1984 Playoff thread

[Alan T]

Little immediately diffuses the threat however by hitting into a 4-6-3 ground ball double play. Abbott follows by hitting a harmless fly-out to the rightfielder to end the game.

Hartford wins 2-1

Hartford takes a 1 game to 0 lead in the fool classic.

[Alan T]

Game 2:

Wiley will be pitching for Atlanta. He is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA this post season

For Hartford, the pitcher is Aquino who is also 1-0 with a 3.07 ERA this postseason.

[Alan T]

If it was possible to have any less scoring then the previous game, it happened in game two.

Hartford starts things off the right way in the bottom of the first with a Holcombe RBI double to make the score 1-0.

That ends up being the only run scored the entire game as both pitchers were amazing and pitched the complete game.

Aquino goes 9 innings, gives up only 4 hits and 0 walks while striking out 6.

Wiley pitches 8 innings, strikes out 10 and walks no one, but gives up 7 hits and the only run of the game.

Hartford wins 1-0

Hartford takes a 2 game to 0 lead in the 1984 FOOL Classic!

[Chief Rum]

Sheesh, I am throwing great pitching out there, but Hartford's just a teensy little bit better.

[Alan T]

Game 3:

Robinson (postseason: 1-1 2.65 ERA) pitches for Hartford

Clarke (postseason: 1-0 4.50 ERA) pitches for Atlanta

The Atlanta scoreless streak continues in this game until the bottom of the 5th when they finally score their first run in over 15 innings thanks to an Abbott RBI.

In the bottom of the 6th, Atlanta finally remembers how to hit and start off the inning with a Romero Single, Gonzalez double, Kiyomizu 3-run-homer, Poole Single, Lopez intentional walk and finally the first out of the inning thanks to a Reed Sacrifice fly.

Clarke bunts foul for the strikeout but then Abbott follows with a 2-run homer, Cutileiro hits a double and Romero up for the second time in the inning hits a RBI triple! Finally the third out of the inning is on a Gonzalez fly out...

Needless to say, Atlanta runs away with this one.

Atlanta wins 8-1

Hartford still leads the series 2 games to 1

[Alan T]

Game 4:

Williams (0-1 3.38 ERA) for Hartford
vs
Duffy (1-0 0.00 ERA) for Atlanta

Finally now that both teams have tasted victory, the series settles in for what appears to be quite a good series.

Hartford, a bit embarassed from being trounced in the previous game comes out biting in the first inning. an Eaton RBI single scores 2 runs for the early lead.

Atlanta, never being one to be shown up answer in the bottom of the first with a Gonzalez RBI double and a Pool 3-run Home run to take a 4-2 lead.

Hartford jumps back into the lead in the top of the third when Baker hits his own 3-run home run and puts the score to 5-4, only to watch Atlanta tie in the bottom of the fifth on a Romero RBI sac fly.

Finally both pitching staffs settle down and no further runs score through 8 innings...

After 8, the score is all tied up at 5-5!

[Alan T]

In the top of the 9th, Marnane is pitching for Atlanta, he gives up a Single to Tolmie to start the inning. Vazquez bunts him to second, but then Anderson flys out and Cervantes strikes out looking to end the threat.

The bottom of the 9th is even less eventful with Hennessey coming in to pitch for Hartford. He gets Poole, Lopez and Reed in a 1-2-3 inning to end the 9th still tied 5 a piece... Extra innings in the FOOL Classic!

[Chief Rum]

Nice. This could be a pivotal game. More important for us Crackers, though, than the Pooners.

[Alan T]

The top of the 10th things change once again however and the offense shows back up..

McGill leads off the inning by lining a Marnane fastball over the left field fence for a solo homer.

Baker then singles and Marnane is called for a balk to move him to second!

Harmon hits an 0-2 triple to right field that easily scores Baker to put the Harpooners up by 2 with no outs!

Marnane gets Eaton to strike out swinging and then walks Watkins intentionally. Chief RUm has had enough of Marnane and goes to the bullpen for Martland.

Martland forces Tolmie to pop out on a bunt attempt, and then he strikes out Hennessey the pitcher to end the inning. Muns making the gutsy call to keep his pitcher in to bat, even if he is as good as Hennessey.

After 9 and 1/2 innings, Hartford leads 7-5..

[Alan T]

In the bottom of the 10th, Hennessey gives up a single on the very first pitch to Contreras. Abbott follows with a double to put runners at third and second, and the winning run to the plate!

Cutileiro fouls off four straight pitches before finally grounding out to the first baseman. The ball was hit too short for anyone to score.

One out, runners second and third and the batter will be Romero...

[Chief Rum]

You see, Marnane, crap like that, that's why you ain't closing no more.

(Ok, it wasn't performance, Martland's just flat better, still WTH?...)

