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JayW UK · 09-04-2025, 02:38 AM

2031 Playoffs

Divisional Round

The playoff field saw three teams make their postseason return after missing out in 2030, in the east, Philadelphia, back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023 drew defending champions Indianapolis while Southeast division champions Miami would meet the struggling Detroit Giants. In the west Denver, making their return to the playoffs, faced off against 100-win wildcard team Las Vegas, while two-time defending WL champions Dallas drew San Diego in a repeat of their 2029 matchup.

Indianapolis entered the playoffs as the hottest team in baseball for the second year in a row and were looking to keep up their winning ways against Philadelphia, in game one the Indianapolis bats were on fire early, chasing Independence starter Bernie Baldwin after just three innings and building a 7-0 lead after six. Brad Wright went seven strong innings for Indianapolis before the bullpen took over and allowed 3 late runs in a comfortable 8-3 Racers win. Game two was a much tighter affair, both starters went seven innings surrendering just two runs apiece, Craig McKillop gave Philadelphia the lead with a solo homer in the top of the ninth before LF Gene Robinson’s RBI double tied the score in the bottom half and sent the game to extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth Indianapolis pinch hitter Juan Miranda won the game with a two-out walk off solo homer off the pitching of Robin Bishop putting the Racers 2-0 up in the series. Back in the city of brotherly love for game three Indianapolis scored early, plating two runs in the first off starter John Ford, but it was all the Racers could muster, as aided by slick defense and the bats of Craig McKillop (3-4, 3RBI’s) an 2B Jesus Garza (3-3, 2RBI’s) Ford shut Indianapolis down going the distance in a 5-2 Independence victory keeping the series alive. The following night it was Philadelphia’s turn to score early, building a 3-0 lead after the first two innings. Indianapolis starter Brad Wright settled down after the early barrage to pitch seven strong innings and by the time he handed the ball over to the bullpen the Racers were in the lead, a solo homerun from 3B Matt Romero and a four out save from Alfredo Rivas, capped off the comeback and sent Indianapolis on to the ELCS for the third consecutive season.

Detroit making their sixth playoff appearance in club history, but their first as the wildcard entry, travelled to South Florida to take on the Everglades, the two teams had met twice before in the playoffs with Detroit triumphant on both occasions, but this time the Giants entered the playoffs riding a six-game losing streak and looking to change their fortunes. Miami were in no mood to play along though, taking game one with a comfortable 7-2 victory, but the result did not come without cost for both teams, Miami lost LF Pantaliao Igreja to broken ribs sustained in a collision with the outfield wall while Detroit lost CF Orlando Gonzalez to a hamstring injury. Game two the following evening was much closer, but a strong seven innings from Detroit starter Gonzalo Tellez (7 IP, 2 ER) was not enough for the Giants as Jonathan Albert and Ken Maynard combined to restrict the Detroit batters to only five hits and one run in a 3-1 Miami victory. Back home in Detroit with their backs firmly against the wall and facing elimination, the home side announced a change at pitcher, as Jamie Berry was given the nod over ace Rajion Samit, who was still not fit enough to pitch after a late season injury. The move failed spectacularly, as Berry was chased from the game in the fourth buried under a barrage of hits and conceding seven runs, including a Grand-Slam from RF Ron Rummell, in desperation Detroit called on veteran Vince Little to stop the bleeding, but Miami kept on hitting, battering Little for four runs in just one inning of work. Miami rookie SS Travis Rutherford hit an eighth inning triple to complete the Cycle (becoming the first player in league history to accomplish the feat in a playoff game) before, with the result beyond doubt Bo Southall drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to avoid an embarrassing shutout for Detroit, but the 13-2 thrashing was still a humiliating playoff exit for the Giants.

