Re: MLB The Show 20 Franchise Discussion Thread
Verlander-McCullers set for Game One In Chicago
Game One of the World Series opened under clear skies at Wrigley with it being a blustery 43 degrees. Verlander, a starter for Houston a year ago, was not resigned and looked to get a quick start against his former teammates. He did just that as he struck out 2 and got a fly out to end the top of the first. While both teams were known for having power bats, Game One was a pitchers duel through and through as both teams had just 4 combined through the first 5 innings. The Cubs had 3 of those hits and looked to set the table in the 4th after Rizzo was able to get on board. In the next at bat Willson Contreras was able to hit a dribbler up the middle that just missed the outstretched hands of SS Carlos Correa for another hit. Play was stopped after Correa remained on the ground holding his hand after attempting to drive for the ball. Correa would be removed from the game. Myles Straw took over at short for the rest of the game and Houston will have to wait for X-Rays to see how long they might be without Correa.
Moving to the 6th inning with the game still scoreless, The Cubs again got into scoring position after a Rizzo double and Contreras walked with no outs. Schwarber just missed a pitch but the result was a fly out to right that was just deep enough to move runners to 3rd and 2nd. Javy Baez came to the plate already with one hit to his name and was able to smack a ball to deep center field. Springer was able to corral it but the long 2nd out saw Rizzo tag up for the first run of the game.
In the 7th Verlander was still going strong but ran into trouble after he gave up a 1 out double to Myles Straw to put a man in scoring position with the 3 and 4 hitters up. Verlander was about to get out of the jam as he struck out his 7th batter of the night and induced a ground out to get out of the inning. Verlander was pinch hit for ending his night but contributed with those 7 K’s in 7 innings of scoreless work while only allowing 3 men to get on base.
The 8th inning saw no runs scored as Miller came in and got 3 quick outs on 11 pitches with 2 strike outs. Kimbrel came in to face the top of the order; The Cubs closer had his ups and downs in the regular season but had been perfect so far in 5 innings of postseason work as he has allowed no runs and with 12 K’s. Altuve changed that on the 2nd pitch he saw as he hit a high fly ball that carried and just snuck into the left field bleachers to tie it at 1-1. Houston proceeded to get a single after the home run as Kimbrel appeared to be self-destructing as the next count went 3-0 and no outs. Kimbrel was able to avoid further disaster as he was able to get a pop on a 3-1 count and then struck out the next 2 batters. The Cubs could not do anything in their half of the 9th and the North Siders found themselves going to extra innings for the 3rd time in these playoffs.
Carl Edwards Jr came in in the 10th and 11th and was masterful as he allowed no hits or walks and struck out 4 in two innings of work. In the bottom of the 11th, The Cubs had the heart of the order up. Rizzo just missed a hit down the left field line that went foul and proceeded to strike out for out number 1. Contreras was able to battle back from a 1-2 count to get on first with a single. The pitcher spot was up next due to a double switch and Howie Kendrick was brought off the bench. Hendrick has struggled in limited play as he has gotten just one hit in the postseason but he changed that with a bloop single - the slow footed Kendrick stayed at first but Contreras was able to hustle to 3rd on the play. This brought up Javy Baez. after missing badly on a inside strike, the next pitch was a hanging curveball by Stephen Woods caught too much of the plate; Javy squared up to split the infield to get through to center to score Contreras for the walk off. Many would question Houston’s manager Dusty Baker, as he chose to go to Woods in the 11th while still having his top pitchers Osuna and Pressley. As noted before the game Baez had struggled leading up to this game in the postseason but he showed to be the key to victory as he went 2 for 4 and drove in both the Cubs’ runs.
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After the game Houston announced that Correa’s X-Ray was negative but was diagnosed with what the Houston medical staff labeled a finger contusion; Carlos will be absent for the rest of the World Series as he was removed from the playoff roster and Jack Mayfield was added. Mayfield played a limited role for the club as he spent time in Triple A; he did appear in 60 games for Houston and batted .290.