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Alan T

In the bottom of the 10th, Hennessey gives up a single on the very first pitch to Contreras. Abbott follows with a double to put runners at third and second, and the winning run to the plate!

Cutileiro fouls off four straight pitches before finally grounding out to the first baseman. The ball was hit too short for anyone to score.

One out, runners second and third and the batter will be Romero...

Ooh baby, ex-Pooner!

[Alan T]

Romero fouls off a pitch but then grounds one between third and short. Contreras scores easily.. Abbott races around third and tries for home... He scores easily and does not even draw a throw. Atlanta has tied it up 7-7!

Gonzalez then flys out and Jette hits into a fielders choice to end the inning, but not before Atlanta stays alive.

[Chief Rum]

Awesome. This is clearly the pivotal game, unless Alan has more tricks up his sleeve.

[Young Drachma]

:sleep:

[Young Drachma]

[Alan T]

The game remains all tied up through the 13th inning.. both teams appear to be dragging and both bullpens are thin.

The top of the 14th has Reinhart pitching for Atlanta against the heart of the Hartford lineup.

Reinhart gets Cervantes to ground o ut, but McGill then hits a single and Baker follows with a triple to increase the lead to 8-7! Harmon grounds out and then Eaton Flys out to end the inning, but not before the Harpooners once again takes the lead.

The bottom of the 14th, Atlanta still is fighting for their lives, and now face Finley who is pitching for Hartford.

Lopez grounds out to start the inning, but Reed then hits a one out single. Contreras comes to bat with one out, when Reed steals second.. the tying run is at second with 1 out....

[Alan T]

Contreras grounds the next pitch right to the third baseman who makes the easy throw to first for the second out of the inning. The game is left up to Abbott now.. he takes the first pitch as a ball, and then fouls off the next pitch... the third pitch he likes.. he hits hard....


Line drive right at the left fielder who makes the catch... Hartford wins in extra innings.

Hartford wins 8-7 (14 innings)

Hartford has a 3 game to 1 lead in the FOOL Classic

[Young Drachma]

More than halfway there...and now I go to bed. I'll make banners tomorrow.

[Tasan]

ooooo...Chief this does not look good for you.

[Chief Rum]

Good Lord, last person I want in the game right there is Contreras. Yuck.

Good win, muns! Hope I can come back on ya.

[Alan T]

Game 5:

Qian (0-1 2.87 ERA in the postseason) for Atlanta
Smith (2-0 1.85 ERA in the postseason) for Hartford

A rematch of the game 1 starters.

This one is much less closer than the previous game however.. Atlanta score 2 in the top of the second on RBIs by Gonzalez and Sullivan. They score their third run in the third on a Poole RBI double and two more in the 5th on RBIs by Kiyomizu and Romero.

Hartford never was in this game, as Atlanta runs away with it, to try to inch back into the series.

Atlanta wins 6-2

Hartford still leads the series 3 games to 2.

[Alan T]

Game 6 returns back to Hartford for a couple of games.

Wiley, the ex Harpooner pitches for Atlanta vs Aquino for Hartford. The first time these two matched up against each other this series was a 1-0 win for Hartford on a great pitcher's dual.

[Chief Rum]

That's right! I am not going down easy. I think Qian is the only guy on my staff who might get consideration from muns in comparison to his Big Three.

[Tasan]

Man, this is way to late....we gotta split these up.

[Alan T]

Atlanta figures out the secret to Aquino.. or so they think in the first with RBIs by Abbott and Cutileiro to take a quick 2-0 lead.

Hartford finally scores in the bottom of the third on a Holcombe RBI single to make the game 2-1. They score again in the 6th to tie it up on an Eaton Sac fly which makes the game 2-2.

That remains the score into the 9th inning..

In the top of the 9th, Aquino still is pitching for Hartford, Romero leads off with a single, followed by a Poole single... two on and no body out..

[Alan T]

Gonzalez steps up to bat, but flys out on the second pitch, and Sullivan foes the same thing...

With two outs, Muns makes a move to the pen to bring in Ramos to pitch. The move seems to work as Ramos gets Lopez to fly out and end the inning.

The bottom of the 9th has Chief bring in Martland to pitch for Wiley. He mows down Eaton, Watkins and Cervantes 1-2-3 for a quick bottom of the inning. Extra innings once again!

[Chief Rum]

Man, pretty early for Martland.

[Alan T]

Ramos still pitching in the top of the 10th, he gets Little to strike out swinging.. the ball gets away from the catcher though and Little reaches base on the passed ball.

Abbott up now to bat, but he flys out.. Jette however hits a single through the hole at Short, and moves Reed (who came in as a pinch runner for Little) all the way around to third...

Kiyomizu strikes out looking however and Romero flys out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the 10th, Martland walks Tamura (a Hartford pinch hitter) after he had fouled off four pitches.

