2014 WORLD SERIES

Tempe Tempers vs. Hollywood Werewolves

Welcome to the 2014 MWBL series which pits the three-time American League Champion Hollywood Werewolves vs the eight-time (and defending) World Series Champion Tempe Tempers. Hollywood’s last World Series appearance in 2012 saw then swept by the Sacramento Capitals while Tempe took out the Chicago Mobsters in 2013 to return to glory.

HollywoodThis will be a rematch of the famed 2004 World Series in which Tempe Manager Chris Douglass stared Hollywood Manager Steve Cutler right in the eyes with 2-outs in the 9th of game 3, only to say ‘I have you where I want you.’ And that he did. Tempe scored 3-runs off of closer Eric Gagne (all unearned due to a Morgan Ensberg error), with the game winner driven Tempein by Aubrey Huff. The kicker here was that Gagne and Huff were traded for each other, in the off-season, so Huff took out his revenge on the Werewolf front office. Hollywood never recovered and Tempe won the series in 5 games.

Tempe’s dynasty is unmatched and according to the Jarl Jackson World Series Preview Tempe would repeat the same feat, in 5 games.

Game #1 @ Hollywood – Hisashi Iwakuma  (16YZ  31-3  1.54 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (14YZ  18-11  2.78 ERA)

Tempe throws their 31-game winner Hisashi Iwakuma against Hollywood’s Cliff Lee – who ‘only’ won 18 games. Lee was pressed into service for game 1 and is no stranger to the Jered-Weaver14WSWorld Series. Cliff Lee has 2-World Series rings from his Sacramento days. As the game gets started, Cliff Lee kicks the dirt to prep the mound after warm-ups and wait! He seems to trip over the rosin bag and twist his ankle. This would be a DEVASTATING blow to Hollywood as they already lost their #1 catcher in Wellington Castillo. The trainer comes out and declares Lee done before the game and possibly the series. He’ll need to rest for 6 days before it can be determined if he can pitch. Hollywood Manager all but stunned looks out to the bullpen and makes the call to little used in the Post Season, Jered Weaver. Weaver trots in and begins warming up. Weaver settles in and gets Tempe easily 1-2-3 in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, Jayson Werth leads off with a walk. Playing hit-and-run, with Christian Yelich, Hollywood puts runners at the corners with no-outs and Miggy Cabrera coming up. Miggy gets a little excited and pops up to Robinson Cano at 2nd base. With Paul Goldschmidt up and Hollywood trying to stay out of the double play, they put the hit-and-run on again. Goldschmidt flies to left. Daniel Nava catches it and gets rid of it to home fast. Here’s the call: here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … OUT!…on a close play the coach was waving him on with two outs … he streaked down the line and they finished his story at the front door! Game scoreless after the first. Weaver gives up a meaningless single in the top of the 2nd, and it takes us to the bottom of the 2nd. With 1-out, Jay Bruce stands in. The pitch … BRUCE sends it in the air … deep right center field … GONZALEZ goes over …..Alex_Gordon14WSCUDDYER goes over … and the ball goes over the fence … BRUCE with a round tripper gives Hollywood a 1-0 lead. It stays that way until the bottom of the 3rd. After Werth grounds out, Yelich steps in and doubles to right. After Miggy strikes out looking, Goldschmidt is nailed in the ribs and walks to 1st base. That leaves it up to Alex Gordon. The runners take their lead … the pitch … GORDON hits a pea … past the diving DAVIS just inside the bag … it’s rolling … CUDDYER will have to play it near the corner…YELICH scores … GOLDSCHMIDT’s around third…they’re waving GOLDSCHMIDT in … TULOWITZKI will relay…here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … safe easily … and there’s a play at third….the throw and he’s … SAFE!…on a close play … oh, close call … the gamble pays off and Hollywood leads 3-0! The home crowd is going crazy! Weaver and club mob Goldschmidt as he returns to the dugout. As we head to the top of the 5th, Hollywood starts to get the bullpen moving in case Weaver falters. With 1-out, Chris Davis steps in for Tempe. WEAVER jams him … DAVIS fights it off and muscles it toward shallow right…it drops back of first and rolls into foul ground … BRUCE hustles over but DAVIS has himself a fluke two-base hit. That brings up Robinson Cano. He whacks it into center, Werth racing over as it drops, he fields is, Davis is around third and is held as Cano cruises into second base, clapping his hands feverishly. Weaver looks out to left and sees Steve Chisek working and steps back to the mound. Yadier Molina, trying to bite the hand that once fed him, steps in. He delivers a liner to short, past a diving Starlin Castro, scoring Davis and cutting the Hollywood lead to 3-1 and putting runners at the corners. Pitching Coach Rick Sutcliffe comes out to settle Weaver down. It looks like Castro says to Weaver, “get him to hit it on the ground and I’ll take care of the rest.” Prince Fielder steps in. The runners take their lead … the delivery … grounded hard to short … could be two…CASTRO fields it … flips to KINSLER at second … over to first … oh, double play and they get out of the inning! Ahead 3-1, Werth doubles to lead off the bottom of the 5th and it drives Iwakuma to the locker room. With Werth on 2nd, Yelich squares to move him to 3rd. He pops it up for out #1. That’s followed by a Miggy flies out to short center for #2. J.P. Howell walks Goldschmidt to face Alex Gordon. He gets Gordon on a grounder to 3rd and Tempe gets out of the inning. The bullpens do their job through the middle innings and we head to the top of the 9th. Koji Uehara comes in and gets them 1-2-3 and Hollywood leads the series 1 games to 0.
Final Score: Hollywood 3 – Tempe 1

