Devils tighten race; split with Tsunamis in Thurs., Sept. 17 series.

Craig Dolan’s surging Tsunamis s 11-5, seeking to break the race wide open, split with Dave Larson’s Taz Devils 8-12, Weds., Sept. 16, losing the first two games to the Forked Warriors, but rebounding to take Games Three and Four and maintain their two-game lead in OAPBA. 

Devils reliever Trevor May and Tsunami reliever Hunter Wood both won and lost a game in the series. Devils RF Mookie Betts had a pair of home runs in the series and Tsunami 3b Nolan Arenado also hit a pair of round-trippers, although both of them came in the first two games, both Tsunami losses. 

Game 1  Taz Devils 5, Tsunamis 4

Nolan Arenado got the Asians on board with a solo homer in the second but the visitors pounded Pee Wee German for four in the fourth. Rafael Devers hit a solo shot and JT Realmuto hit a three run blast for the scoring. The Wave tallied three single runs in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to tie the game. Tom Murphy had an rbi single, Justin Turner added a solo homer, and Tim Anderson doubled home a run. Tied at 4-4 in the top of the 9th, JD Martinez hit a pinch hit double and scored on a Cody Bellinger single. Liam Hendricks pitched a perfect ninth to save game one.

Devils  5-10-0  W- Trevor May 4-4. SV- Liam Hendricks 13.  HR- Devers 6, Realmuto 7.

Tsu        4-7-1    L- Felipe Vazquez 0-1.  HR- Justin Turner 5, Arenado 17.

Game 2 Taz Devils 4, Tsunamis 2

Arenado started the scoring again in the second with a solo shot. Jose Altuve then doubled home a run in the top of the 3rd to tie the game. Anderson followed that in the bottom of the frame with an rbi single. The score was now 2-1 for the homies until the top of the 7th. Mickey Brantley hit a double to bring home the tying run and Mookie Betts hit a two run homer to give the visitors a 4-2 lead. Gerrit Cole turned the lead over to Tyler Clippard in the 8th who pitched two perfect innings for the save. 

Devils  4-5-0  W- Gerritt Cole 7-2.  SV- Tyler  Clippard 2.  HR- Betts 11.

Tsu       2-7-1  L- Hunter Wood 1-1  HR- Arenado 18.

Game 3 Tsunamis 5, Taz Devils 4

The home squad scored first again as Ant Rizzo hit a two run yardley in the bottom of the first. Anabal Sanchez had a no-hitter going into the 7th when Xander Bogaerts hit a solo homer. Bellinger followed with a single and scored when Hunter Dozier batted the ball around. Juan Soto broke the tie up with a two run homer in the bottom of the 7th only to see Betts hit a two run shot in the top of the 8th. Tied at 4-4, the Asians got a case of the look sees in the bottom of the 9th. Trevor May walked the bases loaded and saw Taylor Rogers give up the game winning hit to Arenado.

Devils  4-5-0     L- Trevor May 4-5.  HR- Betts 12, Bogaerts 17.

Tsu       5-11-0  W- Buck Farmer 1-1.  HR- Juan Soto 12, Rizzo 8.

Game 4 Tsunamis 4, Taz Devils 3

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 4th when Dozier singled home a run and a Solo sac fly brought home another. Carlos Santana’s solo homer in the 5th narrowed the lead and a two run single from Devers in the next inning gave the Tazzies a narrow 3-2 lead. The lead didn’t last as Dozier tripled and scored on a sac fly from Max Muncy. The tie was broken in the bottom of the next inning when Aaron Judge’s third hit of the game brought home an unearned run. Javier Vazquez got the save but needed for Judge to throw out the tying run at the plate.

Devils 3-5-2    L- Steve Cishek 1-3  HR- Carlos Santana 6.

Tsu     4-10-1  W- Hunter Wood 2-1.  SV- Felipe Vazquez 2.  

Horde slows down Tsunami surge; splits with Asians on Weds., Sept 16.

Marc Bostrom’s Horde 11-13 continued to pester OAPBA’s leaders in the second half, splitting with Craig Dolan’s Tsunamis 13-7 on Thurs, Sept. 17. It was the second straight series split for the Tsunamis, who still hold a two-game lead in over the Beefers 11-9 in the second half race. 

The Tsunamis started strong in the series with Yonny Chirinos beating the Horde 3-1 in the opener and holding on in Game Two for a 7-6 win. The Horde, however, rebounded, winning the final two contests to split with the Tsunamis.

