2015 World Series - Santa Barbara at Metropolis - Game Three

The 2015 Brassball World Series is knotted at one game each and moves to Metropolis for the middle three games. The defending champ Avengers have their rookie Collin McHugh on the mound, where he will face Outlaw lefty Cole Hamels.  

Metropolis started a rally in the bottom of the first, when Robinson Cano doubled with one out and moved to third on a Steve Pearce single. Hamels got out of the early jam, inducing a ground ball from Bryce Harper which the Outlaw infield turned into an inning-ending double play. 

The Outlaws put two runners on in the top of the second. Buster Posey started the inning with a single and Nolan Arenado drew a walk with two outs. Switch hitter Carlos Santana had the chance to put the visitors on the board, but his fly ball landed easily in Harper's glove to end the inning.

Chris Iannetta's homer put Metropolis on the boa

The Avengers put more pressure on Hamels in their half of the second. Jose Bautista walked to start the frame and advanced to second on Jose Reyes's single. However, Jayson Werth's 1-6-3 double play erased Reyes and put Hamels one out away from escaping the inning. Gregorio Petit came to the plate and the Outlaws surprisingly issued an intentional walk. Apparently the Santa Barbara scouting reports made them like the matchup of Hamels vs Chris Iannetta better. The Avenger catcher made the Outlaws pay for the decision, as he launched a Hamels changeup into the Hall of Justice's left field stands, scoring both Bautista and Petit for a 3-0 Metropolis lead. 

McHugh had a lead and did his best to hold onto it. He wasn't dominating, but didn't allow the Outlaws to put together much of a rally. He allowed just two runners total after getting the lead and kept the game 3-0 through six innings.

Metropolis had several chances to add to its lead during the middle innings, but Hamels got inning ending double plays in the bottom of the fourth (from Robsinon Cano) and fifth (from Bautista).

Bryce Harper slams his helmet after his second
inning-ending double play.

Avenger reliever Zach Putnam started the seventh inning and got into trouble immediately. JD Martinez greeted him with a leadoff single to right, which Bautista misplayed for an error. Martinez ended up all the way on third and the Outlaws were looking to get on the board. Putnam struck out Edgar Encarnacion for the first out of the inning and got a shallow fly ball from Arenado for the second out, keeping Martinez on third. Metropolis called on Joaquin Benoit to get them out of the inning and he did just that. Benoit struck out pinch hitter Rickie Weeks on three straight pitches and kept the game 3-0.

Metropolis looked for insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh, when Andrew McCutchen led off with a single and stole second base. Cano walked to add to the threat and Santa Barbara brought in reliever Buddy Carlyle. He struck out Steve Pearce for the first out, but still needed to face young slugger Bryce Harper with two on and one out. Carlyle won the battle and got Harper to ground into his second inning-ending double play of the game to end the threat. Amazingly, that was Metropolis's fifth double play of the game, four of which ended an inning.

Benoit stayed on for the eighth inning and worked around a one-out single by Denard Span. He struck out Jose Altuve and got Jason Heyward on a ground ball to end the inning and keep the game 3-0 Metropolis.

JD Martinez hit a solo homer in the ninth, but it wasn't enough.

Surprisingly, Metropolis brought in little-used rightly Neftali Feliz with one out in the ninth inning. Given the depth and quality of the Avenger bullpen, this was a surprising decision, but Feliz only needed two outs to secure the win for Metropolis and had a seemingly comfortable 3-0 lead. That lead quickly became less comfortable, as JD Martinez slugged a deep home run on a Feliz fastball down the middle. It was a solo shot to make the game 3-1, but it clearly had the home-town fans nervous. Feliz was able to shake off the long homer and got the last two outs his team needed. He retired Encarnacion on a fly ball to center and struck out Arenado for the last out of the game.

Metropolis has won two games in a row after dropping the series opener and now has a 2-1 lead. They'll play again tomorrow night as each team sends its number four starter to the hill. Avenger righty Anibal Sanchez will take the ball and be faced by Outlaw lefty Madison Bumgarner. The game might not be a literal must-win for Santa Barbara, but a loss would put them in a deep 3-1 series hole.

