2021 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #1
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| JIMENEZ,Eloy | VIR AL | .438 | 1.000 | 3 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| KEUCHEL,Dallas | DAL AL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| LINDOR,Francisco | SAC NL | .308 | .692 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| BIEBER,Shane | TCP NL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Detroit Crime @ Chicago Mobsters |
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| Series Preview: | Opening Series in this shortened Covid19 Season. 66 Games is a sprint, not the usual marathon. So long-time American League Central Division rivals square off in the first series of the year. No Divisions, 14 Teams all fighting for 8 Playoff spots. Let’s get ready to Rumble as we’re in for some crazy fun! |
| Game #1: | Trevor Bauer is masterful going 6 Innings without allowing a hit. Then the 7th came, and so did 2 Home Runs off of Bauer. Luke Voight hit a two-run bomb followed right behind him by Yasmani Grandal blasting a solo. Chicago got a Home Run from Nelson Cruz. Chris Bassitt was solid for 7 Innings before the bullpen took over & locked it down for Detroit.
Final Score: Detroit 3 – Chicago 2 Win: Chris Bassitt 1-0 (2.57) |
| Game #2: | Chicago came out hot, with 3 in the 1st Inning, 1 in the 2nd, 2 more in the 4th & 5th, & it was becoming a route. Detroit was held scoreless until the 9th when Manny Machado, with a man on & Luke Voight both hit Home Runs. Chicago’s big guns were Andrew McCutchen who hit a Home Run, had 3 RBI’s & 3 Hits. Nelson Cruz chimed in with a Home Run. Tandy Diaz had 2 RBI’s.
Final Score: Chicago 8 – Detroit 3 Win: Rich Hill 1-0 (0.00) |
| Game #3: | They played even through 9 Innings with the score tied at 3 runs apiece. In the 11th Brett Phillips Walked, stole two bases, & scored on an infield in a ground ball to 3rd, scoring the go-ahead run. Chicago went down 1-2-3 in the 11th.
Final Score: Detroit 4 – Chicago 3 Win: Kyle Zimmer 1-0 (0.00 |
| Series Summary: | These two teams could be close in the standings, but in the end, Detroit has the better team. Short season is underway & looks funny to see your players R-Use being used up so fast. Is nice to have a couple of extra bodies for the pen & bench though. Better luck next week for Chicago. |
Mesa Solar Sox @ Southwest Detroit Fighting Chihuahuas |
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| Series Summary: | Southwest Detroit Fighting Chihuahuas sweeps vs Mesa Solar. Three close games. |
Virginia Sluggers @ Cincinnati Skyliners |
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| Series Preview: | The Cincinnati Skyliners open their inaugural season in the MWBL’s 25th anniversary season. Following the move from Manhattan, the Skyliners welcome the Virginia Sluggers to Glenn Sample Field for a three-game set. |
| Game #1: | VIR 8-14-1, CIN 7-13-0 (13 innings)
The Skyliners got several firsts out of the way in this one. First hit (Tommy Edman), first homer (Jose Iglesias), etc. Virginia took a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth before Anthony Santander delivered another first — Cincinnati’s first grand slam — as the Skyliners ralled for six in the frame. Jean Segura scored the game-winner in the 13th to send the home crowd away murmuring about what they had just seen. Rafael Devers led the Sluggers with a four-for-six hitting performance that featured three doubles. Ji-Man Choi represented Cincinnati well with a four-for-four performance. |
| Game #2: | VIR 6-11-0, CIN 1-6-0
Virginia scored three in the first and never looked back. |
| Game #3: | VIR 6-16-1, CIN 2-5-0
The Sluggers get three in the first and stay ahead the whole way. |
| Series Summary: | Virginia sweeps Cincinnati in the season opened in three games. The Skyliners are still searching for a couple of more firsts — their first lead (never did better than tie) and their first win.
