Technically, the
Cutters (91-71) scored first. But Yuma (111-51) quickly announced they weren’t
cold after a five-day layoff and took a 1-0 series lead.
The pitching matchup for this division
series opener in the desert was each team’s ace, Corey Kluber (14-9, 3.33) for
the visitors and Chris Sale (19-3, 1.74) in the home whites. Not much offense
was expected, as the hurlers ranked fourth and second in BARB, respectively, in
strikeouts.
Sale, the league ERA champ, was the
first to crack, though it was minor. In the top of the second, Brownsville
third baseman Manny Machado took him deep for a solo shot. Sale struck out the
other three batters in the inning.
His offense picked him up in the bottom
half, with Buster Posey singling to lead off and Michael Brantley launched a
two-run homer to right. The Firebirds kept swinging, dumping two more singles
up the middle. A grounder to third got the out at the plate, but Joey Votto
drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Andrew McCutchen, who drove a 1-1
Kluber offering DEEP to left…WAY BACK….CAUght.
YUMA 2, BROWNSVILLE 1
That score held until the ninth,
although there were a few eyebrow-raising moments in between. For instance, in
the bottom of the fourth, Sale grounded slowly to first with a runner on. The
throw to second base was in time, but the lanky lefty beat out the return peg.
On the very next pitch, with Kluber not bothering to glance over, Sale took a
HUGE lead—and swiped second! The pitcher advanced another base on a single but
was stranded at third.
The Cutters put up their best rally in
the eighth when Carson Smith replaced Sale (7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 8 K) and walked two
batters. A ground out, strikeout and fly out sandwiched the free passes,
however, and Smith was able to send the lead into the ninth.
He got there with an extra run of
insurance, as Brantley lined a single to right center and stole second before a
Steve Pearce seeing-eye single brought him around. Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth
for a two-inning save and 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
FINAL: YUMA 3, BROWNSVILLE 1
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