Bobby Poulin and Jason Day squared off on the mound at Bob Moore on Monday night, as the Dodgers and Cubs renewed their rivalry. The Dodgers had won game one in a 1-run affair just 6 nights prior, at the same venue.
The Cubs got on the board first, in the bottom of the first inning. Shawn Maney reached on a HBP and was advanced to third with one out on a single by Mike Girard. Girard then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. With two outs, Dave Mitchell came through with a solid single to plate both runners.
The Dodgers cut the lead in half, in the top of the second inning, on a 2-out RBI single by Jason Day that drove in Jim Shook with the Dodgers first run.
The Cubs rallied with two-outs and nobody on in the bottom of the third inning. Girard started the rally with a single and a stolen base. Andy Hoyle followed with a single, moving Girard to third. Again with two-outs Mr. Mitchell drilled a double that would plate both runners, giving Dave 4 RBI's on the night, and giving the Cubs a 4-1 lead.
The Dodgers would again cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the 4th inning. This time the rally started when Carlos Llera and Jim Shook patiently worked walks to lead off the inning. Joe Burns followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. Mike Bintz then hit a fly ball to left for a RBI sac-fly. Bobby Poulin got a come-backer to end the rally with his team still up 4-2.
Jason Day retired the Cubs in order in the bottom of the 4th, and his team immediately rewarded him with two runs in the top of the 5th inning to tie the game at 4. A one-out Mike Burns single was followed by a walk to Lalo Reyes. A wild pitch moved the runners up. One out and a HBP later, there were bases loaded and 2 outs. Carlos Llera walked to drive in the 3rd run and a wild pitch scored the tying run. Ron Massaroni came on to get the third out, and keep the game tied.
Andy Sardella came on in relief for the Dodgers in the bottom of the fifth. Jim McQuade led off with a walk. Shawn Maney reached on an error, setting up men on first and second and nobody out. It looked like the Cubs strategy of not bunting in this situation was going to backfire when Mike Ferraro bounced a ball to third. The Dodgers's third baseman fielded the ball, stepped on third for what looked like the start of a double play, but his off balance throw to second was wide of its mark and the Cubs ended up with a runner on first and third with one out. The Cubs cashed in on the break, when Mike Girard lifted a fly ball deep enough to center field to score Maney from third for a 5-4 lead.
Ron Massaroni got the Dodgers out without any damage in the sixth. Andy Sardella matched that effort with a scoreless bottom of the sixth. After the end of the 6th inning, the home plate umpire checked the clock and saw that it was 10:22 pm. Since we are not allowed to start any new innings on that field after 10:15 pm, the game was called and the score of 5-4 stood as the final score. ;>)
One thing that shouldn't get lost in the details here is the performance of Mike Ferraro behind the plate for the Cubs. Mike blocked no less than a dozen balls in the dirt with runners on base, without which the score would have been vastly different! It was a clinic by a hard nosed veteran catcher that I won't soon forget.
The Cubs even the season series at one game each. The final game of 3 regular season match-ups between these two rivals will be Tuesday July 16th, at Albany Central Babe Ruth. Good luck to the Dodgers on the rest of their schedule, until we meet again.
