The Golden Marlins final regular season game, against the Reds, started poorly for the defending champions. In a season that has already seen Mike Clary and Ron Lochner lost to season ending injuries, and John Latorre out for an indeterminate amount of time with a back injury, the Fish look like they are now going to lose their ace of the staff, Jim Ansel. Jim started the game well enough, getting the first two Reds to pop out to left field, but then Ed Class doubled, Bobby Davis and Joe Careccia singled, and the Reds were up 1-0. Dave Van Wormer strode to the plate with runners on second and third and two outs. On a 1-2 pitch, Mr. Ansel "heard something pop" and was done for the game, and most likely the year. The injury leaves the Marlins short-handed going into the playoffs, but resilient in the face of adversity! Mike Girard came on in relief of Ansel, and ended up walking VanWormer to load the bases, but got the next batter on a fielders choice to end the rally.
The Golden Marlins got even in the bottom of the first on a single and stolen base by Tim Brown, and a 2-out RBI single by Mike Girard. The second and third innings were scoreless, but that was far from the case in the 4th inning. The Reds touched up Girard for 4 runs on a double by Bobby Davis and singles by Van Wormer, Charlie Handford, Jon Martin, and Will Ferguson. The Marlins would answer in the bottom of the 4th with 8 runs to take a 9-5 lead. Singles by Girard, Joe Hervieux, Bob Coffey, John Reel, and Randy Craft, and a double by Dave Mitchell highlighted the inning.
Phil Gadomski came on in the 5th for the Fish, and got the Reds out without allowing a run. Bobby Davis picked up his second double of the game, but was erased at the plate on a Joe Careccia single, when Tom Maney and Randy Craft executed a perfect relay, and Mike Ferraro fooled Davis with a great decoy and tag at the plate.
The Marlins padded their lead in the bottom of the 5th with 3 more runs. Mitchell led off with a single, Ferraro followed with a single and Joe Hervieux doubled home a run. Ferraro scored on a botched run-down between home and third. Phil Gadomski and Bob Coffey followed with singles to plate the final run of the game.
Mash again pitched a scoreless 6th inning, this time stranding 3 runners (Handford, Martin, and Ron Collins who all singled). With the daylight fading and the margin at 7 runs, both teams decided to end the regular season at this point and start the cooler session early.
With the 12-5 victory, the Marlins end the season at 9-7 and face the winner of the Cyclones vs Cougars double header yesterday at New Scotland, in the first round of the playoffs. The Reds finish as the 4 seed, receiving the final bye for the first round of the playoffs.
Nobody feeling sorry for us. Nor do we want them to. Once our team bus (also doubles as the Eden Park Nursing Home bus) arrives at the field, we become young again. My prediction is that either the Marlins or the Dodgers make the Final Four! Good luck Johnny Boy!
