Vegas takes Division Series 4-2

Las Vegas hosted game one of the 2021 Friendship League opening round playoffs against the Kansas City Butchers. Kansas City scored first via a fourth-inning two-run Yoan Moncada home run off Fremont starter Shohei Ohtani. Las Vegas countered in the fifth, when a Wander Franco error scored Marcus Semien from second. The Fremonts put runners in scoring position in the following two innings, but failed to score. Finally, in the seventh, Jose Ramirez crushed a Cole Sulser offering over the wall for a two-run homer driving Robbie Grossman and giving the ‘Mots a 3-2 lead, that they would not relinquish

Butchers........ 0 0 0  2 0 0  0 0 0  -  2  5  2
Fremonts....... 0 0 0  0 1 0  2 0 x   - 3 10  0

W – Chargois (1-0) L – Sulser (0-1) S – Rassmussen (1)
HR: Moncada (1st), Ramirez (1st)

Game two was also decided by the long ball. George Springer launched a grand slam in the sixth off Fremont reliever Paul Sewald. The Butcher bullpen held with Sulser, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Lou Cessa combining for 5 scoreless innings in relief.

Butchers........ 0 0 0  0 0 4  2 0 0  -  6  8  2
Fremonts....... 0 0 0  0 2 0  0 0 0  -  2  7  0

W – Sulser (1-1) L – Sewald (0-1) S – Cessa (1)
HR: Springer (1st), Franco (1st)

Game three brought the series to Kansas City. The Butchers dominated led by starter Lance McCullers who gave the home team seven innings of one-run ball. Eight singles and five walks were enough for the Kansas City offense to bring home six runs and take a 2-1 series lead.

Fremonts....... 0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 0  - 1  3  2
Butchers........ 0 0 0  3 1 0  2 0 x  - 6  8  0

W – McCullers (1-0) L- Taillon (0-1)
HR: none

Backs against the wall, the Fremonts sent veteran Zack Greinke to the mound. The ‘Monts offense staked Greinke to a 4-0 lead after three innings. Kansas City starter Cole Irvin lasted 2 2/3 inning giving up RBI hits to Trey Mancini, Jose Ramirez, and Marcus Semien. But the Las Vegas manager saw enough after Greinke barely escaped the bottom of the third, giving up three singles but only one run. Five men then came out of the bullpen to hold the Butchers to three runs over the final six innings.

Fremonts......  2 1 1  0 0 1  0 1 1  -  7 12  1
Butchers........ 0 0 1  0 0 1  0 0 2  -  4  8   0

W – Sewald (1-1) L-Irvin (0-1)
HR:- Grandal (1st), Semien (1st), Stanton (1st)

With the series knotted, game one starters Shohei Ohtani and Eduardo Rodriguez rematched in an all-important game five. After threatening in the first, the Butchers loaded the bases with no outs in the second. But the home team fell short as consecutive ground balls led to a run via a fielder’s choice but then ended the inning in a double play. The lost opportunity haunted Kansas City. The ‘Monts put up three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth before Rodriguez was set to showers along with the Butcher’s hopes of returning to Las Vegas with the series lead.

Fremonts....... 0 0 0  3 4 0  0 0 0  -  7  9  1
Butchers........ 0 1 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  1 11  1

W – Ohtani (0-1) L – Rodriguez (0-1)
HR: none

The series moved to Las Vegas where the home team held a 3-2 series lead. In the face of elimination, the Butchers sent Corey Kulber to the hill against Nick Pivetta in a game two rematch. Reminiscent of a great Vegas heavyweight fight, the teams traded blows in the early rounds, with the visitors out to a 4-2 lead after 4 ½. The Fremonts threw a series of haymakers in the bottom of the frame, from which, the Butchers would never recover. Las Vegas sent 11 men to the plate in the fifth scoring seven on seven hits, a walk, an error, and three stolen bases. When it was over, the ‘Monts had scored a season-high 19 runs en route to a 4-2 series victory.

Butchers........ 0 2 0  2 1 0  0 0 0  -  5  8  2
Fremonts......  1 1 0  7 0 3  1 6 x   - 19 21  0

W – Pivetta (1-0) L – Kluber (0-1)
HR: Springer(2nd), Stanton (2nd), Walsh(1st), Franco(2nd), Grandal(2nd), Ohtani(1st), Grossman(1st)

The Fremonts advance to the World Series for the second time in three years.

There were heroes everywhere in the series. Jared Walsh hit .364/.417/.591 for the Butchers. Ohtani put up a .444 OBP and a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. Semien  hit .320/.370/.640, turned 11 double plays and had key hits in the game one and game four victories. But it’s Jose Ramirez who takes home the MVP honors with .346/.414/.731 a homer, a triple, five doubles, and three steals.