Flagstaff wins franchise-record 10th win over Los Altos
The struggles against the Los Altos Undertakers have been well documented. But in what has been a remarkable year for the Flagstaff Outlaws, the Outlaws continue to take out their frustration over those Undertakers. With a 3-1 series victory, the Outlaws tallied their 10th win over LA this season, besting the 9-7 record of 2005. It also marks their third straight series victory, something never done in franchise history.
Game 1: Sale v. Archer – Aaron Judge gets the party started with a three-run blast off of Chris Archer in the top of the first inning to put the home crowd in a foul mood from the start. Wilmer Flores connects off of Chris Sale in the second to make the score 3-1, Flagstaff.
In the six, Daniel Nava hits a two-run triple into left-center field to give Sale a big cushion. The good thing is, Sale needed that cushion and he served up a two-run bomb to Brandon Guyer in the bottom of the sixth.
From there, four Outlaw relievers team up over the final three innings, striking out six while working around a lone double. Blake Parker gets the final two outs to notch his 44th save, securing Chris Sale’s 20th victory. Flagstaff 4, Los Altos 3.
W: Sale (20-3)
L: Archer (10-16)
Sv: Parker (44)
HRs: FLG – Judge (35); LAU – Flores (7), Guyer (2).
Game 2: Ramirez v. Cobb – This one turns into a barn-burner. The Outlaws get a pair of homers in the first from George Springer and Manny Pina to build a 5-0 lead before the home team can pick up a bat. J.C. Ramirez starts off slow, giving up a pair of walks that would eventually score on RBI hits from Nolan Arenado and Eric Thames to cut into the Flagstaff lead.
But the Outlaws answer right back, scoring three times on a bases-loaded balk by Alex Cobb and a two-run single from Khris Davis.
The score would be 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh when the Outlaws asked Ramirez to get one more inning to help save the bullpen a bit. That would be a horrible idea as Corey Seager hits a two-run single while Jesus Aguiler clubs a three-run jack off Ryan Buchter to draw the Undertakers within a run.
Taxed with keeping the deficit intact in the ninth, Brad Boxberger enters for LA, but Davis greets him with a solo homer. That ends up keying a huge seven-run rally that included a pair of bases-loaded walks at one point. Flagstaff pulls away, 16-8.
W: Ramirez (7-2)
L: Cobb (11-10)
Sv: None
HRs: FLG – Springer (29), Pina (10), Shaw (14), Davis (30); LAU – Kipnis (9), Aguilar (5).
Game 3: Wood v. Roark – Los Altos takes their first lead of the series in the bottom of the first when Matt Kemp sacrifice flies in Seager. Alex Avila follows with a single to score Aguilar and just like that, Los Altos is up, 2-0. But Alex Wood would double in the third, setting the stage for back-to-back doubles by Springer and Joe Panik, tying the score at 2-2.
But Matt Kemp follows that up with a two-run homer in the fourth to put the ‘Takers back on top, 4-2. From that point on, Tanner Roark and company keep the Outlaws that had just scored 16 runs the night before in check. Pedro Baez ends up pitching the final two innings, taking one for the team as the Undertakers pour on five runs and end up winning by a score of 9-2.
W: Roark (13-8)
L: Wood (12-4)
Sv: Lorenzen (2)
HRs: FLG – none; LAU – Kemp (6), Pederson (7), Leon (10).
Game 4: Wacha v. Cole – For the first time all series, no one scores in the first inning. In fact, both starters put up zeroes over the first four before the Undertakers finally break through.
Jason Kipnis starts the fifth with a double and Joc Pederson grounds out to move him over to third. With Gerrit Cole up, Flagstaff brings the infield in, but Cole manages to get the suicide squeeze down, scoring Kipnis. Matt Kemp adds on in the sixth with a solo homer to make it 2-0.
But at that point, the Flagstaff offense finally wakes up. Davis singles to start the top of the seventh. Daniel Nava hits for Michael Wacha and ends up doubling Davis in. Then Elvis Andrus singles Nava in to tie the game. Boxberger comes on for Cole and immediate serves up a homer to Springer and just like that, the two-run lead turns into a two-run deficit.
In the bottom of the frame, Aguilar hits for the pitcher spot and manages to triple on what probably would have been an inside-the-park homer for anyone else. But that’s a moot point as he easily scores on Guyer’s groundout to get the Undertakers within a run. Then Kemp homers again, this time off of Matt Albers in the eighth, and the game is all tied at 4-4.
Dan Altavilla starts the ninth, his second inning of the night, but gives up a one-out double to Springer. Sean Doolittle relieves and walks Panik. He gets Goldschmidt to strike out for the second out, but he walks Aaron Judge to load the bases. With no real options on the bench against lefties left, Flagstaff lets Travis Shaw hit for himself and he rewards the team with a clutch two-run single to put the Outlaws back on top.
From there, Parker gets Los Altos in order in the bottom of the inning and the Outlaws win the series with the 6-4 decision in the finale.
W: Albers (5-2)
L: Altavilla (1-2)
Sv: Parker (45)
HRs: FLG – Springer (30); LAU – Kemp (7, 8).