Both teams entered the game after playing 9 innings in 87 degree heat with high humidity.
The carrot of being just one win away from being in the championship game made all of the
fatigue and pain disappear for 3 hours.

The Cubs again jumped out on top, in the 1st inning. This time a base running mistake turned into a blessing,
and then into a run. With two outs and nobody on, Mike Girard reached on an error. He took off for second on
a steal attempt too early and got caught in a pickle. When the pitcher got a little too close in the run down,
Girard seized the opportunity and ran into him and flopped to the ground. The result was an interference call,
and Girard was awarded second base. Dave Mitchell promptly drove a ball to center that was dropped, and the
Cubs had a 1-0 lead.

The Cubs added four runs in the bottom of the second inning, and took a 5-0 lead. Bob Bolt walked to lead off the inning.
A fielders Choice, an error, and a walk to Tim Brown loaded the bases.Scott Ross walked and the Cubs had their first run
in the inning. Jack Griffin was hit by a pitch, and the lead was 3-0. Girard grounded a ball to short, but beat out the relay
to first and pushed across the Cubs 4th run. Dave Mitchell followed with a single up the middle, and the lead was at 5.

The Pirates pushed across 2 runs in the 3rd inning, and got 4 more, in the top of the 4th, to take a 6-5 lead and chase Cubs'
starter Darrell Duncan. Mike Girard came on to get the last two outs in the inning, and limit the damage.

The Cubs didn't wait long to even the score, when they got back to 6-6, in the bottom half of the inning. Ron Massaroni
walked, and moved to third on Scott Ross's single. Scott then stole second. After a pop out to pitcher, Girard drove a fly ball to
center, for a sacrifice fly, and the score was tied.

The Cubs got the lead back, in the bottom of the 5th on back-to-back doubles by Ron Lochner and Bob Bolt. Ralph Caputo's
RBI single pushed the score to 8-6.

The Pirates again tied the score, in the top of the 7th on two errors, a single and a double. Ron Massaroni came on to relieve in the inning,
and keep the score tied.

In the bottom half of the 7th, the Cubs rallied with two out AGAIN, to take a 10-8 lead. With two outs and nobody on, Jerry Rosen and
Bob Bolt singled. Ralph Caputo drove them both home, with his second and third RBI's of the game.

With just 1 and 1/2 innings left, the Cubs looked for a little insurance in the 8th. With two outs and Jack Griffin on first, Mike Girard drove
a two strike pitch to the right center field wall and ended up with a RBI triple. Dave Mitchell followed with a RBI single, and the Cubs took a
12-8 lead to the top of the 9th inning.

The Pirates were able to push across one run against Mazz in the 9th inning, but that was all, and the Cubs move on to the Championship game on Saturday
afternoon.

Saturday at 1:00 pm the Cubs will play host to the Puerto Rico A's in the Championship game. Back home to the condos and the hotel rooms to play
MASH, to get the aches and pains taken care of for just one more night.

On a sad note, Scott Ross suffered a thumb injury while trying to bunt, in the 6th inning of the semi finals. He went to the hospital, and found out that
he had fractured his thumb and needed stitches as well. Scott Ross was a huge reason that the Cubs are in the Championship game. He played great defense all week,
and was 5 for 7 with 1 walk, 3 stolen bases, 4 runs and 2 RBI's today alone. We will be dedicating the win in the championship game to Scott!

Good night all!

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 9th of November 2018 08:55:29 PM