On a blustery Sunday morning at New Scotland, the Cubs got together with the Bombers for another highly competitive contest, that was decided late.
Neither team had their Ace on the hill, and both were missing multiple regular contributors, but the meat of both potent attacks were in place and a high scoring,
close game was highly likely at the outset.

The Cubs led 1-0, after the first inning, but the Bombers offense got on track in the 2nd inning, plating 2 runs on a lead-off double by Mike Reutter and RBI singles by Bob Altobelli and Mark Marshall.
The Bombers got 3 more in the top of the 3rd inning, with the help of a couple of Cubs miscues and a 2-RBI single by Reutter, and a RBI single by Rich Royka.

Down 5-1 heading into the bottom of the 3rd, the Cubs needed a rally and got one with 2 outs and nobody on. Mike Ferraro and Mike Girard singled, and Dave Mitchell followed with a 2-RBI double, who then scored from second on a Ron Lochner double. That brought the game back to 5-4.

The Bombers got a singleton in the 4th, on a Ryan Johnson sacrifice fly, and got 2 more runs in the top of the 5th, with the help of another Cubs error.

Trailing 8-4, heading into the bottom of the 5th, the Cubs again found themselves desperate for a rally. This time the rally got started with the lead-off hitter Shawn Maney.
Shawn's lead-off single and steal of second were followed by a walk to Mike Ferraro, and a RBI single by Mike Girard. An error by the Bombers right fielder opened the flood gates, and another miscue by their second baseman, helped contribute to what ended up as a 7-run inning and an 11- 8 lead for the Cubs.

With the meat of the bombers's order due up in the top of the 6th, the Cubs' 3 run lead did not exactly seem safe. However, after a lead-off HBP to Jim Bonaparte (his second of the game), Cubs' starter Mike Girard got Ryan Johnson, Tony Parella, and Mike Reutter in order, with no further damage.

The Cubs added 2 insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th, on a double by Girard and a home run (into the teeth of a very strong wind) by Ron Lochner.

Girard got the Bombers out in the top of the 7th with out giving up a run, for a complete game 13-8 victory, avenging the Cubbies' only loss of the 2016 season.

The game was great fun, and just wets the appetite for both teams as they still have a 3rd game against each other, on the last weekend of the regular season.
Good luck the rest of the way to the Bombers. See you on August 28th.