With that goal in mind, Chapter One can be considered a surprising success. We finished the chapter with a record of 13-15, good enough for third place in the division, and managed to outscore our competition by a single run. Our offense posted a triple-slash line of .252/.324/.377, which is roughly league-average, and our pitching staff recorded a 3.83 ERA, which is slightly under the league average (as of this writing.)
On an individual basis, Mike Fiers (2-3, 2.89 ERA in 43+ IP) was our Pitcher of the Chapter. Incredibly, Fiers pitched two games this chapter where he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Rookie Raisel Iglesias (2-1, 1.83 ERA in 19+ IP) got off to an outstanding start to his big league career, as did fellow rookie Steven Matz (0-0, 1.65 ERA in 16+ IP.)
On the flip side, Stephen Strasburg continues to mystify us with his propensity for allowing home runs. In only 25 innings, Strasburg allowed seven home runs -- half of the total amount he allowed all of last year in MLB. He finished the chapter with a 6.04 ERA, yet Matt Shoemaker (7.30) and Mychal Givens (7.84) somehow managed to surpass Strasburg's suckitude in Chapter One.
Offensively, Travis Shaw (.380/.443/.704) was easily our Hitter of the Chapter. He led the team in nearly every offensive category, including runs created, despite batting only 79 times. Ryan Zimmerman (.327/.382/.571 in 49 AB), Travis d'Arnaud (.293/.359/.561), Mark Canha (.275/.370/.536), and Neil Walker (.296/.350/.398) were also impressive in Chapter One.
Not so impressive: Starlin Castro (.206/.213/.243), Jorge Soler (.229/.326/.289), and most disappointing, rookie Kris Bryant (.231/.367/.308, with just one home run.)
Overall, so far, so good. Despite our focus on 2017, we have managed to play like an average Ozzie League team to this early point in the season. Here is how our first chapter unfolded, series-by-series, in BDBL calendar order:
@ New Milford Blazers
For the seventeenth year in a row (or so it seems) our season began on the road in Nestle Field, which has been a death trap for us, historically. This series was no different. Strasburg was rocked in Game One (which is nothing new, with the exception of last year's OLDS.) In four innings, he managed to allow seven runs and two home runs.
We had a chance to split the series when Fiers tossed an absolute gem in Game Two, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The top of the seventh ended with Fiers lacing a single to center field, and d'Arnaud being gunned down at the plate. Fiers allowed his first hit of the game in the bottom of the inning, and got in trouble by walking the bases full, but escaped without damage. The scoreless tie was then broken by a Jason Castro RBI double off of Givens in the eighth. And that was the ballgame, as we lost a squeaker, 1-0.
Shoemaker was absolutely pounded in Game Three, and it looked as though we would see yet another Opening Day sweep. Instead, Iglesias saved the day by tossing seven shutout innings in Game Four to avoid the sweep.
@ Western Kansas Buffaloes
We didn't expect Drew Hutchison to give us much this season, but for one game, at least, he earned his spot on the roster. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as we lost the first game of this series, 2-1, thanks to an utter lack of clutch hitting on our side and uncanny clutch hitting by Western Kansas.
We lost yet another heartbreaker in Game Two, losing 2-0, on a freakish homer by backup catcher and pinch hitter Robinson Chirinos. Once again, we failed to hit in the clutch, and wasted several scoring opportunities. That, however, turned around in a big, BIG way in Game Three, when we scored TWENTY runs against Ian Kennedy and the Buffaloes bullpen. The highlight of the game was Kris Bryant's first BDBL home run: a grand slam.
