Key West at Vancouver - NL Semi-Final Games 1 & 2 RESULTS

[Aaron Knorr]

Key West Manatees (93-69, 2nd NL East) vs. Vancouver Knights (112-50, 1st NL West)

This is not the first time these two NL foes have gone toe-to-toe in the postseason... The Knights have been victorious in the previous two meetings, including an NLCS victory in 2017 that led to Vancouver's only World Series appearance. But that is all in the distant past, as a hungry Manatees club looks to keep up the momentum from a late season surge into the playoffs. Let the games begin...

Game 1: KEY - Dinelson Lamet (15-5, 3.24 ERA) vs. VAN - Shane Bieber (18-8, 2.46 ERA)

Key West's Ketel Marte led the series off with a double; moved to 3rd on a ground out; and then scored the game's first run on a base hit by Luke Voit. The Knights played their own bit of small ball in the 3rd as Brett Gardner worked a lead-off walk; advanced to 2nd on a ground out; and Juan Soto tied things up with a 2-out base hit. Key West came right back in the 4th, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Brandon Crawford came through with a broken bat single, scoring a pair and putting the Manatees in front 3-1. To the top of 7, a 2-out double by Tyler Flowers got Bieber the hook... and Ketel Marte welcomed Ryan Sherriff with an RBI double to make it 4-1. After Lamet struck out the side, Luke Voit led off the 8th with a long homer to left, extending the lead to 5-1. "Mr. Postseason" himself, Randy Arozarena came through with a solo homer in the bottom half for the Knights to make it 5-2. But that was little solace, as Key West summoned 30* stopper Devin Williams in the 9th to lock it down, retiring the side 1-2-3.

The Manatees offense set the tone, but Dinelson Lamet was the story of Game 1, shutting down the Knights vaunted offense over 8 innings and striking out 11.

Manatees ace Dinelson Lamet delivers a pitch during a masterful Game 1 victory.

FINAL: Key West 5, Vancouver 2

Game 2: KEY - Brandon Woodruff (16-8, 3.08 ERA) vs. VAN - Kwang Hyun Kim (11-3, 2.84 ERA)

Key West's Jorge Polanco managed the first hit of the game for either club, leading off the 3rd with a single then moving to 2nd on a sac bunt. With 2 outs, Tommy La Stella muffed a grounder allowing the runner to reach; but Kim fanned Phillip Evans to retire the side. The Manatees would break through in the 4th though, as Luke Voit muscled his second homer of the series. 1-0 Manatees. Mike Yastrzemski followed with a base hit then AJ Pollock cleared the fence for a 2-run shot to extend the lead to 3-0. Tyler Flowers got into the act, mashing another 2-run blast to make it a 5 run inning and leave the home club's heads spinning. Salvador Perez finally tallied the first Vancouver hit in the 4th, a solo shot to make it 5-1. When Phillip Evans led off the 5th with a bloop single, Kim was sent to the showers, putting the wraps on a dismal outing. Bryan Garcia gave up a double but then wriggled out of the jam. Top of 6, the first 3 Manatees hitters reached base to load 'em up... Knights reliever Eric Yardley then plunked Ketel Marte to bring in another run. A sac fly by Evans plated another and it was 7-1. Bottom of 6, the Knights got a run back on a Randy Arozarenza RBI triple, but he would remain stranded there. Vancouver stirred again in the 7th as an Ian Happ single was followed by an E6 to put runners on the corners; but a muffed hit and run cost the Knights an out and nothing came of the threat. Woodruff was relieved in the 9th by James Karinchak who pitched around a 1-out single to close the door and send the Manatees home with a commanding 2-0 series lead. 

Once again, Key West rode an absolutely dominating starting performance to victory. This time it was Brandon Woodruff going 8 innings and fanning 13 befuddled Knights hitters.

Manatees starter Brandon Woodruff notches one of 13 K's in a Game 2 gem.

FINAL: Key West 7, Vancouver 2

Vancouver packs their bags for the cross-continental road trip thoroughly humbled... but not ready to count themselves out. F-file attached and ready to go for games 3 through 5 (if necessary) in South Florida...

Thanks,

Aaron