Flagstaff take 2-1 lead in OLCS Heavyweight Bout
Arguably the two best teams in the Ozzie League finally faced off in what seemed to be the predetermined League Championship Series that most pundits foresaw at the start of the season. A combined 214 wins faced off against each other in a series that so far has lived up to the hype.
Game 1: Verlander v. Sale – With plenty of off days between the end of each teams five-game OLDS victory, it was a foregone conclusion to see Justin Verlander and Chris Sale matchup in the opener.
The first frame was full of excitement with no runs. Buster Posey drilled a double off the centerfield wall with two outs, but James McCann couldn’t capitalize. Verlander was shaky, loading the bases with no outs. But McCann manages to snag Aaron Judge’s line drive behind the third base bag and managed to scramble to double off George Springer, help Joplin escape a huge early hole.
Joplin would go into a smaller hole in the second inning, when Khris Davis launched a solo homer to start the inning. But from that point, JV would settle down, giving up just a single and a hit batter over the next four frames. Sale would dance around a few baserunners as well and it would stay a 1-0 into the sixth.
Joe Panik would start the bottom of the sixth with a walk, which would get the wheels rolling for Flagstaff. Paul Goldschmidt and Judge would each follow with singles, the latter scoring Panik. Then Travis Shaw stepped up and cranked a Verlander offering to deep right field, setting the Flagstaff crowd into a frenzy and a 5-0 lead.
Then a bobble from Joplin shortstop Jose Iglesias let Davis reach and Joplin decided it was enough for JV. Addison Reed relieved him and managed to get out of the inning with the score in place.
In the top of the seventh, Buster Posey lead off the inning with a solo homer, his third straight extra-base hit, to get the Miners on the board. However, Sale was able to get the next three batters to keep the Flagstaff in control.
In the eighth, Flagstaff tacks on some insurance as Daniel Nava came off the bench to crush a two-run homer that would be the final tally in a Flagstaff 7-1 victory.
W: Sale (1-0)
L: Verlander (0-1)
Sv: None
HRs: JOP – Posey (1); FLG – Davis (1), Shaw (1), Nava (1).
Game 2: Kershaw v. Greinke – After a slow start in Game 1, both offenses were on point early in this game.
Lefty-hitting specialist Enrique Hernandez got a rare start in left field for Flagstaff and immediately reward the confidence with a solo homer in the bottom of the first inning. But shortstop Chad Pinder touches up Zack Grienke with a two-run shot in the next half-inning to give Joplin their first lead of the series.
In the bottom of the second, Sale comes to the plate with two runners on. Sale tries to sacrifice the runners up, but Buster Posey is able to throw to third to get the lead runner. With two outs, George Springer dumps a ball into shallow center field that Jed Lowrie can’t circle back to corral, Manny Pina gets to signal to try and score and he just beats Charlie Blackmon’s throw home to tie the game at 2-2.
Clayton Kershaw continues to struggle in the third, giving up solo homers to Paul Goldschmidt and Travis Shaw to give the Outlaws a 4-2 lead.
But in the fifth inning, Joplin is finally able to quiet a racuous Flagstff crowd. Matt Carpenter doubled to start the inning and Carlos Santana singled him to third. David Peralta grounded a ball to second and Flagstaff conceeds the run for the out. then Jed Lowrie grounds back to the pitcher, holding the runner at Santana at second. Then after some deliberation about walking Mookie Betts to face Pinder, Flagstaff decides to pitch to him and he walks anyway. Chad Pinder steps in a crushes a three-run job to deep left-center field turned Joplin’s two-run deficit into a two-run lead at 6-4.
Just like Flagstaff did in the opener, Joplin decided to get some insurance and it came from who else but Chad Pinder. Facing lefty Ryan Buchter, Pinder puts two more runs on the board with his third homer of the game, giving Joplin an 8-4 lead.
Joplin had gone to their bullpen early and the arms of Chase Whitley and Craig Kimbrel were able to keep Flagstaff from getting any momentum. In the 9th, John Brebbia was called on and he worked around a walk to secure the 8-4 victory, taking home-field advantage away from Flagstaff.
Chad Pinder ended up going 3-for-4 and drove in seven runs.
W: Romo (1-0)
L: Greinke (0-1)
Sv: None
HRs: JOP – Pinder 3 (1, 2, 3); FLG – Hernandez (1), Goldschmidt (1), Shaw (2).
Game 3: Wood v. Arrieta – With a day off and travel to Joplin, the Miners were very happy after stealing home-field advantage away. A win in Game 3 would help put more pressure on a Flagstaff squad.
Jake Arrieta was up to that task as he pitched six no-hit innings, with just a lone error by Carlos Santana being the only negative mark on his ledger.
While Arrieta was busy locking down the Outlaw bats, Joplin’s offense was able to build a nice lead. Mookie Betts started the bottom of the first with a double and then Charlie Blackmon singled him in. In the fifth, Betts keeps in the action, launching a two-run homer right after Jake Arrieta manages a two-out single to extend the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Joe Panik singled off of Arrieta to end the no-hit bid. Sensing a chance to nail down a critical victory, the Miners yank Arrieta at 88 pitches, to go to Craig Kimbrel with the heart of the Outlaw lineup looming.
Kimbrel whiffs Goldschmidt for the first out, but Aaron Judge manages to draw a free pass. Khris Davis gets a 98mph fastball on a 1-1 count and deposits it deep into the left field bleachers, stunning the Joplin fans. A cheesed-off Kimbrel gets the final two batters, but the game is tied.
With Alex Wood at 82 pitches and a part of the lineup that doesn’t do well against lefties, management sticks with Wood and he responds with key 1-2-3 inning.
In the eighth, Sergio Romo relieves Kimbrel and gives up a one-out single to Elvis Andrus. With two outs the hitter than ruined the no-hitter, ruins the Miners lead, cranking a two-run home run down the right field line, giving Flagstaff a 5-3 lead.
Matt Albers worked around a walk in the eighth. In the ninth, Flagstaff decides to go Jake McGee with a part of the Joplin lineup who struggles against lefties due up. But Jed Lowrie walked and Outlaw-killer Chad Pinder doubled, holding Lowrie at third.
Blake Parker trots out of the bullpen and gets David Peralta to groundout to third, but the Flagstaff defense was playing back so Lowrie is able to score and Pinder moves up to third on the out. Gregor Blanco pinch-hits and Parker is able to strike him out. Matt Carpenter is Joplin’s last chance, but he also strikes out. Flagstaff pulls off the Houdini act and escapes with a 5-4 decision.
W: Wood (1-0)
L: Romo (1-1)
Sv: Parker (1)
HRs: FLG – Davis (2), Panik (1); JOP – Betts (1).