Sunset Park entered the series with a distinct advantage in starting pitching, trotting out a 19, 17 and a 14 to face the Kooks stable of grade 13 starters. The Seminoles though would have to overcome the absence of some key bats to start the series. 3B Josh Donaldson entered the series Bushed and Ryan Mountcastle started off Tired. In contrast, Cardiff was rested and raring to go.
Game 1 – Kershaw(SUN) vs Ryu(CAR). The Seminoles got off to a quick start as Biggio doubled to lead off the series, ultimately scoring on a Reyes sac fly for a 1-0 Sunset Park lead. In the bottom of the 2nd Kolten Wong tied the game with a solo HR. Cardiff scratched out single runs in the 4th and 6th for a 3-1 lead, before breaking through against the Sunset Park bullpen in the 7th for 5 runs, the big blow a 2 run homer by Mookie Betts. Longoria doubled in a run in the 9th but it was too little, too late for the Seminoles. Kooks win 8-2.
Game 2 – Walker(SUN) vs Carrasco(CAR). Both starters cruised through the 1st 3 innings, but the wheels came off for Carrasco in the 4th. Didi Gregorius doubled in 2 runs, followed by a Realmuto sac fly to give Sunset Park a 3-0 lead. Mookie Betts got 1 back for the Kooks in the bottom of the 4th with a solo HR, making it 3-1 Seminoles after 4. Bottom of the 6th, Walker starts to tire allowing Wong and Grossman to reach base, the Seminoles go to the pen and call on Oliver Perez to face Mookie Betts. Betts obliterates a Perez offering and the 3 run HR gives Cardiff a 4-3 lead! Machado follows and makes it back to back homers for a 5-3 Kooks lead!! The Cardiff bullpen was stellar working 5.1 scoreless innings in relief of Carrasco as the Kooks won 5-3.
Game 3 – Bauer(SUN) vs Hudson(CAR). The series shifted to Sunset Park and Seminoles fans were happy to see their ace Trevor Bauer on the bump, and Ryan Mountcastle back at 1B, a tired Josh Donaldson remained out of the lineup. This time the Kooks got the jump as Grossman and Machado double in the 1st off of Bauer to give Cardiff a quick 1-0 lead. Bottom of the 5th, Longoria ties the game at 1-1 for Sunset Park with an RBI single. It remained 1-1 through 9 innings as both teams leaned heavily on their best relievers. Top of the 10th, Seminoles stopper Romano in his 3rd inning of work, Jurickson Profar leads off the 10th with a solo HR for a 2-1 Kooks lead!. Cardiff closer Hahn had been brought in during the 9th to get out of a jam, and stays in for the 10th, setting Sunset Park down 1-2-3 for a clutch save and a 2-1 Cardiff win.
Game 4 – Kershaw(SUN) vs Ryu(CAR). Josh Donaldson finally returns to action for the Seminoles. Back to back doubles by Betts and Machado give Cardiff a quick 1-0 lead. The Kooks added another run in the 2nd, then in the 4th with 2 men on, Renato Nunez belts a 3 run homer for a 5-0 Cardiff lead. Bottom of the 4th, Nunez giveth and Nunez giveth some more, this time to the wrong team, he pulls a Bill Buckner on a Mountcastle grounder to 1B. That set up The Franinmal, and Reyes crushes a 2 run homer off of Ryu(the 1st of the series for Sunset Park), cutting the lead to 5-2. Bottom of the 5th, Seminoles reliever Mella gives the runs right back when he serves up a 2 run homer to Yasmani Grandal and it’s 7-2 Cardiff. The Kooks added 3 more runs in the 6th and cruised to a 10-2 win and a surprising series sweep of Sunset Park!
Congratulations to Bob Van Valkenberg on another fine season for his Sunset Park team!