Legends take home series against PUF Caps

The Menlo Park Legends have fine-tuned their hitting to mirror their original momentum from the beginning of this season.

Tommy Bell’s slugging spree would help the Legends take the three-game series 2-1 against their rivals from the east, the Pacific Union Financial Capitalists, July 10 to 12.

Despite giving the Caps game one, this three-game series would be one of the Legends’ strongest offensive performances in a series, with twenty-five hits and twenty-two runs. Bell alone would score four runs, one being a three run homer, and six RBI’s.

Game one started off with shaky pitching by the Legends, letting the Caps’ leadoff batter hit a homer in the bottom of the first. The Legends were trailing by two runs until Matt Dezort would sprint ninety feet to home on a wild pitch.

Things picked up in the seventh as the Legends, trailing by three runs, had Dezort ejected from the game after disagreeing with the home plate umpire over a strike three call. By the eighth, the coaching staff would have to adjust the bottom half of the order due to the ejection and injuries to Kyle Zirbes and Braden Frankfort.

With the Legends trailing by one run in the ninth, general manager David Klein tried to manufacture a run by getting runners on second and third with one out followed by big hitters, Robert Henry and John Montgomery, up next to the plate.

“Any base hit would have tied the ball game,” Klein said. “So I bunted [Cody Strong] over to second and third with our two best guys up [next] and it just didn’t work.

The Legends were unsuccessful at scoring runs with bases loaded and no outs.

Knowing that the team needed to redeem their performance from game one, there was no stopping the Legends in game two as they dominated 11-1.

Known for striking out a substantial amount of batters, Cameron Linck would command the strike zone for six innings mixing up his pitches to great effect. Despite giving up a run on the first inning, Linck would punch out six batters during his time on the hill. Relievers Ryan Hogan, Matthew Cobley, and Sean Thompson would keep Caps batters on their heels for three innings; giving up one hit while striking out five.

With the Legends scoring four runs in the fifth, the Caps had a slim chance of a comeback. Manny Menocal’s two-out knock in the fifth put the Legends up by five runs and secured the win. Series hero Tommy Bell shined in game two. Having already scored two runs, Tommy  followed with a three run home run in the eighth.

“I had two strikes and I was trying to stay alive,” Bell said. “I got a pitch right in my wheel house and put a good swing on it.”

Legends’ pitching was on point, keeping Caps batters from scoring for five innings. Right-hander Michael Clark pitched 3 1/3 innings to ring up three batters. Four relievers combined for 4 2/3 innings holding the Caps to one run while striking out six batters.

The Legends would continue their winning ways against the PUF Caps with a 6-1 victory in game 3.

Tobias Moreno would came into the game hot, hitting a double before scoring off a passed ball in the first inning to give his team the lead. After a john Montgomery single, with Tommy Bell up to the plate, Montgomery would uncharacteristically steal second base and score off Bell’s ground rule double to give the Legends a two run lead.

“[Wolfe] gave me the steal sign, “ Montgomery said. “I leaned over, so I kind of cheated a little bit but I still got the bag because I needed a little extra to get there.”

Montgomery would continue the powerhouse offense scoring two runs I the game. Hitting one down the line in the fifth, Montgomery knew the right fielder would throw it across the field to give him enough time to make third.

Bell continued his hot streak in game three, going 4-4 with three RBI’s and a stolen base to help the Legends get the five run victory against the Caps. Bell again proved, especially in this weekend series, why he is attending the CCL All-Star game.

“I’m happy to get the win,” Klein said. “We have fell in the last two series so it’s nice to get this one.”