Anderson sacrifice bunts to move the runner to second.. .for Holcombe. Holcombe grounds one between first and second.. just out of the reach of the second baseman... Montgomery (a pinch runner for Tamura), race around third... he will be trying for home.....

[Alan T]

There is no throw from the Right fielder... Montgomery scores easily, and Hartford wins.

Hartford wins 3-2 (10 innings)

Hartford takes a 4 game to 2 lead in the FOOL Classic.

[Alan T]

Game 7 features Atlanta 1 game from elimination in the FOOL Classic. Their hopes will be resting upon Ron Clarke. Hartford will be sending Dylan Robinson out to try to clinch the FOOL Championship for them

[Alan T]

Game seven is another pitcher's dual. No one scores a run until the 7th inning.

In the bottom of the 7th, Abbott hits a 2-out RBI double for the first run of the game.

Atlanta adds another in the bottom of the 8th on a Lopez RBI single.. After 8 innings, Atlanta leads 2-0

[Chief Rum]

Come on Atlanta!

[Alan T]

In the top of the 9th, Chief once again brings Martland in to pitch.. He gets Watkins to ground out for the first out.. but then Harmon and Tamura (pinch hitter) both hit singles.

Cervantes strikes out looking, but Holcombe fouls off three pitches before corking one down the right field line.. Both Harmon and Tamura score, and the game is all tied up!

In the bottom of the 9th, Hennessey comes in to pitch and gets a 1-2-3 inning, to once again for another game to extra innings!

[Tasan]

Wow what a series! Figures muns and Chief would put together a good one.

[Tasan]

Man I gotta get some sleep, muns please just put this one away now!

[Alan T]

Martland still pitching for Atlanta in the 10th... He gets into trouble fast.

Baker starts off with a single and then steals second base. Martland intentionally walks Zhao to pitch to Eaton.

Eaton Sacrifices bunts the runners to third and second, so Martland intentionally walks Watkins too.

Harmon up to bat, and on a 2-1 count, he lines a double down the left field line...

Baker scores, Zhao scores.. Watkins scores... Hartford is up 5-2!

Reinhart comes in to pitch for Atlanta and he faces Hennessey the opposing pitcher. He gets him to strike out, but is not as lucky against Cervantes who hits a RBI single for the fourth run of the inning. Finally Holcombe grounds out to end the inning, but not before Hartford takes the 6-2 lead.

Hennessey is three batters away from closing out another Hartford FOOL title..

The first batter Romero strikes out swinging...

Gonzalez takes a called strike, and then fouls off a pitch before flying out to the center fielder..

Jette up to bat.. takes a called strike but then doubles to the gap in Left-center.. but Atlanta still needs alot more runners at this point.

Little comes in to pinch hit and doesn't even wait to see a pitch. The very first pitch he likes and hits deep to center field.. deep.. deep..

[Alan T]

Caught at the track by the center fielder for the final out of the game...

Hartford wins 6-2

Hartford has won the 1984 FOOL Classic for theird third championship in 8 years!

[Chief Rum]

That will be out. Fly out, I am calling it.

[Chief Rum]

Sigh...what the hell do I need to do to have a closer that sacks up when it counts? Do I need a 100-100-100 guy or something?

Congrats to muns on another great title. I am hoping next time I reach the Classic, you will be out of my way for once.

[Tasan]

Yay RL!

Man that was great guys, thanks for the amazing series.

[Tasan]

How long for the file, Alan?

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Tasan

How long for the file, Alan?

2:15 left on the upload

[Alan T]

File is up!

Remember next two weeks our schedule will be a bit different. I am about to start a 1985 offseason thread and will post the schedule at the top of it for everyone to remember.

I'll also make sure to keep updates as we go each day to remind what steps are due on which days.

[Young Drachma]

Pooner nation claims the title!

Congrats to them. After knocking off both Chief and Alan in his storied dynasty, I have to say now that if people don't believe Hartford is among the top dynasties in history, I dunno what to say to them. This is just a downright impressive feat.

[Young Drachma]

Banners are already posted in your champions row. I decided that Atlanta needed a new banner for the Chief Rum era there. If you hate it, we can always go back to the other one. But I never really liked the old one. I do like your colors, but...the banner itself, I never really was sold on, so it was time to overhaul it, using the Atlanta Thrashers typeface and a font that looks out of the 70/80s era to denote what title it was.

[Tasan]

I thought Baltimore was the 1st place team in the CL, not the wild card. Shouldn't they be the Continental League Regular Season Champs?

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Tasan

I thought Baltimore was the 1st place team in the CL, not the wild card. Shouldn't they be the Continental League Regular Season Champs?

You sir are correct. I didn't look @ the final standings before I made these, I just assumed (wrongly) that Atlanta was the #1 team.

I'll make the requisite changes to the banners!

[brittdad]

Congrats Muns