31. 1912 Boston Red Sox v. 98. 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 1 age/OPS+/ERA+/WAR
Dodgers-Roberts
SS Seager (23) 126 5.2
3B Turner (32) 150 5.1
1B Bellinger (21) 143 4.1
LF Taylor (26) 123 4.6
RF Puig (26) 119 3.5
C Grandal (28) 101 3.8
CF Pederson (25) 96 .2
2B Utley (38) 93 .95
P Kershaw (29) 179 6.1
Red Sox-Stahl
3B Gardner (26) 134 5.9
1B Stahl (33) 125 2.1
CF Speaker (24) 189 9.7
LF Lewis (24) 112 2.1
SS Wagner (31) 102 2.9
RF Hooper (24) 84 .5
C Cady (26) 99 1.3
2B Engle (28) 82 .4
P Wood (22) 177 9.5
The Sox might go with all right handers and so Roberts might stick with this group, but Austin Barnes and Logan Forsythe are ready if they see a lefty. Andrew Toles might swap in for Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez might play instead of Forsythe. LA will almost certainly go with all lefties, the Sox are sitting both Carrigan and Yerkes with a desire to get a little more offense in the lineup. The Dodgers are the underdogs by seed, but they have a WAR advantage in 4 of 5 infield spots and two of three outfield spots.
Sox. Dodgers - let's head to Fenway for game one.
1st: Smoky Joe Wood went 34-5 with a 1.91 ERA; the Sox don't have as many good players as the Dodgers - but the Dodgers don't have Wood and Speaker. Wood gives up a two out single to Cody Bellinger, but that's all.
1st: Clayton Kershaw was 18-4 with a 2.31 ERA; will his postseasons struggles continue here? He gets the Sox in order.
2nd: Yasiel Puig hits a sinking liner to left that takes a weird hop and gets by Duffy Lewis; it's scored a two base error; two outs later, Jake Stahl, both playing first and managing for the Sox - calls for an intentional pass to Chase Utley to bring Kershaw to the plate --- and Kershaw helps himself, he lines a single to right - Puig scores easily and how about that - the Dodgers go up 1-0
2nd: Lewis looks to make up for the error with a leadoff single, but he's then erased on a Heinie Wagner double play. Harry Hooper follows with a base hit, and with two out, Hick Cady, getting the start behind the plate over Bill Carrigan, doubles to right center to tie the score. 1-1
3rd: Chris Taylor singles with two out, but that's all.
3rd: Kershaw maybe gets squeezed on a ball four to Wood; Roberts is aggravated from the Dodger dugout, but that's all and we head to the 4th, 1-1.
4th: 10 pitch inning for Wood.
4th: Kershaw matches him. Still 1-1.
5th: Clayton Kershaw leads off with his second hit of the game - not only is he pitching well he's the hitting star so far. Corey Seager follows with a single to center and LA has two on. But that's it - Wood gets a Justin Turner groundout and a Bellinger double play and he's safely through 5.
5th: Hooper gets his second hit of the day - but he's gunned down by Grandal; and Kershaw is cruising. 1-1
6th: Wood absolutely blows through the Dodgers; nothing but weak contact.
6th: Kershaw has two hits - and Wood has now reached twice with a base hit to lead off. Larry Gardner grounds to second - the flip to short gets the lead runner and the turn takes out Gardner for a double play. Kershaw gets the third out and it remains 1-1
7th: Utley gets a one out walk and moves to second on a Kershaw bunt - Corey Seager then drives a single to right - Utley has a great jump and scores easily and the Dodgers have broken through to take the 2-1 lead.
7th: Tris Speaker gets his first hit of the day, a leadoff single and then moves to third with Lewis follows with his own single. Big chance here, men on the corners and nobody out. Kershaw gets Wagner to pop up - and Hooper grounds to short - they flip to second to get one - and onto first...it's a bang bang play but they call Hooper safe, Speaker scores the tying run; Roberts is out of the dugout now, really, really angered at the call, but remains in the game. Hooper attempts to steal second - but Grandal nails him and we head to the 8th. 2-2
8th: With one out, Taylor singles and Puig works a very long at bat into a walk. Go ahead run in scoring position for the Dodgers - after a second out, Joc Pederson walks and LA has the bases loaded with two out. Wood takes a deep breath - and strikes out Chase Utley on three pitches to end the threat.
