For the first time in three years, the P-Town Axemen returned to the playoffs after cruising to the Frey Division title in the Mason-Dixon Tabletop League. With a record of 94-68, the Axemen earned a first-round bye in this year's playoffs.
Eventually, the Providence Greys prevailed over the Frey Division rival Fargo Pirates to set up the showdown with P-Town. Providence, managed by Patrick Freaney, came into the series with a 100-62 record, finishing second in the Freaney Division to the Walthall Warriors, who posted a record of 105-57.
Game 1 - Seth Lugo (BYZ) vs. Gerrit Cole (AXZ)
As they would throughout the series, Providence jumped out to an early lead as Max Muncy smacked a 1st-inning home run against Cole. Meanwhile, Lugo quieted the Axemen bats until the bottom of the 6th, when Kerry Carpenter walked. After Brandon Lowe struck out, Cal "Big Dumper" Raleigh blasted a 2-out, 2-run homer to put P-Town up 2-1.
The Greys tied it in the 8th following a 2-out double by Alex Verdugo. Joey Votto then walked, followed by an infield single by leadoff hitter J.D. Martinez. With bases loaded, Wander Franco made it 2-2 with another single before Muncy flew out to right field. And that's the way it stayed til the bottom of the 9th inning.
Braxton Garrett (CYZ) in relief struck out the side in the top of the 9th and it looked like Lugo might do the same in the bottom of the 9th, striking out Ryan McMahon. However, Jake McCarthy followed with a walk. And with one out and one on, shortstop Ezequiel Tover crushed a 2-run home run for the 4-2 walk-off win in Game 1. Garrett got the win for P-Town while Lugo took a complete-game loss.
Game 2 - Nathan Eovaldi (BY) vs. George Kirby (BYZZ)
Luis Robert kept it from being a shutout with a 2-run HR in the bottom of 8th inning. But Caleb Ferguson came in to close out the game. Providence wins 6-2; Eovaldi earning the win and Kirby taking the loss. Series tied at 1-1.
Game 3 - Kyle Bradish (BYZ) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (BY)
Back at home, Providence jumped out to a 4-0 lead on a pair of 2-run home runs -- in the 1st inning by Nimmo and in the 2nd inning by Alejandro Kirk. Jeimer Candelario walked with one out in the 3rd inning, advancing to third on a double by Nimmo, and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Starling Marte, making it 5-0 and chasing Bradish.
In the top of the 4th, however, P-Town began chipping away -- Jarred Kelenic singled, and after a strikeout by Richie Palacios came around to score on a 2-out double by Raleigh. While Dumper had to hold at third on a single by Ryan Noda, he plated the Axemen's second run on a single by McMahon, cutting the lead to 5-2.
With P-Town's relief ace Bryan Abreu (ACK) holding the Greys in check, the Axemen went back to work in the 5th inning. After two quick outs, Robert was drilled by Rodriguez and advanced to third on a single by Kelenic, who promptly stole second base. Palacios followed with a 2-run double, and Dumper tied the score at 5-5 with a double to drive in Palacios.
With both starters now toast, the bullpens shut down the opposition until the top of the 9th inning. Robert got things started with a one-out double. Called upon to relieve, Taijuan Walker (C) got Kelenic to meekly ground out, advancing Robert to third. Then Walker walked Palacios and Raleigh to load the bases. Providence brought in Sean Manaea, hoping to close out the inning. However, pinch hitter Carpenter drilled a 2-run single with Raleigh scooting to third. Carpenter then stole second. McMahon then nailed the next pitch, driving in two more runs with a triple, extending the lead to 9-5.
With Abreu still cruising, Providence couldn't put anybody on base in the bottom of the 9th, securing the 9-5 win and a 2-1 series lead for P-Town. Abreu got the win; reliever Taylor Rogers took the loss.
Game 4 - Logan Gilbert (CYZ) vs. Max Scherzer (CXZ)
Providence put this one away early, batting around in the 1st inning and taking a 4-0 lead on a leadoff homer by Martinez, a double by Franco, a run-scoring single by Muncy and a 2-run home run by Candelario. While Gilbert somehow avoided fatiguing until the 7th inning, the Axemen could never close the gap. Edmundo Sosa singled and scored on a double by Jake Cronenworth in the 7th inning, but Candelario answered for the Greys in the bottom of the frame with his second home run of the game, making it 5-1.
