Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The Empire Strikes Back



2010 NL Word Series:
The NL World Series was played at the VanLanduyt household in an around the annual Gravy Bowl. This truly was an exceptional series, worthy of being called the World Series and worth the wait:


Game 1: Billingsley vs. Cain
This game was all about pitching. Fish scored two runs in the bottom of the 4th on a Votto single, an Edmonds double, and a Hanigan single. Torto would score 1 run off of Wagner in relief in the top of the 8th on an error from Chipper Jones, but Marmol would come on to save the 9th. Fish wins 2-1.


Win – Cain
Loss – Billingsley
Save - Marmol

Game 2: Dickey vs. Latos
Game 2 was all about Torto. He scored 8 runs – five driven in by Adrian Gonzalez, with Carrol going 3-5, Gonzalez going 4-5 with two home runs, and Thole going 2-4. A solo home run was generated by Uggla and Edmonds in the loss. Torto wins 8-2.


Win – Dickey
Loss - Latos

Game 3: Wood vs. Rodriguez
An excellent pitching performance was put forth by Wandy Rodriguez. He went 7 innings for a left handed pitching without an earned run, only giving up 6 hits. Torto mounted a rally in the bottom of the 3rd inning, when Randy Rodriguez lined a one out base hit, which was followed by a Dexter the Serial Killer walk, single by J. Carroll, walk by Utley and 2 RBI single by Gonzalez. That was enough for a victory. Torto wins 3-0.


Win – Rodriguez
Loss – Wood
Save - Adams

Game 4: Silva vs. Garland
Torto took an early lead with back to back doubles from Stanton and Thole in the bottom of the 2nd; Dexter Fowler proceeded to line a triple to score 2 runs in the frame but that would be it as Garland attempted a suicide squeeze and failed. Torto would score three more runs in the bottom of the 5th, with a triple from Heyword, RBI single from Gonzalez, and two run home run from Mike Stanton. Fish would muster our three runs with a two run home run from Dan Uggla and a RBI double from Jim Edmonds. A bizarre play occurred in which Jamie Carroll and Jason Heyword collided in the 6th inning due to fan noise. Upon inspection, it was not actual fan noise, it was due to the Miami anthem playing in the background http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHGDP0Gvs3Q. Carroll was hurt for one game and Heyward would be down for three games. Torto wins 6 – 3.


Win – Garland
Loss - Silva

Game 5: Cain vs. Billingsley
Excellent pitching was displayed in this game, which would have been boring for for people who are not in the World Series like Torto and I - I think I just said that. Ryan Zimmermann helped Torto take an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the 1st inning. However, Jim Edmonds, the MVP for the Series, hit a 3 run home run in the top of the 4th to take the lead for good. Marmol would save the game pitching the 8th and the 9th. Fish wins 3 -1.


Win – Cain
Loss – Billingsley
Save - Marmol


Game 6: Latos vs. Dickey
In a rematch of game 2, Torto would get out to an early lead with multiple singles from Zimmerman, Gonzalez, and Thole, scoring two runs. Fish would answer with a three run home run in the bottom of the frame from whom else but Jim Edmonds. The lead would stand until the top of the 7th when a lead off error from Utley to Uggla would allow Zimmerman to plate him with a double. In the bottom of the 7th, Colby Rasmus would hit a double and score on a Nyjer Morgan sac bunt. Billy Wagner would lock it down in the 9th. Fish wins 4-3.


Win – Latos
Loss – Dickey
Save - Wagner

Game 7: Wood vs. Rodriguez
Game seven fireworks started with a walk with Furcal in the bottom of the 1st , with a single by Hanigan, walk to Uggla, Beltran plated an RBI with a fielder’s choice and Ross the Boss plated an RBI to score two runs. Torto quickly answered in the top of the 2nd with a walk to Gonzalez, single to Milledge, single to Randy Rodriguez, and triple to Dexter Fowler. The score was now 3-2. Fish would rally in the bottom of the 4th, with a single by Hanigan, who was out on the base paths by a ground ball by Votto. With Joey Bats on 1st Base, Carlos Beltran hit a one out two run home to take the lead. In the 6th inning, off of Cueto, Furcal would single, followed by hit and run single from Hanigan, an RBI single from Votto, and an RBI double from Uggla. With Wagner and Marmol on in the 8th and 9th, this would be the end of the NL World Series. Fish wins 7 -3.


Win – Wood
Loss – Rodriguez



















NL World Series MVP - Jim Edmonds

.386 AVG, 3 Home Runs, 8 RBI's, 2 doubles

3 comments:

  1. Wow. So Fish comes back from being down 1-3 to Nick in the first round of the playoffs and does it again to Torto in the World Series? Impressive.

    The fact that Jim Edmonds is a dominant player in our league is solid proof that I still don't understand PTP cards as well as I need to.

    I enjoyed "hovering around" this series - my mom was very proud. I particularly enjoyed Torto's poignant observation on the double standards that exist between cats and dogs trespassing on neighbors property.

    Love that Hoochie Mama video!

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  2. Great series Fish - and your Evil Empire references are certainly apropos. Damn you winning all the time. I found a way to hit that unshielded thermal exhaust port in the 2009 NL WS, but you destroyed my Hoth base in this one. I think we know what happens next!

    But enough with the dorky Star Wars references. It was a tight, tough series. I don't think I could have done much different to win, maybe not have rolled out Cueto in relief for game 7? I don't know.

    Special thanks to Keith's mom for hosting, and also thanks to Keith for appreciating my highbrow conversational topics during the series.

    For the record, the 2LiveCrew song that blared over the PA caused Carroll to be distracted, not Heyward. And that guy running the sound board was immediately fired at the end of game 4.

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  3. Great work, Fish! I did have an entire post/rant written about this victory once...but was not allowed to post it. Weird...anyway great work. Watch out for my squad in the AL Playoffs though...

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