Felix Hernandez (20-6 2.76) vs. Roy Halladay (13-16 4.01)

October 4, 2011 at Great American Ball Park. The Oil Barons edged the Wildcats by a score of 4-2 to take game #1. The Oil Barons’ Felix Hernandez outduels the WildCats Roy Halladay. Jim Thome goes yard in the 1st with 1 on and Swisher hits one of his own in the 3rd and Houston never looks back.

Game 2 Houston 10, Kentucky 5

Jamie Garcia (13-8 3.92) vs. Bronson Arroyo (13-8 4.40)

October 5, 2011. The wind was gusting in from left at 23 mph at Great American Ball Park. The Oil Barons defeated the Wildcats 10-5 in 10 innings. Kentucky’s Choo’s 2 run homer in the 8th briefly gives Kentucky a 5-4 lead going into the 9th before Berkman’s 2 out home run off Craig Kimbrel ties the game. Houston scores 5 in the 10th to secure a 2-0 series lead. Lance Berkman led the Oil Barons with four hits in four at bats. He jacked two dingers for six RBI. Choo is 2-4 to pace the WildCats in the loss.

Game 3 Houston 2, Kentucky 1

Kip Wells (7-18 5.80) vs. Travis Wood (8-5 3.58)

October 7, 2011 at Progressive Field. The Oil Barons edged the Wildcats by a 2-1 score. The Wildcats might have pulled it out had they not stranded 12 runners. Kip Wells and Travis Wood were locked in a pitcher’s duel as both pitched brilliantly, until Wood allowed Joe Mauer’s homer leading off the 8 to tie the game 1-1. Oil Barons’ Omar Infante’s single in the 9th off Joaquin Benoit was the GWH. Choo paced the losing offense with a double and homer, finishing with a 3-3 performance.

Game 4 Kentucky 5, Houston 2

Tim Staufer (7-1 2.43) vs. Roy Halladay (13-16 4.01)

The thermometer dropped to 53 degrees on October 8, 2011 at Progressive Field as the Kentucky WildCats tried to avoid the sweep. The Oil Barons nursed a 2-0 lead into the 9th before dropping this one to the Wildcats 5-2. Feliz Hernandez takes the loss in relief of Stauffer’s 6 innings of shutout ball. Two walks in the 9th drives Valarde from the game with 1 out. Felix Hernandez walks Mark Reynolds to load the bases before Drew Stubbs bangs a single to center. One WildCats’ runner scores before Carlos Ruiz, the tying run, is thrown out at the plate. Now with only 1 out away from being sweep, Choo draws a walk before Rafael Furcal drills a homer to right center for a Grand Slam. What a comeback for the WildCats! .

Game 5 Kentucky 6, Houston 1

Felix Hernandez (17-9 2.99) vs. Homer Bailey (9-7 3.43)

October 9, 2011 at Progressive Field. The Oil Barons lost to the Wildcats 6-1. Felix Hernandez and Homer Bailey were locked in a 1-1 tie until the 7th as Kentucky slowly pulled away. Joey Votto led the Wildcats with two HR and three RBI, going 2-3 for the day. With the series now 2-3, back to GABP.

Game 6 Kentucky 2, Houston 1

Jamie Garcia (13-8 3.92) vs. Bronson Arroyo (13-8 4.40)

October 11, 2011. After a 75-minute rain delay at Great American Ball Park, the Wildcats squeaked by the Oil Barons 2-1 to tie the series at 3 apiece. Garcia is in control of a 1-0 game until the WildCats score 2 in the 8th, on Carlos Ruiz double and Choo’s single. Wood picks up the save, stranding 2 in the 9th.

Game 7 Kentucky 14, Houston 7

Kip Wells (7-18 5.80) vs. Roy Halladay (9-7 3.43)

October 12, 2011 at Great American Ball Park. The Wildcats take the series, pounding the Oil Barons 14-7, with a miracle comeback on the strength of a 12 run inning. Kentucky puts together 8 hits and 6 walks in their 6th inning rally. Infante raked two homeruns for the Oil Barons. After Infante hit his 2nd home run, off Halladay to give Houston a 6-0 lead it looked all over, it wasn’t! The Wildcats racked up 16 hits and the Oil Barons had 13. Choo led the Wildcats going 4-5 w/a homerun, 4 RBI. Hafner was 4-5.

What a strange series that saw Kentucky get down 3 games to nothing only to come back to win the series. This involved 4 blown saves from the Houston bullpen as well as 1 by the WildCats bullpen which means FIVE come from behind wins. 4 games won / lost in the 8th inning or later, and the 12 run inning!

Roy Halladay started 3 times, giving up 19 hits and 10 earned runs for a 9.64 ERA. Not exactly an ACE’s performance. Rookie relievers, Kimbrel and Jansen,gave up 6 hits, 9 walks, and 6 ER’s in 6 innings. BUT, the rest of the WildCats bullpen was 25 2/3th innings, 3 earned runs, 1.05 ERA with 2 saves.

MVP Choo hit .440 with a .588 OBP and .840 SLG. on the strength of one double and three homers, 9 runs scored and 9 RBI’s, along with 2 stolen bases.

Thanks to Scott Felt for the strangest playoff series I have ever played. He was a great sport while watching his bullpen self-destruct and cost his team a trip to the next round of playoffs.