Maybe next week. |
Rosemere Renegades @ Harsens Island Walleye |
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| Series Preview: | Play Ball!! Rosemere visits Beautiful Harsens Island |
| Game #1: | Rainout. |
| Game #2: | Fernando Tatis goes yard twice in a 3-2 Rosemere victory W Eovaldi 1-0 2.57 era L Gonzalez 0-1 13.50 era S Gonzalez 1 .00era |
| Game #3: | Jose Urena fans 12 Renegades in a 4-0 Walleye win W Urena 1-0 .00era L Canning 0-1 5.40 era S Winkler 1 .00 era |
| Series Summary: | Split series with a rainout. |
Sacramento Capitals @ Corktown Cycle |
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| Game #1: | Tyler Glasnow goes 7.1 innings and the Capitols 4 hit the Cycle in a 2-0 shut-out victory.
W. Tyler Glasnow 1-0 |
| Game #2: | Francisco Lindor drives in 5 runs going 3 for 5 with a HR. The Cycle had 4 Home runs in this game, but could only drive in 5 total runs as Arrieta gets shelled in his Corktown debut.
Sacramento 8-5 |
| Game #3: | Adam Rosario goes 3/4 .556 on the series, as it was all the home team in the series finale. Grenikie gives up 6 (5 earned)
Corktown 7-2 |
| Series Summary: | The series goes to Sacramento 2-1 |
Selkirk Steelers @ Tempe Tempers |
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| Series Preview: | Two teams sprinting for the 2021 playoffs battle it out on opening day weekend. |
| Game #1: | Darvish and the bullpen surrendered only one hit. Rendon and Albies each hit solo homeruns off Fried. Tempe 3-0 Darvish – W Fried – L |
| Game #2: | Maeda matched Darvish’s stat line from game one throwing a 1 hitter over five innings. Bogaerts two-run home run was the difference. Winker went deep for Selkirk. Tempe 3-1 Maeda – W Keller – L Hahn – S |
| Game #3: | Tempe 2-1 Kim went five scoreless innings and turned it over to the pen. Dickerson solo home run in the 2nd and then a bloop rbi single by backup catcher Perez in the 7th proved to be just enough. Hasely RBI double in the 8th made it very tight. Hahn closed out his third straight game for the save. Kim – W Senzatela – L Hahn – S #2 |
| Series Summary: | Pitching, Pitching, and more Pitching. Selkirk only managed a .110 avg with Tempe only slightly better at a .159 avg. Bogaerts and Rendon were the only Tempe hitters with more than one hit the entire series. Longoria, Winker, Haseley, and Alonso each had two hits in the series for Selkirk. |
Long Beach Dirt Bags @ Bethesda Bandicoots |
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| Series Preview: | First series of the year – what else can I say? |
| Game #1: | Still waiting for the game to start, I blinked and then I look up at the scoreboard and we get blanked in the bottom of the 9th (and every other inning for that matter) 6-0 Long Beach |
| Game #2: | Bethesda goes down 4-2 against a bunch of guys I don’t know (except for Jay Bruce who I don’t want to know as he homered for the second straight game). |
| Game #3: | A promising game until the lineups were announced. Mayers gives up a run in the top of the 9th as the Dirt Bags complete the sweep with a 5-4 win. |
| Series Summary: | A complete laugh riot to open the season. |
Triple Creek Patriots @ Jersey Nor’easters |
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| Game #1: | Triple Creek’s Keith Moreland hits a solo home run in the 7th inning for the games only run as Triple Creek opens the year with a 1-0 win over Jersey. Shane Bieber goes all the way for the win while Dinelson Lamet takes the hard-luck loss. |
| Game #2: | Another nail-biter that was settled in the 7th inning. The Noreasters score 3 times in the 7th breaking a 2-2 tie and go on to win the game 5-2. Calhoun and Nunez homer in the 7th for Jersey. Boxberger and Hand pitch 4 shutout innings in relief with Boxberger getting the win and Hand the save. |
| Game #3: | The rubber game, who will start the year above 500? Not the Noreasters as Triple Creek wins the game 8-3 with 5 runs in the 9th, 4 of which were unearned. Corey Seager and Gurriel homer for Triple Creek and Kevin Gausman pitches 8 strong innings for the win. |
| Series Summary: | Triple Creek wins the series 2-1. |
Portland Lumber Jax @ Columbus Explorers |
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| Series Preview: | One win away from being World Champions, the reigning National League Champions open the 2021 season at home. Lots of fanfare, banners unfurled, rings awarded, and let the defense begin (doesn’t look that promising but right now we’re in first place…… |
| Game #1: | Homer Bailey gets the nod for opening day and tosses a no-hitter through 4. He is rewarded in the 1st when Giovanny Urshela singles with 2 outs, Trevor Story doubles him home and Salvador Perez knocks him when he reaches on a Phil Gosselin throwing error. Bailey’s no-hitter is broken up in the 5th and his shutout ends when J.T. Riddle doubles in 2 to tie the game. But in the bottom half, the Explorers get 2 back on a rbi double from D.J. LaMahieu and a rbi single from Urshela. Urshela doubles in 2 more in the 7th Columbus opens the season with a 6-2 win.
