Outlaws open second half with big series against Ravenswood
After a couple of disappointing months that put the Flagstaff Outlaws at 35-45 at the halfway mark, Flagstaff opened the second half on the road and nearly swept the Ravenswood Infidels.
Game 1: Wood v. Foltynewicz – George Springer gets the Outlaws going early, scoring the first two runs on the game by doubling in the second, having Jonathan Villar driving him in, and then hitting a solo homer in the fourth.
In the seventh, Flagstaff adds a pair of RBIs from Carter Kieboom and Andrelton Simmons, allowing the Outlaws to pull Alex Wood from his six innings of scoreless pitching.
That move looks like it would backfire as the Infidels would immediately score a pair of runs off of Victor Arano.
The score would stay 4-2 into the ninth when Ryan Pressly would allow the tying run to come to plate when he allowed a two-out single to Khris Davis. But Marcus Semien would strike out and Flagstaff takes the opener, 4-2.
W: Wood (2-2)
L: Foltynewicz (6-9)
Sv: Pressly (20)
HRs: FLG – Springer (11); RAV – none.
Game 2: Musgrove v. Buehler – Flagstaff turns to Joe Musgrove to make his BDBL debut and he starts off with five scoreless innings.
For the second straight game, Springer scores the first two runs of the game on a solo homer in the second and a single in the fourth and he would eventually score on an Eduardo Nunez sac fly.
Musgrove falters in the sixth, walking J.T. Realmuto with one out and watching Khris Davis launch his 30th homer of the season to tie the game at 2-2.
However, the Outlaw bats immediately back Musgrove up in the top of the seventh on RBI knocks from Simmons and Aaron Judge, once again letting the Outlaw coaching staff to lift Musgrove and turn the game over to their bullpen.
This time, it doesn’t work out well as Davis homers again, this time in the eighth off of Arano to get the Infidels within a run. Pressly had to come in during this inning and gets a clutch double play to preserve the lead, but in the ninth, he gives up three singles with the final one tying to game as Nick Markakis lines one between short and third to tie it.
In the 10th, Flagstaff retakes the lead with speed as Villar singles with two outs, steals second that enables him to score easily on Nunez’s single. But Ravenswood quickly rallies in the bottom of the inning off of Gabriel Moya.
Wilmer Flores singles and moves to second when Scott Schebler was plunked. Seimen follows with a double to score Flores, but Schebler was held at third with no outs. Joey Rickard was due up but he was walked intentionally to set up force plays everywhere. Cesar Hernandez and Markakis each hit weak fly balls to left that were not deep enough to let Schebler try to score. Nick Hundley ends the inning with a strike out.
In the 12th, Springer gives the Outlaws another lead with a one-out bomb. Luis Cessa is given the third save situation and he manages to lock it down with a perfect effort, giving the Outlaws a 5-4 extra inning road victory.
W: Moya (1-2)
L: Baez (3-1)
Sv: Cessa (1)
HRs: FLG – Springer (12, 13); RAV – Davis (30, 31).
Game 3: Erlin v. Odorizzi – Another start, another season debut as Robbie Erlin toes the bump for Flagstaff. With a gassed bullpen, Erlin went out and three seven strong innings, giving up just two runs on six hits and strriking out eight.
Erlin was staked to a 3-0 lead on RBIs from Springer, Simmons and Erlin himself as he contributed a sac fly to center in the second. He would
Ravenswood would get to Erlin in the sixth on RBI singles from Nico Goodrum and Hundley.
With closer Pressly ruled out of this game, the Flagstaff bullpen reshuffles a bit, but Ryan Buchter, Cessa and Joe Smith team up to finish the final two innings, allowing a lone hit. Flagstaff 3, Ravenswood 2.
W: Erlin (1-0)
L: Odorizzi (5-5)
Sv: Smith (1)
HRs: FLG – none; RAV – none.
Game 4: Richards v. Ross – Flagstaff scores first for the fourth straight game, getting an RBI double from Paul Goldschmidt in the top of the first. But Ravenswood counters with a two-run double from Wil Myers, the Infidels first lead of the series.
Flagstaff gets a two-run bomb from Judge to give the Outlaws the lead right back in the third, but that lead out lasts into the fourth when Markakis ties the game with a sac fly.
In the seventh, Luis Cessa gives up three singles as Seimen drives in the go-ahead run, but a key double play from David Freese keeps Ravenswood with their slim margin.
In the eighth, Kirby Yates gives up a pair of singles to start the inning, but a pair of strike outs and ground out end the threat. Jarrod Dyson walks with one out in the ninth off Yates, but Brandon Workman relieves Yates and Dyson is caught stealing trying to get into scoring position. Ravenswood holds on, 4-3, to avoid the sweep.
W: Sipp (1-5)
L: Cessa (0-3)
Sv: Workman (2)
HRs: FLG – Judge (19); RAV – none.