The Platinum Marlins beat the Peppers at New Scotland Wednesday night, 7-2, behind a 1-hit complete game performance by Mike Girard.
The Marlins wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, when Scott Ross led off the game with a walk and a stolen base. Wayne Newcomb reached on an error, and Mike Girard delivered Ross with a RBI single. The Peppers played some great defense to limit the damage to just one run, as they cut down Newcomb trying for 3rd on a fielders choice and turned a 6-4-3 double play, and they escaped with just a 1-0 deficit.
The Marlins rallied again in the 3rd, when Kevin Jackson led off with a walk, and stole second base. Two infield outs later, with Jackson now on 3rd, Newcomb worked a walk, and stole second. Girard delivered both runners with a 2-RBI single, and the score was now 3-0. The Marlins gave Girard some breathing room in the top of the fourth, as they plated 4 runs on a John Corrigan lead off single, 4 consecutive walks, a RBI single from Ross, and a RBI fielder's choice by Newcomb.
The Peppers got a run on the board in the bottom half of the 4th, with the help of 2 Marlins errors, and a walk to Bill Gannon. The Marlins starter limited the damage by striking out 3 in the inning. After two more 1-2-3 innings by Girard, the Peppers would get another unearned run, in the bottom of the 7th, with the help of two more Marlins errors, and a walk to Mike Hart. Two harmless ground outs, later the game was in the books as a 7-2 victory, evening their record at 3-3.
Girard finished with a complete game giving up just two unearned runs, on 1 hit and 2 walks, while striking out 8.
Ray Meandro had the lone single for the Peppers.
Next up for the Fish is a home and home pair with the Cardinals on Friday Night at Gruner, and Monday night at the Satellite field.
Good luck to the Peppers as the season progresses. My prediction is that they will surprise some of the contenders along the way, as they have a much improved core of players over previous years.
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 23rd of June 2017 09:18:29 AM
