2020 AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES #1

Southbend Lynx @ Hollywood Werewolves

Hollywood2020SouthbendSERIES PREVIEW – AL West rivals Hollywood and Southbend face off in the Division Series round for the second time in Southbend’s history.  The last time they faced off Hollywood won the series 4 games to 2.  Southbend is looking for revenge to come 7 years later

 

GAME #1 – Michael Foltynewicz (10-5 4.71) vs. Charlie Morton (21-7 2.77)

With Southbend having to run out their 2-aces, Jeff Samardzija and Jordan Yamamoto, in the Wild Card round, they turn to Mike Foltynewicz to face off against Hollywood’s Ace-A, Charlie Morton.  Morton cruises through the top of the first and Freddy Galvis leads off the bottom of the first with a single.  Hanser Alberto follows with a single and Hollywood has runners at first and second with Cristian Yelich coming up. He bounces into a double play as Galvis moves to third.  Ketel Marte comes through with an RBI single to right and Hollywood leads 1-0.  It stays that way until the costly bottom of the third.  With 1-out, Galvis doubles and scores on an Alberto single. Yelich comes up and is hit by a pitch, knocking him out for 5 days. Hollywood weathers the storm by then running up the score on Southbend with 2 in the fourth, 3 in the sixth, and 3 in the eighth, blowing out Southbend 10-0.  Morton goes 7.1 innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 10.

Hollywood 10, Southbend 0

W – Charlie Morton 1-0
L – Michael Foltynewicz 0-1

GAME #2 – Jeff Samardzija (18-4 2.96) vs. Clayton Kershaw (18-5 2.68)

With Hollywood leading the series 1 game to nothing in a blowout, they hope they can get back in it.  Mark Canha helps give Southbend a shot of adrenaline when he homers off Clayton Kershaw in the second inning.  It stays that way until the sixth when Eduardo Escobar doubles home Bo Bichette, giving Southbend a 2-0 lead. The game stays that way as Hollywood doesn’t mount much of a comeback.  Jeff Samardzija is utterly brilliant in his 2-hitter, 2-0 victory.

Southbend 2, Hollywood 0

W – Jeff Samardzija 1-0
L – Clayton Kershaw 0-1
S – Roberto Osuna (1)

GAME #3 – Diego Castillo (5-5 3.26) vs. Jordan Yamamoto (6-3 3.36)

Southbend is riding high after taking game 2 and turn to Yamamoto to keep the momentum.  Hollywood jumps on top with a Matt Olson 2-run homer in the second inning.  Castillo appears to be unhittable and Hollywood looks to get that game back.  He takes a no-no into the 5th inning and Hollywood can hear the announcers start talking no-hitter when Ryan Cordell singles to lead off the inning.  The game stays 2-0 Hollywood into the bottom of the 7th inning when Austin Meadows leads off the inning with a triple off Joe Smith.  Smith, is pulled when he walks Max Muncy.  With both Brandon Kintzler and Carlos Estevez warming up in the bullpen, Hollywood contemplates the strikeout artist Estevez, but opts for Kintzler who was his bread and butter guy all season to get them out of jams.  Unfortunately, the gamble did not work.  Eduardo Escobar hammers a triple to deep right to drive in both and tie the game at 2!  Jake Cave follows with a double (his only hit of the series) to give Southbend the improbably 3-2 lead! Estevez comes in and does what he does…getting a groundout than 2-strikeouts, but the damage was done!  Southbend adds a run in the 8th on a Muncy homer and a 4-2 lead.  Tyler Duffy and Osuna shut the door and Southbend holds on to win 4-2.

Southbend 4, Hollywood 2

W – Marcus Walden 1-0
L – Brandon Kintzler 0-1
S – Roberto Osuna (2)

GAME #4 – Charlie Morton (21-7 2.77) vs. Michael Foltynewicz (10-5 4.71)

. In a rematch of game 1, Hollywood is hoping for a similar result, while Southbend is looking to take a 3-1 series lead.  In the top of the second, Marte leads off with a single, steals second and after 2-outs, Matt Olson hammers one down the left-field line for the 2-0 lead.  Southbend cuts the lead in half in the 4th inning when Muncy hammers his second homer of the series.  Hollywood receives another crushing blow when Paul Goldschmidt gets hurt reaching over the railing to catch a ball.  Fortunately for Hollywood (already down Yelich) he is only injured for the rest of the day.  The game stays 2-1 into the top of the 7th when Matt Chapman walks to lead off. Kyle Farmer (Goldschmidt’s replacement) then walks.  With 1-out, Alex Gordon bounces into a force play, but that puts runners at the corners.  With the hit-and-run on, the ball gets passed Meibrys Viloria scoring Chapman from third and a 3-1 lead.  Stevie Wilkerson (Yelich’s replacement) singles to score Gordon and a 4-1 lead. Hollywood tacks on 3 more in the 8th to take a 7-1 commanding lead.  They close the game out without incident and the series is tied at 2.

