Embro Suns (87-69) vs.
Stratford Barons (87-68)
Season Matchup: 8-8
Embro: Runs scored – 818 (1st); runs allowed – 732 (5th)
Stratford: Runs scored – 802 (2nd); runs allowed – 633 (2nd)
The Embro Suns reach the post-season for the fifth time in their existence but are still looking for their first Pennant. In their previous four Pennant Series, they lost to the Brunswick Legends each time, by a combined 4-16 record. This year they face the Stratford Barons, who return to the playoffs after a two-year absence. The Barons won it all in their first appearance in 1940-41, but fell to the Brunswick Legends in the Pennant Series in 1943-44.
Now with those pesky Legends out of the equation, will this be the year the Suns finally shine? Or will the Barons power their way to their second pennant? The two teams finished remarkably close, with the Barons winning the tie-breaker and capturing first place by the slimmest of margins.
The only key injury to affect the series is to Stratford’s 30-year old RF Steven Winstanley (.304/.388/.471, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 1.9 WAR), who suffered a broken elbow bone back on December 1. He is unavailable for the playoffs. 27-year old Dan Hunter (.244/.330/.322, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 0.7 WAR) has taken his place in the lineup.
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Game 1
The Series opens up at Stratford’s Bosworth Field, with 26,154 fired up to lead on their Barons. The weather is perfect for baseball; it is warm with partly cloudy skies.
LHP Ryan Borden (22-12, 3.67 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) starts for Stratford, while RHP Jim Hogue (14-13, 4.32 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) takes the hill for Embro.
Top of the 1st:
The Suns don’t waste any time getting on the board, as Yoshino Ito leads off with a single. He is followed by Charles Usherwood, who takes Borden’s 0-1 pitch and deposits it 436 ft. beyond left-centerfield for the game’s first two runs.
With two out, Scott Weller doubles and comes in to score on an error.
Embro 3 – Stratford 0
Bottom of the 2nd:
Stratford gets on the board thanks to back-to-back doubles by Maurice Keyworth and Bart Wallwin with two out.
Embro 3 – Stratford 1
Top of the 4th:
Charles Usherwood does some damage again when he doubles home Jim Hogue with two out.
Embro 4 – Stratford 1
Top of the 6th:
José Sánchez leads off with a single and reaches 3B on a sac bunt and a groundout. He adds to Embro’s lead when he scores on a passed ball.
Embro 5 – Stratford 1
Top of the 8th:
Embro loads the bases with two out. Gary Watkinson comes through with a single, scoring two more runs, ending Ryan Borden’s day.
Embro 7 – Stratford 1
Top of the 9th:
Terence Durney singles with one out and reaches 3B on a steal of 2B and a U3 groundout. José Sánchez follows with a single scoring Durney.
Embro 8 – Stratford 1
Bottom of the 9th:
Aaron Skidmore and Ricardo Castellanos lead off with back-to-back singles. After Skidmore reaches 3B on a 5-4-3 double-play, Bart Wallwin triples in Stratford’s second run. But Brad Mitchinson flies out to left-centerfield to end the game, as Embro draws first blood.
FINAL: Embro 8 – Stratford 2
Player of the Game: Charles Usherwood went 3-3, 1 HR, 1-2B, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB
José Sánchez went 3-5, 1 RBI, 2 R
Jim Hogue went 9.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (1-0, 2.00 ERA)
For Stratford:
Ryan Borden went 7.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR (0-1, 5.87 ERA)
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Game 2
After the Barons’ setback in Game 1, 25,853 return to see if their team can bounce back. The weather is a carbon copy of the day before: partly cloudy and warm.
Game 2 will see a matchup of Stratford’s No. 3 starter RHP Bill Blair (15-12, 3.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) and Embro’s ace RHP Oscar Burress (16-8, 2.80 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) who is making his first start after nearly a two and half month layoff due to elbow stiffness.
Bottom of the 1st:
The Barons give Burress a rude welcoming. Roberto Ríos leads off with a walk, steals second and then scores on an error. Stratford then hits three consecutive singles that score another run as well as loading the bases. Finally, Brad Mitchinson draws a walk that forces in the third run before Burress gets out of the inning.
Embro 0 – Stratford 3
Top of the 2nd:
Embro responds by putting two runners on base with two out. Yoshifumi Tamura doubles in the first run. Oscar Burress then follows with a single scoring two more tying up the game.
Embro 3 – Stratford 3
Bottom of the 3rd:
Ricardo Castellanos leads off with a first pitch triple and scores on a 5-3 ground out by Maurice Keyworth.