 

Game #2 @ Hollywood – Clay Buchholz  (21Y  8-3  2.20 ERA) vs. David Price (12YZ  20-7  2.77 ERA)

Living high from the game 1 win, Hollywood sends 20 game winner David Price vs Tempe’s 21-grade Clay Buchholz. With 2-outs in the top of the first, Carlos Gonzalez rips a Clay_Buchholz14WSdouble high off the center field wall. That brings up Michael Cuddyer. He hits a shot to left-center, off the wall, Cuddyer walks into 2nd base with back-to-back doubles and a 1-0 Tempe lead. That brings up Adrian Beltre. Beltre swings and has a base hit … Prince_Fielder14WSdown the line to right … BRUCE gallops for it…. he has it … CUDDYER’s around third, here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … just safe under the tag … the run scores! Tempe leads 2-0! Price gets the third out and keeps the damage minimal. We head to the top of the second as Price wipes his brow. Robinson Cano greets him with a stand up double. With 1-out, Prince Fielder steps up and singles by Ian Kinsler and singles home Cano to make it 3-0 Tempe. Heading into the third inning, Price is still out on the mound. Troy Tulowitski hammers another Tempe double off of Price but is stranded at 2nd base. With 1-out in the 4th, Robinson Cano singles to right field, then with 2-outs, Prince to the plate once again. CANO stretching his lead … the pitch comes in … lined hard over second … WERTH’s racing over…he cuts it off deep in the gap … CANO’s well around third and he’s … in standing. 4-0 Tempe! Prince Fielder is pulled for pinch-runner Curtis Granderson. Tempe is known for their early and often game moves. After Granderson steals 2nd, Ryan Braun steps in.and rips a double down the left field line and the rout is on in Hollywood!!! Tempe goes up 5-0. They add 2 more later on as they show their muscle and cruise to a 7-0 victory. Tempe hammered 9 doubles in the 1-hit win to tie the series and shift it to Tempe. Clay Buchholz was masterful in the win.
Final Score: Tempe 7 – Hollywood 0

 

Game #3 @ Tempe – Clayton Kershaw (20YZ  29-3  1.68 ERA) vs. Tyler Thornberg (16  4-3  2.38 ERA)

