The Toronto Thunder swept the Zombie Dust Division winner Michigan Mammoth in a tight fought series. Low scores were the norm for this matchup of solid pitching staffs.
Game 1: Toronto was at Michigan in game one with Chris Archer going against Cy Young winner Chris Sale. The Thunder got off to a quick start as Brett Gardner singled and after two outs, Nelson Cruz, the longtime Thunder veteran, knocked a fastball out of the park for a quick two run lead. Sale shut the Michigan squad down in the first and Justin Smoak knocked in Matt Kepler to take a 3-0 lead. Sale continued to dominate the feisty Mammoth lineup as the Thunder to up 3 more runs, one in the 4th and two in the 6th. Michigan finally knocked Sale around in the 6th as they scored 3 runs off a two run single by Lindor and a double by Travis. Sale finished up the 7th and both bullpens dominated the rest of the game. Final score Toronto 6 – Michigan 3. Cruz and Smoak both 2 for 4 and a home run each. Kiermaier 2 for 4 with a run scored and Lindor with 2 RBIs. Sale with the win on 7 IP, 3 ER, 8Ks. Green with the save. Archer took the loss with 5 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 5Ks.
Game 2: Toronto fresh off the good start of Sale hoped to carry that same momentum with Brad Peacock heading to the mound. Michigan felt strong in tying up the series with Fulmer going. Toronto once again started strong as that pesky Brett Gardner singled to lead off the game and with one out, scored on a Cruz fielder’s choice. Cruz beat the throw to 1st keeping the inning alive and Max Kepler doubled him over to 3rd. Adrian Beltre then singled driving both runners home to take a 3-0 lead. Fulmer was never in serious trouble the rest of the way. Peacock went through the 1st inning without incident but could not do the same in the 2nd and the 3rd. Michigan loaded the bases in both innings but with some solid defense, Toronto managed to keep the Mammoth to a run, in each of those two innings. Peacock calmed down and was able to put in 2 more solid innings. Both clubs bullpens once again dominated and no runs were scored on either. Toronto escaped with a lucky win 3-2. Peacock got the win going 5 IP, 2 ER, 6BB, 3Ks. Green picked up his second save. Fulmer pitched a solid 6 2/3 with 3 ER, 5Ks. Smoak and Kevin Smith were both 2 for 4. Morrison was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and one RBI. Toronto led the series 2-0 heading to the Thunder Dome.
Game 3: With a two game series lead, Toronto turned to their often injured starter Garrett Richards. Just give us 3 innings if you can is what the asked of him. Michigan countered with wily veteran Cole Hamels. And sure enough after 3 innings neither team had had any success against the other. With Richards spent, the Thunder turned to their stellar bullpen to keep the game close. Leone was called upon and pitched the next three innings holding Michigan scoreless. The same could not be said for Hamels. He gave up a home run to Judge who finally broke through in the series and that would be all Toronto needed for a home win. With appearances of Betances, Parker, Manea, Scott and finally Green to shut down the Michigan squad, Toronto snagged the game 4-0. Winning pitcher Leone. Losing pitcher Hamels. Toronto up 3 games to none.
Game 4: Michigan knew it was in a tough spot with ace Chris Sale going for the Thunder and the game in the Dome. Michigan told Archer to keep it close and let the bullpen do its work. And yet again, Gardner doubled to start the game, Judge walked, Gonzalez doubled scoring Gardner, followed by a Cruz single to score Judge, for a quick 2-0 lead. However Archer got it under control and never gave up another run. Sale and the Thunder were confident and moved through the innings as well. As the 8th inning started the Thunder still clinged to that 2-0 lead but the Toronto manager had to make a choice. Either bring in the bullpen or throw the Ace back out there. He chose the bullpen, who had yet to give up any runs in the series, but it left many fans wondering if that was the best move. Kela came in and quickly got an out but then it all went wrong. Kela gave up a walk to Upton and managed to get the next out on a fielder’s choice. However that moved Upton over to 2nd. With two out and a man on 2nd, Toronto turned to their solid set up man Brad Parker. He was not solid this day however. He gave up a single to Lindor that scored Upton, and then Hosmer stepped up to the plate and hit the Mammoth’s first home run of the series. Michigan now had the 3-2 lead at the end of their inning. Toronto could not manage anything in the 8th and Michigan now had Andrew Miller in the game. Michigan went down to Hendricks in the top half of the ninth and that left it up to the Thunder bats to try and end the series. Jackson stepped up to the plate coming in to pitch-hit for Kepler. He was just as quickly struck out by the powerful Miller. Up stepped the Beltre to give it a go against the powerful lefty and he manage a double in the right field corner. Next was Smoak, who was having a rough day at the plate, but he managed a walk. The Toronto manager put in Zunino to bat for Smith but he struck out just like Jackson. That left it up to the Jorge Polanco. With Miller staring the young SS down, the pitch was thrown and Polanco knocked into to RF to bring in Beltre to tie the game. From there it was a battle of attrition with the relievers on both sides dueling. Finally in the bottom of the 12th after a Gardner strikeout, Judge got a single. The Michigan manager checked his bullpen but knew that his options were limited. He was on his seventh reliever and only had one more option on in the pen. He stayed fast with Joe Kelly a former member of the Thunder. That is all Toronto needed. Gonzalez moved Judge over and Cruz singled him home to clinch the series win 4-3 in 12 innings. Winning pitcher Leone with 3 IPs, 0 ER and 4 Ks. Losing pitcher was Joe Kelly, 1 IP 1 ER, 2 Ks. Gardner was 3 for 6 and Cruz had two RBIs. For Michigan Kiermaier was also 3 for 6 and Hosmer was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs.
MVP for the series was Sale with 14 IP and 15 Ks and only 3 ER. Toronto moves on the face the winner of the Boston-Pittsburgh series.
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