Championship series goes the distance: Oakland repeats

August 16, 2017 – 10:15 AM

Brooks Carr, who belted a grand slam in the opening game, hit a two-run shot in the final one to help send Oakland to a 4-2 win over Cumberland and give the Oaks the league playoff championship for the second year in a row.

Oakland won the first game of the best-of-three series 8-6. Cumberland took game two on a three-hitter by Cody Ellsworth 7-0, and the Oaks took game three, 4-2, getting the final out with Cumberland having the tying run at second base.

Game 1: Oakland 8-6

Carr's grand slam came during a five-run third inning, and two-run single by Alex Beiler in the sixth boosted the Oakland lead to 8-0.

The Orioles stormed back, with Ben Russell hitting a two-run single in a four-run seventh, and Hunter Jenkins adding an RBI single in the eighth to cut the score to 8-6.

Nathan King to the win, allowing one earned run and eight hits over eight innings. He struck out six. Oakland reliever Jeff Wong struck out three in the ninth for a save. Dan Strietbeck allowed seven hits and fanned seven for Cumberland.

Game 2: Cumberland 7-0

Ellsworth silenced the Oakland bats, allowing only three singles while striking out seven in a seven-inning complete game win.

Ellsworth and Dylan Wilson hit two singles, with Wilson driving in two runs, for Cumberland. Matt Wright and Brent Parrish hit doubles.

Game 3: Oakland 4-2

Carr knocked in three of Oakland's four runs, and his RBI single in the fourth helped stake the Oaks to a 2-0 lead.

After Ellsworth's RBI single in the fifth cut the margin to 2-1, Carr belted a two-run homer in the sixth to increase the Oakland lead to 4-1.

Ellsworth, who had four hits on the day, hit another RBI single in the seventh to make it 4-2, and the O's had runners on second and third when Ryan Valentine got a fly out for the final out of the game, and series.

Cody Jefferys doubled and Hunter Jenkins singled twice for Cumberland.

It was the second league championship in as many seasons for Oakland, which had swept Cumberland in the 2016 series after winning the regular season flag as well. This year, Cumberland won the regular season and Oakland was runner-up.

Oakland (19-6) and Cumberland (23-6) played nine times this year. Cumberland won five times and Oakland four.