The series shifts to Tempe with a pretty confident Tempe team and crowd who can careless that Hollywood is throwing their 29 game winner Clayton Kershaw against Tyler Thornburg. Hollywood is not used to playing in an NL park with the NL rules, so Tempe definitely has the advantage. Jayson Werth leads off the Hollywood first with base hit. Clayton_Kershaw14WSWith 1-out and Miggy Cabrera up, Hollywood puts on the hit-and-run to stay out of the double play. THORNBURG deals … lined to right center … it falls…WERTH had a huge jump … he’s heading for third … he’s digging … they’re waving him home…here comes the throw … SAFE!…ahead of the throw … CABRERA holds first…GONZALEZ played that a bit casually and Hollywood has just given Kershaw a 1-0 lead! As Gonzalez heads into the dugout, you see Manager Chris Douglass get in his face about letting that run score. Carlos drops his head and heads to his bat and helmet. With 2-outs, he steps to the plate. KERSHAW delivers …GONZALEZ swings … and he got hold of that one … way back…and it’s long gone! … home run … GONZALEZ touches them all as he ties the game at 1! With 1-out in the 3rd, Werth walks and steals 2nd base. With WERTH leading off aggessively …Thornburg lets it go … grounded to the right side…DAVIS knocks it down … he’s up with it … WERTH rounds third … but he’s quickly back and GORDON’s on at first with a single … for Alex GORDON, his 2nd hit of the series, putting runners on the corners. After Miggy walks, Paul Goldschmidt steps in with the bases loaded. Delivery from Jay_Bruce14WSTHORNBURG … GOLDSCHMIDT turns the bat loose…he comes up empty … he’s out of there … two down! … and he leaves the bases loaded….a big strikeout with the bases loaded! Both Kershaw and the various Tempe pitchers cruise until the 8th inning. With no outs, Kershaw loses Cano. After Cano steals 2nd, Yadier Molina steps to the plate. The pitch … looped to right … toward the gap….BRUCE’s after it … spears it on one hop … CANO rounds third…they’re waving CANO in…here comes the throw home…here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … OUT!…JAY BRUCE WITH A CANNON OF A THROW!! … go to town, WEREWOLVES! they cut off the go-ahead run! … and the aggressive baserunning does not pay off! Now we head to the 9th inning. With 1-out, Paul Goldschmidt steps in. The pitch … there’s a little blooper … down the right field line … it might drop in….it does! … GUTIERREZ has a long run … and GOLDSCHMIDT will be content with two bases….GUTIERREZ got the ball back in quickly … the go ahead run is now at second base. That brings up the hero of the 8th inning, Jay Bruce. The delivery from Greg HOLLAND … BRUCE goes out and gets it … down the left field line….curving … curving … is it or isn’t it? … the ump signals … home run! an opposite field two-run blow … Hollywood leads 3-1! Kershaw goes the distance pitching an uneventful 9th and Hollywood takes a 2-1 series lead!!
Final Score: Hollywood 3 – Tempe 1

 

Game #4 @ Tempe – Jeff Weaver (12Z  13-8  2.57 ERA) vs. Hisashi Iwakuma  (16YZ  31-3  1.54 ERA)

In a re-match (of sorts), Hollywood sends Jered Weaver to the mound vs Hisashi Iwakuma. After Jayson Werth bounces out, Alex Gordon steps in. The pitch … blasted deep … deep to left center over GONZALEZ’s head … it’s long gone! As Hollywood takes the 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first, Tempe Manager Chris Douglass is walking up and down tHisashi_Iwakuma14WShe dugout trying to figure out what is going on. Daniel Nava steps in for Tempe. The delivery from WEAVER … NAVA lashes one to right … toward the gap … BRUCE races over but he won’t get it … NAVA’s going for two … and there will be a play at second … the tag safe!…on a very close play … double for NAVA … for NAVA, his 1st double of the series. Troy Tulowitzki then walks, setting up the double play ball for Weaver with Chris Davis coming up. The pitch … rapped back to the mound … WEAVER has it … turns and fires to second – back to first … oh, double play … and NAVA moves to third and the WEREWOLVES have a chance to get out of a nasty situation but they must still face GONZALEZ. NAVA down the line some at third … the pitch from WEAVER … GONZALEZ swings ….that’s pretty well hit … deep toward the gap in right center … BRUCE going back….back to the wall…IT GOES!… a two-run homer for GONZALEZ and the Tempe crowd goes wild!!!! Tempe leads 2-1 as Weaver drops his head in angst! The game stays that way into the bottom of the 2nd. Robinson Cano leads off the bottom of the second with a walk, bringing up Adrian Beltre. After Cano steals second, Beltre is walked by Weaver (unintentionally) to face Ex-Werewolve Yadier Molina. Molina chops back to Carlos_Gonzalez14WSWeaver, but beats it out for a fielders choice, putting runners at the corner with 1-out for Iwakuma. Tempe Manager Douglass is talking to Iwakuma and it looks like Prince Fielder may be grabbing a bat. But wait, he put is up and Iwakuma steps to the plate. Hollywood sensing the squeeze may be on, pulls the infield in. Iwakuma squares early, the infield charges, WAIT…Iwakuma pulls it back and hits a ground ball to second … KINSLER stabs out…he won’t get it … CANO will score … MOLINA moves to second … and IWAKUMA’s on at first with a Tempe 3-1 lead!!!! Leading 3-1, Nava steps in with runners on first & second. The pitch … lined hard over second … base hit … BRUCE is after it … he cuts it off…MOLINA is around third … IWAKUMA is around second.. the throw comes in to GOLDSCHMIDT … and they’re holding MOLINA at third loading the bases for Tulowitzki. Hollywood senses that is enough for Weaver and the “glass slipper comes off”. Hollywood trying to keep the game close turns to the bullpen and Steve Cishek. Infield back at double play depth … the runners take their lead … the delivery and it’s chopped down the first base line … GOLDSCHMIDT stabs it … throws to second for one back to first … bang! bang! … double play! … and they get out of the inning trailing only 3-1. The game stays uneventful until the bottom of the 7th with Javier A Lopez on the mound. With 1-out, Adrian Bltre strides to the plate. The pitch … hooked down the right field line … will it stay fair? … yes! it’s in play …the ball rolls all the way to the corner … BELTRE turns second and looks to third…no, he holds up … he’ll settle for two. Yoenis Cespedes pinch runs for Beltre as Yadier Molina steps in. CESPEDES at second takes a big lead … the offering from LOPEZ … lined hard to left…toward the gap … it’s rolling … that’s good for extra bases … CESPEDES’s around third…he scores … GORDON gets it in quickly … MOLINA stops at second with another Tempe double and a 4-1 lead. Greg Holland works a quiet 8th and Jay Howell gets them 1-2-3 in the 9th as Tempe evens the series at 2 games a piece with the 4-.
Final Score: Tempe 4 – Hollywood 1

