Walt Taylor’s Whatevers (9-11) maintained their 2020 mastery of the Beefers (14-22) Wednesday afternoon June 3, winning three of four to pull to within two games of .500. The Whats muscled their way to a pair of lopsided wins and won the fourth game in bizarre fashion, with Beefer reliever Adam Ottavino allowing the winning run without throwing a single pitch.
In the opening game, an unusual fielding result occurred that may never again be duplicated in OAPBA play.
The Whats outhit the Beefs .258 to .216 and both teams hit seven home runs. The star of the series was Whatever RF Charle Blackmon, who has become a Beefer nemesis. In the Wednesday series, Blackmon was 8-18 with six doubles. In their first two series vs. the Beefs, Blackmon is 15-39, .385 with eight doubles, three HRs and eight RBIs.
In their two first-half series, the Whats won seven of eight from the Beefs, including a sweep in their first series at the Beefer Bowl in their first matchup.
Game 1 Whatevers 11, Beefers 2
After a scoreless pair of innings to start the games, the Whatevers reeled off 10 runs in the next four innings off hapless Beefer starter Mike Fiers, who wound up surrendering 11 runs in seven innings, including a two-run HR to George Springer, a solo shot by Yadier Molina and back-to-back HRs by pitcher Zack Grienke and Yuli Gurriel.
The Whats totaled 10 extra base hits. In a strange fielding result, the first 18 Whatever outs were recorded via ground outs. Eddie Rosario stopped the string in the seventh inning, when he struck out.
Beefers L-Mike Fiers 2-7. HR Tommy Pham #2, Christian Vazquez #3.
Whats W-Zack Grienke. HR George Springer, Y. Molina, Z. Greinke, Yuli Gurriel.
Game 2 Beefers 7, Whatevers 4
After five straight defeats at the hands of the Whatevers, the Beefer finally found their way to the winner’s circle with a 7-4 win. The Beefs overcame a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the sixth and took the lead in the next inning on a 2R HR by Danny Santana to go ahead 6-4. Ramon Laureano hit a solo shot in the ninth, his second homer of the game, to increase the lead to 7-4.
Beefers W-Adam Ottavino 1-0. HR Ramon Laureano 2 HR # 5-#6, Danny Santana #4.
Whats L-Brandon Workman. HR Travis d’Arnaud, Eddie Rosario.
Game 3 Whatevers 9, Beefers 1
Whatevers SS Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam HR in the first inning off Beefer starter Kyle Hendrick and the Whats added three more runs in the first, including a two-run 2b by Charlie Blackmon. After the dust settled, the Whats had a 7-0 lead after one inning and went on to cruise to an easy 9-1 victory. Blackmon was 3-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs
Beefers L-Kyle Hendricks 2-3. HR Matt Olson #4.
Whats W-Jose Berrios. HR Francisco Lindor (grand slam).
Game 4 Whatevers 2, Beefers 1
The Whatevers won a tight 2-1 victory in Game Four in a finish that no one could have anticipated. The Beefs Max Scherzer and Whats Justin Verlander both pitched well in the early going, both leaving with the game tied 1-1.
In the bottom of the ninth with two out and the score still tied at one apiece, What 2b David Fletcher walked and sent to second on a wild pitch by Beef reliever Sergio Romo. After advancing to third on a grounder by Yadier Molina, the Beefs brought in reliever Adam Ottavino to face pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud. Before Ottavino could throw a pitch, he balked, allowing Fletcher to score the winning run without Ottavino having thrown a single pitch.
Beefers L-Sergio Romo 0-1. HR Matt Olson #5.
Whats W-Hansel Robles.