Embro 3 – Stratford 4
Bottom of the 5th:
Stratford breaks it open in the 5th. A single, a walk and a double scores a run with nobody out. After Brad Mitchinson is intentionally walked with two out, Bill Blair singles in two runs. That ends Oscar Burress’ day. He is relieved by Matt Miller, who walks the next two batters forcing in another run before the inning is over.
Embro 3 – Stratford 8
Bottom of the 6th:
Matt Miller picks up where he left off by walking the first two batters. After a fielder’s choice at 3B, Bart Wallwin singles in a run, adding to the Barons’ lead.
Embro 3 – Stratford 9
Bottom of the 7th:
Stratford loads the bases with one out. Ricardo Castellanos hits into a 4-6 fielder’s choice at 2B, driving in the game’s final run.
FINAL: Embro 3 – Stratford 10
Player of the Game: Ricardo Castellanos goes 3-4 with 1-2B, 1-3B, 2 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB
Aaron Skidmore went 1-2 with 1 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB
Bill Blair picks up his first career win, going 9.0 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
For Embro:
Oscar Burress had a rough outing, going just 4.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R 6 ER, 5 BB, 0 K (0-1, 11.57 ERA)
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Game 3
The Series switches to Embro’s Speaker Stadium with 26,604 in attendance. Embro lives up to its reputation for warmth and sunshine as clear skies greet the teams. LHP Ryan Borden gets his second start of the series, after starting Game 1. Embro responds with RHP Myung-gu Son (19-12, 3.18 ERA, 1.38 WHIP).
Top of the 1st:
Stratford picks up where they left off in Game 2. A single, a walk and a ground out puts runners on the 2B and 3B with two out. That sets up Ricardo Castellanos, who singles in both runs.
Stratford 2 – Embro 0
Bottom of the 1st:
Yoshino Ito leads off with a walk. He is followed by Charles Underwood, who smashes a two-run homer 375 ft. down the right field line to tie the game.
Stratford 2 – Embro 2
Top of the 4th:
The Barons draw two walks with two out. Dan Hunter then singles in a run as the Barons retake the lead.
Stratford 3 – Embro 2
Top of the 6th:
Stratford pulls away in the 6th. The Barons put two men on base with a lead-off double and a walk. Ryan Borden lays down a sac bunt, but the player at 3B is safe, loading the bases with nobody out. Although Roberto Ríos grounds into a double play, a Dan Hunter single and a Jake Walker triple score three runs. That ends Myung-gu Son’s day.
Stratford 6 – Embro 2
Bottom of the 6th:
Elliot Tugby leads off with a first-pitch triple and scores on a wild pitch.
Stratford 6 – Embro 3
Top of the 8th:
Stratford pours it on with walks and singles. Jamie Boatwright leads off with a 4-pitch walk, reaches 2B on a groundout and scores on Dan Hunter’s single. A walk to Jake Walker and a single by Aaron Skidmore scores another run. After Ricardo Castellanos draws a walk to load the bases, RHP Matt Miller comes in to relieve RHP Norberto Ortíz.
But the Barons score four more runs on two singles and a sac fly. Finally, Jamie Boatwright, who led off the inning, grounds into a fielder’s choice at 2B to end the inning.
Stratford 12 – Embro 3
Top of the 9th:
A leadoff single by Roberto Ríos is followed by three walks, adding another run to the Barons’ lead.
In the bottom of the 9th, Yoshino Ito singles on the first pitch. But Embro goes down 1-2-3 after that, putting Stratford up 2 games to 1.
FINAL: Stratford 13 – Embro 3
Player of the Game: Dan Hunter went 4-5 with 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB
Ricardo Castellanos goes 1-3 with 3 RBI, 1 R, 3 BB
Ryan Borden picks up his first win of the playoffs, going 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K 1 HR (1-1, 4.91 ERA)
For Embro:
Myung-gu Son only goes 5.2 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (0-1, 9.53 ERA)
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Game 4
Beautiful, clear skies set the stage for Game 4, as do 26,797 Embro fans desperate for the Suns get back in the Series. But they will be facing Barons’ ace LHP Joel Fearn (23-10, 2.60 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) who gets his first start of the series, after winning the Tie-breaker game between these same two teams a few days earlier. RHP Oscar Burress gets his second start for Embro.
Top of the 1st:
Roberto Ríos leads off with a single and reached 2B on a ground out. Jake Walker singles in Ríos as the Barons strike first.
Stratford 1 – Embro 0
Top of the 2nd:
Ricardo Castellanos and Maurice Keyworth lead off with back-to-back singles. Castellanos reaches 3B on a double play and then scores on a passed ball.