BOXSCORE: 2015 Santa Barbara Outlaws At 2015 Metropolis Avengers    11/4/2015

  Outlaws            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Avengers           AB  R  H RBI AVG

  D.Span CF           4  0  2  0 .241     A.McCutchen CF      4  0  3  0 .375 

  J.Altuve 2B         4  0  0  0 .254     R.Cano 2B           3  0  1  0 .377 

  J.Heyward RF        4  0  1  0 .263     S.Pearce 1B         4  0  2  0 .217 

  B.Posey C           4  0  1  0 .293     B.Harper LF         3  0  0  0 .162 

  J.Martinez LF       4  1  2  1 .304     J.Bautista RF       2  1  0  0 .146 

  E.Encarnacion 1B    4  0  0  0 .204     J.Reyes SS          4  0  1  0 .250 

  N.Arenado 3B        3  0  0  0 .264     J.Werth DH          3  0  0  0 .316 

  C.Santana DH        2  0  0  0 .167     G.Petit 3B          2  1  1  0 .200 

A-R.Weeks PH,DH       1  0  0  0 .167     C.Iannetta C        3  1  1  3 .107 

  E.Andrus SS         2  0  0  0 .250                                         

B-D.Young PH          1  0  0  0 .231                                          

C-Z.Walters SS        0  0  0  0 .111                                         

                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---     

         Totals      33  1  6  1                 Totals      28  3  9  3

A-Pinch Hit For Santana In 7th Inning

B-Pinch Hit For Andrus In 8th Inning

C-Subbed Defensively (SS) For Young In 8th Inning

Outlaws......... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 1  -  1  6  0

Avengers........ 0 3 0  0 0 0  0 0    -  3  9  1

Outlaws (9-7)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

C.Hamels LOSS(2-2)        6       9   3   3   5   2   1   1.16  A1 D2

B.Carlyle                 1       0   0   0   0   1   0   3.86  D3 D4

J.Papelbon                1       0   0   0   0   0   0   4.20  D5

Totals                    8       9   3   3   5   3   1

Avengers (10-2)          IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET

C.McHugh WIN(2-1)         6       3   0   0   1   4   0   5.74  A1 C4

Z.Putnam                  0 2/3   1   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  C5 C7

J.Benoit HOLD(2nd)        1 2/3   1   0   0   0   2   0   1.45  C8 D4

N.Feliz                   0 2/3   1   1   1   0   1   1  13.50  D5

Totals                    9       6   1   1   1   8   1

ATTENDANCE- 49,039 DATE- Wednesday, November 4th 2015 TIME- Night WEATHER- Average

UMPIRES- Tim Timmons, Gary Cederstrom, Fieldin Culbreth, Jim Reynolds

T- 2:30

LEFT ON BASE- Outlaws: 6  Avengers: 7

DOUBLE PLAYS- Outlaws: 5  Avengers: 0

ERRORS- J.Bautista

DOUBLES- R.Cano(4th)

HOME RUNS- J.Martinez(4th), C.Iannetta(2nd)

RBIs- J.Martinez(10th), C.Iannetta-3(5th)

STOLEN BASES- A.McCutchen(3rd)

WALKS- N.Arenado, R.Cano, B.Harper, J.Bautista-2, G.Petit

HIT BY PITCH- J.Werth

STRIKE OUTS- J.Altuve-2, J.Heyward, J.Martinez-2, E.Encarnacion, N.Arenado,

             R.Weeks, A.McCutchen, S.Pearce, C.Iannetta

GIDP- R.Cano, B.Harper-2, J.Bautista, J.Werth

2-out RBI- C.Iannetta-3

RLISP 2-out- C.Santana, G.Petit-2, R.Weeks

TEAM RISP- Outlaws: 0 for 4  Avengers: 2 for 8

 

*** TOP OF INNING 1 ***

0     D.Span      1- 9     0 Ground Out                     b-0

1     J.Altuve    6- 7     0 Strike Out                     b-0

2     J.Heyward   5-10     0 Strike Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 1 ***

0     A.McCutchen 3- 5     0 Strike Out                     b-0

1     R.Cano      4- 9 12  0 Double                         b-2

1  2  S.Pearce    6- 8  5  0 Single                         2-3 b-1

1 1 3 B.Harper    1- 4     0 Ground Out Double Play         1-o b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 2 ***

0     B.Posey     1- 8     0 Single                         b-1

0 1   J.Martinez  6- 7     0 Strike Out                     b-0

1 1   E.Encarnaci 6- 9     0 Ground Out                     1-2 b-0

2  2  N.Arenado   1-12     0 Walk                           b-1

2 12  C.Santana   6- 2 11  0 Fly Out                        b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 2 ***

