NLDS Game 6: Parkland at Fleetwood

Game 6 - Parkland at Fleetwood
C.J. Wilson (10-4, 3.73 ERA) vs. John Lackey (20-4, 3.68 ERA)

This National League Divisional Series headed back to Fleetwood for Game 6 with the Walkers up 3 games to 2. In a must-win situation, Parkland handed the ball to its ace lefty C.J. Wilson while Fleetwood matched up with veteran righty John Lackey.

Once again -- for the 6th time in 6 games! -- Parkland scored the first run of the game. This time, though, Fleetwood's defense was primarily to blame. Third baseman Marwin Gonzalez air-mailed a two-out, 1st inning throw into the right field bullpen, allowing Lorenzo Cain to score.

Mike Trout solo HR in 1st inning

In the bottom of the 1st, Fleetwood star outfielder Mike Trout evened the score at 1-1 with a majestic solo home run. The Walkers extended the lead to 2-1 when Fleetwood catcher Francisco Cervelli plated another run in the 2nd with an RBI triple.

Neither team scored in the game's middle innings, with both teams turning to their bullpens early. Among those relievers was Parkland's Jose Fernandez, who pitched a scoreless 6th inning before taking the mound for a second inning in the 7th.

In that 7th inning, Fernandez retired Mookie Betts to lead off the inning. Fleetwood then pinch hit for Cervelli with lefty Chris Coghlan, who electrified the hometown crown with a one-out triple. Parkland stuck with Fernandez, which paid off when he retired Kevin Kiermaier on a crucial lineout that kept Coghlan stranded at third base. Ian Kinsler was up next. He came through in the vital RBI situation, collected a single that gave Fleetwood a late 3-1 lead.

Ian Kinsler RBI single in 7th inning

With Mike Trout up next, Fernandez stayed in the game. Trout must have smelled blood, though, as he chased Fernandez from the game with his second home run of the night -- this time a two-run shot. The homer extended Fleetwood's lead to 5-1 through 7 innings.

Fleetwood reliever Tony Sipp retired Parkland easily in the 8th inning. The Walkers then turned the ball over to Carter Capps, who did the same in the 9th to give Fleetwood both the game and the series.

With the win, Fleetwood now moves on the National League Championship Series, where the Walkers will face a long-time rival in the powerful Metropolis Avengers

Congratulations to Tom and Jake Keenan for Parkland's great BRASSball season, and for such an exciting NLDS playoff series.

Final score: Fleetwood 5, Parkland 1.

W: Antonio Bastardo (2-0)
L: C.J. Wilson (0-1)
SV: None
HR: Mike Trout 2 (3).

Fleetwood wins series 4 games to 2.

BOXSCORE: 2016 Parkland Green At 2016 Fleetwood Walkers            10/15/2016

  Green              AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  L.Cain CF           4  1  1  0 .185     I.Kinsler 2B        4  1  1  1 .238  
  M.Cabrera LF        2  0  1  0 .167     M.Trout RF          4  2  3  3 .286  
A-K.Davis PH,LF       2  0  0  0 .056     D.Wright DH         2  0  0  0 .375  
  J.Votto 1B          4  0  0  0 .280   B-T.Pham PH,DH        2  0  0  0 .167  
  J.Bautista RF       4  0  1  0 .182     M.Cabrera 1B        2  0  0  0 .227  
  D.Murphy DH         4  0  1  0 .333     C.Correa SS         4  0  0  0 .273  
  B.Zobrist 2B        3  0  0  0 .348     M.Gonzalez 3B       2  1  1  0 .308  
  L.Valbuena 3B       4  0  1  0 .056   G-J.Turner PH,3B      1  0  1  0 .278  
  F.Lindor SS         4  0  0  0 .174     M.Betts LF          4  0  0  0 .125  
  Y.Grandal C         1  0  0  0 .200     F.Cervelli C        2  0  1  1 .400  
C-A.Guerrero PH       1  0  1  0 .333   E-C.Coghlan PH        1  1  1  0 .500  
D-M.Zunino C          0  0  0  0 .143   F-C.Casali C          1  0  0  0 .429  
                                          K.Kiermaier CF      3  0  0  0 .267  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      33  1  6  0                 Totals      32  5  8  5

A-Pinch Hit For Cabrera In 5th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Wright In 5th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Grandal In 7th Inning
D-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Guerrero In 7th Inning
E-Pinch Hit For Cervelli In 7th Inning
F-Subbed Defensively (C ) For Coghlan In 8th Inning
G-Pinch Hit For Gonzalez In 8th Inning

Green........... 1 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  -  1  6  0
Walkers......... 1 1 0  0 0 0  3 0    -  5  8  1

Green (2-4)              IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA
C.Wilson LOSS(0-1)        3       4   2   2   2   1   1   5.40
S.Geltz                   2       0   0   0   0   1   0   1.93
J.Fernandez               1 2/3   3   3   3   0   1   1   5.00
B.Finnegan                0 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0  13.50
P.Strop                   1       1   0   0   1   2   0   0.00
Totals                    8       8   5   5   3   6   2

Walkers (4-2)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA
J.Lackey                  3 2/3   3   1   0   1   2   0   8.10
E.Goeddel                 1       0   0   0   0   0   0   2.45
A.Bastardo WIN(2-0)       1 1/3   0   0   0   0   2   0   0.00
C.Smith HOLD(1st)         1       2   0   0   1   0   0   1.08
T.Sipp                    1       1   0   0   0   0   0   3.86
C.Capps                   1       0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
Totals                    9       6   1   0   2   4   0

ATTENDANCE- 50,123 DATE- Saturday, October 15th 2016 TIME- Night WEATHER- Bad
T- 2:41
LEFT ON BASE- Green: 7  Walkers: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Green: 0  Walkers: 0
ERRORS- M.Gonzalez
TRIPLES- F.Cervelli(1st), C.Coghlan(1st)
HOME RUNS- M.Trout-2(3rd)
RBIs- I.Kinsler(2nd), M.Trout-3(4th), F.Cervelli(2nd)
STOLEN BASES- L.Cain(3rd), B.Zobrist(1st), M.Gonzalez(1st)
CAUGHT STEALING- B.Zobrist
WALKS- B.Zobrist, Y.Grandal, M.Cabrera-2, M.Gonzalez
STRIKE OUTS- L.Cain, K.Davis, J.Votto-2, M.Trout, T.Pham, C.Correa, M.Gonzalez,
             M.Betts, C.Casali
WILD PITCHES- C.Wilson
2-out RBI- F.Cervelli, I.Kinsler, M.Trout-2
RLISP 2-out- D.Murphy, K.Kiermaier-2, J.Bautista, C.Correa-2, F.Lindor, L.Cain,
             C.Casali
TEAM RISP- Green: 0 for 9  Walkers: 1 for 7