If you recall back in February I predicted this epic battle for the NLCS and my prediction of Osama winning this one stands.  This might be the best Post Season Series ever played in the TBBL.

The San Antonio Saints swept the Osama Sodomy Camp in four very tight games to win the 2012 National League Championship.   The games were all close and the Saints seemed to do all the little things right when the games were on the line. 

Adrian Gonzalez was named the MVP for his .471/.500/.765 performance.  While the slugger only hit one homer, it broke up Justin Verlander’s shutout and tied Game 3 when it looked like Osama would turn the momentum of the series. 

Game 1: SAS 8, OSC 4

Mike Stanton started the 2^nd inning with a triple and scored on a Cole Hamels wild pitch. David Wright walked, stole second and scored an out later on a Wilson Ramos single.

OSC roughed up NLDS MVP Dan Haren for four runs in the top of the 3^rd.  Jacoby Ellsbury had a two run double while Nick Markakis and Matt Kemp each added RBI singles.  SA tied it in the bottom of the inning.  Jose Reyes reached on  a force out and stole second.  He scored on AGone’s double and the Saints tied it on Stanton’s second triple in as many trips to the plate.

The game stayed tied until the 5^th when Haren started the inning with a single. He went to third on a Reyes single and scored on Jose Bautista’s single. An out later Stanton singled to plate Reyes and then Wright doubled home Bautista.  Jeff Smardzija came on and gave up a final run on Lucas Duda’s ground out.

Haren was dominant after getting the lead, not allowing a runner from the 4^th inning until a leadoff double in the 8^th.  The Saint pen was perfect from that point forward.  SAS 1, OCS 0

Game 2: SAS 7, OCS 6

NLDS hero David Price held the Camp scoreless in the 1^st but was touched up for three consecutive singles to start the 2^nd.  Matt Weiters’ single scored Kemp  before Price got Wilson Valdez to ground into a double play to thwart the rally.  Tim Hudson gave up leadoff doubles to Duda and Shelley Duncan in the bottom of the 2^nd to tie the game.

It stayed tied until a Stanton single in the bottom of the 5^th made it 2-1.  In the top of the 6^th Kemp slammed a three run homer to reclaim the lead.  It didn’t last long.  The Saints got four runs back in the bottom of the inning.  A pinch Drew Sutton double started the fireworks.  Jose Reyes tied the game on a sac fly and Bautista’s single gave the Saints a lead.  Gonzalez’s double gave SA a 6-4 edge. 

Jordan Walden worked a perfect 7^th but four SA relievers couldn’t stop the Camp from tying the game in the 8^th.  A Kemp ground out and a Zimmerman single did the damage.

The Saints scored the deciding run in the bottom of the 8^th.  Stanton’s two out double looked harmless until Adam Lind misplayed a grounder.  Duncan’s double off Kyle Farnsworth capped the scoring.  David Robertson worked a scoreless 9^th for his 1^st save. SA 2, OCS 0

 Game 3: SAS 5, OCS 3

The momentum seemed to swing when the series moved to Osama.  Verlander stymied the Saints for the first five innings, allowing only a harmless single and a walk while striking out six batters.

The Camp roughed up Matt Garza in the bottom of the 1^st for three quick runs on a Cabrera RBI single, Zimmerman RBI double and a wild pitch.  Garza stiffened after that and didn’t allow another run.

Verlander cruised into the 6^th when Reyes singled with one out.  Bautista moved him to third with another single.  Gonzalez then took advantage of Verlander’s only mistake of the night, launching a 1-0 fastball deep down the line in right for a tying homer.

“It was the biggest moment of the series, “ said Garza. “We hadn’t touched Verlander all night and then AGone came up big in the ONE chance we had with runners on base.  Man, that was CLUTCH!” 

It looked like it wouldn’t be enough though.  Cabrera led off the bottom of the 6^th with a single and took 2^nd when Stanton misplayed the ball.  Miggy moved to third on a Kemp ground out and tried to score when Zimmerman grounded to Reyes.  But with Reyes playing in, he had time to throw home and nab the big slugger and preserve the tie.

In the bottom of the 8^th Ellsbury doubled off Eric O’Flaherty and moved to 3^rd on a ground out.  Free agent pickup Christopher Leroux come on for the Saints and induced a Cabrera pop up and ended the threat by striking out Kemp. 

“Our bullpen saved our butts in this one” said Gonzalez.  “If either of those runners score in the 6^th or 8^th it changes the game completely.  To strand them both was backbreaking.”

Franklin Morales got two quick outs for the Camp in the 9^th but Ramon Castro hit a pinch homer to stun the crowd.  Farnsworth came in and gave up doubles to Posey and Duncan for a 5-3 SAS lead.  Robertson worked a perfect 9^th for his 2^nd save.  SAS 3, OCS 0

Game 4: SAS 4, OCS 2

SA’s Shawn Marcum looked to be overmatched by Osama’s Clayton Kershaw in game 4.  But they both pitched well early, with neither allowing a run in the early innings.

The Saints pushed a run across in the top of the 4^th when David Wright doubled with two outs.  SA made it 2-0 in the 5^th when Reyes slapped an RBI single.

Far from being overmatched, Marcum actually had a no hitter until the 5^th inning.  In the sixth the Camp started the inning with singles by Orlando Hudson and Kershaw (who had missed a bunt signal from his bench).  Ellsbury’s double cut the lead to a run and put the tying run on 3^rd.

But again the SA pen wriggled out of the jam.  Joe Paterson called the infield in and induced Markakis into a harmless ground out.  Leroux then came on to strike out Cabrera and Kemp.  He also started the 7^th with a strikeout but left so that Jesse Crain could face Lind, who promptly tied the game with a homer.

Reyes got a one out double in the 8^th and scored an out later when Gonzalez delivered another single.  Robertson came on in the bottom of the 8^th to get Kemp and end ANOTHER threat.  The Saints capped the scoring when Bautista chipped in an RBI single in the top of the 9^th.  Robertson was clearly tired when he went out in the 9^th but worked a quick, scoreless inning to clinch the series.

“When you hear the word ‘sweep’ you think lopsided,” said Bautista after the game, champagne dripping from his cap. “But these games were so close they could have gone either way.  We came through, but I have to give the Camp organization and their fans props for being a class act.  They never rioted or threw batteries like some fans in other leagues would have.  Osama deserved a better fate than they got in this series.  They will be back in this position soon and they won’t have everything go against them like they did tonight”.

The Saints now move to the TBBL World Series to face the mighty Halos, who have won all eight of their playoff games this season.  The Halos will likely be heavily favored as they are two time TBBL champs.