The power-ladenHorde hit .262 on the series with 12 doubles and 14 home runs. League HR leader Pete Alonso had four of the homers, increasing his 2020 total to 26 HR, with six RBIs in the series. Jorge Soler hit three homers for five RBIs. Eugenio Suarez hit a pair of home runs in Game Four, an 8-6 Horde win in 11 innings. The Horde exploded for 14 runs on 18 hits in the finale, winning 14-3.

The Asians hit a respectable .244 but had just nine doubles, one triple, and three homers.

Game 1 Tsunamis 3, Horde 1

The home squad takes game one, courtesy of two unearned runs. Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed seven innings, allowing just three hits while walking one. But three errors, including one he made himself, led to the defeat. Thomas Murphy, Aaron Judge, and Byron Buxton each had RBI for the Wave. Jorge Soler hit a solo homer for the visitors lone run.

Horde   1-3-3   L- Hyun-Ju Ryu 3-4. HR- Jorge Soler 7.

Tsu      3-4-0   W- Yonny Chirinos.  SV- Felipe Vazquez.

Game 2 Tsunamis 7, Horde 6

Both teams fought back and forth. Horde OF Joey Gallo had hit a solo shot in the top of the second for an early Horde lead. Tsu 3b Nolan Arenado responded in the bottom of the frame with a two run homer to give the homies a lead. The Horders answered with a pair in the top of the third with a couple doubles after an Asian error. But the Tsunamis would score three in the bottom of the frame to go up 5-3. Murphy, Judge, and Trevor Story each got an RBI. The visitors weren’t done yet, scoring a pair in the top of the 6th when Soler went deep. Back the Wave would come with two runs in the seventh as Max Muncy and Buxton brought home runs. Down by two, Pete Alonso hit a solo homer in the top of the ninth but it wasn’t enough. 

Horde   6-10-2  L- Walden 1-1  HR- Soler 8, Gallo 3, Alonso 23

Tsu       7-9-1  W- Brittan  HR- Arenado

Game 3  Horde 8, Tsunamsi  6  11 innings

Another game rocked back and forth. Eugenio Suarez got the visitors on the board in the first with a three run blast. Juan Solo scored on a sac fly in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 3-1. Suarez would hit a second homer, a two run shot in the 5th to put his team up 5-1. His homer was answered by a Soto two run shot in the bottom of the inning. Alonso would hit a solo homer in the 7th to put the Horde up 6-3. The home squad roared back with a run in the 8th on a Story double. With a 6-4 lead, the Horde pen tried to end things but a hit by pitch and three singles saw the game tied. The bottom of the 9th ended when Tim Anderson was thrown at the plate. Into extras they went. The top of the 11th saw Trey Mancini hit a two run homer off the seventh Tsunamis reliever of the game. Sean Newcomb was able to close things out so the visitors could take game three. Suarez had a pair of doubles on the game to go with his two homers. 

Horde   8-10-1  W- Alex Colome 1-4.  SV- Sean Newcomb 2. HR – Trey Mancini 7, Alonso 24, Eugenio Suarez 2 HR 16,17.

Asians  6-10-2  L- Roberto Osuna.  HR- Juan Soto.

Game 4 Horde 14, Tsunamis 3

The visitors put the game away early. The first six batters in the first got hits, totaling five runs. Alonso had a three-run yard shot for the big hit. Soler added a two-run jack in the 3rd. Buxton would single home a run in the 4th to cut the lead to 7-1 but Michael Conforto hit a three homer in the top of the 5th, and the rout was on. David Dahl, Will Smith, and Alonso would later hit homers en route to the victory.

Horde  14-18-3  W- Eddy Rodriquez  HR- Dahl 2, Smith 7, Conforto 10, Soler 9, Alonso 2 HR 25, 26.

Asians  3-11-2    L- Yonny Chirinos  HR- Max Muncy.

Whats stifle Otters 3 games to 1 in cross-town battle, Sun, Sept. 14

The Whatevers took three of four from the Otters, who were coming off a stunning sweep against Dave Larson’s Taz Deviels .  Alex Bregman and George Springer both had a pair of homers for the Whats, with both of Bregman’s blasts coming in game two.

The series win evened the Whatevers record at 8-8 (25-31 cumulative) while the Otters slipped to 9-11 for the second half and 34-26 for the season. 

