7th Inning 2020 World Series

Aaron Knorr

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Jan 10, 2022, 10:50:40 AM1/10/22

to 7thba...@googlegroups.com, Dwayne Boddy

Well, Vancouver's been here before this post-season... backs against the wall needing to win a pair at home. For the Titans, it's one more win to the title... On to the conclusion of the 2020 7th Inning season...

Game 6: TF - Jacob deGrom (16-7, 2.57 ERA) vs. VAN - Shane Bieber (18-8, 2.46 ERA)

deGrom vs. Bieber -- the aces finally align in a do-or-die (for Vancouver) Game 6. Bieber had a rough go of it in Game 3... and that trend continued in this one. A leadoff walk and single put runners on the corners with nobody out in the 1st. Jose Ramirez came through with a base hit and it was 1-0, still with nobody out. Bieber got a huge strikeout of Corey Seager then, after Ramirez stole second, a foul pop-out off the bat of Paul Goldschmidt. With 2 down and 2 in scoring position, Tim Locastro poked a flair over 2nd... but Joey Wendle was able to run it down to end what could have been a disastrous 1st frame. Vancouver generated some traffic of their own in the bottom half putting runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out... but Salvador Perez couldn't come through, grounding into the inning-ending double play as Twin Falls snuffed the threat.

Anthony Santander led off the Twin Falls 5th with a double... but was cut down trying to advance to 3rd on a fly to right. The Titans offense fired up again in the 6th... same as the 1st, a walk and single put runners at the corners with nobody out. After Mookie Betts stole second, Jose Ramirez came through again with his second RBI single of the game making it 2-0. The rest of the inning was eerily similar to the 1st... strikeout, foul pop, and then Locastro grounded out to end the inning. Again, could have been way more, but Twin Falls adds on an all-important run.

Meanwhile, deGrom continued to set down the Knights lineup one after the other, allowing just a single hit through 6 1/3 frames... which is when the skipper came out to ask for the ball, bringing in the left-handed Richard Bleier for a favorable matchup. But he was wild out of the gate, walking and hitting the first two Knights he faced. Jean Segura then stepped to the plate for Vancouver representing the go-ahead run... and grounded into an inning-ending double play. Heartbreaker right there for the Knights.

Bottom of 8, with 1 out Vancouver got a gift in the form of Twin Falls' third error of the game, putting Joey Wendle on first. Not willing to risk yet another GDP, Vancouver put the runner in motion and the call paid off as Anthony Rendon roped a double into the corner, scoring Wendle to make it 2-1 and put the tying run in scoring position with Juan Soto stepping to the plate... The entire stadium was on the edge of their seats as Twin Falls summoned 22* relief ace Jordan Romano to the hill for a crucial spot... Soto hit it right on the screws, but right at Jose Ramirez, who doubled off Rendon to end the inning. The 5th double play of the game turned by Twin Falls. Heartbreaker x2 for the Knights.

Top of 9, Paul Goldschmidt connected for a 1-out double and moved to 3rd on a ground out, but was stranded when Ryan Sherriff struck out Anthony Santander to end the inning. To the bottom of the 9th.

3 outs away from a championship, Twin Falls called on Jeremy Jeffress to close it out. First up, Randy Arozarena... ground ball to second, 1 away. Salvador Perez dug in next and decided to swing from his heels... Salvy got the sweet part of the bat on a fastball, sending it way back... and way gone! Game-tying homer in the bottom of the 9th! Jeffress retired the next 2 hitters, but Vancouver had bought a reprieve at the last possible moment and it was on to extra innings.

Sherriff retired the Titans in order in the top of the 10th. Jeffress returned in the bottom half and he pitched around a 2-out single to send it to the 11th.

Again Sherriff put Twins Falls down 1-2-3 in the 11th. Jeffress back out again for the Titans. With one out, Corey Seager committed his 3rd and the Titans 4th error of the game to allow the winning run to reach first base. Again it was Salvador Perez stepping to the plate for the Knights, and I'll let Ernie Harwell take the call...

