In a meaningless game for the standings, on the last day of the regular season, the A's and Cubs got together for a great game on Friday night at Bob Moore.
The game started with just 9 A's and 8 Cubbies taking the field. In the top of the first inning the A's would take a 1-0 lead. With one out, Dan Renaud worked a 1 out walk and moved to second when Cubs starter, Tom Shepardson threw a comebacker wildly into center field. After a fielders choice left runners at 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, Rudy Fallas walked to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Jeff Jeanette with the games first run.
The Cubs would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Shawn Maney led off with a single and was wild pitched to second. One out later, Mike Girard doubled home Maney. With 2 outs, Girard took off for third and TJ Scorsone hit a grounder to short. The throw to first was off the mark, and Girard hustled home with the second run.
The score would remain 2-1 until the bottom of the third when Shawn Maney led off with a long double over the head of the center fielder. Steve Lounello advanced Maney to third with a ground out to the right side. Mike Girard followed with a long sacrafice fly to center on a 3-0 count, to make the score 3-1.
Meanwhile, Tom Shepardson kept the A's at bay while the Cubs had just 8 defenders by not allowing a hit through the first 4 innings. The Cubs picked up their 9th player when Phil Gadomski got to the field in the 4th inning.
The A's got to Shepardson for 3 runs, in the top of the 5th. Zebrowski led off with an infield single on pure hustle. he stole second and was moved to third on a ground out to short.
After another ground out brought two outs, two walks and a wild pitch scored the first run and left runners on 2nd and third. Jeff Jeanette, then came through in the clutch with a 2-RBI single, to give the A's a late 4-3 lead.
The Cubbies would tie the game at 4 in the bottom of the sixth. Mike Girard led off with a HBP and stole second base. Dave Mitchell followed with a RBI single.
The game would go to the 8th inning, where the A's would take a 5-4 lead in the top of the inning. Jeanette walked; Moore singled; a ground out moved them each up a base; and a ground out by Alan Pennick scored the go ahead run.
The bottom of the 8th started with Girard reaching on an error. Dave Mitchell forced Girard at second, but a hard but clean slide into second prevented a rally killing double play. TJ Scorsone's ground out moved Mitchell to second with 2 outs. Dan Mirabile singled sharply to right, but Zebrowski charged hard and kept Mitchell at third with a strong throw home.
A wild pitch scored Mitchell with the tying run and moved Mirabile to second. An error allowed Mirabile to move to third and brought Phil "Mash" Gadomski to the plate. With a full count Mash hit a hard grounder in the hole to short. Jeanette made a great play to keep the ball on the infield but was unable to throw Gadomski at first and the Cubs walked off with the hard fought 6-5 victory.