I'd like to add my recap to Jim Ansel's modest report on Friday's game. Ansel pitched an superb game last night. He set down the Pirates in order through 4 innings striking out 7 in those 4 innings. In the 5th Ron Smaka lined a deep shot in the gap to break up the no hitter. On a subsequent single Ansel successfully backed up a throw to 3rd twisting his leg to the process and was unfortunately unable to continue pitching. A FC on the next play scored the Pirates first run followed by another in the 7th. As Jim Ansel mentioned in his post, Mike Kane also pitched a great game losing his no hitter in the 1st when Lochner drove a deep shot in right center for a two bagger. Kane answered by retiring the next 14 Marlins in a row until the 6th when Ansel returned from the dead and led off with a single, followed by a single by Clary. Kane got the next Marlin to pop out to short and Skip Treece worked a walk loading the bases. This game may have been short on hits but not on drama. Next, a sharp grounder up the middle was snagged on a tough play by Mike Labanowski turning it into a 6-4-3 double play ending the inning. Jim Quinn had a double and a single scoring the 2nd insurance run in the 7th for the Pirates. In the bottom of the 7th, "The Bionic Man" Tom Maney, stole 2nd but when the throw went into right center Jim Preller, well known for his writing talents, released a rocket to 3rd cutting down Maney on a close play. Great defensive game by both teams.