We wrapped up the series with an 8-5 win in Game Four, giving us a split.
vs. Granite State Lightning
In the order in which these games were actually played, this was our true Opening Day. After raising yet another wild card flag in Sam Adams Stadium, we rallied for five runs in the fifth inning and won our first game of the season. Unfortunately, that would be our last win of this series. Shelby Miller and the Granite State bullpen shut us out in Game Two. Givens blew our chances to win Game Three. We then lost a heart-breaker in extra innings in Game Four when Givens blew yet another one.
vs./@ Kansas City Boulevards
The first game of this series went into the eleventh inning with the score still knotted at 1-1. Our $5 million closer, Ryan Madson, recorded the first two outs of the 11th inning...and then served up three singles in a row -- the last of which scored the go-ahead run.
In Game Two, Fiers allowed a two-run blast to Kendrys Morales in the first inning, but then settled down nicely and cruised to a 6-2 win. Matt Shoemaker allowed six runs on eleven hits through seven innings in Game Three...and earned the win. How? Because circus clowns poured onto the field in the eighth inning. We scored six runs (mostly off of reliever Chris Hatcher) and turned a 6-1 deficit into a 7-6 victory.
We had another circus-related rally in the fifth inning of Game Four, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 lead. Hutchison provided yet another surprising performance, and d'Arnaud smacked a grand slam home run, giving us our first series win of the season.
@/vs. New York Giants
The New York Giants cannot be defeated; they can only be contained. At least, that is how they played through the first two games of this series. New York won an easy 7-1 laugher in Game One, as Arlo Guthrie pitched the game of his life for the Giants. Fat-ass boozer C.C. Sabathia then followed that effort with a gem of his own in Game Two, which New York won, 5-3.
Our fortunes turned when the series switched to Salem's home turf. We carried a 2-2 tie into the ninth inning of Game Three, and then won it with a walk-off single by Jorge Soler. In Game Four, New York took an early 4-1 lead, but we battled back in the seventh and eighth innings and escaped with a 7-4 win to earn a series split.
vs. Los Altos Undertakers
In all likelihood, this was the most lopsided match-up of our season. Yet, we more than held our own against the defending champs. We carried a tie score of 3-3 into the ninth inning of Game One before the floodgates opened and Los Altos scored five runs to turn this one into a laugher. They weren't laughing in Game Two, though, as Fiers -- for the second time this season -- carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. We managed to peck away at Gerritt Cole and the vaunted Los Altos bullpen, giving us a 6-1 win.
In Game Three, Iglesias gave a phenomenal and gutsy performance against defending Cy Young Chris Sale, but our offense provided little support. We had a chance to tie the game in the eighth inning, but the fleet-footed Bryant was gunned down on a throw to home plate in which there was such a tremendous collision that the Los Altos catcher was injured for 33 games. Los Altos eked away with a 3-2 win.
In Game Four, we turned the ball over to Steven Matz in the third inning (to the booing of the Los Altos dugout), and he tossed five innings of one-hit shutout ball. That gave us a chance to get back into the game -- which we did. We carried a tie into the ninth inning. Then, with two outs and Los Altos closer Dellin Betances on the hill, d'Arnaud hit a shocking walk-off home run, sending the Salem fans home with smiles on their faces.
I cannot recall the last time we walked away with a split against Los Altos. I'm not even sure that it has ever happened. Incredibly, we were in all four games, and were two lucky breaks away from sweeping the series.
@ Las Vegas Flamingos
Another game by Strasburg and Givens, another huge disappointment in Game One. Strasburg allowed two more home runs, and Givens coughed up four runs in an inning, as Vegas ran away with a 7-3 win. We rallied for three runs in the ninth inning of Game Two, and closed within a run, but ran out of bats and lost a one-run heartbreaker.
The clutch hitting we needed was revealed in Game Three, when Jose Ramirez drew a pinch-hit bases-loaded walk to tie the score and force extra innings. An inning later, Justin Upton singled home the go-ahead run, resulting in a 3-2 Salem victory.
Game Four resulted in yet another extra-innings game. This one stretched to the eleventh inning, where Soler led off with a double, moved to third on a fly ball, and scored on a sac fly. Matz closed it out and we walked away with another one-run win and a series split.
