The Cubs and Americans got together at the A-Diamond last night, with an ominous weather forecast
for the evening. There was a little rain prior to the game, but the game got started on time. In the middle of the 3rd inning,
the skies opened up, and it poured for about 20 minutes. Any other location, and that would have been the end of that game.
Not at the A-Diamond! As soon as the rain stopped, both teams got back at it in a matter of minutes. That field is the best thing
to happen to this league in a very long time. Where would we be without it this year?!

The Americans got off to a flying start, when Mike Aiello and Vince Koster led off with singles, and Dave Hartman walked to load the
bases, with nobody out. Cubs starter, Jon Martin then induced a ground ball to second that looked like a sure double play, but the Cubbies'
shortstop took his eyes off the ball for one second, in anticipation of turning that double play, and the ball sailed into left field. Now the Americans
were up 2-0 with no outs and runners on second and third. A lot of pitchers would have gone into panic mode, but not this veteran hurler.
He got a soft liner to short, a ground out from 3rd to 1st (scoring the Americans 3rd run), and a ground out to short. Getting out of that inning down just
3-0, was nothing short of a miracle. For the next 4 innings, Martin shut down the Americans' offense on just two singles and no walks, while striking out 3.
That performance was huge to the Cubs' comeback bid

The Cubs' offense got in gear in the second inning. Andy Hoyle led off with a single, and Martin followed with a walk. After a pop out to first, PJ Martone
delivered a RBI single. Jim McQuade plated the second Cubs' run with a RBI single. Ralph Caputo then walked. Americans' starter,
Dave Hartman, got Kevin Jackson to ground to third, forcing the runner at home. Scott Ross followed with a bases loaded walk, to tie the game at 3.
With the bases loaded and two out, the Cubs' number 13 hitter strode to the plate in a big spot. Dave Mitchell came through in a big way, with a bases clearing double,
to hand the Cubs a 6-3 lead. Paul Miles followed with a RBI double, and the lead blossomed to 7-3.

The Cubs would get 1 insurance run, in the bottom of the 4th. Jon Martin led off with a single, a fielder's choice and a deep fly out to center left two outs and Marc Lochner on first.
Jim McQuade followed with his second single of the game, and Ralph Caputo plated Lochner with a RBI single.

In the bottom of the 5th, the Cubs would expand the lead to 10-3 on a two out walk to Dave Mitchell and an inside the park home run by Paul Miles.

Scott Ross came on in the 6th, in relief of Martin, and closed out the game giving up just 1 run, on 1 hit and two walks.

The final score was 10-4, but was also: Central Park A-Diamond 1 - Mother Nature 0.


-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 21st of June 2019 09:41:09 AM