Oct 25th
Scrubs Win! Scrubs Win! Scrubs Win!
Scrubs' pitchers were dominating as the Scrubs cruised to a 4 games to 1 World Series victory over the favored Dragons. In game 1, Travis Wood followed by three relievers held the Dragons to 2 runs on 3 hits. The Scrubs took an early lead on an unearned run, but the Dragons quickly tied the game in the 3rd inning. In the 4th, however, a Salty home run and Machado double put the Scrubs up 3-1. Doubles by Pence and Machado and a home run by Morneau in later innings led to a lop-sided 7-2 win.
In game 2, a parade of Scrub pitchers held the Dragons to 3 runs on 4 hits, but that was enough for the Dragons to defeat the Scrubs who managed only 1 run on 6 hits. The Scrubs did, however, get the tying run to the plate with no outs in the 9th, and the tying runs on base with 2 outs but were unable to score as the Dragons won 3-1.
Game 3 saw the action move to the Scrubs' home field where Jose Fernandez and Bartolo Colon put on a show. The score was 0-0 going into the 8th - Fernandez had pitched 7 scoreless innings giving up only two singles before being lifted for a pinch hitter. Three Scrub relievers followed Fernandez, pitching into and out of trouble in the 8th and 9th innings but did not give up a run as Jayson Werth's 8th inning two-run homer led to a 2-0 Scrubs' win and a 2-1 series lead.
In the pivotal game 4, Kris Medlen followed by four Scrub relievers held the Dragons to just 5 hits and 2 earned runs. The game was closer than these numbers make it look. The Scrubs took a 1-0 lead in the 4th, but Shane Victorino's two-run HR put the Dragons ahead. Wanting to shut down the Scrubs, the Dragons brought in A&C closer Joe Nathan who promptly got the first two batters, but then gave up a walk, double, triple and home run as the Scrubs took a 5-2 lead. The next inning, the Scrubs gave up two unearned runs making the score 5-4. Scrubs' closer Alex Torres closed out the game with a two inning save, striking out 4 while giving up one one single with two outs in the ninth. The series then returned to the Dragons home field with the Dragons trailing 3 games to 1.
The historic season by the Scrubs and their rookie manager ended in game 5. It wasn't easy, however. An early 2-0 Scrub lead was erased when the Dragons scored twice in the 4th. A solo HR in the bottom of the 6th gave the Dragons the lead, but the Scrubs tied the score on a solo HR by Jayson Werth in the top of the 8th. The Scrubs took the lead in the top of the 9th when Jon Lester, pinch running for Brayan Pena who had a one out single, scored on a two out double by Gerardo Parra. Torres pitched a perfect bottom of the 9th for the save, as the Scrubs won the game 5-4, and the series 4-1.
In 5 games, the Scrubs pitchers combined for a 2.04 ERA while giving up only 24 hits, an average of less than 5 hits per game. 11 of the Dragons' 24 hits were for extra bases.
The series win brought the Scrubs' record on the year including the playoffs to 61-40
Sept 27th
Scrubs' starters turned in dominating pitching performances as the Scrubs defeated the Sharks to advance to the World Series.
Game 1 was a match-up between aces Clayton Kershaw and Jose
Fernandez. The Sharks took a 1-0 lead into the 5th when Jose
Fernandez' two out single drove home
2 runs to give the Scrubs
the lead.Ã triple by Pence and a double by Morneau contributed to
Scrubs'
4-1 victory.
Starting his third playoff game of the year, Michael Wacha pitched
6.2 innings without giving up an earned run, lowering his ERA to 0.96.
Wacha left the game trailing 2-0 on two unearned runs, but a solo HR by
Salty in the 7th and a pinch hit double by Stephen
Drew and a sac fly by Matt Carpenter in the eighth gave the Scrubs a
3-2 victory.
In Game 3, the Scrubs for the first time took an early lead scoring 3
runs in the first, and hung on to win 4-2. Travis Wood went 5 scoreless
innings, winning his third playoff game but giving up his first earned
run which ballooned his playoff ERA to 0.47.
