THE MARK ELLIS SHOW

Ellis shows his home run form.

October 2: Mark Ellis, nearly signed by Yuma during free agency, crushes his near-employer to pull his current team within one victory of the World Series.

In the 2013 free agency period, a few teams had second baseman Mark Ellis on their wish lists. The veteran decided to return to the Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels, with whom he was an important role player on their 2011 championship team.

Despite having to split time with talented youngster Jason Kipnis, Ellis made his decision and helped the Flying Squirrels to the wild card with a .335 average and 42 runs in 215 at bats. He also helped Frostbite extend its lead to 2-0 in their first-round playoff series with the Yuma Firebirds with an RBI single and a crushing three-run homer to back up Cole Hamels’ 8.1-inning, 3-run, 10-strikeout performance in the 6-4 victory.

Neither team scored in the first despite putting runners in scoring position. The host Firebirds had runners on first and third with just one out, but Andrew McCutchen grounded sharply to Ellis to start an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Jose Reyes drew a four-pitch walk to begin the second and stole second base with Drew Stubbs at the plate. Stubbs then hit a squibber down the third-base line and beat out Ryan Zimmerman’s throw. Ellis stepped up and worked the count to 2-2 before lining a single just past a diving Andrelton Simmons to allow Reyes to walk home. Kendrys Morales           was next, and he pulled a one-hopper inside the third-base bag for two bases and another RBI as Stubbs scored. Chris Sale didn’t rebound immediately, issuing a walk to Austin Jackson, but he struck out Mike Trout and induced his own double play grounder, this off the bat of Evan Longoria, to limit the damage.

The Frostbite half of the third inning started as inconspicuously as possible, as four Sale pitches produced a strikeout and fly out. Reyes, behind in the count, 1-2, got enough of the bat on the ball to flip it into center for a base hit. Stubbs, went the other way to reach with his second hit and move Reyes to third for Ellis. Sale showed his youth and Ellis read the frustration and expected a fastball down the middle. Sure enough, the lefty slung it at 96, but Ellis’ bat was waiting. Left fielder Nick Swisher chased to the wall, thinking that an old second baseman surely couldn’t put that much of a charge into a pitch, but he had no chance as the ball cleared the home bullpen in a hurry! Just like that, Frostbite Falls had quieted the Yuma crowd with a 5-0 lead!

The Firebirds, though, still had seven times at bat remaining. They nearly got on the board in the fourth inning when Joey Votto doubled to lead off. One out later, McCutchen lined a single to center. The Yuma third base coach waved his arms for Votto, but Austin Jackson’s throw was on the money and waiting for the lumbering first baseman at the plate.

It ended up being just a matter of time before Yuma scrapped their goose eggs. Hamels would and threw the first pitch to Nick Swisher in the home half of the fifth, and in just a few seconds the ball was in the bleachers and the fans were on their feet. Later in the inning, Nick Markakis and Votto notched back-to-back doubles to pull their team within three at 5-2.

Frostbite centerfielder Jackson provided more excitement in his next trip to the plate. With one out and the bases empty in the top of the sixth, Jackson laced a drive over his counterpart, McCutchen. As the outfielders chased the ball to the wall, Jackson blazed around the bases. He rounded third and got the signal to try for home, where he dove in easily ahead of the throw for an inside-the-park home run (believed to be the first in BARB playoff history)! Yuma was running out of outs and now trailing 6-2.

Hamels pitched into the ninth before walking Ben Zobrist with one out (at 130 pitches), prompting Manager Mike Noakes to send in long man Carlos Villanueva. Yuma sent up a pinch-hitter, Jurickson Profar, and he greeted the righty with a blast down the left field line. The shot, Villanueva’s sixth pitch of the playoffs, brought the home squad within two, but Swisher and Ryan Zimmerman both flailed on two-strike pitches to end the ballgame.

In a series most prognosticators expected to go five games (or a Yuma four-game victory), the home field advantage had flopped in the direction of the Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels. They were heading home to northern Minnesota for two games, but they only needed one to advance to the BARB World Series.

FINAL: FROSBITE FALLS 6, YUMA 4