 

Game #5 @ Tempe – David Price (12YZ  20-7  2.77 ERA) vs. Clay Buchholz  (21Y  8-3  2.20 ERA)

With the series tied at 2 games apiece and Tempe looking supremely confident, they send Taylor Buchholz against David Price. The last time these two met, Hollywood was 1-hit and shutout 7-0. Hollywood has everyone in the bullpen today expecting it to be a short outing if Price gets into trouble. Jason Werth steps in to start the game. Jayson_Werth14WSBUCHHOLZ delivers … uh-oh! … that ball is hit…way back … NAVA looks up … put it on the board….YES! WERTH drills the first pitch he sees from Buchholz into the left-field bleachers for the 1-0 Hollywood lead! The crowd, Buchholz and Manager Chris Douglass are all stunned at what just happened. Alex Gordon greets him at the plate and then steps in the box. The delivery from BUCHHOLZ … grounded to the right side … wide of first…and it squirts by DAVIS … and on into right for a base hit … and GORDON has himself a single. Yadier Molina calls time and heads to the mound to calm Buchholz down with Paul Goldschmidt coming up. Firstbaseman Chris DAVIS right on the bag … the pitch … GOLDSCHMIDT pounds it on the ground..CANO stops it on one hop … shovels to TULOWITZKI for the force..and he leaps over GORDON and guns it to first … not in time! … GOLDSCHMIDT reaches, but they get the lead runner … one away. With Goldschmidt on first, Miggy Cabrera steps to the plate. Trying to stay out of the double play, GOLDSCHMIDT is off and running … here’s the pitch … high fly deep to right…CUDDYER’s back to the warning track … he’s under it … and makes the catch … two away. Jay Bruce strikes out and Tempe keeps the score at 1-0 Hollywood heading to the bottom of the first. Price hoping for better results the second time around faves Daniel Nava to lead off the game. PRICE into his motion … delivers … ouch!…caught him in the leg…he couldn’t get out of the way … he’s rubbing that leg… NAVA’s in pain … but he seems to be OK and he trots down to first. Michael Cuddyer, comes to the plate. The pitch … CUDDYER tops the ball … it bounces to the left side … past a lunging CABRERA and by the outstretched glove of CASTRO … that ball had eyes … NAVA’s rounding second but the coach is signaling to stop … and he puts on the brakes … as the throw comes in and Michael has himself a single. Tempe crowd is going crazy as they have the heart of the order coming up with no outs. PRICE kicks and deals to Carlos Gonzalez… popped high to the left side ..PRICE points to the sky…. CABRERA moves toward the line..he camps under it … infield fly called … and he brings it down … and the runners hold. That brings in Adrian Beltre. The pitch … swung on … easy bouncer to KINSLER … could be two … he flips to CASTRO at second ….over to first … yes!…the twin killing … and they get out of the inning. With 1-out in the bottom of the 2nd, Chris Davis lines a single to left. Then with 2-outs Yadier Molina steps in with a deafening crowd. The pitch … MOLINA bruises one … heading for the gap in left center..but GORDON flags it down on the first bounce … DAVIS’s around second… but the third base coach is on the job … and they hold DAVIS up … as the throw comes in and Yadier is on with a single. TEMPERS skipper walking down the bench… He’s taking pitcher BUCHHOLZ out of the game in the 2nd inning! … Kendrys MORALES will now hit for him. The runners take their lead … PRICE with the offering … hard shot to the right side…and it gets by GOLDSCHMIDT … KINSLER’s over … he snags it … he flips to PRICE covering…in time for the out … good heads up play and Hollywood once again escapes the inning with great defense. With 1-out in the top of the 3rd, Alex Gordon faces Nick Vincent. VINCENT to the wind … it’s drilled straight at center fielder GONZALEZ … he’s there…whoa! it’s over his head … it must have knuckled on him … he’s after the ball…he’s at the wall … GORDON’s around second … he’s chugging toward third…there’ll be no play on him and GORDON stands at 3rd base with a TRIPLE! Vincent now has to face Paul Goldschmidt. With the infield back, Vincent winds….. GORDON down the line some at third … VINCENT deals…slow bounder to the right side … CANO charges over … scoops it… hey’re sending GORDON in … the throw to the plate … GORDON slides into MOLINA..out at the plate! TEMPE CUTS DOWN THE RUN!!!!!! Hollywood still only leads 1-0 thanks to great defense by Cano. As we move to the top of the 4th, Vincent is still in the ballgame