Wolseley Unions (92-62) vs.
Fort Richmond Generals (89-65)
Season Matchup: 8-7 in favor of Wolseley
Wolseley: Runs scored – 781 (1st in West); runs against – 657 (4th)
Fort Richmond: Runs scored – 678 (3rd); runs against – 600 (2nd)
Since the 1947-48 season, the Western League has been dominated by two teams: the Wolseley Unions and the Fort Richmond Generals. The Generals won the first matchup 4 games to 1 back in 1947-48 to win their first Pennant (and United Cup) but its been all Wolseley ever since. Fort Richmond went up 3 game to none last season, but then the Unions ran the table to win their third Pennant before falling to the Downie Chiefs in the Cup Finals. Thus, the Generals are out to redeem themselves after their monumental collapse.
They may get some assistance on the injury front. While Fort Richmond enters the Series healthy, the Wolseley Unions are without their top two pitchers. 34-year old LHP
Anastasio Rodríguez (14-15, 3.14 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 126 ERA+) suffered a back injury in a game against the Hespeler Stars in mid-March, while 27-year old RHP
Jeremy Albury (13-9, 3.35 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 119 ERA+) suffered a torn labrum in a game against the Pulberry Trolleys back on January 29. They are lost for the duration of the playoffs.
45-year old Manager
John Mathis leads his Generals into the playoffs for the third straight year but has yet to win a Pennant himself. Meanwhile, the Unions enter the playoffs for the fifth straight year under 52-year old
Tony Fay, who has been with the club since Day 1. These clubs are certainly no strangers to each other and we should be in store for another great battle. Time for these heavyweights to play ball!
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Game 1 – March 27
Wolseley’s Satchel Paige Park is all set for Game 1. 30,415 vocal fans have packed the place to cheer on the home team. It’s partly cloudy (78F) with a slight breeze (11 mph) blowing out to right.
Wolseley’s 26-year old LHP
Axel MacKay (15-7, 3.48 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 117 ERA+) gets the honor of starting the first game while Fort Richmond goes with their No. 1 guy, 32-year old RHP
Roberto Taváres (21-10, 2.40 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 164 ERA+). MacKay is 2-2, 5.00 ERA in five playoff games. Taváres is 1-2, 4.13 ERA in the three playoff starts with Fort Richmond and the Sherburn Tigers.
Top of the 2nd:
Fort Richmond strikes first. CF Dylan Moyne hits a first-pitch single and SS Derek Reed follows with a walk with two out. 1B Brian Earle then singles Moyne to 3B, but CF Howard Ockey’s throw home sails over C Éric Denis’ head (E8), allowing Moyne to score.
Fort Richmond 1 - Wolseley 0
Bottom of the 8th:
Taváres holds the Unions scoreless until the 8th. SS George Kimpton leads off with a single but is thrown out at second base when 2B Make-Make Kamaka tries to lay down a sac bunt. But LF Carlton Hawking and 1B Carlos Ortíz follow with back-to-back singles. Kamaka reaches 3B and beats out the throw home from RF Brandon Robinson to tie up the game.
Neither team scores in the 9th, sending the game into extras.
Fort Richmond 1 - Wolseley 1
Top of the 11th:
RHP John Palm relieved MacKay to start the 10th inning and continues in the 11th. But LF Daniel Paterson leads off with a first-pitch single and advances to 2B when C Alohalani Illoura draws a walk. SS Ninfa Puzon singles into leftfield, but the ball hits LF Carlton Hawking’s chest and bounces away (E7), allowing Paterson to score and Puzon and Illoura to advance.
Derek Reed then singles into rightfield, scoring Illoura. Finally, Brian Earle flies out to deep rightfield, allowing Puzon to tag up and beat out the throw home.
In the bottom of the 11th, Taváres gives up a line drive single to RF Evan Houk with one out but gets PH Blair Toman and George Kimpton to each fly out to rightfield, ending the game. The Generals take Game 1.
FINAL: Fort Richmond 4 - Wolseley 1
Player of the Game: Roberto Taváres goes the distance to pick up the victory. In all, he went 11.0 IP, 15 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 130 PI (1-0, 0.82 ERA; Game Score: 64).
Dylan Moyne went 2 for 3, 1 R.
For Wolseley:
Axel MacKay was just as good, going 9.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 115 PI (0-0, 1.00 ERA; GS: 67).
John Palm took the loss: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 21 PI (0-1, 16.20 ERA).
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Game 2 – March 28
The Unions look to regroup after having dropped the opening game of the Series. It’s another hot day in Wolseley (79F) with clear, sunny skies greeting the players and 30,477 fans on hand. Just a slight breeze blows in from left (12 mph).
