[IBL] WMS Jumps out to 2-0 lead in IBL CS

[Andrew Selder]

The IBL Championship Series got underway tonight as the Williamstown 
Thunder travelled to Canberra to take on the Redbacks.

Game 1 featured WMS ace Max Scherzer, who had had a rough playoffs so 
far, matching up against the first of Canberra’s three headed lefty 
monster, Robbie Ray. What resulted was a good old fashion pitchers duel. 
Both pitcher matched zero until the top of the 6th when Brandon Drury 
led off with a clean single and Bryon Buxton ripped a double into the 
corner. WMS playoff hero Joe Mauer continued his post season heroics as 
he lined an opposite field single to bring in two runs. Max Scherzer 
continued to shut down the CAN offense, and Bryce Harper singled to 
score Buxton to give WMS an insurance run in the top of the 8th. WMS led 
3-0 going into the bottom of the 9th and Scherzer came out to face 
Arenado. Max struck Nolan out on a hard slider and then was lifted for 
WMS closer Matt Albers. Albers set down pinch hitter Rene Rivera and 
Ronald Torreyes to send WMS to the 3-0 victory in game 1.

Game 2 saw Canberra run Chris Sale out to the mound on short rest to 
face WMS’s co-ace Corey Kluber. On the first batter of the game, Sale 
drilled Joe Mauer with an inside fast ball. Some words were exchanged, 
but nothing came of it at that point. This game saw CAN strike first as 
Ronald Torreyes’s seeing eye single up the middle scored Robinson 
Cano. Sale continued to dominate, and CAN added to their lead as George 
Springer hit a solo shot in bottom of the 3rd. In a move sure to spark 
many water cooler conversations, CAN elected to bring in Jake Arrieta to 
protect CAN’s 2-0 and allow Sale to possibly come back in game 4. WMS 
scratched a run back in the top of the 5th as Starlin Castro singled 
home Buxton. A walk to Harper loaded the bases with 1 out, and Aaron 
Altherr hit a medium deep fly to right. Mauer was on 3rd and his old 
catcher’s knees came into play as he elected not to test Springer’s 
arm. Realmuto then lined to short ending the WMS threat and CAN manager 
Roberts breathing a sigh of relief. In the bottom of the 5th, CAN got 
the run right back as Zimmer’s single to the game plated Torreyes and 
CAN was threatening for more. Kluber bore down and struck out Springer 
and Freeman before getting Cespedes to fly out. The game went to the top 
of the 6th with CAN leading 3-1 and the Redbacks brought Chris Rusin in. 
Xander Bogaerts and Mike Moustakas promptly greeted him with back to 
back singles. Drury and Buxton both struck out, with a passed ball in 
between to bring Joe Mauer up with two runners in scoring position and 
two outs. Mauer was once again clutch as he laced a clean single up the 
middle to tie the game. The WMS offense continued in the top of the 7th 
as Xander Bogaerts connected for a 2 run homer, scoring Harper to give 
WMS their first lead of the game. The game went to the bottom of the 8th 
with WMS leading 5-3. Adam Lind led off the bottom of the 8th with a 
single, and Nolan Arrenado managed to put one off the center field wall 
for a triple, putting the tying run on 3rd with 0 out. Robby Cano hit a 
fly ball to Bryce Harper in right, and Arenado decided to hold with only 
one out. After an intentional walk to Torreyes, WMS turned to ground 
ball specialist Bryan Shaw. Shaw promptly did his job and induced a nice 
two hopper to short from Devin Mesoraco for the twin killing to preserve 
a 1 run lead for WMS. After a quiet top of the 9th for WMS, Thunder 
closer came in to try and shut the door. Things started routinely as 
Zimmer hit a ground ball to second base. Then the fireworks started as 
Matt Albers hit George Springer. Given the hit batsmen to start the 
game, the umpires determine that Alber had deliberately thrown at 
Springer and ran him from the game. Thunder manager Selder went 
ballistic  and is sure to be looking at a fine from league commissioner 
Peltz. Getting up in a hurry, Taylor Rogers was brought in to face 
Freeman, but the lack of preparation showed as Freeman got the free 
pass, putting the tying run on 2nd with one out. WMS then brought in 
former closer Edwin Diaz to try and preserve the win. Diaz blow Cespedes 
away with a hard heater to bring up Adam Lind. Lind promptly laced a 
hard single to right and Springer round third hard. Bryce Harper came 
charging in and launched a throw to the plate to just nail Springer and 
end the game.

After the game, manager Selder has the following comments: “We got 
incredibly lucky to win this second game. A couple breaks went our way, 
and we stole a win. The decision of the umpires to insert themselves in 
the game like they did and ejecting Albers was asinine. There’s no way 
anyone is trying to drill some one in the 9th inning while protecting a 
1 run lead. Apparently, these umpires have never seen a real baseball 
game or played a competitive sport. They should go back to little league 
where they belong.” The rest of Selder’s comments won’t be printed 
as this publication doesn’t want to get fined

The series now shifts back to Williamstown for games 3, 4, and 5. 
Taijuan Walker is scheduled to get the ball for WMS while Gio Gonzales 
is on tap for Canberra.