for Tempe. With 1-out, Ian Kinsler (whose bat’s been silent all series) steps to the plate. Vincent wheels and deals … spanked hard to the right of second … it skips past CANO for a base hit….he didn’t have enough time to react to that smash … and KINSLER’s aboard with a single – his first hit for the series. After Vincent nails Ryan Hanigan off the elbow, Starlin Castro Christian_Yelich14WSsacrifices the runners over with 2-outs. Hollywood, seeing an opportunity, pulls Price for pinch-hitter Christain Yelich. Tempe counters with starter/reliever Taylor Thornburg. THORNBURG looks KINSLER back to third … THORNBURG comes to the plate…YELICH bats it on the ground to the right of second … CANO dives for it…but it scoots by him … GONZALEZ’s running in for it … still running…KINSLER scores … HANIGAN is well around third…. they’re waving HANIGAN in…. here comes the throw home…. here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … in standing! Yelich comes through and Hollywood now leads 3-0! Both bullpens pitch through the 4th inning through the top of the 5th. Steve Cishek takes over in the 5th for Hollywood. He walks Yadier Molina and Tempe calls on Prince Fielder to pitch hit for Jim Johnson with no outs. The pitch … FIELDER rips it toward short … CASTRO fields it cleanly…flips to second for the force … and on to first … in time … twin killing! Hollywood turns yet another double play on Tempe to kill a potential rally! We move into the 6th inning. With 1-out, backup catcher Ryan Hanigan, who is only in the series because Wellington Castillo went down in the ALCS to injury, singles to left-center. After failing on two bunt attempts, Starlin Castillo pulls the bat back and hammers a single over a leaping Troy Tulowitzki putting runners at 1st & 2nd with 1 out. Hollywood pulls Cishek for a pinch hitter and sends Trevor Plouffe to the plate. Tempe counters with JP Howell… The runners take their lead … the pitch … PLOUFFE hits a pea … past the diving DAVIS…just inside the bag … it’s rolling … CUDDYER will have to play it near the corner…HANIGAN scores … CASTRO’s rounding third and holds. Hollywood leads 4-0! Howell then walks Werth to load the bases, however gets out of it as he strikes out Alex Gordon and gets Paul Goldschmidt on a slow grounder to third. As we head to the bottom of the 7th, Hollywood turns to Louis Coleman to keep the game in Hollywood’s favor. With 2-outs, Yadier Molina singles to right and Tempe pulls Howell for Curtis Granderson. Hollywood notices Coleman is tiring and pulls him for Tanner Scheppers. Scheppers portly walks Granderson and Tempe feels something brewing against the Hollywood tired pen. With 2-outs, Daniel Nava comes to bat. The runners take their lead … Scheppers comes home … cut on … and it’s pulled hard to right…base hit … they were off with the hit … MOLINA’s around third … he’s headed for home…here comes the throw … SAFE!…slid around the tag … the throw to third … safe!…and NAVA holds at first … single and an RBI as Tempe cuts the lead to 4-1! Hollywood is getting nervous and they turn Koji-Uehara14WSto the pen….who do they turn to…. Koji UEHARA! Hollywood is looking for a 7-out save from Koji. Franklin GUTIERREZ comes in for Nava and steals 2nd, putting runners on 2nd & 3rd with the tying run at the plate in the form of Michael Cuddyer. The runners take their lead … KOJI delivers … lined to GOLDSCHMIDT … caught! Hollywood takes a deep breath and heads to the 8th still leading 4-1. We head into the bottom of the 9th with Koji still on the mound. Robinson Cano leads off. The delivery from UEHARA … swing and a fly ball … pretty well hit … right field…it may not be caught … it’s history! Tempe IS NOT DONE YET! The cut the lead to 4-2. Hollywood has no one up in the bullpen. It’s Koji, win-or-lose. Molina steps in. UEHARA to the wind … he works it to right … not very deep … BRUCE coming on and he one-hands it to retire MOLINA … that’s one! Ryan Braun pinch hits for Tyler Clippard. The offering from UEHARA … hot smash to third … CABRERA gets his glove on it…now the long throw … GOLDSCHMIDT scoops it on one hop … and BRAUN is retired…nice play on both sides of the infield … two away! Franklin Gutierrez is now the Tempe last hope. Now UEHARA comes home with it on an 0-2 count… GUTIERREZ is caught looking and that’s out number three and the game. Hollywood wins 4-2 and goes up 3 games to 2 as the game shifts back north to Hollywood.
Final Score: Hollywood 4 – Tempe 2

