2017 – NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Bethesa Bandicoots @ Tempe Tempers

Johnny_Cueto17LCS

 Game #1:  John Lackey (14-5 2.21) vs. Johnny Cueto ( 21-8 2.10)

Two Tempe errors in the first inning allowed the Bandicoots to plate the first run of the game. Tempe responded back with a two run double by Beltre and a two run homerun by Bogaerts to take a quick 4-1 lead. Tempe added two more in the 3rd with a solo shot by Cano and a Chris Young RBI fielder’s choice. Tempe added a seventh run in the 7th with a Cespedes RBI single. The Bandicoots looked like they might rally in the 8th, but Norris made a bad base running error and was gunned at home by Young.

Final Score: Tempe 7 – Bethesda 2
Win: Johnny Cueto 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: John Lackey 0-1  (6.00)

Brad_Miller17LCS 

 

Game #2: Rich Hill (16-0 1.57) vs. Jon Lester (25-5 1.82)

Hill and Lester both started out strong and the first couple of innings breezed by. In the 3rd, Ruiz tried to score on a deep fly ball to right, but Cespedes gunned him at the plate to keep the game scoreless. In the bottom of the 3rd, Tempe pinch hit for Lester, but came up empty. Brad Miller quickly took advantage of reliever Chris Smith with a two run homerun in the 4th. A Diaz solo shot in the 6th knocked out Smith. Rich Hill was nasty all game and was still on the mound in the 9th. He gave up a quick single Votto, but came back with two strikeouts before he surrendered a double to Cespedes. Cishek replaced Hill with the tying run at the plate. Hill finished with 8.2 scoreless innings as Cishek bailed him with a quick pop up from Beltre.

Final Score: Bethesda 3 – Tempe 0
Win: Rich Hill 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Chris Smith 1-0 (13.50)
Save: Steve Cishek #1

 Yoenis_Cespedes17LCSGame #3: Johnny Cueto ( 21-8 2.10) vs. Jake Arrieta  (15-7 2.83) 

In the 2nd, Cespedes walked, stole second base, moved to 3rd on a passed ball, and then scoreded on a sac fly. In the bottom half of the inning, Gonzalez doubled, moved to 3rd on a fielders choice, and then scored the tying run on a passed ball. In the 3rd, Davis pinch hit for Cueto and walked. Rasmus ran for Davis, stole 2B and then scored on a Votto double. In the bottom of the 3rd, back to back doubles by Naquin and Diaz tied up the game. Diaz then scored the go ahead run after moving to 3B on a Gonzalez sac fly. In the 6th, Braun walked, stole 2B, and later scored the tying run. Tempe took a two run lead in the 7th getting the first run a bloop Braun RBI single and then the second run on a successfully executed double steal of second and home by Braun and Votto. In the bottom of the 7th, the Coots rallied back with a vengeance. Morrison doubled, Naquin walked, Diaz reached on an error that also scored Morrison and then Story launched three run homer to cap the four run inning. Bandicoots 7-5. However, Tempe wasn’t done yet. Bogaerts started the 8th with solo shot and Gattis later scored the tying run a Votto sac fly. 7-7. The top of the 9th started with a Braun walk and a Cespedes double. Tempe tried to score Braun on the double, but the Bandicoots gunned him at home. Cespedes took 3rd on the play and was able to score the go ahead run when Beltre hit a fielders choice to short. Belisle pitched a second scoreless inning for the win.

Final Score: Tempe 8 – Bethesda 7
Win: Matt Belisle 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Steve Cishek 0-1  (4.50)

 Joey_Votto17LCS

Game #4: Jon Lester (25-5 1.82) vs. John Lackey (14-5 2.21)

A quick RBI triple by Diaz and a passed ball gave the Bandicoots a two run lead in the bottom of the 1st. Tempe got one run back in the 4th on a Cespedes RBI double. Neither started lasted past the fourth as both teams opted for pinch hitters. The Bandicoots threatened in the 5th, but Cespedes gunned Cain at third base when he attempted to tag up. In the 6th, a Coots error and a Braun double put runners on 3rd and 2nd with no outs. Madson replaced Withrow and gave up a two run rbi single to Cespedes who also took second on the play. A Melky single then scored Cespedes to put Tempe up 4-2. In the 8th with two outs, Gattis pinch hit for the pitcher and hit a very important solo homerun to make it 5-2. In the bottom of the 8th, a Diaz single and a Gonzalez double put runners on 3rd and 2nd with only one out. A passed ball and then a Ruiz single made it a one run game. Barnette came on and got the final two outs in the 8th and then pitched perfect 9th for the save.

Final Score: Tempe 5 – Bethesda 4
Win: Zach Putnam 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Chris Withrow 0-1 (13.50)

 Johnny_Cueto17LCS#2

Game #5: Johnny Cueto ( 21-8 2.10) vs. Miguel Gonzalez (5-6 3.30) 

Melky Cabrera started the scoring in the 2nd with a two out RBI triple and then a quick steal of home. Tempe added two more runs in the 3rd with a Cespedes RBI double and a Beltre RBI single. In the 4th, Tempe added another run on a Leon RBI single after Young had singled and stole 2B. Cueto didn’t surrender his first run or hit of the game until the 5th after he had a commanding 5-0 lead. A walk by Miller and a perfectly executed hit and run by Rendon later allowed Bethesda to get their first run of the game on a sac fly by Morrison. In the bottom of the 7th, Gonzalez walked and Story took Cueto deep to make things interesting. Tempe then went to the pen to preserve the 5-3 lead. In the top of the 8th, Tempe loaded the bases on a walk, single and the rare catcher’s interference. Leon contributed an RBI sac fly and Gattis hit a double that only scored one run, because Young was gunned at the plate by Story’s great relay throw. Law pitched two scoreless innings to lock up the win and the series.

Final Score: Tempe 7 – Bethesda 3
Win: Johnny Cueto 2-0 (2.70) 
Loss: Miguel Gonzalez 0-1 (12.00)

Tempe

Yoenis_Cespedes17LCS#2

 

Tempe wins the series in five games, but there might have been different ending if the aces, Rich Hill and Jake Arrieta, had been able make second starts in Game #6 and Game #7. Neither team hit well and the difference came down fielding and base running. Tempe was 14-0 in stolen bases while Bethesda only successfully stole one base and was thrown out three times. Bethesda also made five errors that resulted in a 3rd (9) of the runs Tempe scored.NLCS-Batting17NLCS-Pitching17NLCS-Fielding17

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