The Whatevers got their second half off to a positive start this past Sat., Aug 6, taking three of four from Jonathan Stillwell’s Otters (3-5).
The Whats batted .293 with 20 XBH & seven homers while the Otters struggled batting .150 with 8 XBH and two home runs. The Whats start the second half at 3-1 and the Otters drop to 4-8. The series win raised the Whats to 22-22, .500 cumulative for the 2022 season.
Game 1 Otters 4, Whatevers 3
Shane McClanahan (Whats) v Chris Flexen (Otters)
Shane McClanahan made his first OAPBA start for the Whats but the home Otters were looking to take advantage. An RBI double by Jorge Polanco started the scoring in the first. In the second, Yasmani Grandal took McClanahan deep with one on to take the lead. Shohei Ohtani tripled and scored on a base hit by Vlad Guerrero in the third to tie. In the fifth, Manny Machado singles and scores on Ketel Marte’s double. Luis Robert follows with a rbi base hit to make it 4-2. Keke Hernandez took it deep in the seventh to make it 4-3. The Otter bullpen then shut down the Whats with Jonathan Loaisiga picking up the save.
What’s 3 10 0 L-McClanahan 0-1. HR: KeKe Hernandez (2).
Otters 4 8 0 W-Flexen. Sv-Loaisiga. HR Grandal.
Game 2 Whatevers 5, Otters 1
Brandon Woodruff v Luis Garcia.
Shohei goes deep in the first and Mitch Haniger adds a two run shot in the second to pace the What’s to a 5-1 win. Yordan Alvarez would add a solo shot later in the game and a rbi double by Yuli Gurriel finishes the scoring. Brandon Woodruff would surrender a solo homer to Freddie Freeman and a single to Cedric Mullins and that was it.
What 5-8-1 W-Woodruff 4-4. HR Ohtani (13), Haniger (6), Alvarez (7).
Otters 1-2-0 Luis Garcia. HR Freeman.
Game 3 Whatevers 4, Otters 2
Walker Buehler (Whats) v Jose Berrios (Otters)
Walker Buehler went seven allowing just one hit and What’s take this one 4-2. Ronald Acuna gets the scoring started with a base hit in the first for the Otters. The What’s would tie it on a rbi single by Yuli Gurriel in the third and another in the fourth on a triple by Keke Hernandez and a SF by Yadi Molina. What’s add two more in the seventh with a two run single by Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Jordan Romano would start the ninth with a walk to Acuna who then moves up on a groundout. Manny Machado singles to get to within 2 but settles down to get the final two outs for the save.
What 4-12-3 W-Buehler 3-3. Sv-Romano 2.
Otters 2-2- 0 L-Berrios.
Game 4 Whatevers 9, Otters 3
Alek Manoah (Whats) v Nathan Eovaldi (Otters)
The What’s score six in the first on a two run homer by Shohei Ohtani and a grand slam by Kiki Hernandez to cruise 9-3. Will Smith adds a solo shot later in the game and then allows two runs to score on a passed ball in the seventh. Cedric Mullins was 2-4 with a double and run scored for the Otters.
What’s 9-11-0 W-Manoah 1-0. HR Ohtani (14), Smith (6), Hernandez (3).
Otters 3-6-1 L-Eovaldi