8th: Kershaw has just been tremendous today; what a pitchers duel - he sets the Sox down in order and we go to the 9th still all tied at 2
9th: Left handed bench bat Andrew Toles hits for Kershaw to lead off the inning and he rips a single to left; Seager follows with a single of his own and LA is threatening again, men on the corners with nobody out. Wood then walks Justin Turner - you can see the Red Sox fans craning their necks toward the bullpen now. Stahl leaves Wood in - he walks Bellinger. 3-2 Dodgers. Stahl leaves Wood in - he gives up a base hit to Taylor, 4-2 Dodgers. Stahl leaves Wood in - he gets Puig, but then gives up a sac fly to Grandal and it's 5-2 LA. That's finally enough; 28 year old right hander Eddie Cicotte was not good in 1912, he comes on and ends the inning. Dodgers 5 Sox 2
9th: 29 year old Kenley Jansen is a monster with a 1.32 ERA and he comes in to close for Roberts, Tris Speaker gets a two out single - but that's all and the Dodgers have taken game one in Fenway.
Dodgers 5
Red Sox 2
WP Kershaw
LP Wood
3 hits apiece for Seager and Taylor, Kershaw had two and of course was the star of the game with 8 innings of 2 run ball. Speaker, Lewis and Hooper all had two hits for Boston.
We head to Dodger Stadium for game 2; it'll be another lefty, 16 game winner Alex Wood going for LA -- the Sox counter with 20 game winner Buck O'Brien.
Red Sox-Stahl
3B Gardner (26) 134 5.9
CF Speaker (24) 189 9.7
1B Stahl (33) 125 2.1
LF Lewis (24) 112 2.1
SS Wagner (31) 102 2.9
C Cady (28) 85 1.5
RF Hooper (24) 84 .5
2B Engle (28) 82 .4
P O'Brien (30) 131 3.4
Dodgers-Roberts
LF Taylor (26) 123 4.6
3B Turner (32) 150 5.1
1B Bellinger (21) 143 4.1
SS Seager (23) 126 5.2
RF Puig (26) 119 3.5
C Grandal (28) 101 3.8
CF Toles (25) 102 .4
2B Utley (38) 93 .95
P Wood (26) 152 3.8
Minor changes in game 2; the Sox swapping second basemen, the Dodgers center fielders. Must win for Boston.
1st: Alex Wood went 16-3 in the regular season, he gets the ball looking to close out the Sox; he gets them in order.
1st: Buck O'Brien went 20-13; the Sox need a win to stay alive another day. He gets LA in order.
2nd: Wood mows them down.
2nd: Yasmani Grandal singles with two out; Andrew Toles got the start in center in this one - and he drives a ball to the wall in right center; LA decides to be aggressive on the basepaths and send Grandal - he slides in under the tag and the Dodgers are on the board. The Sox put Utley on intentionally to pitch to Wood - and he beats them with a single to right that scores Toles. Sox 0 Dodgers 2
3rd: Clyde Engle moved into the starting lineup at second for this series; with one out he doubles to left - and then catches the Dodgers napping with a steal of third. The Sox play that old school small ball - O'Brien squeezes Engle home and it's 2-1.
3rd: Easy inning for O'Brien.
4th: With two out, Duffy Lewis doubles to right center; but the Sox are unable to tie the score.
4th: 3 up, 3 down.
5th: Wood sets Boston down in order.
5th: Engle kicks a Chase Utley grounder, Wood bunts him over, but that's as far as it gets. Sox 1 Dodgers 2
6th: With two out, Tris Speaker laces a double down the left field line - and then Jake Stahl drives him home with a base hit and it's tied. Wood gives up back to back singles to Lewis and Wagner and now the Sox have moved in front. Sox 3 Dodgers 2
6th: Yasiel Puig hits a two out single, but that it. 3 innings to go, Sox up a run.
