 Kyle Hendricks (12-5 2.50) vs. Clayton Kershaw (16-2 2.05)
With 1-out in the top of the first, David Freese rocks a double to straight away center. That’s followed by a Nick Castellanos double in the same place to give the Muscle the early 1-0 lead. Hollywood gets a leadoff single from Christian Yelich to start the bottom half. With one out, Miguel Cabrera squibs one to the left side that leads to 2 on with 1-out for Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy rips a double down the third base line to tie the game and place runners at 2B & 3B for Carlos Gonzalez. They’re pulled in around the infield … here he comes … Carlos Gonzalez turns on it and cranks it but good … deep to right …  you can forget about that ball hi-yo baseball, away! Hollywood leads 4-1! The game stays that way until the bottom of the 7th. With 1-out, Yelich doubles to right. With 2-outs, Miguel Cabrera is walked. Goldschmidt once again comes in with a runner in scoring position. Tommy Kahnle is on the mound. He delivers … clubbed to deepest center … Mike Trouth sprints for the fence..but the ball wins this race … Goldschmidt will touch all the bases … a three-run homer giving Hollywood a 7-1 lead. Mychal Givens comes on for Hollywood in mopup duty. After getting the first 2-outs easily, Paulo Orlando singles. That’s followed by a Freese walk. Castellanos follows with an RBI single, cutting the lead to 7-2. Givens is pulled for Kyle Ryan facing Victor Martinez. The pitch … a shot to left field … it’s hit deep … way back … it’s long gone!…a three-run homer for Victor Martinez and the lead is cut to 7-5! Well that’s as close as it got as Hollywood turned to Joe Blanton for the 4-out save and holds on to win game (1) 7-5.
W-Kershaw 1-0
L-Hendricks 0-1
S-Blanton (1) |
| Justin Verlander (17-13 2.86) vs. Kenta Maeda (17-5 2.25)
Hollywood turns to Maeda after holding on to win while the Muscle is looking to Verlander to steal a win on the road. Yelich once again leads off the game with a hit, this time with a double to center. After  Jarrod Dyson lays down a beautiful bunt, Miguel Cabrera steps in. Muscle playing for the double play … Christian Yelich into a little shuffle at third … Justin Verlander brings it..base hit right field … Yelich trots home … Jayson Werth’s after it … now he has it..he comes up throwing … Jarrod Dyson is well around second..the coach is waving him to third and he gets over to third … as the throw comes in to Ahmed. Hollywood leads 1-0. Goldschmidt loads the bases with a walk. That brings up Cargo. They’re playing him in … the runners take their lead … Verlander comes to the plate…it’s grounded into the hole … Nick Ahmed’s ranging … he dives for it … and he’s got it! but he’ll have no play … everyone’s safe … and a run scores … base hit for Carlos Gonzalez and the bases are still loaded, Hollywood up 2-0. Billy Butler (Ortiz’s replacement at DH) comes up. Infield deep … the runners take their lead … the pitch … hard bouncer to Joe Panik..he scoops it … this could be two … Panik fields it … shovels to Ahmed … back to first yes!…double play … but the run scores … and Paul Goldschmidt moves to third. Hollywood leads 3-0 in the first inning. The game stays that way till the bottom of the 3rd. Goldy comes to the plate. Verlander winds up … it’s hit deep to Mike Trout … over his head say good-bye to this one…it’s gone! … home run for Goldschmidt and Hollywood now leads 4-0. The Muscles’ heads begin to drop. Will nothing go their way? We head to the top of the 4th. Maeda walks Trout to lead off the inning. After a steal of second and a wild pitch, he’s on 3rd with 1 out and Salvador Perez up. He hammers a SF to right and the lead is cut to 4-1. The top of the 5th, Freese leads off with a homer to cut the lead to 4-2. The Muscle continue to chip away at the lead. Onto the top of the 6th. With 1-out Trout