[Archelirion]

2017 ALL NEW YORK SERIES - GAMES ONE AND TWO

GAME ONE

QUEENS DIAMONDS @ ROCHESTER UNION
Attendance: 31441 – Irondequoit Grounds – partly cloudy (57 degrees) – wind blowing from right at 11mph

First innings: With two men out, 3B Justin Stenke rocketed a hit out onto the backwall, going over Rochester LF Robert Navarrete’s head, and was able to get to second fairly comfortably. 1B Edward Sanchez however was unable to get the ball over CF Mike Veno, who lunged well and put Queens out. Shortly afterwards, RF Curtis Walden put Rochester ahead with a well-struck RBI-double, as Navarrete cruised home. First innings done, 1-0 Rochester.

Third innings: Jaylen Pierce tied things up for Queens, as his RBI-single allowed C Andy Gudmundson to career around to the plate all the way from second. However, C Raymond Acret put the Union up once more with a tremendous RBI-double, getting Navarrete across the plate from second and Keith Schmeling who managed to get home all the way from third! Queens temporarily regain equal ground, but Acret’s slug makes it 3-1 Rochester.

Fourth innings: SS Mickey Jones’ single was enough to get DH Manny Cortez around to home from second, but Jones and LF Jonathan Parker were unable to get around, with Cisneros claiming another 2 strikeouts from Steve Bowles and Andy Gudmundson. A nothing innings for Rochester, means Queens advance, but Rochester still lead 3-2.

Fifth innings: Queens 2B Colt Caudle narrowly missed out on a home run in centre field, his carried slug narrowly going the wrong side of the wall. Nevertheless, he was able to advance to third, completing his run and tying the scores up with Stenke’s flyball being caught immediately afterwards. The Diamonds then pull off an absolutely bonkers TRIPLE PLAY from Keith Schmeling’s effort – Edward Sanchez made a sensational catch to out Schmeling, throwing it to second to out Marquez and then catching Navarrete out between first and second. A great display from Caudle and a defensive masterclass tie the scoreline, 3-3.

Sixth innings: Rochester 3B Jim Routh, who has barely managed 0.100 all post-season, grounds into double play to keep the scores deadlocked, 3-3.

Seventh innings: After another quiet innings from Queens, Rochester DH Jim Todor hits a clean single into the centre, and is immediately replaced by the pinch-runner Erik Pederson. After two outs, 2B Jose Marquez is then walked by Luis Herrera, but the two are unable to make it round, as Navarrete’s infield hit is easily gotten to first. Still 3-3.

Ninth innings: With both teams desperate to break the tie, Queens get off to a bad start, with both Jonathan Parker and Mickey Jones being called out. Finally, Union closer Chris Erickson gives up a walk, but a 74mph changeup finishes of PH Daniel Prickett. Outstandingly(!), Routh actually hits a single for Rochester early into the bottom ninth, but after Krausz notches up a GDIP the innings is over. We’re into extra innings, 3-3!!

Tenth innings: Colt Caudle immediately gives the home team something to think about, as his crack driven down the left line is enough to put him on second, very early into the 10th. With Pierce getting struck out and Stenke and Sanchez eliciting catches from both sides of the outfield, it was once more down to Rochester to take the game. CF Mike Veno immediately set to becoming out, his flimsy infield hit no match for pitcher Roberto Sanchez… who damaged his elbow in the process. Replaced by Panamanian Cesar Carpio, the game continued, at which point Jose Marquez glided into second with a beautiful hit to centre. Navarrete’s frustrating day on bat continued, collecting a simple out, but then… DH Keith Schmeling turned out, thumping a 351ft home run out left and winning the game! 5-3 overall Rochester – the Union therefore take a 1-0 lead in the All New York Series against the Queens Diamonds.

