Yankees and the Highlanders square off for a double header on a HOT HUMID Thursday night. Game 1 was at the B diamond where the Yankees were the home team Yankees starter Smitherman started game 1 , Highlanders score first with a run across in the top of the 1st. Smitherman pulled himself in the 2 due to an arm injury, so Lex Herrlett pitched in relief. Yankees score 4 runs in the bottom of 2. Mark marshall held yanks scoreless the rest of the way. Highlanders score 1 more in the 7th to cut it to 2 runs but yanks close out game 1 with a 4-2 Victory. Game 2 we all traveled to THE BOB umps and all to get game 2 started on time but there was a babe ruth game taking place so got delayed till about 8:25. Highlanders take advantage of a short pitching staff of the Yankees since all had arm trouble so score 3 off starter Herrlett in the first inning. Add 1 more run in the 2nd to take a4-0 lead to the 4th. Yankees bats started to come alive and plated 5 in the top of 4! HIghlanders tie it up in the bottom half 5-5. Yankees add 2 more in the 5th giving yanks 7-5 lead. Yankees pitcher Herrlett got calf cramps and dropped to the ground, with the assistance of players on both sides was talked through the stretching , drank ALOT OF WATER and got back to it after a qwik delay. Highlanders we scoreless through the final innings , Yankees however just began plating 5 more run in the 7th! with a home run highlighting the hitting barrage from (STUD) PAT ALSTON! Yankees sweep the double header taking game 2, 12-5. Highlander hitters are solid throughout the lineup. Hats off to Mark Marshall for putting together a very competitive highlander team, a total turn around from last year. with additions of Bosco, crazy stud HITTER hard to get him out! Schweitzer, Hamel , Jeremy , Josh and others WIll make for a very interesting playoffs. Yankees defense made a huge difference making some outstanding plays behind the pitching on a hard to see night of LOST and missed played fly balls in the outfield and some liners in the infield Good luck the rest of the way.
Thanks bro... Yeah, turns out the bad fortune of the 25 division was good fortune for the 35 Highlanders. Plus the guys are not just young, talented players, they are funny as all get-out and the team is fun to be a part of with everybody joking and laughing, etc... Of course a few W's along the way tend to make everything at least a lil better too...
And yeah man, you left out brother-in-arms and fellow banquet roastee Tony Parella hitting smoked line drives all day and night long... I think he went like 6 for 7 with all of them being peas. I thought my man Mikey Reutter's grunting hard hacks were something, but Tony def doesn't get cheated on his grunting swings either... Plus he made a couple of nice plays at third too... And most certainly Pat "policeman-stud" Alston was a rocket man at the dish too as I think he had at least 4 hits which were equally hard hit as well, not "just" the HR...
Plus you forget to say thanks to Donnie Ball for catching 14 in a fill-in role as he did a fine, fine job behind the dish... He was my first catcher and helped me alot when I was first learning to pitch a couple years ago and I always like seeing him behind the plate... Plus he took advantage of his knowledge and smoked a line drive single off me too!
Plus you (13 quality innings you pitched dude, seriously... And had 2 hits worth 4 RBI's, including a game winner!), Eric, and JJ are still the glue of the team and all-star caliber players, so yep ~ the playoffs will be FUN, FUN, FUN!
Only thing is we all keep beating each other, but nobody beats the Cubs and Dodgers? I mean seriously, despite the seeming parity, they are still clearly the teams to beat and we all know Shookie's gunna pop up on the hill for the Dodgers come playoff time... Plus Stevie might be ready to go by then too, and Mick is still the coolest guy in the league and always "the man," so the 2-time defending Champs ain't giving up nothing easy, that's for sure... Plus Andy (hope he's ok and ready to go soon), plus JDay...
But the Cubs picking up Chris Dunn was a biggie for their staff along with Ronnie Maz and Jonny Martin, and also adding Bobby Poulin too??? Not to mention Mash, and even Girrard and Randy if they need them...
So there still seems little question that they both have the deepest pitching staff's w/so many quality as they go 4-5, even 6 deep whereas everyone else is like 1, 2, maybe 3 deep... It's obvious really...
But hey, hey ~ Meatloaf sang it right baby, 2 out of 3 ain't bad and I am confident ANY team in the 35's could surprise any of the other teams in a short series like that...
And not just me, but from talking to all of the other 35 managers, I think we are all excited about the playoffs as everyone is aware of the obvious and will be balls to the walls right from the opening pitch on August 12th...
I can't wait!
Just wish I had another pitcher ~ or 3!
-- Edited by Marcus Aurelius on Sunday 14th of July 2013 09:03:11 AM