 

Game #6 @ Hollywood – Hisashi Iwakuma  (16YZ  31-3  1.54 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (14YZ  18-11  2.78 ERA)

Hollywood has more wins in this World Series than combined in their first two World Series appearances and will face 31 game winner Hiroshi Iwakuma for the third time in the series. Hollywood, contemplating who to go to in game 6, decided before game time, they will go with the game 1 starter, who was injured before throwing a pitch, Cliff Lee. Jayson_Werth14WSHollywood considered going with potential AL Cy Young favorite Clayton Kershaw, however opted for Cliff Lee after watching him warmup. In the top of the first, after getting the first 2-outs easily, Lee gives up a single to Michael Cuddyer. With Troy Tulowitzki at the plate, let’s listen to the call….Big hole on the right side … CUDDYER not wandering too far … he comes home … low and away…there goes CUDDYER….Wellington CASTILLO digs it out and fires … and they nail him! … they lose a runner…that’s three away!! Castillo is returning from an injury suffered in the ALCS and he comes up big with a huge defensive play! Iwakuma faces Jayson Werth to lead off the game. The pitch from Iwakuma… hard shot to the right side … DAVIS to his right … it’s by him…base hit for WERTH. This brings up Christian Yelich who, from aside from the big pinch hit in game 5, sat while in Tempe with no DH. WERTH’s off and running … line drive to third … caught by BELTRE! … over to first … double play! Beltre could have practically walked it to 1st base! Iwakuma gets out of that potential jam with Miggy Cabrera coming up. And the pitch comes in … CABRERA hits it deep to right field … it’s got plenty of carry… is it fair or foul? … HOME RUN! … it’s long gone! … Miguel does it the short way and Hollywood takes the early lead 1-0! Iwakuma gets Goldschmidt to ground to Beltre for the third out and we head to the 2nd inning. Lee gets Tulowitski to bounce out for 1-out and that brings up Chris Davis. The offering to DAVIS … it’s rocked high and deep … BRUCE on his horse … and he tracks it down …two away! He was lucky that ball just died at the end. Lee has a sigh of release. Adrian Beltre then bounces to Starlin Castro for out number 3. Christian_Yelich14WSAt the bottom of the 2nd, Jay Bruce singles to right and moves to second base on a Wellington Castillo walk with 2-outs. Starlin Castro bounces out for the third one. In the 3rd, Lee cruises 1-2-3 while Yelich singles with 1-out and moves to 2nd on a Iwakuma wild pitch. Iwakuma settles in and strikes out Miggy, then walks Paul Goldschmidt in favor of Alex Gordon. He lines a frozen rope to straightaway center for the 3rd out. Lee & Iwakuma both cruise in the 4th inning. Lee cruises in the top of the 5th, which brings us to the bottom of the 5th. Starlin Castro leads it off. Cliff_Lee14WS.jpgCASTRO is bunting … it’s bunted down the third base line … BELTRE picks it up…fires to first … safe! … he beats the throw! … that’s a base hit. That’s his 2nd bunt hit for a base hit in this series! Iwakuma seems a little rattled as Jayson Werth steps in. The offering from IWAKUMA … WERTH swings … he hits it well …HIGH AND DEEP…toward BRAUN … it could go….it’s OUT OF HER … a two-run shot for Werth and Hollywood leads 3-0! JP Howell comes as Yelich and Miggy follow with singles, putting runners at the corners with no outs and Paul Goldschmidt coming up. Tempe calls on Greg Holland to keep the game close. Goldshmidt hammers a sac fly for the 4-0 lead and 1-out. Holland gets out of the inning with only that 1-run. Cliff Lee continues his masterful pitching as we head to the 8th inning. Troy Tulowitzki leads off the top of the 8th. The offering to TULOWITZKI … there’s a fly ball to left … GORDON drifts back…still backpeddling … hey, this ball may carry … at the fence … GORDON jumps for it…does he have it? … no! … a home run for TULOWITZKI! And the Hollywood lead is cut to 4-1. As the Hollywood pen begins to stir, Lee gets the next three batters easily.