COL 6 POR 2 |
| Game #2: | Tyler Mahle vs. J.A. Happ Portland gets going in the 1st when Leody Taveras hits a 1 out solo homer (1). In the 3rd they make it 2-0 when Taveras gets a 2 out single driving in Jose A. Martinez. In the bottom of the 5th, what Columbus hopes to see often this year is the combo of Story, Perez, and Blackmon getting electric. Trevor Story leads off with a walk, Salvador Perez doubles him home and Charlie Blackmon then singles Perez home to tie the game. Columbus adds another in the 6th when Asdrubal Cabrera leads off with a walk, moves to 2nd when D.J. LaMahieu reaches on an error (then picked off) and Giovanny Urshela doubles to score Cabrera.But the Lumber Jax strike again – in their half of the 7th Jaylin Davis leads off with a walk, Austin Barnes bunts him to 2nd, and then with 2 outs, Vladimir Guerrero, pinch-hitting, singles to drive in Davis to tie the game at 3. But then the Columbus half, franchise star Charlie Blackmon delivers a solo homer (1) that puts Columbus back on top and Yusmeiro Petit and Liam Hendriks deliver 6 outs to keep it that way.COL 4 POR 3 WP Happ (1-0) era 3.86 S Hendriks (1) era 0.00 LP Chris Stratton (0-1) era 5.40 |
| Game #3: | Vimeal Machin makes his Columbus debut in this game and bangs out 3 hits (double, 2 singles), his 1st hit was a 2 out single in the 1st. He then scores his 1st run on Trevor Story double and Columbus leads 1-0. Matt Shoemaker looking impressive as we go to the 5th (his last scheduled inning).
