Dave Larson’s Taz Devils moved into statistical tie for first place, improving to 14-8 with a home-and-away sweep of Jonathan Stilwell’s Otters (9-21). The Devils have a .636 winning percentage, .003 better than the Beefers (19-11), but are one game behind in the standings.
Both teams put their best foot forward on offense. The Otters hit .257 in the series with four doubles and three homers. The Devils hit .268 with three doubles and three homers.
Game 1 Devils 4, Otters 3
Adam Wainwright (Devils) vs. Jose Berrios (Otters) at Oshkosh.
Berrios was tough on the visitors, pitching five scoreless innings. The Otter jumped out with two in the bottom of the first on a Freddie Freeman moon shot. The homies did add a single run in the fourth when Jake Cronoworth doubled home Junior Gurrell. The Tazzies caught a break in the sixth when Mookie Betts scored when Berrios fired a grounder down the first baseline. After a walk and hit by pitch, Betts hit his first round-tripper of the year, Devils go up, 4-3. A pair of Devils relievers saved Wainwright’s first win of the season.
Devils 4-6-3 W- Wainwright (1-3) Sv- Hendriks (5) HR- Betts (1)
Otters 3-7-1 L- Rodriquez HR-Freeman
Gm 2 Devils 10, Otters 6
Jose Uriquidi (Otters) vs. Lance Lynn (Devils) at Tazland
The home squad struck first with an unearned in the first, courtesy of an Urquidi error. Aaron Judge drove the run home. The Otters game right back with a pair in the second when Yaz Grandal singled home Gurrell and Cronoworth. The visitors tied the game at 3-3 when Cory Seager hit a solo dinger in the top of the third.
The Devils came back with three in the fourth on a Michael Brantley home run. The Otters weren’t done as Grandal hit a solo homer in the fifth to close the game to 5-4. The Tazzies got the up to 6-4 when the homies got three singles, the third by Xander Bogaerts, driving home Paul Goldschmidt
The Otters wouldn’t give up, cutting the lead down to 7-6 in favor of the Devils. The bottom of the seventh saw the Tazzies break the game open when Starting Marte doubled home Nicky Lopez and Goldie followed with a home run. The Devil bullpen finished off the game for Lynn’s first win. Freddie Freeman had four singles in the game and the Devils killer, Cory Seager, had a pair of doubles to go with his homer.
Otters 6-12-1 L-Uriquidy HR- Seager, Grandal.
Devils 10-13-2 W-Lynn (1-3) HR- Goldschmidt (5), Brantley (2)