In the west, San Diego had the unenviable task of taking on 107-win Dallas who despite losing key players to injury were still a formidable team (No1 pitching, conceding only 523 runs on the season). The Mariners game one starter was 35-year-old veteran Eric Parker while the Mustangs countered with their 25-year-old ace Cristobal Chapa. In a classic pitching duel, it was Parker who came out on top going the distance in a 3-1 San Diego victory, all the Mariners runs coming from solo homeruns, one each from LF Kirby Watts, SS Jose Mejia and 3B Mario Cristo. Game two was another pitching duel, and despite an excellent game from Dallas starter Alwin Roozen (9 IP, 2 ER, 9 K), once again it was San Diego who came out on top as Guilherme Malagueira and Harvey Widdowes kept the Dallas batters in check as the Mariners squeezed past the Mustangs 2-1. Needing to win in to keep their World Series dreams alive, Dallas came to play in game three, behind a five-hit shutout by Juan Rangel and a steady stream of runs sparked by a C Carlos Barron’s 3-run homer, Dallas ran out easy 10-0 winners. Buoyed by their demolition job the previous night, Dallas took an early lead in game four, before Mariner’s pitcher Eric Parker, using all of his experience and knowhow, put the brakes on the Dallas offense while San Diego, spurred on by a Paul Sellick 2-RBI homerun, turned the tables on Dallas to take the game and series 3-1.

The Denver versus Las Vegas matchup was an intriguing one, featuring surprise team of the season Denver, with their powerful offense led by two of the league’s very best players, LF Dixon Bodean and mid-season acquisition 1B Matt Henderson, taking on Las Vegas, the league’s first 100-win wildcard team, and their stable of young stars. Game one swung back and forth with momentum going first one way then the other, until a Chris Coates 2-run homer in the top of the eighth gave Las Vegas the lead for good, the Gamblers eventually taking the game 8-6. In game two, both starters, Marc Birstall (LV) and Pedro Escobar (DEN) pitched well, lasting into the eighth and surrendering only four hits apiece, but whereas Denver could only muster a single run against Birstall, Las Vegas slugged a pair of homeruns and plated five runs against Escobar on the way to a 6-1 victory. With the Wildcats facing elimination Jose Cuesta drew the starting assignment, facing off against World Series winner Jerry Wood. Homeruns from Dixon Bodean and Matt Henderson coupled with an impressive 7.2 innings of 1-run ball from Cuesta and a four out save from Mike Fulton were all Denver needed to take the game 4-1 and stave off elimination… at least for one night. Game four saw Las Vegas ace Holden Willis back on the mound facing former teammate Will Spencer and in an entertaining game Las Vegas turned a 4-2 seventh inning deficit into a 6-4 victory with a four run eighth inning outburst, sparked by 1B Ed Matthews’ 3-run homer, sending the Gamblers onto the WL Pennant series for the third time in their history.

