2014 NATIONAL LEAGUE WILD CARD

New York Outlaws @ Clovis Wheat Kings – Series was played using join.me
It’s postseason baseball here in the MWBL. In the opening round for the National League the New York Outlaws are traveling out west to take on the Clovis Wheat Kings in a winner take all best two out of three series. New York finished the regular season at 89-73 and finished 4 games behind division champ Manhattan. Clovis ended with a 99-63 record and finished 1 game behind Camarillo in a back and forth title race.

Game #1:
Clovis ace Matt Harvey 15-6 on the hill facing Outlaw hurler Hiroki Kuroda 17-10.
First inning slides by with no damage done for either team. Clovis up in the bottom of the 2nd and Daniel Murphy smashes one past Utley for a base hit, a ground ball moves him to second and up comes Michael Saunders, only getting a start because Torii Hunter was a bit under the weather today. Saunders looped one to right where Beltran picked it up and came up firing but to late to get Murphy who slid across the plate for the games first run.
Mathis followed with a double down the line putting runners on 2nd and 3rd for Harvey. He rolled a ball slowly back to the box but Kuroda’s throw was to late to get Harvey and the second run crossed the plate. With Clovis up now 2-0 in the second Kuroda bore down and got out of the inning without further damage.
Harvey in the meantime was cruising and would continue to pile up zeros on the scoreboard, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th without any real threat from the Outlaws to score. Bottom of 5 Clovis up 2-0 when Belt got ahold of one and sent it deep…deep to left center for a solo shot and a 3-0 Clovis lead.
Harvey wouldn’t need any more insurance as he continued to dominate the now suddenly punchless Outlaw lineup. 6th, 7th, 8th. New York with only 2 hits at this point off of Harvey. 9th inning with Clovis holding a 3-0 lead and a dominating Matt Harvey trying to nail down the shutout and give Clovis the series lead. Ortiz led off with a walk, the 4th of the game off Harvey. Beltran drives one deep to center but Saunders was there to track it down, Ramirez looks at strike three for the second out and up to the plate comes Gerardo Parra. Parra can only muster a weak fly into left that Nelson Cruz easily corrals for the final out. The Wheat Kings behind a domination Matt Harvey take the all-important first game 3-0!

Game #2:
With their backs to the wall the Outlaws send wily veteran Jake Peavy 7-9 to the mound against Wheat King flamethrower Andrew Cashner 15-5. Clovis will be without slugging 1st baseman Brandon Belt who doubled and homered in game one but get back Arenado, Hunter, and Castro who all sat out the opener.
The game started quickly with both hurlers throwing darts, 1st, 2nd, 3rd innings all speed by with barely a blip on the radar. Peavy racks up 6 Ks through the first 3 innings. In the 4th Clovis with 2 out Murphy lined a single to left center for his 4th hit of the series. Peavy was distracted with Arenado at the plate, failed to come to a complete stop in his delivery and was charged with a balk sending Murph down to 2nd. With a runner now in scoring position Arenado didn’t take long to make his presence felt…Here’s the pitch … hit like a shot … UTLEY waves at it … but it’s by him into right, MURPHY’s around third they’re waving him in here comes the throw home here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … safe…ahead of the throw Clovis now with a 1-0 lead and Cashner didn’t let up continuing to dominate the New York lineup through the 5th and 6th. Bottom of the 6th, Byrd walked and Cruz singled for the Wheat Kings sending the sizzling Daniel Murphy to the plate…The runners take their lead … PEAVY with the pitch … there’s a little blooper down the right field line … it might drop in … it does! … BYRD scores, CRUZ’s moves over to third as  the throw comes in to ORTIZ … MURPHY’s in standing with a double and Clovis now leads 2-0.
Up to the plate steps the rookie Arenado…OUTLAWS playing for the out at first … he brings it home … the swing … his bat snaps it two!
the barrel is headed out toward short … and the ball pops over second into shallow right , it’ll be a base hit … CRUZ scores … MURPHY is rounding third, they’re waving MURPHY in, here comes the throw home,  here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … SAFE!…on a close play … the run scores! Clovis now leads 4-0!
Cashner continues to mow down Outlaws, 7th inning, 8th inning, Clovis still holding 4-0 lead. Outlaws haven’t scored a run yet in the series.
Final frame, Cashner gives up a single to Ortiz, a hit and run single to Beltran puts runners on 1st and 3rd and Alexi Ramirez drills a single down the line scoring the pinch runner Carroll and knocking Cashner out of the game.  With the lefthanded batter Parra due up the Wheat Kings turned to left handed reliever Alex Torres. Parra was allowed to hit but Torres punched him out with a change up that left him way out in front. Uribe grounds an easy one to Tuisosopo at first for the second out.  In the last chance for the Outlaws Henry Blanco was jammed and popped one up to Casilla at second for the final out giving Clovis a 4-1 win in the game and a 2-0 series sweep.

Summary:
Wheat Kings pitching dominates New York; 18 IP, 1 ER, 9 H, and 9 K. Daniel Murphy led the offense with 3 runs on 5 hits and an RBI. Belt hit the only homer of the series while Arenado chipped in with 3 RBI in the deciding game.