The other FLDS got underway this week with the wild-card Austin Assassins (97-65) visiting the defending champion Surprise Zombies (124-38). (Note: We had to play this one by CM, so the @AUS summaries are mostly by Gary.)
Game 1: Shelby Miller (10-11, 4.11 ERA) vs. Corey Kluber (26-3, 2.28 ERA)
Unimpressed by the expected Cy Young winner, Jason Heyward started the game with a long blast into the seats! Austin's rally continued with a pair of 1-out singles before Kluber recovered with 2 Ks. The Zombies struck back quickly as Marte singled, Sandoval walked, and then they pulled off a double steal. Marte scored on a grounder (that would have been a hit if SS were in) and Sandoval scored on a sac fly. Apparently 2 runs was Miller's limit because Austin gave him the quick hook and sent in Wacha! That move actually looked brilliant as the kid totally shut down Surprise for 5 1/3 innings, untouchable even when tired. Fortunately for the Zombies, he's not allowed to make any more appearances in this series.
Austin finally replaced Wacha in the 7th with the LOOGY Blevins, who failed at his job by allowing Gonzalez to single. In came Cook, who alternated outs with a HBP and walk to load the bases for Avila. The catcher bats 9th for a reason and isn't known for his clutchiness, but SUR stuck with him anyway. He delivered a rocket into the gap to clear the bases! (triple modified to double due to slothfulness) That gave the Zombies a seemingly insurmountable 4-run lead. Kluber just kept rolling along, ending the 8th with a DP and retiring the Assassins 1-2-3 in the 9th. So Kluber went the distance, allowing only 5 hits, 3 in the 1st. It should be noted that Surprise had only 3 hits in the game, thanks mostly to Wacha's heroics, but they made their hits count. SUR 5-1
Game 2: Tanner Roark (13-12, 3.25) vs. Zach Greinke (20-5, 2.96)
Heyward only singled to lead off this game and Greinke escaped the 1st unscathed. Surprise struck quickly again, matching their G1 hit total with 3 singles in the 1st. Holliday's 2-out hit drove in a pair, with McCutchen just barely beating a great throw home (20 on 95% chance, but failed to block plate). Once again, Austin yanked their starter after only 2 outs and 2 runs. That lead didn't last long as Desmond blasted a 2-run homer in the 2nd. SUR went up again in the 3rd when Sandoval scored on a Gonzalez FC. On to the 5th, when Sandoval drove in a run to make it 4-2. Gonzalez led off the 8th with a homer and the Zombies led 5-2 with Greinke still pitching in the 9th. Could he match Kluber's CG effort? Well, maybe he could have, but SUR pulled him after a 1-out double and walk. In came closer Rondon, who quickly loaded the bases on a single. Yikes! That brought up Desmond, who accounted for the only AUS run with his HR, as the potential lead run. He took another mighty swing...but struck out. Next up was DJ LeMahieu, in as a defensive replacement. Could he be the unlikely hero? No, he struck out. SUR 5-2
So Surprise held serve by winning their games at home with very similar scores, despite being outhit in both games. AUS starters combined for a grand total of 1 1/3 IP, while SUR starters pitched 17 1/3.
Game 3: Tyson Ross (17-3, 2.90) vs. Jose Quintana (20-4, 2.59)
Quintana throw no hit ball for 4 2/3 innings. Gives up a 2 out single to Utley and then picks him off. Austin outhits Surprise 3-1 thru five but neither teams can score. Still scoreless thru six. Cutch doubles to lead off the seventh and AGon singles him home for the first run of the game. Neshek later enters in the inning with the bases loaded and walks Holliday to bring in the second run for Surprise, Meanwhile, Ross leaves with the lead and the Surprise bullpen continues to shut down Austin. A Sandoval double in the eighth drives in two more for Surprise for a 4-0 lead. Solarte answers with a 2 run blast in the bottom of the inning, but that is all the offense Austin can muster. Surprise gets the 4-2 win.
