential winning run was stranded on second base.

The escape by Davis seemed to energize Anthony King’s hitters. They put a man on in the 10^th and threatened in the 11^th, putting runners on first and second with one away, but Betances dug deep to keep the contest knotted at four.

It finally paid off for the tall righty and his teammates: Dickerson, leading off the bottom half of the 11^th, took the count full against Davis and saw a pitch he liked. The crack of the bat sent the tens of thousands in attendance to their feet, straining their eyes as Yasiel Puig treaded nearer and nearer the short fence in right field. Finally the Cuban phenom ran out of room! A walk-off solo homer, Dickerson’s second blast of the night! Longtime Fenway patrons became misty-eyed, recalling a similar scenario involving a man named Fisk, and the New England Yankee Stompers players mobbed Dickerson while Carolina could only shrug their shoulders and prepare for game two the next night.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 5, CAROLINA 4 (11)

(Andy Cross, The Denver Post)