A.L. CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES – TIJ @ HOL G#6

Game 6 – Zack Greinke vs. David Price. 

Last time Hollywood was home, they had their tails tucked between their legs as Tijuana manhandled them in game 1 and shut ’em out in game 2.  They now return how hoping to make it 4 wins in a row.  They did the improbable.  After losing the first 2 games at home, they went on the road to win 3 games, only to bring the season back to Hollywood.  Tijuana sends out Greinke again, while Hollywood counters with game 3 winner, Price.  Price has come up big in the post season so far, having gone 2-0 in the DS – winning the clinching game – and now goes for Hollywood in another clinching game.

1st inning:  Ben Zobrist leads off the game with a little squibber up the 3rd base line.  However, Price gets Michael Young, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder pretty easily to end the inning.  Hollywood goes quietly.

2nd inning:  With 2-outs, Price walks Billy Butler, but gets Joe Mauer to fly out to right.  In the bottom half of the inning, with one out, Jay Bruce steps up to the plate.  He smashes it toward the gap in right center … Justin Uptin gallops for it … he dives….he cuts it off … throws to second … and Bruce holds with a single.  The crowd goes wild as Greinke steps off the rubber…Wilson Betemit steps in and glances toward third for the sign.  Let’s listen to the call.  The pitch … BETEMIT turns on it … HIGH FLY TO RIGHT….IT’S GOING PLACES FAST…..IT’S OVER THE RIGHT FIELD WALL!  THAT BALL EXPLODED OFF HIS BAT AND HOLLYWOOD HAS A 2-0 LEAD!.

3rd inning:  With 1-out, Ben Zobrist rips one to right-center which Alex Gordon can only play on the hop,  as Zobrist cruises into second with a double.  Price then buckles down and gets Young and Braun on easy fly balls.  Hollywood mounts a small threat, but Greinke is able to escape it.

4th inning:  With 1-out, Carlos Beltran doubles to left.  Then with 2-outs, Butler steps in.  Price delivers … hit like a shot … Kinsler waves on it … but it’s by him into right…Beltran’s around third…they’re waving Beltran in…..here comes the throw home…here’s the play at the plate … and he’s … SAFE!…on a close play … the run scores as Butler takes second on the throw.  Tijuana cuts the Hollywood lead to 2-1.We move to the bottom of the 4th and Jay Bruce singles to lead off the inning.  With Betemit coming up, Greinke decides to give him the unintentional intentional walk.  Jason Kubel then bounces to 1st to move the runners to 2nd & 3rd for Kurt Suzuki.  After he strikes out, Carlos Pena walks, which gets Greinke pulled.  Mike Adams gets Emilio Bonifacio to pop out to end the threat.

The games moves into the 8th inning.  David Price is still on the mound as Hollywood lead is still 2-1.  Michael Young walks to lead off the inning which causes the Hollywood bullpen to stir.  Steve Cishek & Javier A Lopez begin to warm up.   Braun strides toward the plate.  Price brings it home .. it’s grounded deep into the hole … Starlin Castro has it … throws quickly to Ian Kinsler covering … out!….over to first > safe by a step … but they get the lead runner.  Braun steals 2nd to get into scoring position for Prince Fielder.   Speedy Braun edging toward third … the pitch … swung on … softly hit liner to center…here comes Alex Gordon … he makes the running catch … steals a hit from Fielder!  2-outs.   After Carlos Beltran coaxes a walk out of Price, Hollywood Manager Steve Cutler starts to walk up the steps….Suzuki sees this and throws up the stop sign to Cutler as he heads to the mound to settle Price down.  Suzuki slaps Price on the ass and heads back to the plate.  Justin Upton steps to the plate with runners on 1st & 2nd with 2-outs.  Price deals….swung on … easy bouncer to Kinsler; he’s up with it, flips to Castro at second to retire the side AS PRICE LEAVES THE FIELD TO A STANDING OVATION!

9th Inning:  Hollywood sends Heath Bell out to close out this series.  After a troublesome start to the season when Bell made the move to Hollywood, he has been “money” in the post season.   The delivery to Billy Butler … the high hard one … BIG SWING! … strike three … going for the fences….one down!  The pitch to Joe Mauer … swung on … foul tip … held by Suzuki……2-OUTS!  BOTTLE ROCKETS SKIPPER DAVE MYERS WALKS THE BENCH.  TRYING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, HE CALLS ON PINCH HITTER EXTRAORDINAIRE, DREW SUTTON… WITH THE CROWD STANDING…THE PITCH … SUTTON SENDS THIS BALL AIR MAIL TO LEFT…. STUBBS LOPES FOR IT….SHOULD BE NO TROUBLE…..HE MAKES THE CATCH!  HOLLYWOOD WINS HOLLYWOOD WINS HOLLYWOOD WINS!!!!  THEY HAVE THE MOST IMPROBABLE RUN AFTER LOSING THE FIRST 2 GAMES AT HOME!  THE WORLD SERIES WILL COME BACK TO CALIFORNIA FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW (SACRAMENTO HOSTED IT LAST YEAR) AS WE AWAIT WORD ON THE TEMPE – SACRAMENTO SERIES.

Winner:  David Price 2-0
Loser:  Zack Greinke 0-2
Save: Heath Bell (3)

MVPs:  David Price goes a combines 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA & Heath Bell 10.2 combined innings with 5 saves & a 0.00 ERA
MVP Honorable Mention (losing cause): Alexi Ogando who finishes 1-0 with 10 NO HIT INNINGS across 2 starts before succumbing to an injury.

Tijauna scored (12) runs in game 1 and (9) in games 2-6.  In fact they had (13) hits in game 1 and (28) more in games 2-6.  Otherwise neither offense did all that well.

Remove Game 1 from the series:

ERA

Tijuana 2.34 (2.13 with game 1)
Hollywood 1.72 (3.05 with game 1)

Batting

Tijuana .171 (.200 with game 1)
Hollywood .188 (.185 with game 1)