Divisional Series: Boston vs. Maple, Games One & Two

It's the Commissioners Series II, and this time it's personal! One year ago, the Boston Cardinals—blessed by the heroic hitting of young Jasper Williams—defeated the Maple Marauders in seven games. This year, the Marauders seek revenge. It's the Cross vs. the Skull & Crossbones! Good vs. Evil! Gray Ulery vs. Jason Goldberg! The United States vs. Canada! A battle of two best pitching staffs in the Munson League! It's the Thurman Munson Divisional Series!

Anthony Lewis

October 1: Boston 4, Maple 8. Longball is the name of the game. The Marauders waste no time. In the first with one man on, Anthony Lewis, who hit 34 home runs this season, crushes a 424-foot home run to center.

The Cardinals strike right back. In the second, Javier Ramón cranks a two-run homer to right. In the third, John White doubles and George White singles him in, and Boston takes the lead, 3-2.

Derek Beimer

However, the Marauders go up for good when, in the bottom of the third, Derek Beimer hits a three-run home run. After a strong 2012, the 35-year-old Beimer looked washed up in 2013, homering only five times and posting a .677 OPS. But the beauty of the postseason is that none of that matters: Beimer is the hero of Game 1.

The Cardinals score one in the seventh, and Maple's Doug Smith tacks on two runs in the eighth.

Boston sent their ace, Adam Thomas (16-9, 3.04 ERA), to the mound, but he got knocked from the game in the third inning. Maple countered with Jesse George (12-15, 4.47 ERA). With Maple ace Roberto Martínez scheduled to pitch in game three and, if necessary, game seven, Maple has to like their chances. Maple leads the series, 1-0.

October 2: Boston 6, Maple 7. Boston loses the game, then ties it, then wins it, then loses it again.

The two teams trade runs in the early innings. Two of Maple's game one heroes, Anthony Lewis and Derek Beimer, come up big again. Lewis leads off the second with a home run. Beimer goes 3-for-3 with a double and scores two runs. Nine-hole hitter Anthony Shelton joins the fun with a two-run homer. Meanwhile, Boston's Alex Austin hits a three-run homer in the third.

Maple takes a one-run lead, 4-3, into the ninth inning, and that's when the fun really begins.

José González

The Cardinals get their first two batters aboard: José González singles, and Javier Ramón walks. A sacrifice bunt and a grounder to short puts them on second and third with two outs. Abel Baker comes to the plate, and on a 2-2 count he swings through a Brandon Wilson splitter, striking out to end the game.

Only catcher Jorge Rodríguez, who Maple brought in as a defensive replacement, can't handle Wilson's splitter either! Strike three crosses him up and gets past him. A passed ball! Baker reaches first safely on the strike out! González races home! The game is tied at four runs apiece! Baker goes from goat to hero and stands at first in disbelief—and Wilson promptly picks him off to end the inning.

John White

The Cardinals' good fortune continues in the 10th inning. John White walks. George White taps a ball on the infield that Rodríguez fields but throws past first. Everyone's safe. A few batters later, with two outs and the Whites on second and third, José González singles to left. John White scores easily while George White beats Shelton's throw to the plate. Boston takes the lead, 6-4, and the Toronto fans go silent.

Boston hands the ball to closer Brock Maddox: in 2013, he saved 30 games, posted a 1.94 ERA, and struck out a cool 100 batters in 78 innings of work.

Don Strickland

He quickly gets two strikes on Shelton—but Shelton launches the 0-2 pitch, driving it off the left-center field wall for a double. Frank Powers takes the next pitch the other way, through the left side hole, for a single. Don Strickland fouls a pitch off, then crushes a ball 422 feet into the center field bleachers: a walk-off, three-run home run!

In 336 at-bats this season, Strickland only hit two home runs. Maple leads the series, 2-0.

The series now moves to Boston. For the Cardinals to advance, they will now have to defeat Maple ace Roberto Martínez (21-7, 2.59 ERA). Boston is countering with reliever-turned-starter, Nathan Wilson (14-4, 2.56 ERA), who has pitched like an ace since joining the rotation.

Can the deep fences of St. Sebastian's Cathedral help keep the Marauder boppers in the yard? Can Will Bauer's return to the lineup spark the Cardinal offense? Stay tuned, baseball fans!