walks again. Perez reaches with a scratch hit on 2-outs which brings up Joe Panik. It’s a shot down the line to right … near the foul pole … and it’s … long gone! a three-run homer for PANIK … Joe Panik will circle the bases … and he’s sure taking his time…..he’s greeted at home plate … congratulations all around as the Muscle now lead 5-4!! Hollywood doesn’t know what just happened, they look stunned! We head to the bottom of the 6th. Migule Cabrera reaches on an error, after a wild pitch, Goldschmidt once again step in with a runner in scoring position. This time the Muscle get him out but Miggy moves to 3B. After Carlos Gonzalez is intentionally walked, Billy Butler is walked to load the bases for Kolten Wong. Infielders in … the pitch … Wong drives one down the left field line…it’s in there for a base hit … Kole Calhoun is over quickly … Cabrera scores … tie game…Gonzalez is around third … Butler is well around second…they’re waving Carlos Gonzalez in…here comes the throw home..here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … in standing … and Butler holds at second as Wong holds at first with a 2-RBI single giving Hollywood the 6-5 lead! Hollywod holds the lead until the 8th.  With 2-outs and George Kontos on the mount, V-Mart steps in for Motor City. The pitch … that’s high in the air to right center … Alex Gordon goes back for it up against the wall … Gordon times his leap … and comes down with a glove full of air a round tripper for Victor Martinez … Victor ties it up! With the game tied, we head to the 9th. With 1-out Hollywood’s Sam Dyson, after a Freese single, walks former Werewolf teammate, Jayson Werth. After uncorking a wild pitch, he is pulled in favor of Blanton. Blanton gets a force play for the 2nd out, but the run scores and the Muscle lead 7-6! Looking at stealing the win in Hollywood, Motor City turns to Will T Harris to close the game out. With 1-out, Wong steps in. The pitch … it’s deep to center … over Trout’s head … bounces at the base of the wall…that’s good for extra bases … Trout’s up with it … Wong hits second under full steam…the coach is waving him to third … here comes the throw … the relay … and he’s…safe easily … triple for WONG … the chance paid off … so the Werewolves have an opening…the tying run is now at third base for Wellington Castillo. Infielders in … Wong into a little shuffle at third … he lets one go … lofted to left field…not deep … Calhoun playing him just right … and he puts it away … Wong’s tagging..they’re waving him home … here comes the throw … and he’s … SAFE!…slid around the tag! Wellington Castillo picks up a sac fly and an RBI and the game is once again tied in the 9th. The game stays tied till the 11th. With 2-outs David Freese steps in against Pat Neshek. The pitch … and it’s pulled hard to left … it’s deep enough if it’s fair … fair ball! home run for Freese and Motor City once again leads…this time 8-7! With their closer Harris on the mound, Motor City takes the field in the 11th. After getting the first 2-outs easily, Harris walks Butler and is pulled in favor of AJ Ramos. Phil Gosselin comes in to run for Butler so they have some speed in the game in case there is a double. Kolton Wong steps in. Big hole on the right side … Phil Gosselin takes a good lead … the runner’s going..it’s roped hard to right … into the corner … Werth’s after it … Gosselin’s digging…he’s around third … coming down the line … he’ll score … tie game! the throw in to second … not in time! … and Wong’s in standing with a double! Now it’s all up to Castillo who tied the game in the 9th. Here’s the call. Wong moves another step away from second … now A.J. Ramos comes home with it…it’s a shot to left center … way back … Trout jumps…it’s … off the wall … it’s all over…Trout doesn’t even bother … Wong scores and Hollywood completes the comeback win 9-8!!