No. 1 starter by default, 31-year old RHP
Kai Tosh (16-8, 3.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 117 ERA+), will make his 13th career playoff start (3-8, 4.09 ERA) for the Unions, while 28-year old RHP
Ch’ang-chieh Li (15-11, 2.78 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 142 ERA+) makes his 5th playoff start (4-2, 2 SV, 2.80 ERA), all with Fort Richmond.
Bottom of the 3rd:
On this day, its all Wolseley. The Unions open the scoring in the 3rd, when Evan Houk triples into left-centerfield with one out, then scores when SP Kai Tosh singles him home in the next at-bat.
Fort Richmond 0 - Wolseley 1
Bottom of the 4th:
Carlton Hawking leads off with a single, then advances to 2B when Éric Denis singles into right-centerfield with one out. Next up is 1B Wen-huan Liu, who crushes Li’s first offering, sending it 419 ft. into the left-centerfield bleachers for a
3-run home run.
Fort Richmond 0 - Wolseley 4
Bottom of the 6th:
Éric Denis and Wen-huan Liu lead off with back-to-back walks. Howard Ockey lays down a sac bunt down the third base line and beats out the throw to 1B to load the bases.
Evan Houk follows and smacks a fly ball into leftfield. Denis tags up at 3B and beats out Daniel Paterson’s throw home for the Unions fifth run.
In the bottom of the 9th, Kai Tosh gets 3B Belarmino Barbedo, RF Brandon Robinson and SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida to all fly out to centerfield to end the game and pick up the complete game shutout. The Series is now tied at one apiece.
FINAL: Fort Richmond 0 - Wolseley 5
Player of the Game: Kai Tosh was absolutely brilliant. He went 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 97 PI (1-0, 0.00 ERA; GS: 83).
Wen-huan Liu went 1 for 2, with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB.
For Fort Richmond:
It was a tough day for Ch’ang-chieh Li, as he went 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 105 PI (0-1, 6.43 ERA; GS: 40).
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Game 3 – March 30
Fort Richmond plays host for the next three games, with 24,214 in attendance. The day is a scorcher: 84F with clear, sunny skies and only a soft breeze (12 mph) blowing in from right.
Fort Richmond goes with their No. 3 man: 30-year old LHP
Nicholas Grimes (17-13, 3.36 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 120 ERA+), who was acquired from the Braeland City Monarchs in late January. Grimes is winless in four playoff starts (0-2, 5.16 ERA, 1.35 WHIP). Wolseley’s No. 3 man, 32-year old RHP
Bill Blair (11-9, 4.12 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) will make his 10th career playoff start (5-2, 2.71 ERA, 1.25 WHIP).
Bottom of the 1st:
Fort Richmond gets on the board in the early going. The Generals load the bases when Belarmino Barbedo and Brandon Robinson lead off with back-to back singles and Nobuyoshi Yoshida draws a walk. Daniel Paterson then flies out to deep centerfield. Bardedo tags up on the play and scores easily, but SP Blair limits the damage to a single run.
Wolseley 0 – Fort Richmond 1
Bottom of the 2nd:
Brian Earle bunts down the third base line and beats out the throw to first to lead off. Derek Reeds then singles down the first base line putting runners on the corners. Nicholas Grimes puts the ball in play but 3B Carlos Ortíz’s throw to first base is in the dirt. Wen-huan Liu is unable to come up with it, allowing Grimes to reach safely and Earle to come home. Belarmino Barbedo battles Bill Blair for 13 pitches, including six consecutive foul balls before grounding out to 3B Carlos Ortíz. However, Reed scores, adding to the Generals’ lead.
Wolseley 0 – Fort Richmond 3
Top of the 3rd:
The Unions get to work in the 3rd. With two out, George Kimpton and Make-Make Kamaka hit back-to-back singles before Carlton Hawking doubles home Kimpton for Wolseley’s first run.
Wolseley 1 – Fort Richmond 3
Top of the 4th:
The Unions take the lead in the 4th. Éric Denis and Wen-huan Liu lead off with back-to-back singles. With one out, Evan Houk gets a hold of a 3-2 pitch from Grimes, sending it 335 ft. over the left-field wall for a
3-run home run.
Wolseley 4 – Fort Richmond 3
Bottom of the 4th:
Belarmino Barbedo leads off with a first-pitch single into centerfield. Brandon Robinson then hits the ball back to the pitcher, but Blair’s throw to second base is over Make-Make Kamaka’s head, allowing Barbedo to reach second base safely. Although Nobuyoshi Yoshida grounds into a 3-6-3 double play, Barbedo reaches third base, then scores to tie the game when Daniel Paterson singles into shallow leftfield.
