Friday, April 28, 2023

Series Thread (Games 27-29): Apr 28-30 vs. Cardinals

Fri 4.28 7p: TBD vs. Flaherty
Sat 4.29 6p: TBD vs. Montgomery
Sun 4.30 1p: TBD vs. TBD

Friday's game marks a return to Dodger Stadium for Harvard-Westlake's own Jack Flaherty, who pitched the Wolverines to their only Southern Section Division 1 Championship in 2013 with a 1-0 vitory over Marina. Flaherty was one of three Harvard-Westlake pitching phenoms who would later play in the major leagues; in fact, all three pitchers (inlcuding the White Sox' Lucas Giolito and the Braves' Max Fried) started 2021 Opening Day for their respective teams.

Flaherty, who starts Friday for the Cardinals, is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three starts @ Dodger Stadium, with 29 Ks over 18.0 IP. His 0.611 WHIP is the second-lowest across all 20 ballparks in which he has pitched, evidencing that he might be a little more fired up here at home. With the struggling Cardinals way back in the NL Central standings, I'm sure he has even more motivation to start this series off with a bang.

Let's welcome Flaherty back...but not be the best hosts possible. (But given we are a .500 team, I am sure we will be quite hospitable to St. Louis at least once this weekend.)

44 comments:

QuadSevens said...

Recipe for a bad game:

1 Opposing pitcher with excellent stats in our park
1 Shakey home bullpen
0 Named home starter
7+ Struggling or injured Dodgers batters

Makes 50,000+ servings of humble pie. Throw away left overs immediately.

Steve Sax said...

Ha! Nice job Quad…let me know if you want to write some series threads!

QuadSevens said...

Thanks Sax. I had a moment of inspiration. Not sure that I could pull off the game threads like you do, but I'll keep it in mind.

QuadSevens said...

Heads up all! Tonight's game is on Apple TV+.

Steve Sax said...

Dustin May once again can’t find the zone. It’s 2-0 St Louis in the first.

Steve Sax said...

May works around two more walks in the third, thanks to a great diving catch by Heyward in right.

2-2 tie

Steve Sax said...

Quad, there aren’t many of us fighting Gargantos this MPQ round.

Steve Sax said...

Muncy! Run-scoring double knocks in Freeman from first!

Steve Sax said...

3-2 LA

Steve Sax said...

That’s Muncy’s first XBH that was not a HR in 2023

Steve Sax said...

Heyward double!

4-2 LA

QuadSevens said...

Dodgers are scoring runs!?! I’ll take it! MPQ reinforcements on the way too!

Steve Sax said...

Martinez says he’s out for an extended period with a back issue. Dammito

Steve Sax said...

^Dammit

Steve Sax said...

You’re going to have to tell me where you are though

QuadSevens said...

Heyward robbed, but ends up on base with catcher’s interference.

Steve Sax said...

Heyward rocks one, but Nootbar makes an amazing catch for the fly out—except it was catchers interference. So heyward is on first with the bases juiced and one out for Outman.

Steve Sax said...

Outman HBP!

5-2 and Flaherty is probably done.

Steve Sax said...

Vargas is hacking up there. He Kd last AB. He looks bad here too

Steve Sax said...

CT3 Ks with the bases loaded as well.

But the Dodgers are still up 5-2

Steve Sax said...

Muncy just turns a great double play. Nice job by Vargas as well

Steve Sax said...

Whoops, misspelled Nootbaar up there. My bad

Steve Sax said...

Doc calls for Bazooka

QuadSevens said...

I’m happy to see that my recipe didn’t turn out right. Let’s go for two in a row now!

Steve Sax said...

GAME 2

Austin Barnes gets an RBI!!! That is a little unexpected.

1-0 LA through two

Steve Sax said...

Okay B7, still 1-0 LA, and Miguel Vargas gets a leadoff double. Neither Outman nor Thompson can advance him. And Barnes just worked a walk.

Cardinals go for a pitching change.

Steve Sax said...

WIN!

1-0 LA, Kershaw, Phillips, and Graterol throw a three-hitter. Way to go, Dodgers!

spank said...

that was a good win

QuadSevens said...

GAME 3

Dodgers up 3-2 after 4. Going for the sweep.

QuadSevens said...

Thor doesn’t like having the lead. Double, single and we’re tied.

QuadSevens said...

5+4+3=2

QuadSevens said...

Pop out ends the top half of the fifth. Let’s see if the offense can bail out Thor and set him up for his first Dodgers win.

QuadSevens said...

Bases loaded and nobody out. Let’s take advantage here now!

QuadSevens said...

Outman coming up. My new favorite player.

QuadSevens said...

Outman down on three curves. One down.

QuadSevens said...

Wild pitch scores a run! 4-3.

QuadSevens said...

Fielder’s choice ground plates another. 5-3 Dodgers after five.

QuadSevens said...

Vesia with back to back strikeouts in the 7th. Bozooka coming in with a runner on first.

Steve Sax said...

Wait CT3 has TWO hits this game?! Whaaaaaaaaat

Steve Sax said...

Slappy with a bases loaded sac fly. 6-3 LA, B8

Sorry I’m late. In transit…

Steve Sax said...

Muncy flies out for the third out.

6-3 LA through 8

Steve Sax said...

WIN

Steve Sax said...

SWEEP!!!

Steve Sax said...

My flight to LAX is delayed. So this news comes at the right time. Yay!