MVP: Mario Cisneros (Rochester Union) – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K




GAME TWO

QUEENS DIAMONDS @ ROCHESTER UNION
Rochester lead the series 1-0

Attendance: 31503 – Irondequoit Grounds – cloudy (53 degrees) – wind blowing in from right at 11mph

First innings: After Queens fail to launch, Diamonds starter Ruben Duarte launches a teasing 69mph ball at 2B Jose Marquez… who promptly smashes it out right for a triple. First ball. Navarrete is then well out (3 whole steps out), but Marquez easily gets home. Later, with Keith Schmeling and RF Curtis Walden already on two and three, Aussie catcher Raymond Acret flogs a two-RBI single onto the right hand side again. With Routh batting next that effectively becomes ‘it’, but Queens stumble out the starting blocks – Rochester lead 3-0.

Seventh innings: A miraculous 5 whole innings pass with little going on, before Justin Stenke capitalises on Edward Sanchez’s double to make it over the plate, all the way from first – finally getting Queens on the scoreboard. Queens cut into Rochester’s lead slightly, but the Union still lead 3-1.

Eighth innings: Steve Bowles hits a lovely little single into the centre, but nothing comes of it – but hey, in a game this uneventful a highlight is a highlight. Incredibly, Routh then does the same, increasing his average to a whopping 0.115 in the playoffs! Allen Krausz does manage to get another single in, but ditto scoring. Rochester still lead, 3-1 going into the ninth.

Ninth innings: Opening the ninth with a Colt Caudle strikeout, courtesy of Bobby Miller, RF Jaylen Pierce is advanced to first by virtue of a ball four (also courtesy of Miller). Justin Stenke’s foul ball is caught for out #2, but Sanchez then gets another ball four, putting himself on first and Pierce on second. DH Manny Cortez THEN hits a single, meaning the bases are loaded, 3-1 down, 2 outs, top of the ninth. Then, LF Jonathan Parker does the nasty. A 3-man RBI triple blockbuster follows, catapulting Queens into the lead, 4-3.

Rochester suddenly find themselves with it all to do. Robert Navarrete’s hit is good, earning him a single off of Cesar Carpio’s 92-mph fastball. Schmeling is then struck out swinging, before Carpio pitches a ball four, pushing Navarrete to second and Curtis Walden to first. Then, Raymond Acret strikes once more! His RBI single is more than enough for Erik Pederson (pinch running for Navarrete) to get to the plate. Routh and Todor are then dealt with easily, meaning the game, for the second day running, is taken to a tenth inning - 4 a piece!

Tenth innings: CF Steve Bowles, in a moment almost insultingly like the first pitch of the game hit by Marquez, deals with Luis Garcia’s 70-mph PITCH by slamming a triple out onto the right hand side. PH Daniel Prickett’s effort was well-caught on the left, but was far enough out for Bowles to run home, giving the Diamonds a slender lead once more. With Pierce and Stenke then on base, Edward Sanchez hit a lovely RBI single to get Pierce over the plate, making it 6-4! To make matters worse for Rochester, Mike Veno, filling in for the star Israel Mejia on the DtD, had to be subbed for Phil Green after clutching his shoulder (a 5 week stay with a rotator cuff injury followed). Rochester’s turn to bat, and to his credit, Phil Green hit a stunning double up the centre-left on his first try, but with Marquez being caught out and Krausz having already batted, they needed a miracle… which came in the form of LF Matt Gibbons, who delivered a stonking 431ft, two-man home run to tie things up once more. 6-6, the game requires an 11th inning!

Eleventh innings: Doug Foley’s playoff debut for Rochester started badly, his first two recipients (Parker and Jones) claiming a single and a walk respectively. And then… it got worse. A 75-mph changeup wasn’t disguised well enough, and CF Steve Bowles ripped a 3-man home run, 379 feet out towards the left stands. 9-6 was too much for Rochester to come back from, meaning at 9-6, the Queens Diamonds equalise the All New York Series, 1-1!

MVP: Steve Bowles (Queens Diamonds) - 3 for 6, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R