Dave Larson’s Taz Devils and Rod Caborn’s Beefers kicked off OAPBA’s 2020 second half Saturday morning with a split in their four-game series at the Beefer Bowl. In a series played before cutout fans in the stands, the Devils took the first two games, but could only come away with a draw in the series, with the Beefs taking the final two games, both in extra innings.
The Devils hit .228 in the series, pounding out 22 extra-base hits, including six HR. The Beefers his .241, with 19 extra-base hits and five homers. Devils 3b Rafael Devers had a monster series, going 7-17 with four doubles and a pair of home runs. Beefer LF Brett Gardner, obtained in a mid-season trade with the Devils, who acquired J.D. Martinez, was 7-13, with six of his seven hits for two bases.
Game 1 Taz Devils 5, Beefers 2
The Devils only generated seven hits in the opener, but six of them were for extra bases, with 3b Rafael Devers leading the way with a pair of home runs, driving in three runs, as the Tazzies won 5-2. Taz mound ace Gerritt Cole gave up only one run and three hits over eight innings. Xander Bogaerts also homered for the Devils, while J.T. Realmuto had a pair of doubles.
The Beefers only two runs results from solo homers by Bryce Harper, off Cole, and D.J. LeMahieu, off reliever Taylor Rogers.
Devils 5-7-1 W- Gerritt Cole 5-2. HR- Xander Bogaerts #10, Rafael Devers 2 HR, #4-5.
Beefers 2-6-1 L- Shane Bieber 3-4. HR Bryce Harper #5, D.J. LeMahieu # 6.
Game 2 Taz Devils 6, Beefers 1
The Devils put this one away early, hammering Beefer starter Max Scherzer for six runs in the second inning, with Charlie Morton cruising to his fifth win of the season. Taz C J.T. Realmuto hit a bases-loaded triple and Michael Brantley hit a two-run HR in the second to give Morton, who went seven innings, allowing on an unearned run, all he needed for the win. Rafeal Devers had a pair of doubles for the Devils.
Devils 6-9-1 W- Charlie Morton 5-3. HR- Michael Brantley #3.
Beefers 1-6-2 L- Max Scherzer 0-3.
Game 3 Beefers 6, Taz Devils 5 (10 innings)
Beefer Jose Ramirez singled home Tommy Pham in the bottom of the 10th to give the Beefs a hard-fought 6-5 win. The Beefs got off to a 2-0 start when Ramon Laureano homered in the second and built the lead to 5-1 in the seventh, including a two-run triple by Laureno. The Devils, however, fought back with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth and tied the contest at 5-5 when Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer off Beefer closer Emilio Pagan.
Rafael Devils continued his assault on Beefer pitching, with a double and a single while Betts drove In 3 runs. The Devils left 10 men on base in the loss while the Beefs left eight stranded.
Devils 5-10-0 L-Trevor May 2-3. HR Mookie Betts #8.
Beefers 6-14-1 W-Tim Hill 4-0. HR Ramon Laureano #8 (4 RBIs), Jose Ramirez #5.
Game 4 Beefers 3, Taz Devils 2 (12 innings)
Newly acquired Beefer LF Brett Gardner, who notched four hits in the game, made his final hit a game winner, doubling home Marcus Semien in the bottom of the 12th as the Beefs ground out a second straight extra-inning win over the Devils. Devils righty John Flaherty (6 IP, 2 runs) and Beef rookie Frankie Montas (7 IP, 2 runs) both pitched well before leaving with the scored tied at two Both bullpens battled in the next five innings before the Beefs came away with the extra-inning victory.
The Devils came within inches of winning in the 10th when Mookie Betts saw a HR taken away when the ball just missed going out (i.e. a 1 converted into a 6) off Beef reliever Adam Ottavino. For the second straight game, Devils reliever Trevor May was the losing pitcher.
Devils 2-8-0 L-Trevor May 2-4. HR Max Kepler #7.
Beefers 3-9-1 W-Yasmiero Petit 1-2. HR Ramon Laureano #9