Ryan_Hanigan14WSWe head to the 9th and the wheels begin to come off. Hollywood pitching coach Rick Sutcliffe heads out to the mound during Lee’s warm-ups and Wellington Castillo joins him. He looks to the bullpen and appears to touch is right arm as he points out there. The umps seem confused as Ryan Hanigan in his full catchers gear trots out. WAIT, what’s this, they, the umpire and Sutcliffe, are arguing at the mound,. Manager Steve Cutler goes out and may lay is ensuing. Sutcliffe has to be restrained by Cutler. He is going NUTS! THEY JUST TOSS SUTCLIFFE FROM THE GAME. Lee looks pissed off but Cutler is restraining him. What’s this, Hanigan is on the mound taking off his catchers gear. FOLKS THIS IS THE MOST BIZARRE RULING I HAVE EVER SEEN. It appears that Sutcliffe’s motion was thought to be announcing a pitcher not a catcher and Hanigan must pitch to 1 batter and because he has no regular glove, MUST DO IT WITH HIS CATCHERS MITT! Cutler shakes his head, tells Koji Uehara to get up and heads back to the dugout. The Tempe dugout and Manager Chris Douglass seemed to be laughing in a stunned state. They don’t know what to make of it.
Daniel Nava singles off Hanigan to start the 9th and he is immediately removed from the game for Uehara. At the same time Uehara takes the mound, Tempe sends Yoenis CESPEDES to run for Nava and Prince Fielder is announced to pinch hit for Ryan Braun. The pitch from Uehara…he gets Fielder on the hands…… popped up … CABRERA’s waving off the others and he’s under it 1-OUT! THE FANS ALL RISE ON THEIR FEET! That brings up Robinson Cano…. UEHARA with the offering … easy bouncer to KINSLER … this could be it…he’s up with it…over to CASTRO covering second … in time … but that’s all they’ll get but HOLLYWOOD NOW HAS 2-OUTS AND IS 1-OUT AWAY FROM THEIR FIRST WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP! Carlos Gonzalez steps in. THE FANS ARE GOING NUTS! The pitch to Gonzalez… swung on … and it’s pulled hard to right … base hit…BRUCE’s got a long way to go … he’s there … CANO’s around third… the throw comes in to CASTRO … they’re holding CANO at third and GONZALEZ’s in standing with a double! What’s this, Kershaw is talking to Hollywood Manager Cutler in the dugout. If I can read his lips he is saying, ‘listen, I can face 3-4 batters and still come back tomorrow if necessary.
Please let me do it.’ Kershaw is heading to the bullpen, this is unbelievable folks. If Hollywood in fact blows this game, they will need Kershaw at his best tomorrow. Why would they take that chance?Jay_Bruce14WS#2
As all this is happening, Michael Cuddyer, the tying run, steps to the plate. UEHARA looks CANO back to third … the pitch … 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 … CANO scores making it 4-2 Hollywood … GONZALEZ holds at third since his run is meaningless right now. CUDDYER is pulled for faster wheels in Curtis Granderson, putting the tying run at 1st base with Troy Tulowitzki coming up. He hit a homer in the 8th off Lee to get them on the board. UEHARA rocks and fires … low and away … …and the steal is on! GRANDERSON’s stealing second… CASTILLO guns it down … safe at second … BOY WHAT A GAMBLE THAY TEMPE TOOK! The tying run is at 2nd base and all Tempe needs is a base hit and this is a new ballgame folks. Hollywood Manager Cutler comes out to the mound, looks to the bullpen where Kershaw is working and says to Koji, ‘this is your last batter’. He leaves, Hollywood settles in. Tulowitzki steps in. GONZALEZ with a head fake at third … UEHARA comes to him … and it gets by CASTILLO!….he scrambles for the ball … GONZALEZ races home … he scores … and GRANDERSON moves to third and they score that a wild pitch! Boy that screw up by Hollywood cost them their best defensive catcher and Tempe has the tying run at 3rd base, with 2-outs and the score 4-3 Hollywood. GRANDERSON with the lead at third … UEHARA with the pitch … THAT BALL IS DRILLED TO RIGHT BY TULOWITZKI…IT IS HIGH…IT IS FAR…BRUCE JUMPS AT THE WALL…. HE ONE HANDS IT OVER THE FENCE AND BRINGS IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRUCE SAVES THE GAME…HE SAVES THE GAME AND THE WORLD SERIES!!!! THEY ARE NOT MOBBING UEHARA ON THE MOUND, THE ENTIRE TEAM IS Jayson_Werth14WS#2HEADING OUT TO RIGHT FIELD TO MOB JAY BRUCE! HOLLYWOOD WINS…. HOLLYWOOD WINS…. AND UNBELIEVABLE FINISH TO THE SEASON AS THEIR DEFENSE WINS THE WORLD SERIES FOR THEM!!