* S. PEREZ facing J. JEFFRESS, B 11th, 1 Out, Runner on 1st, Tied 2-2. Firstbaseman GOLDSCHMIDT's on the bag ... AROZARENA with a substantial lead ... he delivers, this one is hit ... it may carry ... it's way back ... say good-bye ... it's all over! Home run for PEREZ!

"And we'll see you, tomorrow night!" Salvador Perez reacts after hitting an 11th inning walk-off homer to send the Series to a 7th Game.

FINAL: Vancouver 4, Twin Falls 2 (11 innings)

Game 7: TF - Kenta Maeda (14-9, 3.93 ERA) vs. VAN - Kwang Hyun Kim (11-3, 2.84 ERA)

Game 7... as it should be, right? Will Sal Perez's Game 6 heroics put him in the company of Puckett, setting the table for a championship... or like Fisk, a memorable moment without a coda to match? Both teams are starting to feel the wear and tear of a long postseason run, but it's the last game of the season and all hands are on deck...

As they've seemingly done all series, the Titans did some damage right off the bat. After a lead-off walk to Kevin Plawecki, Jose Ramirez hooked a home run to left to give Twin Falls an all-important 2-0 lead. Then Paul Goldschmidt followed a Corey Seager base hit by clubbing another 2-run shot to make it 4-0 before the Knights had their turn at bat.

Top of 2, Jurickson Profar led off with a 2-bagger, then Plawecki switched places with a 1-out double to make it 5-0. Desperation was setting in early for Vancouver and Kim got the quick hook. AJ Minter came on and promptly gave up a base hit to put runners at the corners. Jose Ramirez was up next and hit a come-backer... but Minter threw it away and another run trotted home. 6-0. Minter settled down to get out of the inning, but it was another costly one to Vancouver's hopes.

Top of 3, and the wheels continued to fall off for the Knights. After Anthony Santander led off with a double, the usually sure-handed Anthony Rendon muffed a grounder allowing the run to come all the way around. 7-0.

Vancouver finally put something on the board off Maeda in the 4th as Tommy La Stella popped a long homer to right. But Twin Falls got that run back and more in the top of the 6th, courtesy of back-to-back homers by Mookie Betts and Jose Ramirez to extend the lead to 9-1.

Edwin Diaz entered for Twin Falls in the 7th and gave up a trio of walks to load the bases with 2 outs... next up was Randy Arozarena who got a fastball he liked and smoked it into the gap to clear the bases. 9-4. Out with Diaz, in with JB Wendelken for Twin Falls who retired Tommy La Stella to prevent further damage. Diaz's wildness must have been contagious... In the top of the 8th, Bryan Garcia walked the bases loaded with nobody out. After a flyout, Garcia walked yet another to make it double digits on the scoreboard for the Titans. A couple of ground outs left 'em loaded but Vancouver's hopes were quickly fading into oblivion...

After a 1-2-3 top of the 9th, Twin Falls called on Kyle Zimmer to nail it down. Joey Wendle led off with a check swing come-backer for the 1st out... Anthony Rendon up next, hit a routine flyout to center. With one out to go Zimmer brought the heat, blowing one by Juan Soto to end the game, the series, and the 2020 season. It's another championship in the bag for Twin Falls!

Series MVP Jose Ramirez celebrates his second homer of Game 7 (and 5th of the Series).

FINAL: Twin Falls 10, Vancouver 4

Congratulations to Twin Falls, as they continue a remarkable run of league titles over the last few years. No question who the team to beat next season will be...

Thanks all!

Aaron

Daniel Walock

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Jan 10, 2022, 11:01:59 AM1/10/22

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Congratulations Aaron.

Great write up, and it essentially had to go 7. When reviewing your team before the series I wasn't sure how I'd score, let alone win. But, I think two evenly matched squads going to a 7th game.

Wow. Thanks,

Daniel

From: 7thba...@googlegroups.com <7thba...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Aaron Knorr <aaron...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2022 9:49 AM
To: 7thba...@googlegroups.com <7thba...@googlegroups.com>; Dwayne Boddy <dwayne...@gmail.com>
Subject: 7th Inning 2020 World Series - FINAL RESULTS

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