Sardine City forces Game 5 versus Allentown

An opening round series between No. 4 Sardine City and No. 5 Allentown will come down to a deciding Game 5. The winner advances to the semifinals with a date to face top-seeded Tucson.
Tonight's Game 5 will be a rematch of Game 1 starters, with both throwing their aces: Corey Kluber for Sardine City against Allentown's David Price.

The two teams split the first two games in Sardine City and then split both games in Allentown. It looked like the Straphangers would might take Game 3, thanks in part to a three-run, first-inning home run by Ryan Braun and solid start from rookie Joe Ross. The Mules' bats woke up just in time. They put up 4 runs in the 7th to cut margin to 5-4 before plating 2 more runs in the 8th against the vaunted Straphangers' bullpen.

Sardine City didn't go down without a fight. Pinch-hitter Jay Bruce greeted Allentown closer Craig Kimbrel with a home run to lead off the 9th, sending the game into extra innings.

Ross went 6 2/3 innings, scattering 6 hits and 3 runs before a combination of Koji Uehara, Carter Capps and Luke Gregerson surrendered 8 hits and 4 runs.  Ian Kinsler had a two-run double off Uehara in the 7th and then Jose Abreu teed off on a two-run shot of Capps in the 8th for the short-lived lead.

Sardine City got a man as far as second base in the 10th and 11th but could not plate a run. Gregerson pitched a clean 10th inning but a one-out double by Erick Aybar got him in trouble, setting up Kinsler's game-winning single to left, for the Mule's 7-6 victory in 11 innings.

Jamie Garcia was decent for Allentown, starting and going 5 innings, allowing 4 runs. Huston Street got the win, pitching a scoreless 11th after Kimbrel's blown save. Gregerson took the loss. Stephen Piscotty had 4 hits out of the leadoff spot for Sardine City but never scored and managed 1 RBI.

Game 4 featured an unlikely hero in Kyle Gibson. He pitched 7 innings of 2-run ball for Sardine City opposite veteran John Lackey, who was tagged for 6 runs in 6 innings. Lackey cruised through five innings but then got into trouble. He hit and walked a batter before series of singles in the 6th and trailed 4-2 before he realized it.

In the 7th, Jay Bruce added a two-run home to put the Straphangers up for good, 6-2. And with that, the series heads back to Sardine City for Game 5.