Jersey gets back to the World Series by knocking off the Giant of he American League.

What do you expect when the two highest scoring teams in the TBBL face off with a trip to the World Series on the line?  Runs.  Lots and lots of runs.  The San Antonio Saints outslugged the New Jersey Damage Inc in six games.  And until that last game, every showdown was a blowout.  Though the SAS team slash line was a robust .292/.356/.476 for the series, the MVP was Kyle Lohse.  The veteran right hander tamed the powerful Damage Inc lineup in both of his starts, ending with a 2-0 mark and 1.69 ERA across 16 solid innings.  He will be rewarded with his first World Series appearance in the TBBL.

Game 1 SAS 5, JER 4

A 5-4 opener doesn’t seem like a blowout on the surface, but it was 2 blowouts in one.  Jersey started it with 4 runs in the top of the 1^st off Matt Garza.  In fact the first four batters of the series scored with the big blow a Victor Martinez three run blast after a leadoff single and a walk.  But Garza settled in nicely after that and the Saints chipped away off Adam Wainwright. Giancarlo Stanton laced an RBI single in the bottom of the 2^nd and Jose Reyes hit a fourth inning grounder that scored another when Ian Desmond bobbled it.  Garza gave up only two harmless singles in the middle innings and Stanton launched a solo homer to lead off the 7^th.  He also tied the game in the bottom of the 8^th with a two out single off Mark Melancon.  Jonathan Papelbon hurled two scoreless innings and picked up the win in relief when San Antonio scored a run in the bottom of the 9^th to complete the comeback.  Melancon hit David Wright with a pitch to start the frame and pinch runner Eduardo Nunez made it to third when Jose Bautista doubled down the third base line.  With the outfield drawn in to stop the winning run on a fly, Aroldis Chapman came in to face Carl Crawford.  Crawford hit the ball deep enough to score Nunez and the Saint faithful gave loud praise to the heavens.

“We didn’t want to let our fans down,” said Stanton after the game. “They have come sold out our stadium for three years straight and were the loudest crowd in the TBBL this season.  So we just chipped away at Wainwright, taking what we could and good things happened for us.” W- Papelbon L-Melancon

Game 2 SAS 11, JER 2

The game 1 momentum seemed short-lived when Adam Jones delivered a two out RBI single in the top of the 1^st off Lohse.  But San Antonio mauled Jordan Zimmerman for SEVEN runs in the bottom of the inning when Lucas Duda tied the game on a one out solo and four of the next six batters hit doubles.  Wright broke the trend when he stretched his ball of the wall into an RBI triple.  Gifted the big lead, Lohse pitched to contact facing only three batters in the 2^nd thru 6^th inning.  David broke that string with two outs in the 7^th on a solo homer but it was much too little and too late.  Lohse held the mighty Damage Inc lineup in check and saved his bullpen with a complete game.  He couldn’t be called dominating as he whiffed only two batters, but he threw to his defense time after time.

“What can I say,” Lohse shrugged after leaving the shower following the game.  “My defense covers the field like a tarp so I just threw the ball and let them chase down those long flies at the track.  They bailed me out again and again.” W- Lohse L-Zimmerman

Game 3 JER 8, SAS 0

Jersey clearly got the memo that said no game in this series could be close.  So when the games moved to New Jersey, the Damage Inc. didn’t disappoint, bludgeoning David Price for seven runs in as many innings. Justin Ruggiano started it with an RBI single in the 3^rd and Salvador Perez put a jimmy jack into orbit in the 4^th to put the game out of reach.  Ruggiano hit a solo of his own later and Nelson Cruz crushed a two run homer off Junichi Tazawa to end the bloodshed. Rick Porcello held the Saints scoreless despite giving up six hits and four walks in six innings.  The Damage Inc pen threw three perfect frames to close out the game.  WP-Porcello LP-Price

Game 4 SAS 17, JER 5

Manager Rob Capizzano toyed with the idea of bringing Wainwright back on short rest but handed the ball to Chris Tillman with a chance to tie the series.  After a leadoff walk Duda mashed a two run homer to start the beating.  Two more runs scored on a groundout and a wild pitch.  Stanton then slammed another two run bomb for a lead that Saint starter Michael Wacha would never relinquish.  Two run homers were the order of the day as Buster Posey and Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit their own for SAS and Michael Saunders hit one for Jersey. The Saints racked up 17 hits and nine extra base hits in the game. W- Wacha L-Tillman

Game 5 JER 9, SAS 3

Some Damage Inc fans called into their local sports talk shows to declare that Jersey would roll over in game 5.  But that isn’t what happened at all.  Instead Wainwright shook off an early Duda homer and got three crucial double plays to keep the game close until his Damage Inc could rip Garza for five runs in the third inning.  Martinez’ RBI double started the comeback and Cruz followed with a two run single.  Perez singled in a pair more for a 5-2 bulge that soon became another...wait for it…blowout.  Garza was down 8-2 when he was mercifully removed after four innings.  Cruz had three RBI and Jersey scored nine runs without a homer, in a rare display of small ball.  W- Wainwright L-Garza

Game 6 SAS 3, JER 2

Back in South Texas, Lohse again teased and frustrated the Jersey hitters, scattering three hits and a walk in seven innings while striking out only two batters.  Zimmerman bounced back from his nightmare game 2 start to retire the first six Saints.  He almost escaped a third inning jam unscathed, but Posey plated Stanton and Reyes with a grounder that barely split the middle of the diamond.  Peralata’s sixth inning RBI single seemed like gravy at the time.  But  Jersey ignored the script and almost came back for the win.  Ortiz ended the shutout with a seven inning solo.  Then Cruz blistered a long solo with two outs in the 9^th off David Robertson.  Jeff Belvieu came on to try to retire Ortiz. But instead pinch hitter Ruggiano drew a walk.  With Yoenis Cespedes at the plate as the go ahead run Papelbon came on to face him.  Ruggiano moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.  But with the entire state of Texas on the edge of its seat, Cespedes popped harmlessly to second baseman Neil Walker to end the game.

“It is always a thrill to go to the World Series”, said Lohse dripping non-alcoholic champagne after the respectful celebration.  “But beating a team as strong as Jersey makes it even more special.  They can get hot and score runs in bunches at any time.  So we knew we had to put them away when we had the chance.  We are all relieved to have done it.” W-Lohse L-Zimmerman S-Papelbon

Many thanks to Rob who played the series despite being severely under the weather and stuck with it through a ton of internet failures.  He has built a superb team that really deserved to go to the Series and could have if it had gotten a few more breaks.

The Saints will be returning to the TBBL World Series for the third time in four seasons since Alan Lehmann took over the former Chemung Crawdad franchise.  The Saints won World Series championships in 2012 and 2013, both times outlasting the Los Angeles Halos.  The Crawdads won the Series in 2007 by besting the New Jersey Damage Inc.