Although both teams threaten in the ensuing innings, timely double plays snuff out the threats, sending the game into extra innings for the second time in the Series.
Wolseley 4 – Fort Richmond 4
Top of the 11th:
27-year old RHP José Rodríguez comes on in relief for Nicholas Grimes to start the 11th. But Éric Denis leads off with a first-pitch double and advances to 3B when Wen-huan Liu flies out to rightfield. After Howard Ockey is intentionally walked, Evan Houk singles into centerfield on the first pitch, scoring Denis for the go-ahead run. RHP John Palm lays down a sac bunt but SP Rodríguez picks it up and throws to 3B Belarmino Barbedo to throw out Ockey. Barbedo then throws to 1B Brian Earle to nail Palm to complete the twin killing and end the inning.
Wolseley 5 – Fort Richmond 4
Bottom of the 11th:
With one out, C Louis Wearne slams a 3-1 pitch 331 ft. into the rightfield bleachers for a
solo home run, tying up the game once again.
Wolseley 5 – Fort Richmond 5
Bottom of the 13th:
Daniel Paterson leads off with a single. RHP John Palm is then relieved by 33-year old RHP Hun Park. Louis Wearne then singles Paterson over to 2B, but Dylan Moyne hits into a 1-6 fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners. Next up is Brian Earle, who battles Park to a full count before connecting on a shallow single into rightfield. That scores Paterson for the walk-off win, giving the Generals a 2-1 lead in the Series.
FINAL: Wolseley 5 – Fort Richmond 6
Player of the Game: Nicholas Grimes’ first playoff win still eludes him, but he picked up game honors, going 10.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 157 PI. (0-0, 3.60 ERA; GS: 61).
RHP Nicky Sherlock picked up the win, going 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 11 PI (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Four players collected at least three hits in the game for Fort Richmond. Daniel Paterson went 4 for 6, 1 R, 2 RBI.
Belarmino Barbedo went 3 for 6 with 2 R, 1 RBI.
For Wolseley:
Bill Blair got tripped up by some unfortunate errors. He went 6.0 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR, 119 PI (0-0, 1.50 ERA; GS: 38).
John Palm took the loss, going 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 HR, 63 PI (0-2, 7.94 ERA).
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Game 4 – March 31
The Generals look to try and get a stranglehold on the Series after pulling out an extra-inning victory the day before. Things have cooled down just a bit: partly cloudy, 72F with the wind now blowing from center (12 mph). 24,284 fans pack the stadium waiting for the action to begin.
The two teams’ No. 4 starters square off. 25-year LHP
Gavin Flatt (9-12, 3.77 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 1.04 ERA+) makes his second career playoff start (0-1, 7.36 ERA). Wolseley calls upon their rookie pitcher: 27-year old RHP
Robert Kingsnorth (1-2, 4.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 90 ERA+). Kingsnorth won the AAA Walter Johnson Award last year (17-9, 2.50 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 146 ERA+).
Bottom of the 2nd:
Fort Richmond gets on the board first thanks to some Wolseley miscues. Dylan Moyne leads off with long fly ball to leftfield but Carlton Hawking juggles and drops the ball, allowing Moyne to reach first base safely (E7). With one out, Derek Reed then slaps the ball towards SS George Kimpton, but Kimpton throws it over the head of 2B Make-Make Kamaka (E6). Both Moyne and Reed are safe. After Gavin Flatt lays down a successful sac bunt to advance the runners 90 ft., Belarmino Barbedo singles home Moyne. Reed reaches third base then races for home. But LF Carlton Hawking cuts down Reed with a perfect throw to home plate to end the inning.
Wolseley 0 – Fort Richmond 1
Top of the 4th:
Gavin Flatt runs into control problems when he surrenders four consecutive walks with one out, forcing in a run. However, he is able to get out of the inning with no further damage.
Wolseley 1 – Fort Richmond 1
Top of the 5th:
Flatt runs into more trouble, loading the bases again. With one out, George Kimpton doubles into leftfield, while Make-Make Kamaka and Carlton Hawking draw back-to-back walks. Next up is Carlos Ortíz, who crushes Flatt’s 2-0 offering 393 ft. into the right-centerfield stands for a
GRAND SLAM home run.
Wolseley 5 – Fort Richmond 1
Bottom of the 8th:
C Louis Wearne gets a run back when he connects for his second home run of the Series, a
solo shot 411 ft. into the left-centerfield bleachers.
