2023 N.L. DIVISION SERIES #1
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| SERIES PREVIEW – Sacramento and Tempe are lined up for another epic playoff battle. They’ve squared off multiple times over the years with the last meeting coming in the Division round last year when Sacramento knocked out Tempe in six games. Will Sacramento repeat or will Tempe get revenge… Will we see a PERFECT GAME with all the aces pitching in the series. |
| GAME #1 – Max Scherzer 13-4 (2.08) vs. Justin Verlander 28-2 (1.02)
Doesn’t get any better than Scherzer vs. Verlander to start a series and both starters were dealing early . In the bottom of the 3rd, Tempe loaded the bases after Freeman took a ball off his elbow, but Tempe only managed to get one run on an infield fielders choice. In the 6th, Tempe decided to pull Verlander even though he’d only given up one hit. Gordon walked, Pasquantino singled and then Hoskins doubled to tie it 1-1. Then an infield fielders choice allowed Sacramento to go up 2-1 off Almonte. In the 7th, Realmuto doubled off Scherzer and Kwan singled him home to tie it at 2-2. The score remained scoreless until the 11th, when the left starter Perez came on to face Pasquantino and Paz took him deep. 3-2 SAC. Stanek then locked down the bottom of the 11th for the save. Sacramento 3 – Tempe 2 – (11 Innings) Win: Alex Vesia 1-0 (0.00) |
| GAME #2 – Hayden Wesneski 2-1 (1.60) vs. Yu Darvish 25-5 (2.03)
Tempe played small ball in the 3rd for the first run of the game. Brantley walked, Hamilton ran for him and stole second, Peralta moved Hamilton to third and Story brought him home on a sac fly. The Capitals answered back in the 4th, when Lindor launched a two run homer off Darvish. In the bottom of the 6th with two outs, Kwan doubled off Wesneski with Freeman on 2nd and Realmuto on 1st. Realmuto beat the play at the plate to give Tempe the lead 3-2. In the top of the 8th, Munoz came on for a four out save opportunity and got Hoskins to pop up after Pasquantino singled. In the bottom of the 8th, Tempe exploded for four runs capped by a Realmuto homer. Series Tied 1-1 Tempe 7 – Sacramento 2 Win: A.J. Minter 1-0 (0.00) |
| GAME #3 – Justin Verlander 28-2 (1.02) vs. Ross Stripling 10-5 (2.92)
The game remained scoreless until the top of the 4th when Slater who was only starting for his defense, slugged a two-run homer for the Tempers. Tempe added three more runs the next inning with a Bogaerts two run homer and then four walks. 5-0 TEM. Verlander was locked in all game and took a no hitter until the middle of the 7th. He was pulled after he gave up his first hit to Hoskins. Perez got Pujols for the second out of the 7th, but Strzelecki allowed Stanton to crush a two-run homer giving Verlander his first earned run of the series. Fearing another blown pitching performance by Verlander, Tempe turned to Munoz to lock down the 8th and 9th. Tempe 5 – Sacramento 2 Win: Justin Verlander 1-0 (0.79) |
| GAME #4 – Yu Darvish 25-5 (2.03) vs. Max Scherzer 13-4 (2.08)
In the 2nd, Tempe put runners on he corners with singles from Kwan and Brantley. Scherzer got Peralta to fly to the OF for the second out. Tempe sent both runners and Sacramento gave up the run for the sure out at 2B. TEM 1-0. In the 3rd, the bottom of the Capitals lineup got things going. Nido hit a solo homer to tie it and then Taylor doubled. Tempe replaced Darvish with Minter to face Gordon. Gordon looped it to right. 2-1 SAC. Realmuto gunned Gordon trying to steal which most likely saved a run since the next batter singled. In the 4th, Yepez singled with two outs and moved to 2B on a wild pitch. Nido, the 930 catcher, came up with another critical hit to make it a 3-1. In the top of the 5th, Tempe put runners on the corner with one out. Freeman launched a shot to the wall, but Stanton kept it in the park and Tempe had to settle for just one run. 3-2 SAC. In the bottom of the 5th, Taylor the number nine hitter, took Minter deep. Scherzer pitched a scoreless 6th and 7th and Vesia and Stanek locked down the 8th and 9th. Series tied 2-2 Sacramento 4 – Tempe 2 Win: Max Scherzer 1-0 (2.51) |
| GAME #5 – Jacob deGrom 6-1 (2.12) vs. Hayden Wesneski 2-1 (1.60)
Both teams entered game five knowing the winner would most likely end up winning the series since Verlander was set to start game six and Scherzer wouldn’t be able to pitch until game seven. Tempe shook up their lineup and also turned to Degrom for his first start of the series. Sacramento stuck with the same lineup and gave Wesneski his second start of the series. In the 3rd, Tempe got on the board first when Story legged out an infield single, stole 2B and then scored on a Freeman base hit. Thompson got his first start of the series and he rewarded his manager with a two run homer. 3-0 TEM. In the 4th, Bogaerts walked and then a throwing error by Yepez put runners on 3rd and 2nd with one out. Sacramento called on Cueto to replace a tiring Weneski. Cueto got Freeman to ground out, but a run scored. 4-0 TEM. Degrom gave up only one hit over 5.1 innings and was replaced by Perez in the 6th. In the 7th and 8th , Tempe added a few more runs with speed and poor defense by Sacramento. A Flores solo homer in the 8th prevented the shutout. Tempe 7 – Sacramento 1 Win: Jacob deGrom 1-0 (0.00) |
| GAME #6 – Ross Stripling 10-5 (2.92) vs. Justin Verlander 28-2 (1.02)
Tempe needed Verlander to be perfect in this one and he was. 27 batters up and 27 down. No hits, no walks,no HB and no errors. I believe this is the first perfect game pitched in the playoffs by a National League team. It is also only the second franchise perfect game pitched (Cueto) in Tempe’s 25 year history. Stripling pitched seven strong innings and his only real mistake was a two-run homer to Carpenter in the 1st. Tempe 3 – Sacramento 0 (PERFECT GAME) Win: Justin Verlander 2-0 (0.44) |
| SERIES SUMMARY – Verlander was the MVP of the series and carried Tempe to the LCS. He pitched three outstanding games and finished 2-0 with a 0.44 ERA and gave up only 2 hits over 20.1 innings. Tempe’s defense and speed shined during the series. Tempe was 18-3 in SB. The defense only made one error and Realmuto gunned both stolen base attempts. Sacramento out homered Tempe 6-5, but were out scored 26 runs (TEM) to 12 runs (SAC). The series might been different if the middle of Sacramento’s order had hit a little. Lindor (1), Hoskins (2) and Stanton (1) were limited to a total of four hits. Lindor and Hoskins left 16 runners on base. |