AND THEN THE EARTH CAVED IN – of something of great magnitude took place… Things get real ugly – the Explorers commit 5 errors during the rest of the game leading to 6 unearned runs – 4 of them in the 5th. First off Shoemaker should have gone 4. He gets the leadoff batter in the 5th, then an error, a single, and a 3 run Ryan Jeffers PH homer (1) – why Buck Miller IV decided a pinch hitter was needed then we’ll never know, but it sure messed things up for the home team. Then came a walk and a fly-out (2 outs, inning should be over). Instead, Vladimir Guerrero hits a 2 run homer (1). And Jose Trevino (1) follows with one of his own. When the dust settled it was 6-1 Portland in the 5th. Kevin Ryan comes into pitch in the 6th and doesn’t get out of the inning. He faces 9, got two-out, 7 hits, 5 runs (3 earned) and gives up a homer – a Leodys Taveras 2 run shot (2). Jose Trevino is going to hit his 2nd homer (and 4th hit) of the game and season a bit later. Columbus down 13-1 in the 8th makes an interesting comeback which includes a Trevor Story solo homer (1). But it was Ross Stripling getting a handle on Machin in the bottom of the 8th that sealed the deal. Columbus had 4 runs in, bases loaded, 2 outs, Machin up, already with 3 hits and he connects on one to LF that Michael Conforto backpedaled to the wall to make the catch that kept the lead big. POR 13 COL 6 |
| Series Summary: | 2 for 3 to start the season – but it doesn’t look good for the road with starters who just aren’t ready for this year………now on to Pittsburgh and we’re sure they are out for revenge. |
Dallas Cougars @ Tijuana Bottle Rockets |
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| Series Preview: | Tijuana hosts Dallas for a 3-game series to start the 2021 MWBL season. |
| Game #1: | D. Keuchel dominates with 8 innings of 1-run ball(unearned)for the visitors. Dallas wins the opener 4-1. |
| Game #2: | With only 1-hit allowed, Dallas starter Z. Plesac, tossed from the game with 2 outs in the 7th for hitting his 3rd batter. C. Thielber comes in to retire the final 4 batters and Dallas prevails 4-0. |
| Game #3: | The hometown Bottle Rockets, with the help from an error, jump out to an early 5-0 lead on Dallas starter L. Giolito and go on to win 7-2 behind a solid start from N. Margevicius, who went 6.1IP and allowed 2 runs. |
| Series Summary: | The home team avoids the sweep-taking game 3. Dallas takes the series 2-1
Next week – Tijuana travels to Fremont while Dallas hosts Yonge Street |
Coconut Creek Crushers @ Yonge Street Stalkers |
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| Series Preview: | Hopes are high for the Sprint Season version of the Stalkers. Fans are appropriately distanced. Let’s see what transpires, Shall we? |
| Game #1: | Opening Day hopes were quickly dashed as CCC scored in the 2nd inning and tallied 3 more in the 3rd. The Stalkers pen surrendered a handful of runs late to complete the blowout. Castro and Myers homered for the Crushers while Bohm plated 3. Sheffield dealt 4 BB, but only allowed 2 H. CCC 9 – YSS 0 |
| Game #2: | Brady Singer was solid for the home team in game 2. Donovan Solano paced the attack with a double and a homer. Wil Myers homered for the 2nd game in a row for CCC. Unfortunately, YSS lost Kris Bryant for 17 days in the victory. YSS 5 – CCC 3 |
| Game #3: | Blake Snell was dominant, and someone named J. Walsh homered thrice and plated 6 to spoil the home teams opening series. If that weren’t enough, YSS lost Nick Madrigal for 22 days. CCC 9 – YSS 2 |
| Series Summary: | An awful start for the Stalker faithful. Gerrit Cole loses the opener, and Bryant (17) and Madrigal (22) are lost for good chunks. CCC took 2 of 3 and heads to SWD for Week 2. |
Hollywood Werewolves @ Fremont Cannons |
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| Series Preview: | Welcome to the 25th season of the MWBL! Fremont gets the exciting/daunting task of hosting Hall of Famer Steve Cutler and the defending champion Hollywood werewolves in the opening series.
For Hollywood, the question is whether the team can continue their success, or if they will face that championship hangover. The last time they won the world series, they came out with 10 more wins the following season but fell in the World Series. Fremont is coming off of its first winning season since 2011 but has built a talent pool that it feels is ready to take it to the next level. |
| Game #1: | The two teams wasted no time throwing out aces. Hollywood trots out future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, and Fremont starts Zac Gallen off a strong rookie season in 2020. Both pitchers allowed 0 BB and rack up 8 K in 7.0 IP, though Kershaw gives up a few more hits.
