KPSL Playoffs: Nats Outlast Giants In War Of Attrition

This is my 8th year in the KPSL over three stints (2002-06, 2008, 2024-25) and Billy and I couldn't remember a Bathurst-Ackerman playoff tussle, although we have 7 titles between us. It was worth the wait! The Nationals outlasted the Giants in a first-round series that went the distance. Here are the highlights:

Game 1 - Nationals, 4-3

WP - Williams LP - Wheeler SV - Yates

HR - Busch, Happ

The Nats scratched out two runs in the 4th aided by three stolen bases (Victor Robles swiped second and third) and an unlucky X-roll on Corey Seager for a 2-0 lead. Trevor Williams shoved with 5.1 no-hit innings before "Jittery Jeff" lifted him after two trips through the order -- whereupon Ian Happ greeted Tony Santillan with a homer to make it a 2-1 game. Michael Busch hit an important two-run shot in the 7th off Jeff Hoffman to extend the lead to 4-1. Kirby Yates was summoned in the top of the 9th to save the game after the Giants scored twice off Jake Junis to make it scary. 

Game 2 - Giants, 7-2

WP - Sale LP - Cease

HR - McMahon, Happ, Seager

The Giants struck back to even the series by overpowering Dylan Cease early and cruising behind Chris Sale. Ryan McMahon's two-run shot in the 2nd opened the scoring; Ian Happ and Corey Seager added solo shots in the 3rd, and the Nats never seriously challenged from that point. Sale went 7 strong and scattered four hits while striking out only four. Andres Gimenez went 3-5 and was generally a menace the entire series. 

Game 3 - Nationals, 2-1

WP - Estevez LP - Tinoco SV - Yates

HR - Soto

Victor Robles scampered home with the go-ahead run in the top of the 8th, scoring from second with one out on an open single and a 1-12 chance. He had stolen second to put himself in position to make it happen. Given the dearth of opportunities throughout the game, the Nats gambled on 1-12 with only one out and it paid off, tagging Jesus Tinoco with the loss. Juan Soto had given the Giants a 1-0 lead in the 4th with his only homer of the series. Osvaldo Bido pitched well over 5 innings for the Giants, yielding just two hits and striking out six.

Game 4 - Giants, 1-0

WP - Ryan LP - Fedde SV - Scott

The Giants turned to youngster River Ryan to save their season, and his 5 strong innings plus a few sloppy plays by the Nats were enough to even the series again. The only run of the game scored in the third after a fielding error by Erick Fedde and his wild pitch with the bases loaded. That was it! The Giants totaled just two hits and the Nats four. The Nats only got a runner to third once. Tanner Scott closed it out in the 9th after CJ Abrams singled and stole second and LaMonte Wade walked. Which set up ...

Game 5 - Nationals, 5-1

WP - Estevez LP - Wheeler 

HR - Hilliard, Muncy, Happ

It all came down to this one, where the Nats pecked away in the middle innings to build enough of a lead to see them through to the second round. Carmen Mlodzinski took the hill as an opener, went 1.1 IP, then was followed by Jose Ferrer (1.2) and Carlos Estevez, Kirby Yates, and Jake Junis (2 IP each) to muzzle the Giants and pop the champagne. CJ Abrams scored in the 2nd on an RBI groundout as the Nats struck first. Ian Happ answered in the 3rd off Ferrer to tie it at 1-1. Three big hits in a row in the 5th built a 3-1 lead (LaMonte Wade single, Max Muncy triple, Jurickson Profar double), and then Sam Hilliard chased Zack Wheeler with a 6th-inning homer and Muncy finished it off with a 7th-inning solo blast. 

Big thanks to Billy for a well-played, exciting series. As was stated already, the total runs scored were 13-13. Juan Soto went 3-20 with just 1 walk - and that one was intentional. The Giants had a great second half and built a formidable team at the trade deadline. I feel fortunate to have tallied my first KPSL playoff series win in 17 years. On to Colorado and a bout with the Rockies!

Ian Happ smashes three home runs in the Nationals playoff victory over the Giants.