In a game that matched the 15-2 Cubs vs the 4-time defending champion Giants (14-3), at the A-Diamond last night, the Cubs prevailed, in what was a battle to the end!
The Cubs plated an unearned run, in the bottom of the 1st inning. Mike Girard reached on a two-out error, and immediately stole second base. Two pitches later Girard took off toward third, and Ron Lochner grounded a ball through the right side and Girard scored easily.
The big blow for the Cubs came in the bottom of the 3rd. Ralph Caputo led off with a solid single, and Scott Ross followed with a perfect bunt single. With two on and nobody out, Paul Miles got a green light and blooped a single to right, to load the bases with nobody out. Mike Girard cleared the bases with a triple into the right field corner, and the Cubs had a 4-0 lead. Ron Lochner grounded out to short, and Girard scored on the play to make it a 5-0 game.
With Girard shutting out the Giants through 4 complete innings on just two singles and a walk, the lead looked comfortable...NOT! In the top of the 5th inning, the Giants scratched out one run on singles by Tom Maney, Steve Lounello, and Darrell Duncan.
The Cubs picked up an important insurance run, in the bottom of the 5th. Scott Ross walked and stole second with one out, and Girard delivered him with a solid single to left, pushing the score to 6-1.
The top of the 6th saw the Giants rally to close the game to 6-4. With a 0-2 count Girard hit Pete Geanellis with a pitch. An error on a grounder to third put men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Ron Massaroni then singled to load the bases. Bobby Bolt followed with a RBI single, and all of a sudden the tying run was at the plate with nobody out. Girard got Tom Maney to hit a grounder to second to force the runner there, but the Giant plated their 3rd run on the play. With one out, Jeff Madden grounded into a fielder's choice, and plated the 4th Giants run. The Cubs got out of the inning on pop out to first.
After the Cubs were retired in the bottom of the 6th without scoring, a tiring Girard was left to face the 2-3-4 hitters in the Giants order, to preserve the lead. Out number one was recorded on a fly ball to center. Ron Smaka then looked like he was going to start the rally, when he smoked a screaming liner down the 3rd base line, only to have Ron Lochner spear it out of the air after it was almost completely by him. Hang a star on that one! Especially when Pete Geanellis singled immediately afterward. A game changing play for sure! Girard got the last out on a fly ball to center, and the Cubbies won 6-4.
This put the Cubs into the championship game, where they will face the survivor of two games to be played early next week. They will face a team with one loss and will only need to win one of two against whoever that team is to claim the title. That game will be next Thursday (barring any rainouts in the mean time).
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 17th of August 2018 07:57:42 AM
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 17th of August 2018 08:03:24 AM