7th: Engle's aboard again with a one out walk, O'Brien bunts him over, but thats all.
7th: Utley's aboard again with a one out walk; Joc Pederson hits for Wood - but O'Brien just continues to stone the Dodgers and we head to the 8th, Sox 3 Dodgers 2
8th: 32 year old right hander Brandon Morrow had a helluva year with a 2.06 ERA and he comes on; he gives up a one out single to Stahl, but nothing else.
8th: Nothin'. Hats off to Buck O'Brien for this performance.
9th: 31 year old Josh Fields enters for LA; with a 2.84 ERA he's also a good option for Roberts; and he has an easy inning. We're headed to the bottom of the ninth - Dodgers need a run or we're headed back to Fenway.
9th O'Brien strikes out Puig - one away; Grandal then doubles off the wall and LA has the tying run in scoring position. A modern team would go to the pen for sure - but O'Brien stays in here, he gets Toles to fly to right for the second out, he then has an absolute war with Utley...but he loses him and now there are two on, two out - Logan Forsythe enters as a pinch hitter - and he hits a lazy fly to center to end the game.
Red Sox 3
Dodgers 2
WP O'Brien
LP Wood
Complete game 5 hitter for Buck O'Brien in a must win spot for the Sox. Stahl and Lewis both had a couple of hits for Boston; Grandal two for the Dodgers.
So - we head to Fenway for a winner take all game 3; Boston's going with a lefty in this one, 25 year old Ray Collins and the Dodgers throw their third straight lefty at the Sox, 37 year old Rich Hill.
Dodgers-Roberts
RF Puig (26) 119 3.5
3B Turner (32) 150 5.1
1B Bellinger (21) 143 4.1
LF Taylor (26) 123 4.6
SS Seager (23) 126 5.2
C Barnes (27) 138 3.2
CF Hernandez (25) 92 1.3
2B Forsythe (30) 118 1.5
P Hill (37) 125 2.7
Red Sox-Stahl
SS Wagner (31) 102 2.9
CF Speaker (24) 189 9.7
3B Gardner (26) 134 5.9
1B Stahl (33) 125 2.1
LF Lewis (24) 112 2.1
2B Engle (28) 82 .4
RF Hooper (24) 84 .5
C Carrigan (28) 85 1.5
P Collins (25) 132 4
Lot of Dodger changes against a lefty - Barnes/Hernandez/Forsythe all make their first starts of the series; Boston decides to go with their primary catcher, Carrigan, who sat in the first two.
Sox. Dodgers. Fenway. Winner take all.
1st: The Sox have a third 20 game winner, Hugh Bedient, but chose Collins, who has a better ERA and is a lefty, and Stahl decides he wants to throw a different look at the Dodgers. Yasiel Puig opens with a groundout, Justin Turner follows by cracking a double to left center, Collins then balks him over to third - after a second out, Collins walks Taylor to put runners on the corners with two out - and then he gives up back to back singles from Corey Seager and Austin Barnes -- and it's 2-0 Dodgers.
1st: 12-8 Hill gets the call; it's really the only decision that makes sense for Roberts; Heinie Wagner leads off with a double on the first pitch - so maybe there was another decision to make -- but that's it for the Sox and LA is still up 2.
2nd: With one out Hill helps himself; he had one double all season - but lines one right down the right field line and he's into second standing. an out later Turner walks, but Collins strikes out Bellinger.
2nd: Clyde Engle singles with one out, then steals second - he moves to third on a ground ball - but Hill keeps them off the board.
3rd: Chris Taylor hits a ball off the green monster...it takes a crazy hop and rolls to center - Lewis and Speaker are both chasing -- Taylor rounds second and heads for third -- and he's going to round third and keep going -- all the way ---- around for an inside the park homer! The Dodger bench is really animated now as they've got a 3 run lead in the winner take all game. Dodgers 3 Sox 0
3rd: After two out, Speaker and Gardner hit back to back singles, but we are heading to the 4th, 3-0.
4th: 3 up, 3 down.
