The game started late due to a quick shower accompanied by some lightning and thunder, just as the first pitch was about to be thrown. The total delay was about 30-45 minutes.
It was a bad omen for the Cubs. When the game finally got started, the first 3 Giants reached on Cubs errors. You can't beat the 4-time defending champs by playing that way! Pete Geanellis pushed the first run across with a RBI single. Tony Nardacci scored Darrell Duncan on a RBI groundout, and the Giants were up 2-0, by the time the Cubs recorded their first out. Mike Girard struck out the next two Giants hitters to strand runners at 2nd and 3rd, and keep the deficit at 2.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the 3rd, when the Giants erupted for 5 runs. Tom Maguire led off with a walk, and Bob Murphy followed with a single. Steve Lounello then dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out, Girard got Darrell Duncan to hit a sharp grounder right at short. The runners held their spots, but the throw to first went in the dirt and took a huge hop out of play, scoring both runners, and advancing Duncan to second. Ron Smaka and Geanellis followed with RBI singles, and the final run of the inning scored as Tony Nardacci stayed in a run down long enough to get Geanellis home.
With the score at 7-0, and things not going so well on the defense or offense, and the game shortened due to the early storm, things looked bleak for the Cubbies. The bottom of the third started innocently enough, with a ground out, Jim McQuade reaching first on an error, then being erased on a fielder's choice. But then there was a spark. Bob Coffey and Al Williams both worked walks, to load the bases with 2 outs. Paul Miles delivered a 2-RBI single. Both runners advanced into scoring position as the ball returned from the outfield. Mike Girard then blooped another 2-run single to left center, and promptly stole second base. Suddenly the Cubs' potent offense was alive, and only down 3 runs with a runner in scoring position and their clean up hitter at the plate. Giants' starter, Ron Massaroni, got tough and struck out that clean up hitter, and the rally was over.
From that point on, it was Rom Massaroni in charge! The last 3 innings saw just 9 Cubs hitters enter the batters box. There was one single (by Ron Lochner, his second of the day), but he was erased on a double play on the very next hitter. Ronnie Mazz ended up allowing just those 4 - 3rd inning runs, on just 4 hits and two walks, while striking out 6 in his 6 innings of work. The Giants would get one insurance run in the 4th inning, when Fred Pigeon hit a bomb to deep center that was tracked down by Jim McQuade (a spectacular catch) that turned a sure 2-RBI double into a sacrifice fly. That would end the scoring, leaving the Giants with a 8-4 victory, as the Giants out hit the Cubs (6-4), out pitched the Cubs (Massaroni bested Girard), and out played the Cubs (2 errors to 5 for the Cubs).
No time for the Cubs (11-1) to feel sorry for themselves, as they need to face the Whiz Kids on Wednesday night at Watervliet High School. The Giants end Phase 2 of the regular season at 10-3, and secure the number 2 seed entering phase 3.
Very good synopsis Mike, with one notable exception. The " sure, 2-RBI double " by Pidgeon was more likely a " sure, 2-RBI single ", or possibly even a " 2-RBI ground out to the left field fence ". Watching Fred run is like watching the bowling ball a 6-year old rolls down the lane at a kid's birthday party. You assume it will eventually make it, but you're prepared to run down and give it a little push. If it does make it, everyone claps. We were all hoping to see it get past Jimmy Mac ( not many do ) because when Fred hits a gapper, we quick shout out odds and bet on the chance he will make it past 1st base ( sometimes TO 1st base ) . He was the inspiration for the term " ground-rule single ". He can still hit them out though, so the slugging percentage is still admirable. See you in the play-offs.
Freddie once hit a shot off me at "B" Diamond that went all the way to the LF fence. As my left fielder gingerly moved to retrieve the ball, I wandered around the mound, maybe kicked the grass, rued the pitch I had just served up, thought about life and about how hitting is the last skill to leave a ballplayer (the legs go first), checked the texts on my phone, compared postgame plans with our third baseman (beer? yeah, beer), watched the outfielder in the far distance finally pick up the ball and softly toss it to the relay man, who lobbed the white orb into second base . . . it bounced and rolled to the bag . . . to nail Freddie by ten feet.
I may have laughed out loud.
-- Edited by JimmyP on Tuesday 17th of July 2018 10:54:39 AM
-- Edited by JimmyP on Tuesday 17th of July 2018 04:52:01 PM
JP, that was epic! The fence is a mere 385 from home plate and Fred reached it on one hop. Unfortunately, it took many more hops for him to get to 2nd safely, but he fell a hop or two short. The most memorable of that play, however, was that Fred actually slid. We felt a shake like a minor quake had infiltrated the foundation of the dugout. First, we marveled at the power this guy still displays; then, like you, we may have laughed out loud! Fred, as always, took it well and mused at his very own misgivings. Certainly, a nugget for the life and history of CDMSBL.
