Phillies Walkoff 4-3 Over DBacks to Lead Pool J Semi; Rays and Phillies lead Other 2 Semi Pools

If the Championship Pool started today, it would be between the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. All three started 2-0, so they will play their second game against each pool opponent. Any team that goes 4-0 will win the pool without the other two teams playing each other. However, if they lose one or two games to finish 3-1 or 2-2, then the other two teams will need to play each other once or twice until the pool is settled.

Semifinal pool play has been thrilling, with five of six games decided by one or two runs, including the most recent game, which was Philadelphia's 4-3 walk-off single over Arizona. We will detail that game below the standings. You can play your own free Statis-Pro games by clicking here.

Below the standings, we show the leading offenses and defenses for the entire tournament, since all nine of these teams have already won their first three-team, four-game pool. The Dodgers have the best offense through six games, as their average win has been 7.0 to 2.2. The best defense so far has been Philadelphia's, which has won its average game 4.8 to 1.8.

You can track all results of the semifinal pools and pitching match-ups by scrolling to the bottom of this blog or clicking on this link.

 

Semifinal Pool J	Semifinal Pool K	Semifinal Pool L
LA Dodgers 2-0, +5	Tampa 2-0, +3	Philadelphia 2-0, +3
Boston 0-1, -1	Chicago Cubs 0-1, -1	Arizona 0-1, -1
NY Mets 0-1, -4	Milwaukee 0-1, -2	Seattle 0-1, -2
Best offense all games		Best defense all games
LA Dodgers 7.0 runs/gm	Championship Pool	Philadelphia 1.8 Runs/gm
Tampa 5.7	Will be champ of	LA Dodgers 2.2
NY Mets 5.3	Pools J, K and L	Boston 2.2
Seattle 4.9	4-game record	Arizona 4.0
Philadelphia 4.8	tie-breaker run difference	Chicago Cubs 2.6
Arizona 4.0	between teams that are tied	Seattle 2.9
Chicago Cubs 3.6	2nd tie-breaker run	Milwaukee 3.2
Milwaukee 3.4	difference all 4 games	Tampa 3.3
Boston 3.0		NY Mets 3.8

Philadelphia 4, Arizona 3

After Arizona almost got out of the bottom of the ninth inning with a catcher-to-third-base-to-first-base double play, Justin Crawford was still on second base with two outs. The repeated batting-average champion Luis Arraez, the only player with a Statis-Pro card that gets hits even in the 40s, stepped to the plate. He had already hit a home run earlier on a 41, which is not a hit for any other player in the game.

Arraez singled up the middle to improve to 4-for-9 in the semifinal series through two games. The recently updated charts for taking extra bases reflected the modern reality that players go home from second on most singles. The T3 throwing arm of Arizona center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt (mediocre), against the OBR (on-base running) A—the fastest—meant that Crawford would be safe on an 11-78, stop at third base on an 81-84, and be thrown out on an 85-88.

Do note that while most ranges increase by 10 with two outs, the chart notes that an 11-78 does not increase with two outs. So there was still a chance for Arizona to throw him out and earn extra innings, but Crawford was safe easily on a 23.

The Phillies never trailed. In the third inning, Trea Turner singled and stole second base, Brandon Marsh doubled him home, and Kyle Schwarber singled Marsh home to make it 2-0 Phillies.

Zack Wheeler made that hold up with a strong seven innings, allowing only four hits, one walk and one run—a solo shot by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. that made it 2-1.

Arraez matched that with his solo shot in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1.

However, Arizona jumped on José Alvarado in the top of the eighth after Wheeler left. Ryan Waldschmidt walked, Geraldo Perdomo doubled, and Gabriel Moreno walked to load the bases. Then Lars Nootbaar doubled in two runs to make it 3-3.

However, Moreno tried to score from first on the double, and left fielder Johan Rojas, who was a pinch-runner for Bryce Harper, threw him out at home to keep the game tied at 3-3 and set up Arraez's game-winning hit.

Both of Philadelphia's wins were at home, so the Phillies will now need to travel to Arizona and Seattle to try to wrap up the pool.

Here are all the semifinal results and scheduled pitching matchups

Pool J Semifinal	PB-	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
LA Dodgers Rotation
Tarik Skubal	2'-9	H	NYM	5	1	W
Shohei Ohtani	2'-9	A	Bos	2	1	W
Yoshinobu Yamamoto	2'-8	H	Bos
Tyler Glasnow	2'-8	A	NYM
Team Total Wins & Runs				7	2	2'-0
Boston Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Sonny Gray	2'-8		NYM
Garrett Crochet	2'-8	H	LAD	1	2	L
Ranger Suarez	2'-7	A	LAD
Payton Tolle	4'-7		NYM
Team Total Wins & Runs				1	2	0'-1
NY Mets Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Jonah Tong	2'-8	A	LAD	1	5	L
Nolan McLean	2'-7		Bos
Christian Scott	2'-7		Bos
Sean Manaea	4'-7	H	LAD
Team Total Wins & Runs				1	5	0'-1
Pool K Semifinal	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Tampa Rotation
Shane McClanahan	2'-8	A	Mil	5	3	W
Drew Rasmussen	2'-8	A	ChC	2	1	W
Freddy Peralta	2'-7	H	ChC
Ryan Pepiot	4'-7	H	Mil
Team Total Wins & Runs				7	4	2'-0
Chicago Cubs Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Justin Steele	2'-7	H	TB	1	2	L
Edward Cabrera	2'-7		Mil
Kevin Gausman	2'-7		Mil
Jordan Wicks	2'-7	A	TB
Team Total Wins & Runs				1	2	0'-1
Milwaukee Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Jacob Misiorowski	2'-9	H	TB	3	5	L
Brandon Woodruff	2'-7		ChC
DL Hall	4'-7		ChC
Shane Drohan	4'-7	A	TB
Team Total Wins & Runs				3	5	0'-1
Pool L Semifinal	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Philadelphia Rotation
Cristopher Sánchez	2'-9	H	Sea	3	1	W
Zack Wheeler	2'-8	H	Ari	4	3	W
Jesús Luzardo	2'-7	A	Ari
Aaron Nola	4'-7	A	Sea
Team Total Wins & Runs				7	4	2'-0
Arizona Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Corbin Burnes	4'-7	A	Phi	3	4	L
Zac Gallen	4'-7		Sea
Merrill Kelly	4'-7		Sea
Brandon Pfaadt	4'-7	H	Phi
Team Total Wins & Runs				3	4	0'-1
Seattle Rotation	PB	Venue	Opp	Runs	Allowed	Result
Logan Gilbert	2'-8	A	Phi	1	3	L
George Kirby	2'-8		Ari
Bryan Woo	2'-8		Ari
Bryce Miller	2'-6	H	Phi
Team Total Wins & Runs				1	3	0'-1