Game 1  Whatevers 7, Otters 4

The Whats plated three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away and win 7-4. A pair of two run triples by Gio Urshela paced the visitors and make winner of Lucas Giolito. Yadi Molina would go deep in the fifth off Patrick Corbin to get scoring started. Ronald Acuna and Jose Abreu would each drive one out and a two run double by Anthony Rendon provided the scoring for the Otters.

Whats    7-11-0 W-Lucas Giolito 2-3. HR Yadier Molina 6

Otters     4-7-1 L-Patrick Corbin.HR  Ronald Acuña, Jose Abreu.

Game 2  Whatevers 12, Otters 5

The Whatevers stormed back from a 4-0 deficit to win 12-5. Ketel Marte paced the Otters with a two-run homer in the first and a rbi single in the second but the Whats clawed back. Yuli Gurriel doubled in a run in the fourth and then in the fifth they tied it against Lance Lynn on a RBI triple by Whit Merrifield and a two-run homer by George Springer. The Whats added four in the seventh and again in the eighth with a pair of two run homers by Alex Bregman to seal the deal. Roberto Perez would add a solo homer in the ninth for the Otters.

Whats    12-11-0 W-Pedro Baez 2-1. HR Springer 10, Bregman 2 HR 12

Otters      5-10 -0 L-Lance Lynn. HR Ketel Marte, Roberto Perez.

Game 3  Otters 7, Whatevers 6

After a brief lead by the Whats, the Otter bats awoke in the fourth and fifth to chase Justin Verlander and then hang on for 7-6 win. Yordan Alvarez got the scoring started with a two-run homer off Otters starter Jacob deGrom in the first but the Otters went to work on Verlander in the fourth. A two-base error by Alvarez allowed a run to score and then later in the inning Freddie Freeman would take an offering way out with two on to get the lead. Rendon would add a rbi double in the fifth then was followed by a two-run blast by Mike Trout. The Whats made  it close in the seventh when Gio Urshela hit his third two run triple of the series to make it 7-5. Gio then scored on a double by Yordan Alvarez but then Bummer and Yates closed the door for the Otters and to pick up the victory.

Whats    6-8-1    L-Justin Verlander 2-5. HR Yordan Alvarez 11.

Otters     7-8-0   W-Jacob deGrom. Sv-Yates. Whats HR Freddie Freeman, Mike Trout.

Game 4 Whatevers 8, Otters 4

The Whatevers went after Luis Castillo early and captured the finale 8-4. What Gio Urshela went deep in the first. Frankie Lindor added SF in the second to make it 2-0. A bases loaded walk to Bregman, a SF to Springer, and an RBI single by Lindor in the third make in 5-0. The Otters fought back with a two-run double by Rendon in the third and two run shot by Yohan Moncada in the fourth would chase What starter Walker Buehler. The visitors would score two in the sixth with a two-run single by David Fletcher and the final run came off the bat of Springer with a solo shot. The Whats bullpen retired the last 18 batters to seal the deal and make a winner of reliever Brandon Workman.

Whats    8-10-0   W-Brandon Workman 3-5. HR Geo Urshela 4, Geo Springer 11.

Otters     4-4-0    L-Luis Castillo. HR Yoan Moncada.

OAPBA career pitching leaders, 1988-2019

OAPBA Standings, Second Half, September 18

Second half standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB
Tsunamis	13	7	0.750	—
Beefers	11	9	0.550	2
Whatevers	8	8	0.500	3
Horde	11	13	0.458	4
Otters	9	11	0.450	4
Taz Devils	8	12	0.400	5

After splits at home against the Taz Devils and Horde, Craig Dolan’s Tsunamis (13-7) continue to hold a two-game lead over Rod Caborn’s Beefers (11-9). Walt Taylor’s Whatevers (8-8) have also moved into contention and are lurking only three games behind. Marc Bostrom’s Horde, vastly improved in the second half, are 11-3 while Jonathan Stilwell’s Otters (9-11) and Dave Larson’s Taz Devils have both had difficulties as the second half has progressed.

The Tsunamis are in a commanding position to win the overall race without a playoff it they can continue to play .500 for the remainder of the first half. The Beefers will have the pressure on as they have to perform well against the Tsunamis in their remaining head-to-head series, at the Beefer Bowl and must win another series without running into a series loss.

Cumulative standings

Team	W	L	Pct	GB
Tsunamis	40	20	0.667	—
Otters	34	26	0.567	6
Taz Devils	34	26	0.567	6
Whatevers	25	31	0.446	13
Beefers	26	34	0.433	14
Horde	21	43	0.328	21