The Axemen managed to make the home crowd anxious in the top the 9th inning, with Palacios and Lowe walking to lead off the inning. After Robert flew out as a pinch hitter, Ha-Seong Kim came on to pinch hit, drawing a walk to load the bases. Reliever Cole Ragans got pinch hitter Raleigh to hit a ground ball fielder's choice that scored Palacios. Next up, Tovar hit a double off the wall, scoring Lowe, but Dumper had to hold at third. Ragans finally gave the home team reason to exhale, getting McCarthy to strike out to end the game.
Providence evened the series at 2-2 with the 5-3 victory, with Ragans getting the save and preserving the win for Scherzer. Gilbert took the loss.
Game 5 - Cole (AXZ) vs. Lugo (BYZ)
For the second game in a row, Martinez lead off the bottom of the 1st inning with a home run, staking the Greys to another quick 1-0 lead. Martinez continued to torment Cole in the 3rd inning, with a 2-run double scoring Verdugo and Kris Bryant. Martinez then scored on a single by Muncy, making it 4-0 Greys. P-Town's Kim made it 4-1 in the 4th inning, scoring on a wild pitch. But in the bottom of the 5th, Martinez drove Cole from the game, hitting his second home run, extending the lead to 5-1.
P-Town showed some signs of life in the 8th inning, with Kim scoring again on a double by Robert. However, the rally fizzled after Carpenter singled and Robert was gunned down at the plate by a perfect throw from center fielder Bryant! Ferguson then shut down P-Town in the 9th, earning the save behind Lugo's 2-hit effort for the win. With the 5-2 win, Providence took a 3-2 series lead -- one win away from advancing as the teams headed back to P-Town.
Game 6 - Eovaldi (BY) vs. Kirby (BYZZ)
Two words -- George Kirby. Kirby tossed a 3-hit shutout in the elimination game, striking out 7 batters, walking none, while hitting back-to-back batters in the 3rd inning! P-Town provided all the support Kirby would need in the 4th inning. After a flyout by Robert, Carpenter reached on a single. However, he was quickly erased on a fielder's choice by Kelenic, who just beat the relay throw to first. Palacios then scored Kelenic with a double in the gap, though Palacios then was stranded on a warning-track fly to center by Raleigh. And that was it.
Although nearly matching Kirby pitch for pitch, Eovaldi allowed only 3 hits in taking the complete-game loss, 1-0, setting up Game 7.
Game 7 - Rodriguez (BY) vs. Bradish (BYZ)
Robert brought the hometown crowd to its feet early, smashing a 1st-inning solo HR to give the Axemen a rare early lead. It didn't last long. Siri made it 1-1 with a solo slam in the 2nd inning. And that's the way it would stay until the bottom of the 6th inning, when the Greys defense would let them down.
Cronenworth reached on an error by Trevor Story to lead off the bottom of the 6th. He scored all the way from first on Tovar's double. Tovar then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Kim struck out before Robert sent a routine fly to right. Unfortunately for Providence, Nimmo misplayed the ball, allowing Tovar to score, making it 3-1. Rodriguez closed out the inning but the damage had been done.
After Bradish allowed a leadoff double to Francisco Mejia to lead off the top of the 7th inning, Abreu came on to strike out 6 of the next 10 batters. Meanwhile, Story's troubles at short continued in the 7th, as Raleigh reached first on another error to lead off the inning. He advanced to third on a double by McMahon. Ferguson came on in relief of Rodriguez, striking out Michael Conforto. However, the next batter, Cronenworth, drilled a triple to clear the bases and put the Axemen up 5-1.
Down to its last inning, Votto gave the Greys hope with a leadoff walk. However, Abreu then struck out pinch hitters Muncy and Martinez. Candelario kept hope alive with a 2-out double, scoring Votto. With Abreu finally out of gas, Kenley Jansen made his first appearance of the series, getting Nimmo to ground the ball back to the pitcher for the final out of the series. Bradish earned the win in the 5-2 victory; Jansen got the save; and Rodriguez took the loss. P-Town takes the series, 4-3.
With P-Town's balanced hitting up and down the lineup, the series MVP was reliever Bryan Abreu, who pitched in 5 games, 15 1/3 innings, giving up only 6 hits, 3 runs and striking out 17 batters.
P-Town moves on to face Culpepper in the next round.
-rp-
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