Tom had 6 hits in the series-clinching win to lead Questionable Outfit to a second consecutive Wiffle Series berth
Despite a late rally, Eastbound & Dahn couldn’t extend their series with Questionable Outfit, as the Questionable offense was too much in a 10-6 series clinching victory.
Nate, who had pitched brilliantly in Eastbound’s game 1 victory over Questionable Outfit, started on the mound in game 4. He got into trouble early, and he didn’t last long.
Kimble led off the game with a single, and he scored when the next batter, Bob, crushed a two-run homer to put Questionable ahead 2-0. Morrison followed with a solo homer, and the back-to-back home runs gave Questionable a 3-0 lead before registering an out. Tom would later triple with one out, but Nate avoided further damage in the first, stranding the runner.
Bob would take the hill for Questionable Outfit, and he got off to a much better start than Nate. Steve led off the bottom of the first with a single, but he was stranded as Bob pitched a scoreless inning.
Nate bounced back in the top of the second, allowing a leadoff single to Morrison but retiring the next two batters to hold the score at 3-0.
Eastbound would get on the board in the bottom of the second. With one out, Steve crushed a solo homer to left, making the score 3-1. Frosty, an EWL postseason legend making his first appearance of 2014 and his first career appearance with Eastbound, followed with a solo bomb, and the back-to-back homers cut the deficit to 3-2. Bob then retired Nate to end the inning and maintain the one-run lead.
Nate got into more trouble in the top of the third, and he didn’t give himself much leeway before removing himself from the game. Morrison singled with one out, and the next batter, Reilly, crushed a two-run homer to left-center, making the score 5-2. Nate pulled himself from the mound, and Eastbound turned to Christian from the bullpen. The first batter he faced, Tom, doubled, and he moved to third when Bob followed with a single. Questionable had runners on second and third and it looked as if they would blow the game open, but Christian retired Morrison to end the inning, stranding two runners.
Morrison went 5-for-7 with a solo homer in the win
Eastbound would chip away at the Questionable lead in the bottom of the third. With one out, Steve hit a solo homer to left, his second of the game, cutting the score to 5-3. Eastbound couldn’t add any more runs in the bottom of the third.
Questionable would make up for the lost run sin the top of the fourth. Reilly led off the inning with a double and moved to third when Tom also doubled. Bob then hit a groundball to right, which Nate scooped up for an out, but both Reilly and Tom scored on the play. Christian retired the next batter, Morrison, but Questionable had extended their lead to 7-3.
Bob breezed through the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order.
Questionable would add more to their lead in the top of the fifth. Tom singled with one out, and Bob followed with his second two-run homer of the game, moving the score to 9-3. Morrison would follow with a single, but Christian retired Reilly to avoid further damage.
Down 9-3 and with their season slipping away, Eastbound showed heart in the bottom of the fifth inning. Steve led off the inning with a solo homer, his third bomb of the game, cutting the score to 9-4. Frosty followed with a triple, and with one out, Christian lined a two-run homer to right field, making the score 9-6. Steve came back to the plate with one out, but couldn’t hit a fourth homer in as many at-bats, and Bob escaped with a three-run lead.
Tom led off the top of the sixth with a triple, and he scored when Bob hit a sacrifice fly, making the score 10-6. Morrison and Reilly each followed with one out singles, and it looked as if Questionable would put the game away for certain, but Christian retired Tom, stranding both runners.
Trailing four runs and down to their last two outs of the 2014 season, Eastbound couldn’t put together another rally in the bottom of the sixth. Frosty flew out to Bob for the first out of the inning, and Nate grounded out to Tom in left for the second out, ending the game and giving Questionable Outfit a 10-6 win.
Questionable Outfit had won the best-of-five first round series 3 games to 1, clinching a spot in the Wiffle Series for the second consecutive season. They will face their rival, Cookies & Cream, in a rematch of last year’s final.
After taking Cookies & Cream to the brink in round 1 of the 2013 playoffs, Eastbound & Dahn bowed out early again in 2014.
W: Bob (2-0)
L: Nate (1-2)
Game Notes:
– Bob picked up the complete game win for Questionable Outfit, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings pitched.
– Nate took the loss for Eastbound & Dahn, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 2.5 innings. Christian pitched 3.5 innings of relief, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits.
– Bob tied an EWL playoff record with 7 RBI in the game. He went 3-for-6 with a single, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 7 RBI.
– Tom tied an EWL playoff record with 2 doubles in the game. He went 6-for-8 with 2 singles, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 runs scored.
– Morrison went 5-for-7 with 4 singles, a homer, 2 runs scored, and one RBI.
– Steve led Eastbound & Dahn on offense, going 4-for-5 with a single, 3 homers, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI.
