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<img src="http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/news/html/images/person_pictures/player_3842.png" width="135" height="203" style="float:right;border:2px solid black;margin-right:33px;margin-bottom:11px;margin-left:11px;">DAVENPORT, IA — The Davenport Brawlers advanced to their second consecutive Import League Division Series by defeating the Death Valley Scorpions 8-6.
Death Valley quickly scored in the top of the first, as Tom Cole followed Travis Anthony's leadoff double with an RBI single through the infield.
24-year-old starting pitcher Dave Honea started strong for Death Valley in his first career postseason start. He retired the first seven Brawlers batters he faced while keeping Davenport off the scoreboard through three innings.
The trouble started in the bottom of the fourth.
Davenport loaded the bases with one out via two singles and a walk. Honea rebounded by striking out B.J. Bourgeois, but then Dave Starkweather's ground ball bounced into left field, bringing two runners in to score. Honea compounded the problem by hitting Xavier Hernandez with a pitch to load the bases again. Dave Johnson followed with Davenport's second two-out, two-run single of the inning.
The inning gave Davenport a 4-1 lead—but it didn't last long.
Death Valley's Tom Cole—not a slugger compared to most other first basemen—belted a solo home run to right field with one out in the top of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Davenport found themselves in trouble—and ultimately unable to tightrope out of it.
After third baseman Edgar Castillo singled to left, he reached third base after Starkweather muffed a fly ball in right field, allowing Victor Alvarez to take second safely. Dave Johnson struck out Javier Villarreal, then followed his manager's orders in walking Damian Dowling intentionally.
Facing a bases loaded situation with one out and the pitcher Honea due to bat, Davenport opted to bring in left-handed reliever Daniel de Leon—a man on fire, with ERAs of 0.82 in September and a flat 0.00 in three October innings.
He looked to retire the pitcher and then face two left-handed bats: Travis Anthony and Tom Cole.
But de Leon hit a snag.
He couldn't throw a strike. He walked the pitcher on four pitches to force in a run.
He got Anthony to fly out to left, but the ball was hit well enough to score the tying run from third.
Mercifully, de Leon then recorded another fly ball out to end the inning. But his suffering had not yet ended.
In the top of the seventh inning. Edgar Castillo smoked de Leon's 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run.
Death Valley finally led, 6 to 4.
de Leon managed to finish the inning without allowing additional runs.
In the bottom of the inning, a tiring Honea found his pitches lined all over the field.
With one out, Zack Vandenberg singled. Freddy Rodriguez doubled. Dave Nelson doubled in a run, then Dave Slack brought the tying run home with a sacrifice fly to center field. Fred Evers entered, but the damage was done.
Death Valley 6. Davenport 6.
The eighth inning passed without incident, and so too did the top of the ninth. Davenport setup man Ian Byrge completed two scoreless innings of relief.
The Scorpions elected to bring in closer Jamie Gruell, known both for his bulging biceps and his 37 saves, to pitch in a tie game.
He struck out Shane Bell. Freddy Rodriguez managed only a weak roller back to Gruell for the second out.
One out away from extra innings.
But All-Star shortstop Dave Nelson turned on a pitch and crushed a double to right-center field.
The Brawlers had the winning run in scoring position and the home crowd in a frenzy.
Dave Slack stepped in to challenge Gruell—a chance to end the game and Death Valley's 91-win season.
A single from the .293 hitter would suffice, given the situation and Nelson's capable base-running.
Gruell surrendered only one home run to left-handed hitters during the regular season, but on the first pitch, Slack hit a fly ball the outfielders would have needed a trampoline and a net to catch—a 400-foot walk-off no-doubter to right-center field.
The Brawlers mobbed Slack at the plate, celebrating the 8-6 win.
They move on to oppose Bock foe Carolina in a rematch of last year's Division Series, which Carolina captured in seven games on their way to winning the Brewmaster's Cup.
Death Valley quickly scored in the top of the first, as Tom Cole followed Travis Anthony's leadoff double with an RBI single through the infield.
24-year-old starting pitcher Dave Honea started strong for Death Valley in his first career postseason start. He retired the first seven Brawlers batters he faced while keeping Davenport off the scoreboard through three innings.
The trouble started in the bottom of the fourth.
Davenport loaded the bases with one out via two singles and a walk. Honea rebounded by striking out B.J. Bourgeois, but then Dave Starkweather's ground ball bounced into left field, bringing two runners in to score. Honea compounded the problem by hitting Xavier Hernandez with a pitch to load the bases again. Dave Johnson followed with Davenport's second two-out, two-run single of the inning.
The inning gave Davenport a 4-1 lead—but it didn't last long.
Death Valley's Tom Cole—not a slugger compared to most other first basemen—belted a solo home run to right field with one out in the top of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Davenport found themselves in trouble—and ultimately unable to tightrope out of it.
After third baseman Edgar Castillo singled to left, he reached third base after Starkweather muffed a fly ball in right field, allowing Victor Alvarez to take second safely. Dave Johnson struck out Javier Villarreal, then followed his manager's orders in walking Damian Dowling intentionally.
Facing a bases loaded situation with one out and the pitcher Honea due to bat, Davenport opted to bring in left-handed reliever Daniel de Leon—a man on fire, with ERAs of 0.82 in September and a flat 0.00 in three October innings.
He looked to retire the pitcher and then face two left-handed bats: Travis Anthony and Tom Cole.
But de Leon hit a snag.
He couldn't throw a strike. He walked the pitcher on four pitches to force in a run.
He got Anthony to fly out to left, but the ball was hit well enough to score the tying run from third.
Mercifully, de Leon then recorded another fly ball out to end the inning. But his suffering had not yet ended.
In the top of the seventh inning. Edgar Castillo smoked de Leon's 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run.
Death Valley finally led, 6 to 4.
de Leon managed to finish the inning without allowing additional runs.
In the bottom of the inning, a tiring Honea found his pitches lined all over the field.
With one out, Zack Vandenberg singled. Freddy Rodriguez doubled. Dave Nelson doubled in a run, then Dave Slack brought the tying run home with a sacrifice fly to center field. Fred Evers entered, but the damage was done.
Death Valley 6. Davenport 6.
The eighth inning passed without incident, and so too did the top of the ninth. Davenport setup man Ian Byrge completed two scoreless innings of relief.
The Scorpions elected to bring in closer Jamie Gruell, known both for his bulging biceps and his 37 saves, to pitch in a tie game.
He struck out Shane Bell. Freddy Rodriguez managed only a weak roller back to Gruell for the second out.
One out away from extra innings.
But All-Star shortstop Dave Nelson turned on a pitch and crushed a double to right-center field.
The Brawlers had the winning run in scoring position and the home crowd in a frenzy.
Dave Slack stepped in to challenge Gruell—a chance to end the game and Death Valley's 91-win season.
A single from the .293 hitter would suffice, given the situation and Nelson's capable base-running.
Gruell surrendered only one home run to left-handed hitters during the regular season, but on the first pitch, Slack hit a fly ball the outfielders would have needed a trampoline and a net to catch—a 400-foot walk-off no-doubter to right-center field.
The Brawlers mobbed Slack at the plate, celebrating the 8-6 win.
They move on to oppose Bock foe Carolina in a rematch of last year's Division Series, which Carolina captured in seven games on their way to winning the Brewmaster's Cup.
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