Game 4 - Corey Kluber vs. Rick Porcello (8-13, 4.27)
Kluber is once again masterful. Cutch with a leadoff triple in the fourth, followed by a Sandoval single and Surprise takes the 1-0 lead. Porcello bears down to get out of the inning. Marte is hit by a Porcello pitch and struggles to get to first base. Van Slyke is sent in to run for him. X-rays later show no broken bones, but he is expected to miss several more post season games ( game +15 ). Austin loads the bases in the sixth with one out and Surprise relieves Kluber (with a shutout going?) (Eric note: had slow hook, WTF?) with Hughes, who gets PH Mercer to hit into a double play. However, in the 7th Heyward chased him with a 2-out double and Blackmon beat lefty-killer Duffy with an RBI single that tied the game. Porcello continues to pitch well thru eight, but is forced to leave after giving up a leadoff single to Sandoval in the ninth. Joe Smith enters and pitches out of the jam. EXTRA INNINGS! Both bullpens take over and the grind begins. Base runners become almost non-existent. Jennings had PH for Rosales in the 12th, who had entered the game earlier after Polanco ran for Sandoval. So Surprise was forced to bring in Ryan Rua to play third (4e37). The baseball gods (Strat) roll a 3B x-chance to lead off the 13th and Rua commits an error. A Holt one out single sends Ramos to third. Austin pinch runs Jones for Ramos and Heyward strolls to the plate. Feliz with the pitch and Heyward with a check swing on a low outside slider. Wait, he made contact, and the ball lazily flies over Rua's head and drops in for a single. Jones scores the winning run and Austin wins in the 13th. At least we weren't swept this year. AUS 2-1 (13)
Game 5 - Greinke vs. Roark
Starters pitch well for first four innings. Blackmon hits into two double plays in his first two at bats to quell Austin chances. A lead off walk to Desmond in the 5th is followed by Brock Holt blast for a 2-0 Austin lead. Two singles later, Blackmon hits into his 3rd straight double play of the game. After a one out walk, Ramirez relieves Greinke in the 7th down 2-0. Lemahieu steals second, a passed ball send Lemahieu to third. Hewyard singles, 3-0 Austin. Blackmon at the plate, this time he doubles in the 4th run of the game. Surprise loads the bases with 2 outs in the 9th, but Storen gets PH Van Slyke to fly out ending the game. AUS 4-0
Game 6: Quintana vs. Mark Buehrle (15-7, 4.24)
After losing 3 in a row, Austin rallied to send the series back to Surprise. Needing a win to avoid game 7, the Zombies turned to their crafty veteran lefty Buehrle, who was easily their worst starter this season after a terrific 2014. Quintana hoped to bounce back from a tough loss in G3. Both pitchers started strong and we had a scoreless tie through 3 innings. AUS had the only hit and SUR had 2 walks. Buehrle's luck ran out in the 4th when Medica and Mercer singled, then Desmond doubled. However, Mercer was gunned down trying to score, so AUS led only 1-0. SUR tried to rally, but Peralta hit into a DP. Of course, that's when the Zombies finally got their 1st hit, a double by Rosales, who was briefly on the AUS roster. Up came Wil Rosario, who did what he's done all season, crushed a lefty offering deep into the seats! SUR 2-1 and Quintana was done.
Marte was lost to a brutal injury in G4 and his replacement Van Slyke dropped a fly ball to spark another AUS rally in the 5th. SUR got the bullpen up, but let Buehrle pitch. With 2 outs, he intentionally walked Pence, then unintentionally walked LeMehieu. Yikes! No way does he face Medica with the bases loaded. Yes, and he struck him out! Buehrle then departed as the home crowd gave him a thundering ovation. In the 5th, Utley made it to 3rd with 1 out, but Cook rallied to retire McCutchen and Gonzalez. Lefty Andrew Miller took over for Buehrle and retired 8 in a row, so that helped. Surprise got something going again in the 7th as Jennings doubled and Utley walked to chase Howell. The red-hot Sandoval chased Hatcher with an RBI single and then McCutchen hit a sac fly. SUR 4-1. With Gregerson pitching in the bottom of the 9th, PH Heyward doubled and PH Holt had an RBI single. That cut the lead to 4-2 and brought Desmond to the plate as the potential tying run. Surprise sent in Rondon to close it out and he coaxed a big double play ball to end it! SUR 4-2
So Surprise won the series in 6 games. There wasn't much offense, as SUR outscored AUS 19-13 and was actually outhomered 4-2. SUR only hit .190 as a team with only Sandoval (.429, 5 RBI) looking good among the regulars. However, the pitching was good enough (1.76 ERA) to advance anyway.
Congratulations to Gary on a great season with Austin. Good luck with Dime Box, perhaps you'll get another shot at the Zombies in the World Series. For now, bring on Washington in the FLCS!
