Men - Bobcats - Epic

This one will go down as the greatest computer baseball series my computer has ever processed.

Game 1
The Bobcats came out with focus and determination.  Manager Andy Willnus proclaimed 2016 the year of the Bobcat and that was made clear on the field in Boston.  Minnesota's Felix Hernandez was not even warmed up when Boston put three quick runs on the board.  Home runs by Betts, Ortiz and Gutierez powered the 'Cats to a 7-1 victory.  Dallas Keuchel looked strong giving up one run over 7 and 1/3 innings.

Game 2
It was a masterful pitcher's duel between H. Santiago of the Men and C. Wilson of the Bobcats.  The two starters combing to throw 14 innings, yielding just four hits and one run between the two of them.  Boston's E. Escobar blasted solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to account for the only run of the game going into the ninth inning.  With R. Madson on the mound in the top of the ninth and down by a run, it looked like we were going back to Minne with Boston up 2-0.....but......Madson melted down.  One manufactured run in the 9th, five more runs to start the 10th and we are going back to the Mennen Dome tied at 1-1.

Game 3
One game playoff hero Jake Odorizzi gets the call for Minnesota, but no magic this time.  It was Phil Hughes who had the right stuff.  He went 6 2/3 giving up just four hits and one run.  Givens, Stroman and Madson close out the game yielding just a couple of hits.  Boston closes the door and the Men fans go home deflated - 3-1 victory for Boston.

Game 4
This is where the series turned into something special.  Felix Hernandez continued his first inning blues by giving up another three runs to start this game.  Three hits and three runs to start the game, but Boston ended the game with only five hits.  This one was going to have some twists and turns.  M. Mahtook took his hero turn, tying the game on a three run HR in the bottom of the third.  Keuchel and Hernandez were masterful the rest of the way.  Fast forward to the top of the ninth...with two outs L. Cain blasts a double into the gap.  F. Gutierrez is trying to leg it out from first to home (1-13).  Play at the plate......McCann blocks the plate and tags out Gutierrez (13).  The Mennen Dome is in a frenzy.  Now on to the bottom of the ninth - two outs.  Abreu on first, M. Cabrera at the plate.  Boom - double in the gap.  Abreu is coming around third (deja vu, 1-13).  Play at the plate..........SAFE!!!  Men win!  Series tied 2-2.

Game 5
13,000 strong gathered at the dome for this pivotal game (wait, what?).  Manager Mallon wasn't aware that pitcher H. Santiago ate some bad squid the night before and spent his day praying to the porcelain God.  Ervin Santana, who spent a long night at a local casino, got the surprise start for Minnesota. Santana, while hungover, was strong over five innings.  Josh Donaldson blasted two HR's in this game.  Men relievers Sipp, Hendriks, Wilson and W. Davis combined for four innings, giving up zero hits.  Men win 5-2 and are now up 3-2 in the series.

Game 6
H. Santiago vs. C. Wilson for this one.  Men come out of the gate and put together a flurry of hits to take a 1-0 lead in the first.  Men go up 2-0 in the eighth when M. Cabrera blasts a double, driving in J. Donaldson.  Boston is down to six outs to go in the season and face the daunting task of W. Davis on the hill.  Somehow, they manage to claw a run out that inning to bring us to a 2-1 game.  Still 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, Tony Sipp trots out for the Men.  D. Ortiz is able to force a walk with one out.  E. Escobar gets out, so now it is down to two outs.  Manager Willnus, showing why he's manager of the year...every year decides to pinch hit for B. Holt with T. Shaw.  One pitch away from the World Series, Sipp rares back and pitches to Shaw.......Crack!  Two-run walk-off moonshot.  Boston wins 3-2 and we are going to game 7.

Game 7
Before we get to this game, let me note the toll taken on the teams injury wise.  Melky Cabrera was hurt in game 5; Franklin Gutierrez, D. Gregorius and Torii Hunter all went down in game 6.  Now in game 7 Victor Martinez goes down in the first inning, Gutierrez re-aggravates the groin in the fourth inning.  Toughest injury of all, Men all world pitcher F. Hernandez is drilled by a line shot in the 2nd inning.  The Men will try to win game #7 using a bullpen session.  The Men came out with their bats on fire in this one.  Four runs in the first three innings, they were feeling good about themselves.  David Ortiz continued to power Boston with his never say die attitude - blasting a HR in the bottom of the ninth.  The Men extended their lead to 6-1 with some clutch hitting, bunting and base running.  One to the bottom of the ninth.  Two quick walks were granted by C. Allen.  The beantown fans are going nuts, they haven't given up!  In the end, they did not have enough.  C. Allen calmed down and handled Boston.  The series is over!  Men are going to Maine to defend their title after a draining fortnight with the Bobcats.