[pauwoo]

Pittsburgh Steelers (88-70, .557, 1st NL East) @ Miami United (80-78, .506, 3rd NL East)
We end our first regular-season as a Miami-based ballclub against Tom Franzone and the NL East Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. I would’ve preferred nearly any other National League club – as a decidedly so-so ballclub who’ve clinched a spot in the playoffs unexpectantly, that’s riding a wave of confidence as we close out the 2079 campaign, the last thing we need, right before the playoffs get underway, is to have our confidence shattered by the club that is nearly a lock to represent the NL East the National League Championship Series. On the bright side – we’ve been nearly unbeatable lately… 9-1 in our last 10, riding a 4-game winning streak, and, really, looking like an actual baseball team – we’ve certainly heated up at the right time and just need to keep the campfire going as long as possible so we don’t get cold overnight…

159 of 162: Beau Skrivan (7-7, 3.35) @ Thomas Deane (7-13, 5.16)
Loss, 7-5. We were riding high until a late Pittsburgh rally saw them put 4 runs on the board in the 8th & 9th. Deane had one of his better performances of recent memory – he fanned 10 batsmen and only allowed 2 runs in 7 innings of work, and Reuben Johnson, our backup 3rd baseman, hit a 3-run jack in the bottom of the 3rd where we scored a total of 5 runs as a team. We had that one good inning – that’s it. After that, the Steelers stole this one from us with piston-like precision.

Elsewhere: Frodo Gonzales (SEA) went 3 for 4 with a 3-run homer, and a walk in Seattle’s brilliant 8-0 victory over the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are the only club to win over 100 games in 2079 and they’ve been on something of a magical roll throughout the entirety of the 2079 campaign – though, it is nice to see Seattle, who is battling with Toronto and New York to secure one of two remaining WC slots in the American League, get the win here as they make their closing remarks on the season. The Playoffs have been set in the Bush League – Mississippi will face Gainesville for the right to face Beaumont in the 2nd round, while Nolanville will face Naperville for the right to battle Dearborn.

106 of 162: Gregory Morgan (14-11, 3.96) @ Ricky Reyman (0-0, 2.38)
Loss, 5-0. Two things…. 1. Suddenly we are a ho-hum, pedestrian ballclub that struggles with its mastery of the most basic of baseball fundamentals, and 2. We lost Magee Ives for two weeks due to a foot contusion. There really isn’t much more to say about this one…

Elsewhere: Heathcote Kinton (PDX) went 3 for 4 with THREE HOME RUNS, 5 RBIs and 3 runs in the Timbers’ 8-1 win over the Dallas Cowboys. With the effort, Kinton moves into 3rd overall on the HR table with 42 - only Aitor Cubas (43) and Jo Jo Jackson (46) have been more successful in putting balls out of the park this season. Interestingly, even with 3 jacks, his game score topped out at 91 which ties him for the 20th best individual game score of the season so far. Also – Toronto and Seattle clinched the final WC spots in the American League with the New York Jets on the outside looking in.

161 of 162: Kurt Miller (10-13, 4.20) @ Rad Taylor (6-5, 4.11)
Loss, 9-5. Oof. Tom Franzone gave us the business – 2 for 4, a HR (#40), 2 RBIs, and 3 runs, and Kurt Miller held us far enough back in an 8.1 inning, 4 K, 5 ER performance… we’ve lost 3 in a row now folks. Not ideal. Not really that fun. And, not exactly the kind of stretch you want to hang your hat on as you head into the postseason. We are now sitting at 80-81 and may earn the dubious distinction of being one of a handful of clubs that have made the postseason on a losing record.

Elsewhere: The Gainesville Gamecocks defeated the Mississippi Hound Dogs by a score of 3-0 and will advance to face the Beaumont Bullies in a 5-game series. And the Naperville Nibblers defeated the Nolanville ‘Nauts by that same score, 3-0, to earn the right to head up to Dearborn for a 5-game series against the Dilly’s.

162 of 162: Roydrick Luedtke (5-4, 3.93) @ Radoslav Borovsky (11-9, 3.46)
Win, 12-9. The team really rallied together and got it done in this one – in a critical game of undue import. Homer went 3 for 4 with 2 runs and an RBI, Scharmer finished at 2 for 4 with a 3-run ding dong, and we won despite Franzone putting his 41st jack on the board. Headed to the playoffs on an 81-81 record, and, because of the win, I should avoid most of the, “how does it feel to be the only team of the decade to enter the playoffs with a sub .500 record”, questions from the media. We’ve done the not-so-impossible and took a new club in a new town who was picked to finish last in the NL East all the way to the promised land where we will face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1st round.

Elsewhere: Jo Jo Jackson (DAL) went 4 for 5 with 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, and 2 runs in the Cowboys’ 8-2 victory over the Portland Timbers. Jackson, who leads the league in K’s at 242 (39 more than the next guy) will become the 1st player to lead in that category and HRs where his 48 secured the 1st place slot by a 5 HR margin. Of note: Tom Franzone managed to finish 4th on the HR table despite missing 5-weeks of the regular season. Oh, and Angry Eloy Delando, of the Mississippi Hound Dogs, led the BL in HRs with 43 and WAR at 6.1 for the season.