In the bottom of the 9th, Robert Kingsnorth gets the Generals to go down in order, striking out both Derek Reed and PH Ninfa Puzon before inducing a 6-3 groundout from Belarmino Bardedo to end the game and tie the series up at two games apiece.
FINAL: Wolseley 5 – Fort Richmond 2
Player of the Game: Robert Kingsnorth was impressive in first playoff appearance, going 9.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 142 PI (1-0, 1.00 ERA; GS: 69).
1B Carlos Ortíz got one hit but it was big. He went 1 for 3 with 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB.
For Fort Richmond:
Gavin Flatt struggled with his control again, killing himself with walks. He went 6.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 122 PI (0-1, 7.50 ERA; GS: 40).
C Louis Wearne went 2 for 4 with 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI.
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Game 5 – April 1
Generals Stadium plays host one more time with both teams battling back and forth. The weather won’t be a factor: partly cloudy skies (71F) and a moderate breeze blowing in from center (21 mph). 24,218 fans have come to see if Fort Richmond can take the upper hand in the Series.
The Game 1 starters face each other again. Fort Richmond’s 32-year old RHP
Roberto Taváres will square off against Wolseley’s 26-year old LHP
Axel MacKay, with Taváres having won the first matchup in extra innings.
Bottom of the 1st:
MacKay gets two quick outs before Nobuyoshi Yoshida bangs one out to SS George Kimpton. But Kimpton’s throws sails over the head of 1B Wen-huan Liu, allowing Yoshida to advance to 2B. Daniel Paterson then threads a single past 2B Make-Make Kamaka. Yoshida advances to 3B and guns it for home. CF Howard Ockey throws home, but Yoshida scores safely.
Wolseley 0 – Fort Richmond 1
Bottom of the 3rd:
MacKay again gets two quick outs to start the bottom half, but Brandon Robinson comes through with a single into left-centerfield. Up next is Nobuyoshi Yoshida, who doubles into deep centerfield. Robinson rounds 3B and easily scores the Generals’ second run.
Taváres looks to complete the shutout in the top of the 9th. Éric Denis leads off with a walk, but Wen-huan Liu follows and grounds into a 1-6-3 double play. Howard Ockey singles into the gap in right-centerfield, but Evan Houk then hits into a 5-4 fielder’s choice, ending the game and sending the Series back to Wolseley with the Generals up 3 games to 2.
FINAL: Wolseley 0 – Fort Richmond 2
Player of the Game: Roberto Taváres was even better than in Game 1, going 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 139 PI (2-0, 0.45 ERA; GS: 76).
For Wolseley:
Axel MacKay was effective once again, but just could not get the run support. His line was 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 101 PI (0-10, 1.06 ERA; GS: 67).
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Game 6 – April 3
The Series returns to Satchel Paige Park in Wolseley with 30,329 fans ready to cheer on their club. Fort Richmond needs just one more win to capture the Pennant and move on to the United Cup, but the Unions will be playing on home turf as they look to even things up. It’s partly cloudy (72F) with a breeze (19 mph) blowing out to left – perfect conditions for this critical game.
The starters of Game 2 face each again: Fort Richmond’s RHP
Ch’ang-chieh Li will try to bounce back from his previous performance, while RHP
Kai Tosh looks to pitch the Unions to victory.
Top of the 1st:
Fort Richmond gets on the board first, when Brandon Robinson, Nobuyoshi Yoshida and Daniel Paterson all bang out consecutive singles with one out driving in a run.
Fort Richmond 1 - Wolseley 0
Bottom of the 1st:
George Kimpton ties things up quickly when he crushes a one-out
solo home run, 447 ft. to dead centerfield.
Fort Richmond 1 - Wolseley 1
Top of the 2nd:
Dylan Moyne leads off with a first-pitch double, then advances to third base when Brian Earle hits a sac fly to deep centerfield. Derek Reed follows with a single into shallow rightfield, scoring Moyne.
Fort Richmond 2 - Wolseley 1
Top of the 4th:
Fort Richmond extends their lead when Louis Wearne leads off with a single. But he is thrown at second base when Brian Earle hits into a 6-4 fielder’s choice with one out. Back-to-back doubles by Derek Reed and Ch’ang-chieh Li however, cash in two runs before the inning is over.
Fort Richmond 4 - Wolseley 1
Bottom of the 4th:
Wolseley fights back when Carlton Hawking leads off with a first-pitch single and Carlos Ortíz follows with a double. Éric Denis flies out to centerfield, but Dylan Moyne’s throw home sails wide, allowing Hawking to score safely (E8).