Jay’s Cubs Wrap Up: 2022
Verlander-McCullers set for Game One In Chicago
Game One of the World Series opened under clear skies at Wrigley with it being a blustery 43 degrees. Verlander, a starter for Houston a year ago, was not resigned and looked to get a quick start against his former teammates. He did just that as he struck out 2 and got a fly out to end the top of the first. While both teams were known for having power bats, Game One was a pitchers duel through and through as both teams had just 4 combined through the first 5 innings. The Cubs had 3 of those hits and looked to set the table in the 4th after Rizzo was able to get on board. In the next at bat Willson Contreras was able to hit a dribbler up the middle that just missed the outstretched hands of SS Carlos Correa for another hit. Play was stopped after Correa remained on the ground holding his hand after attempting to drive for the ball. Correa would be removed from the game. Myles Straw took over at short for the rest of the game and Houston will have to wait for X-Rays to see how long they might be without Correa.
Moving to the 6th inning with the game still scoreless, The Cubs again got into scoring position after a Rizzo double and Contreras walked with no outs. Schwarber just missed a pitch but the result was a fly out to right that was just deep enough to move runners to 3rd and 2nd. Javy Baez came to the plate already with one hit to his name and was able to smack a ball to deep center field. Springer was able to corral it but the long 2nd out saw Rizzo tag up for the first run of the game.
In the 7th Verlander was still going strong but ran into trouble after he gave up a 1 out double to Myles Straw to put a man in scoring position with the 3 and 4 hitters up. Verlander was about to get out of the jam as he struck out his 7th batter of the night and induced a ground out to get out of the inning. Verlander was pinch hit for ending his night but contributed with those 7 K’s in 7 innings of scoreless work while only allowing 3 men to get on base.
The 8th inning saw no runs scored as Miller came in and got 3 quick outs on 11 pitches with 2 strike outs. Kimbrel came in to face the top of the order; The Cubs closer had his ups and downs in the regular season but had been perfect so far in 5 innings of postseason work as he has allowed no runs and with 12 K’s. Altuve changed that on the 2nd pitch he saw as he hit a high fly ball that carried and just snuck into the left field bleachers to tie it at 1-1. Houston proceeded to get a single after the home run as Kimbrel appeared to be self-destructing as the next count went 3-0 and no outs. Kimbrel was able to avoid further disaster as he was able to get a pop on a 3-1 count and then struck out the next 2 batters. The Cubs could not do anything in their half of the 9th and the North Siders found themselves going to extra innings for the 3rd time in these playoffs.
Carl Edwards Jr came in in the 10th and 11th and was masterful as he allowed no hits or walks and struck out 4 in two innings of work. In the bottom of the 11th, The Cubs had the heart of the order up. Rizzo just missed a hit down the left field line that went foul and proceeded to strike out for out number 1. Contreras was able to battle back from a 1-2 count to get on first with a single. The pitcher spot was up next due to a double switch and Howie Kendrick was brought off the bench. Hendrick has struggled in limited play as he has gotten just one hit in the postseason but he changed that with a bloop single - the slow footed Kendrick stayed at first but Contreras was able to hustle to 3rd on the play. This brought up Javy Baez. after missing badly on a inside strike, the next pitch was a hanging curveball by Stephen Woods caught too much of the plate; Javy squared up to split the infield to get through to center to score Contreras for the walk off. Many would question Houston’s manager Dusty Baker, as he chose to go to Woods in the 11th while still having his top pitchers Osuna and Pressley. As noted before the game Baez had struggled leading up to this game in the postseason but he showed to be the key to victory as he went 2 for 4 and drove in both the Cubs’ runs.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ui3RukMlJ9A" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
After the game Houston announced that Correa’s X-Ray was negative but was diagnosed with what the Houston medical staff labeled a finger contusion; Carlos will be absent for the rest of the World Series as he was removed from the playoff roster and Jack Mayfield was added. Mayfield played a limited role for the club as he spent time in Triple A; he did appear in 60 games for Houston and batted .290.
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