Hot Boulders win playoff spot and homefield advantage via 12-game winning streak
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed likely fans of the NY Boulders, the independent baseball team that plays out of Clover Stadium in Pomona, would be switching their attention this week to football or maybe to the fortunes of New York's much more highly prized baseball teams.
Those would be, of course, the Mets and Yankees.
But while the Yankees, whose 62-26 record on July 13, fueled talk of a November ticker tape parade, have virtually collapsed, going 18-28 since then, the Boulders will give their fans at least one more day of baseball this week.
The squad, 27-27 on July 13, has won 30 games and lost just 11 since then.
In fifth place less than three weeks ago in the league's Eastern Division with only the top three teams making the playoffs, the Boulders have vaulted to the second spot, securing homefield advantage for a wildcard game Wednesday vs. the third-place Ottawa Titans.
The winner will play the division-leading Quebec Capitales in a best-of-three series for the division championship.
North Rockland grad helps fuel turnaround
All of this has happened via a winning streak that reached 12 games Sunday night in Canada with the Boulders beating the Trois-Rivieres Aigles 8-5.
That was the third straight win for the Boulders at the Aigles, notable because New York has been much better at home this season, going 36-16 at Clover vs. 21-22 on the road.
The Aigles series started with local product Danny Wirchansky pitching 3.1 innings of two-hit, shutout ball to pick up with win.
The 25-year-old former North Rockland High and Pace University southpaw has had what could be described as a dream-to-nightmare-to-dream season.
Wirchansky, who was drafted by Milwaukee in the 25th round in 2019, failed a physical there and again after being picked up by Texas.
Both teams believed he needed Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery despite the fact he was throwing well, had no pain and didn't have a ligament tear.
Wirchansky had the surgery in September 2019 and was signed last year by the Boulders. He went 4-5, struck out 105 in 106 innings and pitched to a 4.08 ERA over 19 starts and one relief appearance in 2021.
This year, he was 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts when the Arizona Diamondbacks purchased his contract in late May. But despite his surgeon pronouncing his elbow fine, he failed Arizona's physical and never threw a pitch for the organization.
"I was ready to hang it up and be done with baseball," Wirchansky said.
Then he reconsidered.
And the Boulders, whom he said, "took me back with open arms," are glad he did.
After Wirchansky started 11 games for the club this summer, manager TJ Stanton converted him into a hybrid long reliever/closer.
Overall, he's 5-4 with three saves, 103 strikeouts in 86.2 innings with a 2.80 ERA and has pitched 11 straight scoreless innings.
"I like the reliever role. It's like a quick shot of adrenaline when my name is called," said Wirchansky, who was named to the Frontier League all-star team earlier this summer.
"He's been huge, huge. He's been able to just pump strikes. ... He'll throw four-five innings. ... It's a beautiful hybrid," said Stanton. "There's no on I want to close out a game other than Danny."
Other players get hot
Boulders head scout Kevin Tuve, who has been with the club since 2012 when it was part of the Can-Am League, calls Wirchansky "lights out" but noted he's just part of the story.
The Boulders are first in the 16-team league with a team-record 705 runs scored and are second in the league with a team-record 148 home runs.
Outfielder David Vinsky, who spent last year in Double AA with the St. Louis Cardinals, is hitting .349 with 20 home runs, a league-record 98 runs scored, 84 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Vinsky is also second in the league with 135 hits and both his batting average and RBI are fourth best.
First baseman Chris Kwitzer was briefly on the baseball scrapheap after being released by the Tri-City ValleyCats after hitting .261 last year with five home runs over 52 games.
But the Boulders knew he was better than his 2021 stats.
The 27-year-old is hitting .301 with 20 home runs and a league-leading 96 RBI.
"When he was released by Tri-Cities we signed him that day. We knew he was going to do well but we didn't expect him to lead the league in RBIs and be a top home run hitter," said Stanton, who calls Kwitzer the "ultimate grinder."
Stanton also points to the importance of getting designated hitter/infielder Tucker Nathans of Warwick ( .275, 16 home runs and 46 RBI over 47 games) back after he was out for two months with a deep bone bruise to his shin and also getting shortstop Austin Dennis (.264, 58 RBI, 57 runs scored in 71 games) after he missed a month with injury.
"Getting those two guys back was huge, paramount," Stanton said.
Tuve also cites 26-year-old Ray Hernandez's return.
The infielder retired after hitting .262 with 23 home runs and 58 RBI in 93 games for the Boulders last year before re-signing this summer with the club.
While not hitting for as much power, Hernandez has been a significant contributor. His on-base percentage is higher and he's hitting .278 with 26 RBI in 36 games.
Overall, New York is collectively hitting a league second-best .292 on the season.
Both Tuve and Stanton gave some credit for that to biomedical engineer Courtney Semkewyc, who began working with Nathans on his hitting mechanics before volunteering her time with multiple other players.
"She became slowly part of the team," Stanton said.
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Optimism going forward
The Boulders hope their bats, which have produced 98 runs during their 12-game streak, remain hot Wednesday and beyond.
Wednesday's game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Clover Stadium.
Stanton has tabbed July Sosa (7-2, 3.57 ERA in 12 appearances) to start against Ottawa.
Stanton described Sosa as being the club's most consistent starter since signing with the Boulders midway through the season.
Ottawa, at 56-39, finished the regular season a game behind New York.
The teams went 6-6 this season.
"They have a lineup that can string together hits and they can run. We know we have to put up points," Stanton said, noting the Titans also have one of league's top pitching staffs.
Still, two weeks ago, the Boulders took two of three games against them.
Wednesday's winner will play Quebec, which is 62-34, 4.5 games ahead of the Boulders in the East.
If that's the Boulders, who went 2-7 against the Capitales this season, they'll host them Friday before the series moves north to conclude in Canada.
The Eastern Division winner will then face the Western Division winner for the league championships in a best-of-five series, starting September 14.
The Capitales are first in the league with a 3.50 ERA and boast a lineup that's "proficient getting on base" and that includes "three guys who can hit a home run anytime," Stanton said.
The Boulders' lone wins against them came at home and Stanton acknowledged his squad "struggled mightily" playing in Quebec
But he thinks it's now very much different from the team that fell by a run July 10 in its last meeting with Quebec.
Of facing the Capitales for the division title, Stanton said, "We'd love to get a shot at it."
"Everyone is 0-0. It's a clean slate (in the playoffs)," said Wirchansky, who noted early in the season, when the Boulders' pitching was on, its bats were cold and vice-versa.
Now, it's "finally all gelling," he said.
And even if the Boulders win Wednesday but then face a Quebec squad that's still an overall better team, that might not matter.
Referring to the "baseball gods," Tuve said, "Hotter teams can beat better teams."
"A couple of months ago it looked very different for us. We had to climb that mountain and here we are," Tuve said. ... "The (team is) focused as hell. They've won 12 in a row. ... There's a lot of believing going on."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Hot Boulders to play wildcard game at home amid 12-game winning streak