Wen-huan Liu then singles into leftfield, scoring Ortíz and getting the Unions to within one.
Fort Richmond 4 - Wolseley 3
Bottom of the 9th:
Down to their last three outs, Wolseley’s Carlton Hawking and Carlos Ortíz lead off with back-to-back singles. With one out, Wen-huan Liu doubles home Hawking to tie up the game. Ortíz rounds third base and tries for home on the play, but 2B Derek Reed’s relay throw from RF Brandon Robinson is on the money and snuffs out the potential winning run at home plate. The Generals get out of the inning without any further damage, sending the game into extras.
Fort Richmond 4 - Wolseley 4
Bottom of the 10th:
Ch’ang-chieh Li runs out of gas, as he gives up a lead single to PH Blair Toman and back-to-back walks to Make-Make Kamaka and George Kimpton, loading the bases with nobody out. RHP José Rodríguez comes on in relief and gets Carlton Hawking to line out to 3B Loďc Billon. But Carlos Ortíz comes through with a first-pitch single into rightfield, driving in Toman for the winning run and forcing a deciding Game 7.
FINAL: Fort Richmond 4 - Wolseley 5
Player of the Game: It was neither pitchers’ best game, but
Kai Tosh gets the honors, going 8.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 97 PI (1-0, 2.12 ERA; GS: 46).
RHP Shou-xin Chin picked up the win, going 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 17 PI (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Carlos Ortíz went 3 for 5, with 1 R, 1 RBI.
For Fort Richmond:
Ch’ang-chieh Li went 9.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 120 PI (0-2, 5.63 ERA; GS: 47).
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Game 7 – April 4
For the second year in a row, the Wolseley Unions and Fort Richmond Generals have forced a Game 7. This year’s series has gone back and forth with no team able to win consecutive games. Despite the loss of their top two pitchers, the Unions have battled the Generals every step of the way. 30,616 are on hand to see if their team can buck the trend and pull out a second straight victory. Conditions are ideal this afternoon: partly cloudy skies (75F) with just a light breeze (11 mph) blowing in from right.
The Game 3 starters get the start once again. Fort Richmond gives the ball to 30-year old LHP
Nicholas Grimes while Wolseley calls upon 32-year old RHP
Bill Blair. Neither pitcher got the win in Game 3 that saw Fort Richmond win in extra innings.
Bottom of the 3rd:
Bill Blair singles with one out. Next up is George Kimpton, who hits the ball back to SP Nicholas Grimes, who promptly throws out Blair at second base. But Kimpton beats out the throw to first base, avoiding the double play. Make-Make Kamaka then slaps the ball out to SS Nobuyoshi Yoshida, but his throw to first base sails over Brian Earle’s head (E6), allowing Kimpton and Kamaka to reach third and second base respectively. Carlton Hawking then draws a walk to load the bases. Carlos Ortíz comes through with a line drive single into rightfield. Kimpton scores from third base. Kamaka rounds third on the play and slides home safely, just beating out Brandon Robinson’s mighty throw.
Fort Richmond 0 - Wolseley 2
Top of the 6th:
Fort Richmond finally gets on the board in the 6th when Nobuyoshi Yoshida leads off with double into leftfield. With one out, Louis Wearne immediately singles into rightfield. Yoshida races in from second base and beats out Evan Houk’s throw home.
In the bottom of the 9th, Bill Blair gets Derek Reed to pop out to 3B Carlos Ortíz, but PH Ninfa Puzon line drives a single into centerfield. Manager Tony Fay then calls upon RHP John Palm to get the final two outs.
Belarmino Barbedo hits it out to 2B Make-Make Kamaka. Kamaka throws out Puzon at second base, but Barbedo beats out the double play ball.
Down to their last out, Brandon Robinson steps up to the plate. But he strikes out looking on a 1-2 splitter to end the game and the Series. The Wolseley Unions repeat at
Western League Pennant Champions and move on to the United Cup to face the Embro Suns!
FINAL: Fort Richmond 1 - Wolseley 2
Player of the Game: SP
Bill Blair held the Generals to a single run, giving his team a chance. In all, he went 8.1 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 119 PI (1-0, 1.26 ERA; GS: 59).
Rookie 3B Carlos Ortíz, who was declared the
Series MVP, went 2 for 4, driving in both runs.
For Fort Richmond:
Nicholas Grimes pitched a terrific game but was done in by a single error. He went 8.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 117 PI (0-1, 2.00 ERA; GS: 61).
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