Medellin Woodpeckers v Havana Cafecitos (Wildcard Round, October, 2059)
Both logos by @20_range
The Woodpeckers made the playoffs by virtue of their 2nd place finish in the South America Division, where they went 89-73, their highest finish on record. This is only their second playoff appearance, having made it in 2045.
Game 1
As the wildcard team, the Cafecitos are the underdog in the series but they took a commanding 1-0 series lead with a solid 3-0 win over the Woodpeckers on their home turf. Offredi was on fire, going 7.2 shutout innings and giving up only 4 hits. Indian Asvathama Neelakantachar led the way at the plate, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and a walk, knocking an important triple in the 4th, an inning in which the Cafecitos took the important 3-0 lead.
Player of the game: Offredi
Game 2
The Cafecitos look poised to cause an upset after a 9-7 win in Medellin. Cuban star Jordan Navarro had a 3 hit game, going 3 for 4, scoring 2 and driving in 2. The Cafecitos were 6-2 up before the start of the 8th, when the Woodpeckers threatened a comeback as reliever Doug Craig crumbled and gave up 4 runs in 1.2 innings. Luckily the Cafecitos continued to produce on offence and held them off. Juan Hernandez and Roberto Dominguez got the Cafecitos’ first homers of the playoffs.
Player of the game: Jordan Navarro
Game 3
Havana completed an unlikely sweep to book their place in the final 16 to take on the Honolulu Seahawks, the North America (West) champions.
The Cafecitos win looked in doubt when the Woodpeckers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but a 6 run 5th inning for Havana proved too much for the Woodpeckers to recover from. Aeary Kartini hit a 2-run homer, while English third-baseman Kale Byrne also knocked in 2 RBIs. Matt Perreault gave up only one earned run in a solid start.