Stratford 2 – Embro 0
Top of the 6th:
A walk and back-to-back singles score a run with one out. Maurice Keyworth follows with a sac fly, scoring another run to double Stratford’s lead.
Stratford 4 – Embro 0
Bottom of the 6th:
Oscar Burress singles and Yoshino Ito doubles to put runners on 2B and 3B with one out. After Charles Usherwood flies out, Gary Watkinson comes through with a single, scoring two runs putting Embro on the board.
Stratford 4 – Embro 2
Top of the 7th:
Oscar Burress gets two quick outs, but a walk, a single and a double score two more Stratford runs before the inning is over.
Stratford 6 – Embro 2
Bottom of the 8th:
PH Lyndon Duggleby slams a first-pitch home run to left field with one out.
In the bottom of the 9th, Jim Friend doubles with one out. But a Scott Weller pop fly and a Terence Durney strike out ends the game, putting Stratford up 3 games to 1.
FINAL: Stratford 6 – Embro 3
Player of the Game: Joel Fearn pitches a solid game, going 9.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
Jake Walker goes 2-2 with 1-2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB
For Embro:
Oscar Burress gets roughed again in this second outing, going 8.0 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 0 K (0-2, 8.53 ERA)
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Game 5
The heat descends onto Speaker Stadium, as temperatures soar above 80F under a cloudless sky. The Embro Suns were feeling the heat in more ways than one, as the Barons were one win away from advancing to the United Cup. 26,588 fans attended, seeing whether the Suns could hold off elimination or completely wilt under the pressure.
RHP Bill Blair gets his second start in the Series for Stratford, while RHP Jim Hogue looks to get his second win for Embro.
Top of the 1st:
Jim Hogue gets two quick outs, but has trouble getting the third. In between, he gives up a walk, a wild pitch, a single, a walk, a single and a single before the third out. All told, the Barons score 3 runs in the inning.
Stratford 3 – Embro 0
Bottom of the 1st:
Elliot Tugby singles with one out, and advances to 3B when Jim Friend reaches safely on an error. On the eighth pitch of his at-bat, Terence Durney hits an inside-the-park home run to deep centerfield, tying the game up.
Stratford 3 – Embro 3
Top of the 2nd:
Stratford retakes the lead when Roberto Ríos doubles with one out and scores on a 5-3 ground-out.
Stratford 4 – Embro 3
Bottom of the 2nd:
Embro evens things up again quickly when Scott Weller leads off with a 438 ft. solo home run to left-centerfield.
Stratford 4 – Embro 4
Top of the 3rd:
But the Barons are unrelenting. With one out, a Ricardo Castellanos single, a Maurice Keyworth triple and a Bart Wallwin single drives in two runs. With two out, Roberto Ríos hits this second double of the game, scoring Wallwin. That puts Stratford up by three once more.
Stratford 7 – Embro 4
Bottom of the 3rd:
José Sánchez slams a 424 ft. solo shot to right-centerfield with two out.
Stratford 7 – Embro 5
Top of the 6th:
Bill Blair and Roberto Ríos lead off with a single and double respectively. With one out, Jake Walker comes to the plate and smashes a double to score two runs. Aaron Skidmore follows with a single to score Walker, adding to the Barons' lead.
Stratford 10 – Embro 5
Top of the 8th:
Bart Wallwin reaches on an error with one out. With two out, PH Jamie Boatwright doubles in Wallwin.
Stratford 11 – Embro 5
Bottom of the 9th:
Down to their final three outs, the Suns try to make something happen. José Sánchez triples with one out and scores on a Scott Weller ground-out.
With two out, Embro loads the bases when Yoshifumi Tamura singles and both PH Charles Usherwood and Yoshino Ito draw walks. Elliot Tugby draws another walk to score Tamura. But Gary Watkinson hits a line drive straight to 2B Maurice Keyworth, ending the game and the Series.
FINAL: Stratford 11 – Embro 7
Player of the Game: Jake Walker went 2-4 with 2-2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
Roberto Ríos goes 3-5 with 3-2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB. Ríos ties the Eastern League playoff game record for doubles.
Aaron Skidmore went 3-5 with 1-2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
Bill Blair goes undefeated in the series, going 7.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3 HR (2-0, 2.81 ERA)
For Embro:
Jim Hogue only goes 3.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (1-1, 6.00 ERA)
Once again, Embro flames out in the playoffs. Their three big offensive players, namely Jim Friend, Gary Watkinson and Terence Durney, go .091, .091 and .190 respectively in the 5-game Series. Add the rough outings by Oscar Burress et al, and the Suns just did not have a chance.
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