0     J.Bautista  3- 8     0 Walk                           b-1

0 1   J.Reyes     6-10  2  0 Single                         1-2 b-1

0 12  J.Werth     4- 3     0 Ground Out Double Play         2-3 1-o b-0

2   3 G.Petit              0 Int Walk                       b-1

2 1 3 C.Iannetta  4- 9  1  0 Home Run                       3-H 1-H b-H

2     A.McCutchen 1- 6     0 Single                         b-1

2 1   R.Cano      3- 4     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 3 ***

0     E.Andrus    2-11 10  0 Line Out                       b-0

1     D.Span      3-10     0 Single                         b-1

1 1   J.Altuve    5- 8     0 Force Play                     1-o b-1

2 1   J.Heyward   5-11     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 3 ***

0     S.Pearce    5- 4     0 Ground Out                     b-0

1     B.Harper    6- 8     0 Walk                           b-1

1 1   J.Bautista           0 Passed Ball                    1-2

1  2  J.Bautista           0 Int Walk                       b-1

1 12  J.Reyes     2- 5 14  0 Line Out                       b-0

2 12  J.Werth     3-11     0 HBP                            2-3 1-2 b-1

2 123 G.Petit     3-11     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 4 ***

0     B.Posey     2- 7     0 Pop Out                        b-0

1     J.Martinez  6- 8     0 Strike Out                     b-0

2     E.Encarnaci 5- 8     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 4 ***

0     C.Iannetta  5- 8     0 Fly Out                        b-0

1     A.McCutchen 1- 6     0 Single                         b-1

1 1   R.Cano      3- 4     0 Ground Out Double Play         1-o b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 5 ***

0     N.Arenado   3- 6  6  0 Line Out                       b-0

1     C.Santana   2- 8  7  0 Line Out                       b-0

2     E.Andrus    1- 6     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 5 ***

0     S.Pearce    1- 5     0 Single                         b-1

0 1   B.Harper    4- 7     0 Fly Out                        b-0

1 1   J.Bautista  6- 4     0 Ground Out Double Play         1-o b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 6 ***

0     D.Span      5- 8     0 Ground Out                     b-0

1     J.Altuve    6-10     0 Ground Out                     b-0

2     J.Heyward   4- 7 12  0 Single                         b-1

2 1   B.Posey     2- 7     0 Pop Out                        b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 6 ***

0     J.Reyes     2- 7     0 Pop Out                        b-0

1     J.Werth     5- 7     0 Ground Out                     b-0

2     G.Petit     6- 8  6  0 Single                         b-1

2 1   C.Iannetta  2- 9     0 Strike Out                     b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 7 ***

                             SUBSTITUTE P - Zach Putnam

0     J.Martinez  6-11     0 Single & Error - RF            b-3

0   3 E.Encarnaci 2- 6     0 Strike Out                     b-0

1   3 N.Arenado   5-11     0 Fly Out                        b-0

                             SUBSTITUTE P - Joaquin Benoit

                             SUBSTITUTE PH- Rickie Weeks

2   3 R.Weeks     3- 6     0 Strike Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 7 ***

                             SUBSTITUTE DH- Rickie Weeks

0     A.McCutchen 1- 6     0 Single                         b-1

0 1                        0 Stolen Base                    1-2

0  2  R.Cano      5- 2     0 Walk                           b-1

                             SUBSTITUTE P - Buddy Carlyle

0 12  S.Pearce    5- 9     0 Strike Out                     b-0

1 12  B.Harper    1- 4     0 Ground Out Double Play         1-o b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 8 ***

                             SUBSTITUTE PH- Delmon Young

0     D.Young     6- 8     0 Line Out                       b-0

1     D.Span      3- 5     0 Single                         b-1

1 1   J.Altuve    5- 9     0 Strike Out                     b-0

2 1   J.Heyward   4- 4     0 Ground Out                     b-0

*** BOTTOM OF INNING 8 ***

                             SUBSTITUTE SS- Zach Walters

                             SUBSTITUTE P - Jonathan Papelbon

0     J.Bautista  4- 9     0 Ground Out                     b-0

1     J.Reyes     2- 2     0 Ground Out                     b-0

2     J.Werth     1-10     0 Line Out                       b-0

*** TOP OF INNING 9 ***

0     B.Posey     1- 5 16  0 Fly Out                        b-0

                             SUBSTITUTE P - Neftali Feliz

1     J.Martinez  4- 5  6  0 Home Run                       b-H

1     E.Encarnaci 3- 2     0 Fly Out                        b-0

2     N.Arenado   1- 5     0 Strike Out                     b-0