Flagstaff beats Los Altos for just fifth time ever, posts franchise best 21-7 month
In a series that has been as lopsided as their have ever been in BDBL history, the Flagstaff Outlaws had to continue to play nail-biters, but escapes with a rare series victory in Los Altos. It marks the second time Flagstaff has won on enemy soil.
Game 1: Sale v. Archer – The opener was delayed by a very lengthy tribute to Flagstaff starter Chris Sale who was traded from Los Altos in the early stages of the offseason. A video tribute, numerous standing ovations, and a ring ceremony that brought tears to Undertakers GM Jeff Paulson’s eye, all marked the celebration of Sale’s contributions.
However, the good feelings would be short-lived as the home town crowd cheered in the second inning when Josh Phegley doubled in Shin-Soo Choo. But that would be the only blemish on Sale’s line as he went six innings, striking out eight, while allowing just three hits and two walks.
The man who stepped into Sale’s ace shoes, Chris Archer, was slightly better: seven frames, seven strikeouts, four hits, two walks, but most importantly, no runs.
Starting the ninth, while Kenley Jansen ready to go, Los Altos sticks with Sean Doolittle against lefty Travis Shaw, but Shaw takes Doolittle deep to tie the game at 1-1. Jansen would immediately come in and was so pissed, he struck out the side.
In the bottom of the frame. Flagstaff sent San Tuivailala out to try and get save Jake McGee and Blake Parker for a save situation on the road. The move immediately backfires as Austin Jackson takes a 1-2 pitch out to left field, giving Los Altos a walkoff celebration, 2-1.
W: Jansen (1-0)
L: Tuivailala (0-1)
Sv: None
HRs: FLG – Shaw (5); LAU – Jackson (2).
Game 2: Greinke v. Cole – Before the late arriving Undertaker crowd could get settled in, Aaron Judge blasts a monstrous grand slam into left center field. After getting Shaw to ground out, Gerrit Cole would walk Khris Davis which allowed Caleb Joseph to blast another homer to give Flagstaff a 6-0 lead.
Flagstaff would get homers from George Springer and Paul Goldschmidt to jump out a 9-0 lead through four and half innings and the Outlaws would cruise to a 10-4 victory.
Cole would be tagged for all 10 runs, eight earned, over seven innings of work in front of a stunned crowd. Judge would homer off of Cole later for his first multi-homer game of the season, driving in five.
Zack Greinke would only go five innings, as a way to rest him for his next start.
W: Grienke (4-1)
L: Cole (0-3)
Sv: None
HRs: FLG – Judge (8, 9), Joseph (3), Springer (9), Goldschmidt (3); LAU – Davis (2), Pederson (2), Forsythe (2).
Game 3: Wood v. Roark – After watching all the offense in the previous game, Alex Wood and Tanner Roark decided it would be better to lock up in a pitcher’s duel.
Roark pitches into the seventh while Wood finished seven with each giving up a lone run. Judge singled in Flagstaff’s run in the first, but was gunned down trying to score on Manny Pina’s single. Pat Valaika crushed a solo bomb off Wood in the fourth.
In the ninth, Los Altos doesn’t warm Jansen up right away, letting Josh Fields start a tie game, but walks a struggling Elvis Andrus. Jansen steps right in and gives up a Springer single to center, but Andrus gets greedy and is cut down at third, committing the cardinal sin in making the first or third out at third base. Panik grounds out to Jansen, but Springer is able to move up. Goldschmidt follows with a clutch single through the right side and Springer is able to beat the throw home as Flagstaff takes the lead, 2-1.
Jake McGee starts the ninth, but Choo greets him with a single. Lucas Duda flies out. Blake Parker now comes in and Choo manages to steal second to stay out of the double play, but Parker gets Wilmer Flores to ground and Alex Avila lines out to center and the Outlaws steal one off of Jansen, 2-1.
W: Goody (2-1)
L: Jansen (1-1)
Sv: Parker (11)
HRs: FLG – none; LAU – Valaika (1).
Game 4: Wacha v. Gsellman – Nursing a 2-1 lead in the fourth, Flagstaff breaks the game open.
Daniel Nava gets his first at bat for Aaron Judge, as Judge leaves with a sore shoulder, and singles. Shaw follows with an RBI triple. Khris Davis hit a soft grounder to short and Shaw breaks for home. Seager throws home and can’t get Davis, who slides around the tag. Pina follows with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Michael Wacha helps himself with a safety squeeze and Andrus follows with a sac fly. Four runs, giving the Outlaws a 6-1 lead.
Wacha pitches well with the big lead, but allows Los Altos to get back in the game with a Flores RBI double in the fourth and an Eric Thames two-run blast in the sixth.
With a 6-4 lead and three innings left, the Outlaws pull their usual formula out, matching up relievers who get the final nine batters in order and Flagstaff takes the series with a 7-4 victory.
W: Wacha (2-0)
L: Gsellman (2-1)
Sv: Parker (12)
HRs: FLG – Goldschmidt (4), Springer (10); LAU – Thames (4).