It’s a rematch of last year’s SemiFinal, with the Deerborn White Sox going up against the Salvation Brothers. The roles are reversed this year, with the White Sox earning home field advantage in the series as the UA East Division Champions. The Brothers captured the Wild Card in the final days of the season, making them the only team to reach the playoffs in all 3 UA seasons so far. The White Sox are the current Windsor Cup Champions, out to become the first team to win back-to-back Windsor Cups. The Brothers won the cup in the UA’s 1928 inaugural season. Deerborn won last year’s SemiFinal matchup in a 3-game sweep.
Both teams powered through the finish of the Regular Season despite being the two most injured teams in baseball.
Salvation is particularly affected by the injury bug. They currently have 9 players on the injured list, including some of their top stars: outfielders Andy Thompson and Mike Wilson are done for the year, along with starting 1B Carlos Martinezto. Salvation has a whopping 6 pitchers in the IL, including starters Albert Gacoki and John George. C Luka Joubert is currently day-to-day with a calf strain, but is expected to play in this series. Despite this exhaustive injury list, the Brothers went an amazing 15-3 to end the Regular Season and earn their 3rd straight playoff appearance.
Deerborn, meanwhile, has 6 injured players, including middle infielders Luke Lia Puedris and Daniel Lia Yorino. Lia Puedris will not play, while Lia Yorino is day-to-day and may see time in this series. The team will start young infielders, 22-year old Hunter Phillips, and 21 year-old Gilberto Hernankez who only played in 6 games this year. Deerborn is missing 3/5 of their starting rotation with Domingo Lia Itoldino, Jacob Hudson, and most recently Ayoub Colin hitting the IL. This has prompted the White Sox to call up 24-year old RHP Luis Ybarra to pitch in this series for his first pro start. It’s a huge spot for the young player to make his debut, and could jumpstart his career if he pitches to his full ability. If Deerborn can get through this series, they will most likely see the return of SP Ayoub Colin and RP Luis Taawatuos for the Finals.
The Brothers have all the momentum in the world right now, but the White Sox squad is a bit more intact and ready to defend their Windsor Cup title. It’s anybody’s series, as both teams are certainly formidable regardless of their current missing pieces. The Platte Bears await the winner of this best-of-5 series in the Windsor Cup Finals.
Game 1: Kostinsky Park, Deerborn, Woodlyn
9/20/1930
Salvation comes from behind to take game 1 in Deerborn. Tony Katakien starts at 1B for the Brothers and goes 2 for 3 with a double, a solo home run, and 2 runs scored. Pinch-hitter Vance Adegoke ties the game with a 2-run blast in the 6th, and LF Curt Lawson comes up big in the top of the 9th for the go-ahead solo shot. White Sox starter Mathew Huertata pitches 1.2 innings in relief and gives up the loss, putting further strain on Deerborn’s ailing starting rotation. Adding insult to injury, White Sox 2B Hunter Phillips, who is starting for injured Luke Lia Puedris, is hit in the hand by a pitch in the 1st inning and has to leave the game. Luckily, Daniel Lia Yorino is able to play with his bruised thumb, although he may be limited in his abilities. Phillips awaits a diagnosis, but 2B is a game-time decision for Deerborn Manager Jim Holt in tomorrow’s game 2. Holt is taking criticism for his decision to leave Takato in the game in the 6th having thrown over 100 pitches.
Game 2: Kostinsky Park, Deerborn, Woodlyn
9/21/1930 | SAL leads 1-0
RHP Roberto Tokorres gives the White Sox a much-needed 7.2 inning start, striking out 10, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. Daniel Lia Yorino gets the start at 2B for Deerborn, and he seems to be back to 100%. He goes 2 for 2 with 2 home runs. Jorge Oko and Daniel Lia Yorino hit back-to-back home runs as part of a big 4-run 2nd inning as the White Sox even the series at a game a piece. Game 3 is Tuesday in Tiny Sea.
Game 3: City Center, Tiny Sea, Harmony
9/23/1930 | Series tied 1-1
Deerborn rookie Luis Ybarra makes his professional debut on the mound, on the road in a huge game 3. This is his first appearance since being drafted by the White Sox in 1928 as the 36th overall pick. Ybarra goes 6.1 innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits. It’s a great debut, but he leaves the game on the hook for the loss. Lefty Jeff Walker gets the start for Salvation and is absolutely brilliant. He sets a UA playoff game record with 15 Ks over 7 innings, giving up just 3 hits and walking nobody. However, Len Odden comes on in relief in the 8th and gives up back-to-back pinch-hit home runs to Jose Tokorres and Daniel Lia Yorino (again!) to put the White Sox up, 2-1. Then, in the 9th, after Rygh Ogg reaches on an error charged to Vance Adegoke, playing out of position in right field, Ryad Hanguille hits Deerborn’s 3rd pinch-hit HR of the game, driving in 3 and making it 5-1, White Sox. Deerborn manager Jim Holt comes out looking like a genius, while Salvation manager Jim Cannon looks like a stooge. The White Sox are a win away from the Windsor Cup Finals. Game 4 is back here, tomorrow.
Game 4: City Center, Tiny Sea, Harmony
9/24/1930 | DEE leads 2-1
Right-handed reliever Albert Mendozataka gets the emergency start for Deerborn in game 4 as the White Sox have the Brothers backed against the wall with a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 series. The White Sox need a solid 4 innings from Mendozataka, and they get even more. He is brilliant with 7 Ks over 7 innings, giving up just 2 hits for 1 run. Bob Hove drives in 2 runs and Curt Sawyer hits his first home run of the playoffs as the White Sox beat up on Pancho Romo for 3 runs on 11 hits. Deerborn beats the Brothers, 3-1. They take the series, 3 games to 1. They’ll head to their 2nd straight Finals, hoping to become the first team to repeat as Windsor Cup Champions as they take on the Platte Bears, the UA’s runaway 1930 Regular Season Champs.
Daniel Lia Yorino is the 1930 UA SemiFinal MVP. He came into the series questionable, with a purple, swollen thumb. He came on to pinch run in game 1 after Hunter Phillips suffered a hand injury of his own. Lia Yorino went on to dominate the series, hitting .429 with 3 home runs and driving in 4 RBI while scoring 5 runs himself. White Sox RP Roy Darnell took to calling Lia Yorino’s swollen thumb the team’s “lucky paw” after his 2-HR performance in game 2.
The Windsor Cup Finals start Friday at Craterview Park in Platte. Mathew Huertata is expected to start for Deerborn, with Julio Martinezto on the mound for the Bears.
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