This report was delayed by my not being able to get the book in front of me until this morning.

Friday, May 3rd the Reds and Cubs got together on a beautiful Friday night at Schenectady Babe Ruth.

Dave Mitchell opened the scoring for the Cubs in the top of the second with a mammoth HR that hit the trees behind the left field fence some 50 feet high. I think I heard the tree cry, just after the ball hit it.

Tim Burns answered for the Reds in the bottom of the frame, as he golfed a down and in fastball over the left field wall, for a 2-run homer, and a 2-1 lead. The Reds expanded the lead to 3-1 on a RBI single by Derek Englen in the bottom of the 3rd inning.

The Reds held that 3-1 lead until the top of the 5th, when the Cubs bats woke up using 3 doubles (Mike Ferraro, Shawn Maney, and Bobby Lane), a walk, and two Reds errors to plate 5 runs and take a 6-3 lead.

Cubs starter, Mike Girard, got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the inning by coaxing Burns to ground out to second base. The Cubs then pushed the lead to 8-3 on RBI single by Ferraro and Alan Pennick, in the top of the 6th. The Reds got to within 4 on a RBI double by Dan Keefe in the bottom of the frame.

The Cubs would get all of the insurance that they needed with a four spot in the top of the 7th, using two walks and two HBP to start the rally. Andy Hoyle's sacrafice fly and Dave Mitchell's 2-rbi single capped the 4-run inning and gave the Cubs a commanding 11-4 lead. The Reds would scratch out a final run in the bottom of the 7th on a RBI single from Matt Paniccia.

Girard gave up 5 runs, while scattering 11 hits, 1 BB, and two HBP (Sorry Bones!), and striking out 3 for the complete game victory. The win moves the Cubs to 3-0 on the season.

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Thursday 9th of May 2013 09:03:20 AM