4th: Lewis singles to open up the inning, but that's all.
5th: Easy inning for Collins.
5th: 3 up, 3 down. We're headed to the 6th, Dodgers 3 Sox 0.
6th: With two out, Kike Hernandez singles to center and Logan Forsythe does the same - LA has them on the corners but Collins gets through it.
6th: 3 up. 3 down.
7th: Bellinger draws a two out walk and then Taylor singles him to third. Another shot for the Dodgers to put this series away - but they do not.
7th: 7th inning stretch; Sox are down to their final 9 outs. Engle's aboard on a Bellinger error -- but thats all for the Sox. Big outing for Rich Hill and it's 3-0.
8th: Eddie Cicotte had a bad year but he gets the call - he gives up a leadoff double to Barnes who moves to third on a wild pitch; Cicotte walks Hernandez - and then Forsythe hits a sac fly. It's 4-0 Dodgers and it sure looks like we've seen the end of this series. Larry Pape is next for the Sox, he also struggled during the season (there's a real bullpen advantage for LA) Hill stays in for LA and bunts Hernandez over; Puig bloops a single to center - Hernandez comes around to score...this one's all over, Dodgers take a 5-0 lead.
8th: Hill has an easy 8th, including a Speaker strikeout - LA is about to claim a spot in the next round.
9th: Remember how I said 4th starters would never get a call since the simulation doesn't know what's happening? 20 game winner Bedient gets the ball for the Sox, so what do I know? Bellinger opens up with a single to center - but that's all. We go to the bottom of the 9th, 5-0 LA
9th: LA gives the ball to Brandon Morrow -- they don't even need Kenley Jansen here, Morrow goes 3 up and down and it's over.
Dodgers 5
Red Sox 0
WP Hill
LP Collins
Big homer for Taylor in this one, he added a base hit and added the 3 in the game one win - LA had big starts by both Kershaw and Hill; those two are co-MVPs.
The Dodgers move on - they meet the winners of this series:
34. 1952 New York Yankees v. 95. 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates
Couple of World Champions hooking up in this one; let's take a look at the Game 1 lineups.
Pirates - Danny Murtaugh
2B Cash (23) 98
3B Hebner (23) 126
LF Stargell (31) 185
RF Clemente (36) 143
1B Robertson (24) 135
CF Oliver (24) 113
C Sanguillen (27) 116
SS Alley (30) 79
P Blass (29) 121
Yankees - Stengel
LF Woodling (29) 148
C Berra (27) 137
CF Mantle (20) 162
1B Collins (29) 140
RF Bauer (29) 132
3B McDougald (24) 101
SS Rizzuto (34) 94
2B Martin (24) 90
P Reynolds (35) 161
Couple of right handers going in game one; Rennie Stennett is on the Pirate bench and he's appealing as a plus bat, but the Bucs decide to go with Cash's glove (Mazeroski is also on the bench) there's a thought to maybe catch Milt May against a right hander, but again, Sanguillen's glove gets preference. The Yanks have a 39 year old Johnny Mize on their bench, but he's unlikely to see action other than pinch hitting.
1st: Allie Reynolds is solidly the Yanks best option here; their only 20 game winner and by half a run the lowest ERA in the rotation. He gives up a two out double to Willie Stargell, but that's it.
1st: Steve Blass gets the ball for the Pirates; 15 game winner, only Pirate starter with an ERA under 3. If this series goes 3, Pittsburgh's got a challenge with a third starter. Blass gets the leadoff guy - but Yogi Berra hits a rocket over the right field wall and it's 1-0 Yanks. Blass gets Mantle, in his debut at bat in the tournament, Joe Collins and Hank Bauer single back to back but Blass is able to escape with no further damage. Pirates 0 Yankees 1
2nd: Bob Robertson leads off with a single, but that's it.
2nd: Phil Rizzuto and Billy Martin open up with singles; but Blass gets Reynolds 6-4-3 to leave Rizzuto alone at third with two out; Gene Woodling walks to bring Berra up again with men on the corners, and Blass gets out of it.
