One of the hardest things to do as a pitcher is to keep your focus when you make good pitches and your defense doesn't make the plays behind you. Phil Gadomski made it look easy Sunday evening, when the Golden Marlins made 9 errors behind him during his 6 innings on the mound. After each error, you could hear Mash comforting the player making the error with a "We're good!, it's OK, we're good." He would then get back to work and get the next out. The Marlins committed 2 errors in the first, and Mash limited the Braves to just one unearned run. They would commit 2 more errors int the 3rd and he would again limit the damage to just one. He picked off the one batter to reach on an error in the 4th. Two more Marlins errors in the 5th, resulted in just one unearned run, and the Braves got no runs in the 6th on 2 more Marlins errors. The escape in the 6th inning was pulled off, when Jim McQuade made a spectacular over the shoulder catch on a drive off the bat of Steve Schaeffer, that looked like a sure double that would have tied the game at 5. A real game changer! McQuade had earlier (2nd inning) thrown out a runner at home from left field.
Meanwhile, the Golden Marlins got just enough off of Braves starter, Mark Denicola. Denicola gave up just 9 hits with zero walks. John Reel led the attack with a double and single, a run scored and 1 RBI. John is now 7 for 7 over the last two weekends. Tim Brown and Mike Girard both added a double, single, stolen base, run scored and a RBI each.
Don Rogers had 2 singles and scored a run to lead the offense for the Braves. Rob Briscoe, Jim Bonaparte, Seve Schaeffer, and Joe Kosek had the other singles.
Gadomski gave up just 3 unearned runs for the Golden Marlins, giving up just 6 singles and zero walks, while striking out 3. Mike Girard came on to close out the game in the 7th, hitting the first batter he faced, but struck out the next two Braves, and got the final out on a pop out to second base to record the save.
The Marlins move to 7-6 with the victory, and face the Yankees next Sunday.
