LDS RECAPS, PART I

Orlando Renegades v. Portland Posse
NLDS
Game 1

In weather more conducive to ice hockey, with a game time temperature of 36 degrees, the Portland Posse opened the NLDS against the Orlando Renegades with an 8-3 victory. Portland sported the NL’s best regular season record at 101 and 64, while the Renegades (89-74) had to claw their way into the playoffs by beating the Baltimore Bayards in a one game playoff.

The Renegades opened the scoring in the top of the first, but the Posse retaliated in the bottom of the inning scoring four runs off Renegades starter Odalis Perez, making it a 4-1 ball game.

In the sixth, the Renegades tallied twice to draw within one run at 4-3. The Posse however, put the game away in the sixth scoring four times on Perez and starter turned reliever Woody Williams.

Posse pitching was shaky at times, giving up seven hits and five walks, but Schmidt, Mike Remlinger and Ramiro Mendoza combined for twelve strikeouts and induced two double plays to keep the Renegades in check.

Game 2

With the temperature nearly twice as warm as the night before, the Portland Posse brought their 1-0 series lead into game two of the NLDS with the Orlando Renegades. The Posse however, kept the Renegades on ice, defeating them 6-3 for a 2-0 series lead.

This time the Posse struck first, scoring three times in the bottom of the second off Renegades starter Tom Glavine. Derek Jeter lead off the Posse second with a double and came home on Jose Cruz’s RBI single. Jorge Posada followed up with a single of his own. After a Rondell White out, Corey Koskie cleared the bases with a triple, upping the Portland lead to 3-0.

The Renegades wasted no time in getting back into the game plating two runs twice in the top of the third off Posse starter Jaret Wright, to make it a 3-2 ballgame. Tony Batista led off the inning with a walk and moved up to second on Wilson Delgado’s single. Following a Jim Edmonds fly out, Manny Ramirez walked to load the bases. Gary Sheffield’s single drove in a run and left the bases jammed. Javy Lopez then drew a walk, scoring the second run of the inning and leaving Orlando set up for a big inning. However, Jeff Kent grounded into a rally killing 6-4-3 double play.

Portland stretched its lead in the fifth scoring two runs and sending Glavine to an early shower. Rey Sanchez led off the inning with a walk, but was wiped out on a fielder’s choice by Bobby Abreu. With one out Ryan Klesko drew the innings second walk, and Xavier Nady’s single brought home Abreu with the run. That was all for Glavine and the Renegades brought in Rudy Seanez to stop the bleeding. Jeter’s single however scored another Posse run. Seanez got out of the jam by inducing a double play.

The Renegades crept back into the game, scoring once in the top to the seventh to narrow the Posse’s lead to 5-3. A triple by Calvin Pickering and a sacrifice fly by Delgado brought home the run. The Posse responded however in the bottom of the inning adding an additional run for the 6-3 final. Back to back doubles by Abreu and Klesko accounted for the run.

Posse fortunes were assisted by four double plays and 10 Renegade strikeouts.


Cleveland Bulldogs v. LA Xtreme
ALDS
Game 1

The rattle felt in Los Angeles last night was not from an earthquake but rather the shock of the Xtreme faithful after their team fell 6-5 in ten innings to wildcard qualifier the Cleveland Bulldogs. The Xtreme breezed through the NABL regular season with the best record at 102 and 60. The Bulldogs meantime fought to an 89-73 record and the wild card berth by one game.

The Bulldogs jumped on Xtreme starter Josh Beckett in the first inning for three runs. After the first, Beckett pitched well, giving up only one more run before leaving after eight innings with a 5-4 lead.

LA started its comeback in the bottom of the third putting up a single run, making it a 3-1 game. The Bulldogs lengthened their lead in the seventh with a single run to make it a 4-1 game. The Xtreme erupted in the bottom of the inning though scoring four times and taking the lead 5-4.

With the one run lead and Xtreme reliever Eric Gagne entering the game to pitch the ninth, Xtreme fans felt comfortable. Cleveland however knotted the score in the ninth.

The Xtreme could not break through in their half of the frame and the game went to extra innings. With Gagne still pitching the Bulldogs pushed across a run and held on for the extra inning win.


Game 2

Demonstrating that their game one victory was not a fluke the Cleveland Bulldogs made it two in a row with a 4-2 victory over the heavily favored LA Xtreme. Cleveland starter Jaret Weaver went the distance in beating Xtreme starter Tim Hudson.

As with the night before, the Bulldogs started the scoring in the top of the first with a single run. Cleveland added two more runs in the fifth to up their lead to 3-0.

LA finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh picking up a single run on a Carlos Beltran solo shot, which made it a 3-1 game.

In the ninth Cleveland added another run, increasing their lead to 4-1. LA managed a run in the bottom of the ninth, making the 4-2 final.


New York Knights v. Denver Bears
ALDS
Game 1

Perennial NABL power the New York Knights traveled to playoff newcomer the Denver Bears for game one of the ALDS. New York came away victorious 6-4.
The Knights started Freddy Garcia against the Bears Randy Johnson. The Knights pushed across a run in the first, but the Bears quickly responded with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. The Bears expanded their lead with single runs in the second and the third for a 4-1 lead. In the top of the fourth however, the Knights unloaded on Johnson, tallying four times and taking the lead for good at 5-4. New York added a single run in the sixth to close out the scoring. After his rocky start, Garcia managed to work into the eighth inning before Jason Isringhausen came on for the save.


Game 2

Game two of the series between New York and Denver was far different than Game one, with runs at a premium. Behind a three hit, nine strike out performance by Bears starter, Curt Schilling, Denver pulled out a 2-1 victory in 10 innings to even up the series at one game a piece. Following five innings of shut out ball by Knights starter, Jon Lieber, the Bears struck first. Chipper Jones led off the sixth with a single and Ivan Rodriquez’s double to the gap in right center allowed Jones to scamper home.

Meanwhile, Schilling had given up only one hit through seven, when with one out in the eighth, Troy Glaus homered to left to tie up the game. New York had a chance to go ahead following Rafael Furcal’s two out triple, but Tony Womack grounded out to end the threat.
With neither team able to mount a challenge in the ninth, the game went to extra innings. Facing Knights’ reliever Justin Duchscherer, Scott Rollen led off the inning with a double. Following a strike out by Jones and an intentional walk to Rodriguez, Moises Alou lined a double to left to end the game.