RECAP: Hollywood wins the game 4-3 and the World Series 4 games to 2. They only needed Clayton Kershaw for 1 game and they pitched well when they needed to. Because of the 7 run game 2, the stats are skewed for the World Series that shows Tempe winning every category except defense where Hollywood was perfect and Tempe made 2 errors. Defense was the key for Hollywood as they turned 6-double pClayton_Kershaw14WSlays and most in critical situations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAME 7 BLUNDER: First off understand that Chris and I work together and have for many many years, so we played this FACE-TO-FACE in the office. The reality of the blunder was that Chris and I were talking when I said I need to bring in my defensive catcher to finish the game. Cliff Lee was slated to go the distance. I was half paying attention when I made the switch and bypassed the ‘warning’ it gave me. When I finished it, I realized what happened and we were laughing about it. I couldn’t believe I made such a stupid move as all I was thinking was that I finally had him beat. I escaped a huge mistake.

SERIES NOTES::Hollywood’s ‘Big 2’ Clayton Kershaw and Cliff Lee only started a combined 2 games, but went a combined 2-0, logging 17 innings, giving up only 2 runs and 5 hits. To win, that is what Hollywood needed.

To be the best you have to beat the best and Hollywood did it all playoff long, taking out Hall of Famer Paul Roe in the Divisional Round, 2010 World Series Champion Dave Myers and Hall of Famer & 8-time World Series Champion Chris Douglass. Congrats to Tempe and it’s fantastic season.
Final Score: Hollywood 4 – Tempe 3
Jayson_Werth14WS-MVP

 

 

 

Awards: 2014 World Series Most Valuable Player – Jayson Werth – BA: .318 / OBP: .400 / OPS: 1.127 / HITS: 7 / DBL: 3 / HR: 2 / RUNS: 3 / RBI: 3

Christian Yelich was a close second hitting .417 with an OBS of .462

 

 

 

Stats:
ERA:

Pitching14WS

 

 

 

 

 

Both Pitching staffs were great. Game 2 skewed the stats in Tempe’s favor:
Tempe – 2.60
Hollywood – 3.06
Without game 2 (Tempe had 17 of its 44 hits in this game):
Tempe: 2.60
Hollywood: 2.25

BATTING AVERAGE:

Batting14WS

 

 

 

Tempe: .230
Hollywood: .191
Without game 2 (Tempe had 17 of its 44 hits in this game):
Tempe: .181
Hollywood: .219

RUNS SCORED:
Tempe: 18
Hollywood: 15
Without game 2 (Tempe had 17 of its 44 hits in this game):
Tempe: 11
Hollywood: 15
Hollywood scored 1 run in its 2 losses, but it’s ability to hit Tempe’s big pitchers were the key.

FIELDING:

Fielding14WS

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