W-Pat Neshek (1-0)
L-A.J. Ramos (0-1) |
 David Price (13-12 3.98) vs. Jacob deGrom (12-8 3.15)
Down 2-0 the Muscle head home to try and win some games. Trout walks in the bottom of the first to lead off. He then promptly steals 2B. With 2-outs V-mart comes up big with an RBI double to center field. Motor City leads 1-0. Hollywood ties it up with a Miguel Cabrera homer in the top of the 3rd. In the top of the 4th, Carlos Gonzalez leads off. deGrom brings it to the plate … smashed hard at David Freese … he leaps … just out of reach..that’s good for extra bases … Jayson Werth’s after it … he’s there … the throw..he’ll hold Gonzalez to a double. With 1-out Muscle killer Wong steps in. deGrom comes to the plate … poked to left center … base hit … that could be trouble… Paulo Orlando and Mike Trout converge … and it’s through … Gonzalez scores … Werewolves have the lead! and Wong’s in to second standing … as the throw comes in. Hollywood leads 2-1. Castillo is up with Wong on base once again. Wong moves quietly toward third … the pitch … it’s a shot to left center … way back..TROUT jumps…it’s … off the wall … Paulo Orlando grabs the ball … throws it in … Wong scores..and Castillo will make second easily … back-to-back doubles by the Werewolves and a 3-1 lead. Hollywood continues to cruise as they head into the top of the 6th with Wong leading off. The pitch … Wong bruises it … heading for the gap in left center…but Orlando flags it down on the first bounce … and Wong decides not to stretch it…he hugs first with a single … 2nd safety for Wong. Kahle comes in to settle Hollywood down until with 2 outs, Yelich stands in. The pitch … Yelich strokes this one … oh, forget about it … good-bye…home run for Christian … and two runs score. Hollywood now leads 5-1. Hollywood adds a run in the 9th and cruises 6-1 behind Price.
W-David Price (1-0)
L-Jake deGrom (0-1) |
 Clayton Kershaw (16-2 2.05) vs. Jose Quintana (18-6 2.39)
Hollywood trying to close out the series, sends Kershaw out on 3-days rest. The game remains scoreless until the top of the 3rd. Castillo leads off with a single and is forced on a Ketel Marte goundout. Marte hustled to reach first, which brings up Christian Yelich with 1-out. Marte bluffs going … to the plate …  and a long drive to right … oh, man, he buried it.. two-run dinger and Hollywood leads 2-0. In the bottom of the 4th, Paulo Orlando singles and steals 2B. With 1-out, Trout steps in. Oralndo extending his lead … he delivers … base hit right field … it drops in front of Dyson…he has to play the long bounce … Orlando rounds third..they’re waving Orlando in and he scores … as the throw comes in to second … Mike Trout holds at first with a single. Hollywood’s lead is cut to 2-1. With 1-out in the top of the 5th, Marte records his first hit of the series. And with 2-outs, Dyson steps in and parachutes one to the outfield to put runners on the corners. Dyson steals 2B then Marte scores on a passed ball by Perez to make it 3-1 Hollywood. The game stays that way until 2-outs in the 7th and Yelich once again stepping in. The pitch … Christian Yelich gets plenty of wood on this ball … headed for the gap in right center…it may carry … go crazy, folks, go crazy! … it’s a home run! Yelich hits his second of the game and Hollywood leads 4-1! We head to the bottom of the 9th with the same score. Mike Trout facing Pat Neshek. The pitch … Trout hits a frozen rope … to straightaway center … right there is Yelich….and he gloves it for the putout … one away. Nick Castellanos facing Neshek. He lets one go … Castellano shatters his bat … and the ball rolls toward Miguel Cabrera..he guns it to first … and nails Castellano by a step … for out number two. Victor Martinez facing Neshek. Neshek comes home … lofted down the line to right … Alex Gordon racing over … he won’t get it..he cuts it off … Victor Martinez wisely holds first … he’s on with a single..And here comes Werewolves manager … he’s asking Neshek for the ball; coming in to relieve Neshek is Joe Blanton … for Blanton … his 4th appearance in the s eries..the right-hander Blanton has worked four innings … he has a 0.00 ERA … one save..he’s looking for one out … it’s his game to save. David Freese facing Joe Blanto. Space on the right … Victor Martinez a stride off the bag … to the plate … easy bouncer to Wong….he’s up with it … over to Eric Aybar covering second … in time and that’s out number three and the game. HOLLYWOOD SWEEPS….HOLLYWOOD SWEEPS!!!!
W-Clayton Kershaw (2-0)
L- Jose Quintana (0-1)
S- Joe Blanton (2) |