Fremont wastes no time getting the home fans excited, as Teoscar Hernandez singled home Michael Brosseau in the bottom of the 1st for a 1-0 lead, but Matt Chapman ties it with a solo homer in the top of the 2nd. Teoscar Hernandez keeps it rolling with a 3-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 4-1 Fremont. It stays scoreless until the 6th when Paul Goldschmidt’s solo home run helps Hollywood close the gap to 4-2. Fremont asks Tanner Scott to hold down the fort, but Christian Yelich reminds people of how good he is and narrows the margin to 4-3 with another solo homer for Hollywood in the top of the eighth. Fremont responds in the bottom of the frame, with an Austin Hays solo homer, and the Cannons win the opener 5-3 with Giovanni Gallegos stranding a runner at 2nd. W: Zac Gallen (1-0) |
| Game #2: | Hollywood brings out Charlie Morton to face Fremont’s, Dylan Bundy.
Teoscar Hernandez likes getting the crowd pumped up early, as his 2-run homer in the bottom of the first gives Fremont a 2-0 lead. Travis Shaw hits a solo homer in the 4th and it’s 3-0 Fremont. Kyle Higashioka chases Morton with a solo homer in the 6th, and then Fremont continues to tack on runs against Mychal Givens to cruise to a 7-0 victory. W: Dylan Bundy (1-0) |
| Game #3: | Hollywood hotshot young pitcher Dustin may face off against veteran Fremont lefty Danny Duffy.
This was the tightest game of the series, as the teams combined for 7 hits. Fremont took the first lead again with Max Kepler’s solo home run in the 3rd. Two errors lead to Hollywood tying it up right away in the top of the 4th. After that, neither side could scratch across a run, until the bottom of the ninth, when Max Kepler leads off with a walk, and Mike Yastrzemski brings home with ball lace into the corner. Fremont wins 2-1. W: Shane Greene (1-0) |
| Series Summary: | Fremont sweeps the champs in the opener 3-0! Hollywood travels to inaugural franchise Cincinnati next, while Fremont stays at home to face a rebuilding Tijuana team. |
Pittsburgh Lumber Company @ Valdosta Snappers |
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| Series Preview: | The 2021 season opens in Valdosta as they host Pittsburgh. |
| Series Summary: | Pittsburgh brought the lumber in games 1 and 2 as they win both. Snappers picked up a win in game 3 behind Touiki Toussaint, who struck out 12 in 7 strong IP. |
Southbend Lynx @ Motor City Muscle |
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| Series Preview: | Motor City opens the season by hosting Southbend for a three-game series.
Unseasonably warm weather greeted the opening series, and the festivities, which included Tom Morello singing “This Land is Your Land” and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm throwing the ceremonial first pitch, were enjoyed by all. |
| Game #1: | MCM 10 – SBL 1
WP: De Grom HR: MCM–Castellanos MCM jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the first on a Nicholas Castellanos three-run HR and didn’t look back. The Muscle also put up a four-run third inning. In addition to Castellanos (1-4, 4 RBI, 2 runs), Jeimer Candelario supplied most of the offensive punch, going 2-2, with two RBI and three runs scored. Jacob de Grom struck out 11 over 6.1 innings for the win. |
| Game #2: | SBL 10 – MCM 8 (10 inn.)
WP: Duffey HR: SBL–Muncy (2), Altuve; MCM–Castellanos After SBL jumped out to a five-run first-inning lead, MCM came back to chip away and pull ahead 8-7. But SBL tied it in the top of the ninth, which led to Max Muncy’s go-ahead two-run shot in the 10th inning, his second homer of the day. Muncy, Bo Bichette, and Mark Canha all had three hits and scored two runs on the day. Jose Altuve had a big two-run HR. Archie Bradley was ejected for beaning MCM pinch-hitter, Orlando Arcia. |
| Game #3: | MCM 10 – SBL 1
WP: Tanaka HR: MCM–Trout (2), M. Kemp; SBL–Canha Mike Trout and Jeimer Candelario again led the way for MCM, with three RBI apiece. Masahiro Tanaka cruised through seven innings, striking out eight along the way. |
| Series Summary: | MCM takes the series 2 games to 1
Mike Trout, Nicholas Castellanos, and Max Muncy had two HRs in the series. Jeimer Candelario hit .417 (5-12), with 4 runs scored, 5 RBI, 2 triples, and a double |