HAG upsets SPO in seven games

Game 3: 4-3 HAG in 13 innings
Harden was cruising with a 3-0 lead going into the 8th inning, but he gave up the key hits that Cormier couldn't strand to tie the game. Both bullpens were fantastic until Wakefield allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the 13th on a Matthews infield single.

Game 4: 7-4 SPO win
Woody Williams gets injured for the rest of the series in the fourth inning. both bullpens perform well, but Spokane scores four in the top of the eighth, and Havana cannot answer in the bottom despite loading the bases with no outs.

Game 5: 11-3 HAG win
The Gigantes bat around on Leiter in the first and second innings to cruise to a relatively easy victory after Franklin is removed during a shaky 5th inning.

Game 6: 10-5 HAG win
Leiter is back on to start after the off day (Harden did the same for HAG g2 and g3), but fares no better after giving up a grand slam to Andruw Jones in the 1st. The superior SPO bullpen gives up 6 runs in 5 2/3 innings, defying logic.

Game 7: 9-4 HAG win
In a matchup of aces, Harden does slightly better than Burnett. Beltre brings the game to within one run in the bottom of the 8th with a two run homer (5-4), but the Gigantes secure the victory and advance to the next round by plating four runs with Isringhausen on the mound in the ninth to surprise the Chiefs (and everyone else, including me) four games to three.

SPO takes the series lead 2-0 at home.

G1: Burnett vs Redman.
Mark Redman started the game strong, retiring Rios and Larkin on grounders. He thought to have struck out Varitek, but he jumped on the next pitch and sent it tp the bleachers.
That seemed to break his concentration as Redman walked the next batter and then Beltre sent another one over the rc fence. But Redman pitched well thereafter going 4.0 IP and stopping SPO offense.
AJ Burnett on the SPO side pitched very well, only allowing 2 singles and 2 walks, but left in the t5 due to a blister. Looper came in and was unable to get the first four batters he faced. Fortunatly for SPO, Varitek picked Erstad off and Furcal hit a liner to Bellhorn who doubled up Sanders at 2b. Looper bad exit put HAG at 2-3, but Beltre put the game out of HAG's reach by scoring 3 on his second HR of the game. Calero allowed a pair of solo homers to Sanders and Matthews, but that was not enough for HAG to fill the gap.

Final score 7-4 SPO
Beltre 3-4 2HR, 5 RBI

G2: Leiter vs Harden
Harden started on 3 days rest after his great start against SEA, but this time he had nothing in the arm. He give up 5 singles, a double and a walk in the first inning that ended with Monroe thrown out by Podsednik at the plate. Thereafter, Cormier, Seay and Reitsma did well shuthing down SPO batters for 6 inning, but the hurt was done. Leiter pitched 8 good innings, only allowing 2 runs when he seemed to lose his control in t4. Isringhausen closed the game to get his second save the the seried.

Final score 4-2 SPO
Leiter 8.0 IP 4H, 4 BB, 6K, 2ER

The series now move to Coors field with the projected starters being Burnett vs Harden.

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