Game one was all Phil Gadomski and the Marlins defense. Mash gave up just two singles and one walk in his 6 innings of work. The rest of the Yankee batters were induced to put the ball in play, and the Marlins defense made every play. Jim McQuade made 3 spectacular catches in left field, and Tim Brown and Randy Craft were very busy in the middle of the infield. Lex Herlett led off the game with a bad hop base hit and Mark Marshall managed a 5th inning single, and that was all the "studs" could manage against Mash. The Marlins offense got 2 runs in the second, after leaving the bases loaded in the first. Jim McQuade led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Jim Ansel. One out later, Tom Maney worked a walk, and stole second. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, with 2 outs, Tim Brown doubled to bring home both runners. The Marlins would add a third run, one inning later. Mike Girard got things going with a lead off single. Mike Ferraro singled him to second. The Marlins worked a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. One out later, Jim McQuade singled home Girard to make it 3-0. The Marlins offense would rally again in the 6th inning, this time with two outs and nobody on. Tom Maney singled and stole second, and Tim Brown brought him home with a RBI single. Mike Girard came on to pitch the 7th inning and completed the shut out, allowing only a one out walk to Jack Griffen. Marlins take game one 4-0.
Game two was a slugfest, with the Yankees coming out on top 15-12. The 1-2-3-4 hitters for both teams did most of the heavy lifting in this one. Lex Herlett, Rick Caruso, and Jack Griffen all went 3-4 , scoring 8 runs between them. Mike Reutter hit two 3-run home runs and a single, scoring twice and driving in 6 for the Yankees. Tom Maney went 3-4, scoring 3 runs; Tim Brown went 2-2 with 2 walks and 3 runs; Randy Craft was 3-5 with a HR, scoring 3 and driving in 4; and Mike Girard was 2-4, with a HR, 2 runs, and 4 RBI's for the Marlins. The difference in this one was a 6-run second inning for the Yankees when the Yankees took advantage of a few Marlins miscues to jump out to a 9-3 lead. The game was never in doubt after that point, but the Fish never gave up and ended up losing by just 3 runs.
Game 3 promises to be a beauty! Both teams really want this and the intensity will be turned up in this contest. See you boys at 3:30 !!!!
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Sunday 22nd of September 2013 07:59:41 AM
Good recap Mike... And yep, hats off to Mash as I don't know if it was so much that "the Yankee Studs" just weren't on or if Mash just simply out-studded us in the first game... Either way he was simply outstanding and your defense did it's job behind him ~ especially Jimmy Mac... Man he made some highlight reel plays in the first game and kept any threats we had from actually transforming into anything of substance... Darrin was on the bad end of that tough one as holding you guys to 4 is also a pretty outstanding job as well and I would have been happy with under normal circumstances, but again, Mash did his thing as I am thinking he is already on the short-list for future HOF ballots...
And now it comes down to this >>> as close as we get to a game seven at our age/level, isn't this what we are all here for? I duuno for sure as there are clearly some different philosophical approaches, but this is without question what I'm playing for as making the semi's is meaningless from where I stand... We have to win!
And the time is NOW! So yeah, turn up the heat, because this is what is what it's all about for some of us high intensity kinda guys...
