Big series sweeps impact playoff races

A series of key matchups last week ended up in one-sided affairs that swung the balance of power in key division races.

Hillsborough's Travis D'Arnaud capped a three-game sweep of San Francisco with a dramatic pinch-hit, walk-off, three-run homer in Thursday's 4-2 win. D'Arnaud had another three-run blast early in the first game of the series to power a 5-1 triumph.

The victories vaulted the Hit Men into a tie with the Experience for the division lead, setting up essentially a 10-game season for  the Drabek Division. Heading into the final week of the season, the two teams remained tied (82-73) with only seven games remaining.

Based on their remaining schedules, it would appear San Francisco has a slight edge, as their three opponents have a combined win percentage of .499 (232-233), compared with Hillsborough's opponents, at .520 (242-223). Both squads have five of their final seven games at home but the runner-up might be on the outside looking in for the playoffs since both currently trail the final Wild Card spot by 3 games.

San Francisco faces Allentown (86-69) for two games, then visits Philly (58-97) for two games before hosting Arkansas (88-67) for three in the season finale that likely will mean something for the Golden Falcons too. The Hit Men will host Blue Ridge (73-82) twice, visit Sardine City (84-71) for two, and concludes the season with a three-game set versus Vancouver (85-70), which also probably will be fighting for a playoff spot.

Sardine City's three-game sweep of Hoboken was more decisive, locking up the Van Slyke Division. Twice the Straphangers got to the Cutters bullpen, first with a two-run seventh in a 10-8 win, and then with a walk-off double from Francisco Cervelli in a 5-4 win in game two. Gerrit Cole finished off the Cutters with a 13-strikeout performance in the third game. Sardine City has since reeled off another three wins over Marietta in hopes of overtaking Arkansas for the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

Tucson also swept Hopatcong in a three-game set, extending their lead in the Kruk Division to an almost unsurmountable one, as well as their lead for the top seed. The Floating Fish now turn their attention to the Wild Card race, in which they are tied with Vancouver for the sixth and final spot, three games ahead of the two Drabek Division contenders.

It wasn't as sweep for Allentown but John Lackey's 4-0 shutout of Blue Ridge kept the Mules in the race for the Fisk Division, or if necessary, the final two Wild Card spots. It was Lackey's league-leading 9th complete game as he improved to 13-11.

Allentown heads into the final week of the season just two games behind Arkansas for the Fisk Division lead and a game up on Vancouver and Hopatcong for the No. 5 seed. The final three opponents for the Mules have a combined .484 win percentage (225-240), first with a two-game trip to San Francisco (82-73), the final two home games versus Marietta (80-75), and a favorable finish at Empire City (63-92).

Coincidentally, Vancouver's last three opponents have the same .484 win percentage but "easier" on the front end: two at El Paso (62-93), two versus Livingston (81-74), and three at Hillsborough (82-73). The Golden Falcons' final three opponents have a slightly better win percentage of .495: two at Empire City (63-92), two versus Hopatcong (85-70), and three at San Francisco (82-73).