Outlaws drop series with Furies
The South Loop Furies held a two-game lead in a tight Benes Division race. The winner of that race will like have to face Flagstaff in the the OLDS. So a good showing in this potential matchup would help buoy South Loop’s attitude in such a matchup.
Game 1: Garrett v. Greinke – The series starts off well for the Furies as Amir Garrett pitches five scoreless innings, scattering four hits to start it off. He leaves the game with a 3-0 advantage thanks to an RBI double from Eduardo Nunez followed by an Aaron Hicks homer in the third.
From there, the Furies bullpen plays matchups and only a late homer by Manny Pina spoils the shutout. South Loop 4, Flagstaff 1.
W: Garrett (2-0)
L: Greinke (14-4)
Sv: None
HRs: SLF – Hicks (8); FLG – Pina (8).
Game 2: Dickey v. Sale – Flagstaff’s offense continues to struggle until Chris Sale breaks a 1-1 tie in the fourth with a bloop hit down the right field line that scores two. Still leading 4-2, the Outlaws tee off on Wade LeBlanc, getting homers from Paul Goldschmidt and Khris Davis to make it a 7-2 lead.
But like their team’s namesake, South Loop makes a furious rally. Kirby Yates, a specialist against righties, gets two outs in the eighth, but Nick Castellanos hits a homer to spark things. A walk to Asdrubal Cabrera ends Yates’s night and has the Outlaw bullpen scrambling. Jake McGee comes on to face Leury Garcia who singles. Nick Goody walks Mike Zunino to load the bases. Blake Parker tries to end the rally, but he walks Tommy Joseph and allows a double to Nunez to get the Furies within a run. Parker manages to strike out Lorenzo Cain to end the rally, much to the relief of the Outlaw faithful.
In the ninth, Parker starts the inning off with a single by Starlin Castro. But Aaron Hicks grounds into a 5-4-3 double play. Castellanos whiffs and Flagstaff escapes with a 7-6 decision.
W: Sale (15-3)
L: Dickey (6-9)
Sv: Parker (34)
HRs: SLF – Castro (12), Castellanos (12); FLG – Goldschmidt (15), Davis (24).
Game 3: Porcello v. Wacha – After narrowly avoid a shutout in Game 1, Flagstaff can’t manage to get any key hits and South Loop blanks Flagstaff, 3-0.
Rick Porcello only gets through 4 2/3 innings, but he keeps Flagstaff at bay with his 1-0 lead that Cain gave them in the first on an RBI single. Alex Colome finishes that fifth by getting Elvis Andrus to fly out with two runners on.
The game stays 1-0 until the top of the ninth when the Furies add on a Cabrera two-run double. After Colome, four more relievers team up to allow just one hit and one walk over the final four innings.
W: Colome (6-0)
L: Wacha (7-3)
Sv: Edwards (21)
HRs: SLF – none; FLG – none.
Game 4: Ryu v. Ramirez – Once again, South Loop takes an early lead, getting a Garcia three-run homer in the top of the fourth. Khris Davis hits a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to try and keep his team close. In the seventh, Flagstaff gets RBIs from Andrus and Springer to tie things up.
Once again, Flagstaff tries to get Yates to get through the righty-heavy lineup in the eighth, but back-to-back doubles gives South Loop the lead back. Pedro Baez then allows a two-run homer to Garcia, giving him five RBI on the day. South Loop gets the 6-3 series victory.
W: Colome (7-0)
L: Yates (1-2)
Sv: Edwards (22)
HRs: SLF – Garcia (6, 7); FLG – Davis (25).