Boston sweeps Las Vegas for back-to-back titles
The Boston Bobcats took it to Las Vegas early and often in a decisive onslaught that left no doubt which team was best in the Friendship League this season. Lance Lynn faced off against Ohtani in game one. The Bobcats got a homerun from Salvador Perez in the 2nd inning. Michael Taylor added a solo shot in the 3rd to tie it. Both teams added a run in the 4th inning and Las Vegas got the lead back in the 5th with another run, chasing Lynn from the game. Ohtani left after 5 innings holding a 3-2 lead. The Fremonts bullpen couldn't hold as playoff MVP Jake Fraley ripped a 3-run shot in the 8th inning to put the game away after two had crossed already. Five runs in total for the Bobcats in the 8th of Chargois and Rasmussen. John King with the win as the Bobcat bullpen was outstanding in a 7-4 win.
Fremonts 001 110 001 4 9 2
Bobcats 010 100 05x 7 6 0
W-King
L-Chargois
HR- Taylor, Perez, Fraley
Game 2 in Boston was Nick Pivetta versus Aaron Civale. Ty France doubled in Starling Marte in the first for Boston. Leury Garcia homered in the 2nd for Las Vegas to tie it. Then it was all Brett Phillips. He hit a two-run homerun in the 4th, he then tripled, and homered again in the 8th inning when the Bobcats scored another 5 runs. It was an 8-1 blowout with Civale pitching six strong and giving way to the dynamite Bobcat pen. Drew Rasmussen was hammered for the second straight night allowing all 5 earned to Boston in that 8th inning.
Fremonts 010 000 000 1 7 0
Bobcats 100 200 05x 8 9 1
W-Civale
L-Pivetta
HR-Garcia, Perez (4th of post season), Phillips 2
Game 3 moved to Las Vegas. The Fremonts sent out James Taillon. Boston countered with Frankie Montas. Taillon was brilliant, pitching 7 innings with just two hits and one walk, while striking out six. Frankie was almost as good. Also pitching 7 innings with just 5 hits and 3 walks and 5 k's. A pitchers dual into the 8th inning at 0-0. The bullpens continued to play a huge role in this series as the Bobcats used the patented 8th inning again. This time it was Isiah Kiner-Falefa with a two-run single, driving in Phillips and Jemier Candelario to ice it off of P. Sewald. Frankie gets the win. Matt Barnes and Louis Head closed the door on any hope for the Fremonts.
Bobcats 000 000 020 2 4 0
Fremonts 000 000 000 0 5 0
W-Montas
L-Sewald
HR-none
The Bobcats went to close the door on Vegas with Tyler Glasnow taking on Zack Greinke. Boston wasted no time in the first inning by pushing a run across on a Franmil Reyes double. The bases were loaded with two outs and Manager Chuck Hugener went out to get Greinke to try and save the series. Sewald was able to reduce the damage to just the one run. Ohtani tied it in the 3rd with a solo shot. The Fremonts got a big hit from Robbie Grossman to give them the lead 2-1 in the 7th. Ryan Pressley on in relief to close it in the 9th. The Bobcats quickly loaded the bases and Nick Sandlin relieved Pressley. Marte appeared for a moment to end the series with a double 1-14 or flyout. It was a flyout but it was good enough to tie the game. Sandlin would blow it in the 10th anyway. Big hits from Jeimer Candelario and Billy Hamilton allowed the Bobcats to add 3 runs and pull away to a 5-2 win.
Bobcats 100 000 001 3 5 11 0
Fremonts 001 000 100 0 2 6 0
W- Glasnow
L-Sandlin
HR-Ohtani
Notables:
S. Marte stolen base leader in regular season was 6-6 in the series on steals. Including 4 of those in game 2.
Brett Phillips monster effort in game 2 was a 5 rbi performance with again the two homeruns and a triple. Brett has had some very important hits for the Bobcats over the last two seasons and his tie-breaking homerun and Kirk Gibson like capper in game 2 were no different.
The Bobcats bullpen was dynamic as usual. They held the Fremonts to just one run in 10 1/3 innings over the four games.
The 8th inning was doom for the Monts. They allowed 12 runs to cross the plate in the 8th inning over the first three games of the series. Finally, they stopped Boston in the 4th game 8th inning only to surrender the tying run and winning runs in the 9th and 10th in that game.
MVP- It was a tough decision but we had to give the nod to Tyler Glasnow. He might have deserved the Playoff MVP so we wanted to give him his due. He pitched another brilliant game in game 4. He did give up the homerun to Ohtani and a go ahead double to Robbie Grossman but he stayed strong and allowed the Bobcats to hang around and finally put the Monts away in the series.
Glasnow's Final line-- 9 IP 5 H 2 ER 1 BB 10 K and of course the W!
