Round One: Mohawk Valley 4, Fighting Irish 0

Game recaps from the Strat-generated box scores. In this Round One matchup, the No. 3 Fighting Irish (93-69) had home-field advantage versus the No. 6 Mohawk Valley Lions (87-75). 

Game One

Lions 8, Irish 1

Stephen Strasburg retired 12 batters on strikeouts and catcher Yan Gomes had 2 base hits and 3 RBI as the Mohawk Valley Lions defeated the Fighting Irish by a score of 8 to 1 at Dublin Downs.

Strasburg (1-0) was virtually untouchable. He didn't allow much, just 4 hits and 5 walks in 9 innings. Mohawk Valley finished with 13 hits in the victory.

Andrew Cashner (0-1) was given the loss.

Game Two

Lions 3, Irish 0

Yu Darvish was on top of his game, blanking Fighting on just 2 hits as the Mohawk Valley Lions defeated the Fighting Irish by the score of 3 to 0 at Dublin Downs.

Darvish (1-0) pitched one of his finer games as he simply was too much for the Fighting batters. He gave up just 2 hits and 2 walks in 9 innings. Darvish recorded 12 strikeouts. Mohawk Valley rapped out 8 hits for the night.

Mike Minor (0-1) took the loss. 

Game Three

Lions 4, Irish 2

In a two run game the Mohawk Valley Lions got by the Fighting Irish by the score of 4 to 2.

Mohawk Valley scored the winning runs in the bottom of the 8th inning, scoring 2 runs utilizing 2 base hits. Jason Kipnis began the Mohawk Valley spurt when he clubbed a solo home run. Ryan Raburn followed, but he was set down on strikes. Eric Chavez dug into the batters box next, but he struck out. Domonic Brown followed and he cracked a solo homerun. The game was a scoreless duel until the 7th inning.  

The win went to Neal Cotts (1-0) who allowed no runs in 1 and 1/3 innings. Koji Uehara was credited with his 1st save. The losing pitcher was Tommy Hunter (0-1) in relief.  

Game Four

Lions 12, Irish 8

Yan Gomes cleared the bases with his grand slam as the Mohawk Valley Lions won in dramatic fashion over the Fighting Irish by a score of 12 to 8 at Van Slyke Field.

Mohawk Valley came through with the game-winning runs in the 9th inning when they scored 6 runs on 3 hits. The critical plate appearance was by Gomes who electrified Van Slyke Field when he emptied the bases with a grand slam homerun. Overall Mohawk Valley out-hit Fighting 15 to 12.  

Joe Nathan (1-0) picked up the victory, allowing 1 run in 2 and 1/3 innings. Aroldis Chapman (0-1) was tagged with the loss in relief.