3rd: Easy inning for Reynolds.
3rd: After two out, Bauer singles to right, McDougald follows with a single to right - but Blass escapes this one as well. Three innings down. Pirates 0 Yankees 1
4th: 3 up, 3 down.
4th: Woodling singles with two out - but that's it, a relatively easy inning for Blass.
5th: Reynolds really cruising now. 11 straight.
5th: After Mantle's second strikeout of the game, Collins doubles - and he's driven home by Bauer's third base hit of the day. McDougald then singles for the second time, New York's got men on the corners, and Rizzuto gets his second base hit, driving Bauer home and it's 3-0 Yankees. Blass, who can get a little wild, drills Martin in the ribs - Martin stares hard at Blass but then goes down to first to load the bases with still just the one out. That's all though - Reynolds hits into his second double play of the game and it's Pirates 0 Yankees 3
6th: 14 straight for Reynolds.
6th: After an out, Yogi slaps a single to left, another out and Collins singles for his third hit of the day, New York again has runners on the corners, Hank Bauer comes through again - his fourth base hit - Yogi scores it's 4-0 New York and that's it. Pirates 0 Yankees 4
7th: After Reynolds gets his 15th straight, Stargell singles for the third Pirate baserunner of the day, but Reynolds strikes out Clemente and Robertson back to back - helluva game for Allie Reynolds and New York is six outs away from taking game one.
7th: Martin singles with one out and then Blass can't find the plate at all, walking Reynolds on four straight pitches. After a second out, Yogi comes through again, singling home Billy. Pirates 0 Yankees 5.
8th: Manny Sanguillen gets Pittsburgh's 4th hit of the day after an out, but that's it.
8th: 32 year old Bob Miller only threw 28 innings in the regular season, but they were good innings, he had a 1.29 ERA and he comes on for the Bucs. With one out - Hank Bauer gets his 5th hit of the day, that's the high mark so far in the tournament, Miller gets a second out and then Nellie Briles enters for the Pirates. Briles had 14 starts on the year and pitched solidly with a 3.04 ERA, he gets out of the inning. We head to the ninth, big Yankee lead.
9th: Reynolds gives up a leadoff single to Cash - then walks Hebner, for the first time all day Reynolds is in trouble - but Stengel doesn't budge in the dugout, Reynolds gets Stargell to groundout - but Clemente comes through with a base hit to score the Pirates first run. 2 on, still just one out, 5-1 now, 34 year old Johnny Sain had 16 starts for the Yankees, 4th most on the staff, but he comes in here to close the door (not a great pen for this Yankee team) he gets the second out - but then gives up an Al Oliver double that rattles around in the right field corner - both runs - both runs come around to score -- and look what we have here - it's now 5-3 Yankees and the tying run is coming to the plate. But that's it - Sanguillen grounds to short and it's done.
Pirates 3
Yankees 5
WP Reynolds
LP Blass
18 Yankee hits. Berra had three, with that homer, Collins had 3, Hank Bauer had 5 - a 5 hit game! McDougald, Rizzuto, Martin all had two - every Yankee position player hit the ball except for Mantle, who went 0-5. Strong outing for Reynolds, 8 1/3, 6 hits. Stargell got a couple hits for Pittsburgh.
We'll head to Three Rivers for Game 2 - Pittsburgh's winningest pitcher was Dock Ellis, who won 19, he'll get the ball. New York's going to go with their lefty, Eddie Lopat, with his 2.53 ERA.
I neglected to include the WAR computation. Added here for game 2.
LF Woodling (29) 148 3.6
C Berra (27) 137 5.6
CF Mantle (20) 162 6.3
1B Collins (29) 140 3.1
RF Bauer (29) 132 3.6
3B McDougald (24) 101 3.3
SS Rizzuto (34) 94 3.8
2B Martin (24) 90 1.8
P Lopat (34) 131 1.8
2B Cash (23) 98 2.5
1B Robertson (24) 135 3.6
LF Stargell (31) 185 7.5
RF Clemente (36) 143 6.5
C Sanguillen (27) 116 4.7
3B Hebner (23) 126 2
CF Oliver (24) 113 2.5
SS Alley (30) 79 .6
P Ellis (26) 113 3
1st: Who knows what illicit substances Dock Ellis might have tried prior to this one, a must win game for the Pirates. Whatever they are - they work in the first, as he sets the Yanks down in order.