09-04-2025, 02:38 AM	#130
JayW UK Minors (Triple A) Join Date: May 2019 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 287	2031 Playoffs Divisional Round The playoff field saw three teams make their postseason return after missing out in 2030, in the east, Philadelphia, back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023 drew defending champions Indianapolis while Southeast division champions Miami would meet the struggling Detroit Giants. In the west Denver, making their return to the playoffs, faced off against 100-win wildcard team Las Vegas, while two-time defending WL champions Dallas drew San Diego in a repeat of their 2029 matchup. Indianapolis entered the playoffs as the hottest team in baseball for the second year in a row and were looking to keep up their winning ways against Philadelphia, in game one the Indianapolis bats were on fire early, chasing Independence starter Bernie Baldwin after just three innings and building a 7-0 lead after six. Brad Wright went seven strong innings for Indianapolis before the bullpen took over and allowed 3 late runs in a comfortable 8-3 Racers win. Game two was a much tighter affair, both starters went seven innings surrendering just two runs apiece, Craig McKillop gave Philadelphia the lead with a solo homer in the top of the ninth before LF Gene Robinson’s RBI double tied the score in the bottom half and sent the game to extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth Indianapolis pinch hitter Juan Miranda won the game with a two-out walk off solo homer off the pitching of Robin Bishop putting the Racers 2-0 up in the series. Back in the city of brotherly love for game three Indianapolis scored early, plating two runs in the first off starter John Ford, but it was all the Racers could muster, as aided by slick defense and the bats of Craig McKillop (3-4, 3RBI’s) an 2B Jesus Garza (3-3, 2RBI’s) Ford shut Indianapolis down going the distance in a 5-2 Independence victory keeping the series alive. The following night it was Philadelphia’s turn to score early, building a 3-0 lead after the first two innings. Indianapolis starter Brad Wright settled down after the early barrage to pitch seven strong innings and by the time he handed the ball over to the bullpen the Racers were in the lead, a solo homerun from 3B Matt Romero and a four out save from Alfredo Rivas, capped off the comeback and sent Indianapolis on to the ELCS for the third consecutive season. Detroit making their sixth playoff appearance in club history, but their first as the wildcard entry, travelled to South Florida to take on the Everglades, the two teams had met twice before in the playoffs with Detroit triumphant on both occasions, but this time the Giants entered the playoffs riding a six-game losing streak and looking to change their fortunes. Miami were in no mood to play along though, taking game one with a comfortable 7-2 victory, but the result did not come without cost for both teams, Miami lost LF Pantaliao Igreja to broken ribs sustained in a collision with the outfield wall while Detroit lost CF Orlando Gonzalez to a hamstring injury. Game two the following evening was much closer, but a strong seven innings from Detroit starter Gonzalo Tellez (7 IP, 2 ER) was not enough for the Giants as Jonathan Albert and Ken Maynard combined to restrict the Detroit batters to only five hits and one run in a 3-1 Miami victory. Back home in Detroit with their backs firmly against the wall and facing elimination, the home side announced a change at pitcher, as Jamie Berry was given the nod over ace Rajion Samit, who was still not fit enough to pitch after a late season injury. The move failed spectacularly, as Berry was chased from the game in the fourth buried under a barrage of hits and conceding seven runs, including a Grand-Slam from RF Ron Rummell, in desperation Detroit called on veteran Vince Little to stop the bleeding, but Miami kept on hitting, battering Little for four runs in just one inning of work. Miami rookie SS Travis Rutherford hit an eighth inning triple to complete the Cycle (becoming the first player in league history to accomplish the feat in a playoff game) before, with the result beyond doubt Bo Southall drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to avoid an embarrassing shutout for Detroit, but the 13-2 thrashing was still a humiliating playoff exit for the Giants. In the west, San Diego had the unenviable task of taking on 107-win Dallas who despite losing key players to injury were still a formidable team (No1 pitching, conceding only 523 runs on the season). The Mariners game one starter was 35-year-old veteran Eric Parker while the Mustangs countered with their 25-year-old ace Cristobal Chapa. In a classic pitching duel, it was Parker who came out on top going the distance in a 3-1 San Diego victory, all the Mariners runs coming from solo homeruns, one each from LF Kirby Watts, SS Jose Mejia and 3B Mario Cristo. Game two was another pitching duel, and despite an excellent game from Dallas starter Alwin Roozen (9 IP, 2 ER, 9 K), once again it was San Diego who came out on top as Guilherme Malagueira and Harvey Widdowes kept the Dallas batters in check as the Mariners squeezed past the Mustangs 2-1. Needing to win in to keep their World Series dreams alive, Dallas came to play in game three, behind a five-hit shutout by Juan Rangel and a steady stream of runs sparked by a C Carlos Barron’s 3-run homer, Dallas ran out easy 10-0 winners. Buoyed by their demolition job the previous night, Dallas took an early lead in game four, before Mariner’s pitcher Eric Parker, using all of his experience and knowhow, put the brakes on the Dallas offense while San Diego, spurred on by a Paul Sellick 2-RBI homerun, turned the tables on Dallas to take the game and series 3-1. The Denver versus Las Vegas matchup was an intriguing one, featuring surprise team of the season Denver, with their powerful offense led by two of the league’s very best players, LF Dixon Bodean and mid-season acquisition 1B Matt Henderson, taking on Las Vegas, the league’s first 100-win wildcard team, and their stable of young stars. Game one swung back and forth with momentum going first one way then the other, until a Chris Coates 2-run homer in the top of the eighth gave Las Vegas the lead for good, the Gamblers eventually taking the game 8-6. In game two, both starters, Marc Birstall (LV) and Pedro Escobar (DEN) pitched well, lasting into the eighth and surrendering only four hits apiece, but whereas Denver could only muster a single run against Birstall, Las Vegas slugged a pair of homeruns and plated five runs against Escobar on the way to a 6-1 victory. With the Wildcats facing elimination Jose Cuesta drew the starting assignment, facing off against World Series winner Jerry Wood. Homeruns from Dixon Bodean and Matt Henderson coupled with an impressive 7.2 innings of 1-run ball from Cuesta and a four out save from Mike Fulton were all Denver needed to take the game 4-1 and stave off elimination… at least for one night. Game four saw Las Vegas ace Holden Willis back on the mound facing former teammate Will Spencer and in an entertaining game Las Vegas turned a 4-2 seventh inning deficit into a 6-4 victory with a four run eighth inning outburst, sparked by 1B Ed Matthews’ 3-run homer, sending the Gamblers onto the WL Pennant series for the third time in their history.