Hollywood 7, Southbend 1

W – Charlie Morton 2-0
L – Michael Foltynewicz 0-2

GAME #5 – Clayton Kershaw (18-5 2.68) vs. Jeff Samardzija (18-4 2.96)

In a rematch of game 2, this is the pivotal game as someone will take a 3-2 series lead back to Hollywood.  In Game 4, Hollywood made the unconventional move of batting their backup catcher, Tom Murphy leadoff, hoping to jumpstart the offense.  After that win, they didn’t want to mess with the success, so they have him leading off game 5, and boy does it pay off.  Let’s listen to the call…… MURPHY facing SAMARDZIJA.  SAMARDZIJA winds up … there’s a fly ball to left … Chris OWINGS drifts back … still back-peddling….hey, this ball may carry … at the fence … OWINGS jumps for it … does he have it? … no! a home run for MURPHY and Hollywood leads 1-0!  Kershaw has a lead before ever taking the mound. The crafty veteran uses his pitches to limit Southbend to 1-hit over 7 innings.  Chapman is hit by a pitch to lead off the 7th inning, and with 2-outs, Olson delivers his 3rd home run of the series to make it 3-0.  He follows with another in the 9th (his 4th) to give Hollywood a 4-0 lead.  They really only needed the Murphy homer that led off the game as the bullpen was brilliant.  Sam Tuivailala and Will Harris close it out and Hollywood takes the lead in the series 3-2.

Hollywood 4, Southbend 0

W – Clayton Kershaw 1-1
L – Jeff Samardzija 1-1

GAME #6 – Jordan Yamamoto (6-3 3.36) vs. Diego Castillo (5-5 3.26)

This was by the best game of the series, no matter what the outcome would have been.  A re-match of game 3. Each side trades ‘ZEROES’ into the 5th inning.  Looking to tie the series, Cordell leads off with a double.  With Russell Martin coming up, Hollywood’s pitching coach walks to the mound.  Apparently whatever he said didn’t work, so let’s listen to the call. MARTIN facing CASTILLO…CASTILLO turns and fakes the throw to second … CORDELL hits the dirt! he’ll have to brush off a bit … CASTILLO’s back on the rubber … CASTILLO rocks and fires a towering fly ball to left-center … it’s back … way back … gone! … home run for MARTIN.  CASTILLO kicks the rubber … not happy with that pitch … Russell MARTIN will circle the bases and he’s sure taking his time … he’s greeted at the plate  Southbend is up 2-0.  Castillo is then pulled for Dustin “Gingergaard” May.  He promptly gets out of the inning trailing only 2-0.  With 2-outs in the 5th, Galvis steps in.  Something to know about Galvis was that he lost the leadoff spot recently cause he hadn’t been hitting and was moved down in the order, as was Matt Chapman. Galvis singles with 2-outs and Chapman steps in.  The pitch … CHAPMAN lines one deep to right … MEADOWS got a long way to go … still after it…he’s on the track … and it clears the fence! … Matt ties the game! … home run for CHAPMAN…he seems to like base runners! Hollywood ties the game at 2! The game stays that way into the bottom of the 9th.  Tyler Duffy on the mound and Paul Goldschmidt leading off the 9th.  The pitch … and GOLDSCHMIDT takes DUFFEY for a ride … going back is CORDELL … he’ll look but he won’t touch it … it’s all over … it’s long gone! … Paul trots around the bases…he loves a trip downtown … he claps his hands.   Hollywood wins the walk off 3-2!

Hollywood 3, Southbend 2

W – Adam Kolarek (1-0)
L – Tyler Duffey (0-1)

SERIES SUMMARY – Hollywood wins the series 4 games to 2.

TRADE DEADLINE
WEDNESDAY 07/24/2024
AT 11:59 PM - ET!

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