1st: New York could have gone with 16 game winner Vic Rachi here, but he'll get the nod if we go back to Yankee Stadium. Ed Lopat, a lefty, gets the ball. He sends the Bucs down in order.
2nd: 3 up, 3 down.
2nd: Back to back singles by Clemente and Sanguillen to start the inning - Hebner grounds to second; they get the lead runner, but can't quite make the turn and there are men on the corners with one away. Oliver grounds to short - Martin doesn't have a play at the plate, he gets the out at first and the Pirates have their first lead of the series. Yankees 0 Pirates 1
3rd: With one out - it's Billy Martin who gets New York's first base hit, Lopat bunts him over, but that's all.
3rd: Easy inning for Lopat. Through 3 - Bucs up a run.
4th: Berra leads off with a walk, an out later, Collins singles to right center - but that's as far as it goes.
4th: 3 up, 3 down.
5th: Rizzuto opens up with a single - he's going to move all the way to third on two groundouts - but thats where it ends.
5th: Gene Alley lines a one out single to right; Ellis bunts him over, but that's it. 5 innings down, Yankees 0 Pirates 1
6th: After an out, Mantle gets his first hit of the series, an out later Bauer doubles into the left field corner -- Mantle gets to third but doesn't really have a chance to go further; and so the tying run remains at third with 2 away. Ellis pitches carefully now - walking McDougald - that brings up Phil Rizzuto -- and on a 3-2, pitch - Scooter doubles right down the right field line - clearing the bases - the Yankees go up 3-1 and that knocks Ellis out of the game. 35 year old Mudcat Grant, one of a host of mediocre bullpen pieces for the Pirates, enters - he gives up a single to Martin and now it's 4-1 Yankees. Yankees 4 Pirates 1
6th: Lopat strikes out Stargell and Clemente back to back - he's cruising and the Yankees are 9 outs away from moving on to meet the 2017 Dodgers.
7th: Yogi singles with one out; Mantle then drives a ball off the wall in right - Yogi takes a shot and Clemente shoots him down in a bang/bang play at the plate; Sanguillen swipe tagging him for the out. Collins then singles Mantle home, however, and it's 5-1 New York.
7th: Sanguillen leads off with a single - Lopat gets the next two, but Casey's seen enough and brings in Johnny Sain to end the inning.
8th: Pirate lefty Bob Veale with an ERA near 7 is on in what sure looks like a hopeless spot; McDougald leads off with a walk and goes all the way to third on a Rizzuto single. Martin hits a ground ball the other way - they get the runner at second but now it's 6-1 Yankees. Bob Miller finishes the inning for the Bucs. Yankees 6 Pirates 1
8th: Sain gets the first two - then gives up back to back singles to Robertson and Stargell - Clemente can't hit a 5 run homer, so the spot isn't as big as it might be - but Sain gets a harmless fly ball and we head to the 9th.
9th: New York gets one out walks by Berra and Mantle but that's it. 3 outs away.
9th: Richie Hebner gives Pittsburgh one more with a one out homer but that's all.
Yankees 6
Pirates 2
WP Lopat
LP Ellis
New York never really had to sweat here; both Reynolds and Lopat gave them good outings; Rizzuto had 5 hits in the series, Martin and Berra 4 -- but Hank Bauer had that 5 hit game one; and in a two game series, that makes him the MVP.
We move on - the 2017 Dodgers will meet the 1952 Yankees in the next round.
That settles the first half of Region 2:
1967 Cardinals v. 1948 Indians
2017 Dodgers v. 1952 Yankees.
We start filling the back half next - the '39 Yankees are gone -- but the '37 Yankees get a chance to enter the field when they face the '28 A's. The winner of that series will face the winner of the 1912 Giants against the 1993 Braves.