Up 3 games to 0, the Scrubs suffered a let down in Game 4 as the
Sharks led 4-1 going into the ninth. With two outs in the bottom of the
ninth, singles by Machado and Carpenter and a walk by Werth brought
the winning run to the plate, but Hanley Ramirez could
not get the job done and the Sharks won their first game.
Game 5 saw a rematch of Fernandez-Kershaw. A double by Pence in the
1st and a solo shot by Pence in the 4th gave the Scrubs a 2-1 lead
going into the 7th when Jose Fernandez' 3 run blast broke the game
open (in two games, Fernandez was 2-8 batting against
Kershaw with 5 RBI's and one game winning hit). Fernandez (in two
games, 18 IP, 2 ERÃ for a 1.00 ERA) picked up his second win of the
series, pitching a complete game while giving up only 3 hits. Hanley
Ramirez drove in another three runs with a triple in the
7th and a home run in the 9th as the Scrubs cruised to an 8-1 victory,
which sent the Scrubs on to the series
Sept 21st
In a thrilling seven game series, the 'Cudas took game 1 after trailing in the 8th by a score of 3-2 when Quentin hit an HR to tie it, and doubles by Beltran and Molina won it in the 9th. The Scrubs came back to win game 2 by a score of 5-2. In game 3, five Scrub pitchers combined to throw a 4 hit shut out, 2-0. The Scrubs in games 4 and 5 suffered back-to-back one run losses by identical 5-4 scores. In both games the Scrubs had the tying and go ahead runs on base with one out in the ninth, but could not get the runners home. In game 5, the 'Cudas hit a 2 run homer of Fernandez to get within one run in the eighth, and then a two run shot off Torres in the ninth to win. Facing elimination in game 6, four Scrub pitchers combined to throw a 5 hit shutout. In the decisive game 7, the score was 0-0 going into the bottom of the 7th when the Scrubs broke the game open with Norris getting on base on an error, and Lind doubling him home with the Scrubs' third hit of the game for the game's only run. Travis Wood went the whole way, pitching a complete game shut out giving up only 3 hits.
Yes, you read that right - Scrubs' pitchers threw 3 shutouts, and gave up no runs and only eight hits in 18 innings in games 6 and 7, with the winning run in the 1-0 game 7 being unearned. Go Scrubs!
Aug 3st
With a split of their series with the Pond Scum, the Scrubs tied for second in their division, secured a playoff spot as a wild card, and based on their record in the division have earned home field against the 'Cudas.
The Scrubs' MVP for the last month is Hunter Pence, who in the game which clinched a playoff spot for the team went 4-4 with 2HR's, 5 RBI's and a stolen base. In that same game, spot starter Michael Wacha earned the MVP as he won his third game. His ERA for the year is 2.23; his WHIP a microscopic .942. There is a rumor the young right hander may be given a start in the playoffs over the more experienced Jon Lester. In the bullpen as the Scrubs made their surprising run to the playoffs (sweeping the Marlins and Sultans, taking 5 of 6 from the Trucks, and splitting both series against the playoff bound Sharks and Pond Scum) Addison Reed made 17 appearances, pitching 14.1 innings without giving up a run.
Notes on the season: The Scrubs' season was successful as a result of a team effort. Hanley Ramirez led the team with a .400 BA and 5 triples. Hunter Pence, the only Scrub to appear in all 84 games, hit 21 HR's with 69 RBI's. Matt Carpenter scored 64 runs and, banged out 100 hits (including 30 2B's) and walked 45 times. On the mound, tough-luck Jose Fernandez had a 2.85 ERA but went 6-5. In the bullpen Alex Torres posted an amazing .896 whip but inexplicably also posted a 4.17 ERA while being tagged with 5 late inning losses. The Scrubs' real bullpen ace turned out to be Tommy Hunter who went 4-1 with 7 saves, 1.95 ERA and .868 WHIP.
