Los Angeles Leopards (98-57, .632, 1st NL West) @ Las Vegas Outlaws (83-72, .535, 3rd NL West)
Las Vegas is in a weird way – ranked 4th overall in the Majors in RDiff at +97, operating at 6 games below the Pyt, and currently riding a 30-37 post all-star break record, the Outlaws have problems, clearly. The biggest of which, in my estimation, seems to be finding anything in the data that definitively identifies the problem they need to fix. That they’ve simply been unlucky isn’t a sufficient hypothesis for their number crunchers, who are furiously working their TI-30X IIS’s in search of a theorem, any theorem, that will cure what to me, a mathematical layperson, looks like an elaborate case of the metaphorical yips. Where instead of being a wrist ailment, there is some systemic issue at the club level causing muscle jerks strong enough to keep the team from securing a timely hit, saving some of these runs they’ve scored for close games, and finding a way to produce in the clutch. Even as a rival, I’m frustrated by where they’ve ended up this season – I thought they’d be in a position to battle us for the division – but, if their 4 1/2 -game lead over Mexico City holds for one of the last Wild Card slot in the NL, then they’ll have their opportunity to overcome this unluckiness and have their say in the end.
156 of 162: Jan Hernandez (12-5, 2.30) @ Mitch Hudkins (9-9, 3.73)
Win, 6-1. We’d put our first three runs on the board during the top of the 4th –
Tyler Hill’s 2-run TRUCK was followed by a SOLO SHOT from
Pepper – and not look back from there, adding three more to the mix off a 3-Run MOONSHOT courtesy of
Otto, while our staff, as is their wont, held it down for us something fierce. 5.2. innings of work from
Jan – allowing a mere 4 hits and 1 earned – before handing it off to
Leonardo Duarte for the 3.1-inning save, his 2nd on the year, to successfully close the book on this one. And, it should be noted that there was no bad luck for Las Vegas involved here – we just handled them like a proper playground bully handles the smallest kind on the jungle gym.
157 of 162: Stephen Estevez (17-6, 1.85) @ Jake Talley (10-12, 3.63)
Win, 5-1. Down one and under pressure to answer back before the stretch,
Otto would get us started with a 2-run TRUCK during the top of the 7th, taking a lead we’d not relinquish the rest of the way as we’d pour 3 more on for insurance before finalizing a fantastic game 2 win over Las Vegas in Sin City.
Estevez, who was only able to go 5.1 innings for us tonight, kept the Outlaws off balance to start the game, holding them to 3 hits and a single run before handing it off to
Dylan Miotke who was credited with the win, improving his record to 8-1 on the year.
Elsewhere: The wheels may have fallen off in Watts… they’re wobbly at best.
158 of 162: Dwight Beasley (14-6, 3.29) @ Andy Giddings (6-4, 3.40)
Win, 3-2 (11). We’d knot things up at 2-2 during the top of the 9th when
Hutchinson hit a run-scoring double off Las Vegas closer
CL Johnny Dial, who was charged with his 8th blown save of the year, and followed that up with a workmanlike
Dom Cooke SAC FLY to bring
Tyler Hill home to score the game winning run. Three doubles, a solo TANK (
Ian Hanan with his 11th long ball on the year), a SAC FLY, SAC BUNT, and 2 swiped bags (
Ethan &
Hill did the honors) for the club offensively, doing just enough to not waste
Dwight’s 6-inning, 4-hit, 2-earned performance and, with Closer
Don Haag getting the win here, improving to 12-5, head-to-head, against the Outlaws.
Record: 101-57, .639, 1st NL West
Up Next: We’ll close out the regular season with a 4-game set contested in Mexico City – the land of world-class tacos, mezcal, and trouble around every corner – against the Jags. And, Mexico City will be a motivated club as the WC situation is still undecided, sort of.
