In a nerve-racking, nail-biting, see-saw affair, the Cougars just managed to squeak by the Dodgers 6-5, on Saturday at the Satellite Field.
The Cougar pitching quartet of Montagano, John Breen, Andy "The Rocket" Andros, and Dave "The Magician" Plew combined to hold off a hard-hitting Dodger line-up that fought tenaciously to the last out. The Dodgers' own rubber-armed manager Ed Rogers once again turned in one of his signature complete games, baffling Cougar hitters with an impressive array of off-speed pitches to a hard-luck outcome.
For the Dodgers at bat, Dave Lapinell was 2 for 3, and blue-shirted stalwart Mark Gleason had a perfect day with two walks and a single. To no one's real surprise, Gleason once again succeeded in amazing and delighting fans and players alike with his utter toughness and fearlessness by staying in there to "take one on the arm" for the team, as only Mark can do it (though, regrettably, he was, yet again, NOT awarded first base for his efforts).
Offensive standouts for the Cougars were Andy Andros, who was 2 for 3, with a mammoth double to right and three RBIs; and third-baseman Brian Quinn, who was 2 for 3 with a run scored.
Defensive kudos go to Cougars catcher and new addition Bob Coffey, who nailed a would-be Dodger thief at second base, and right-fielder Rob Rugen, who made a fine running catch of a sinking liner and then followed with a strike to first base to double-up the runner.
It was great to see Tim Zakriski of the Dodgers back from Iraq in one piece. He hit a screaming single off me to center that left no doubt that Tim is as strong as ever after coming back from a disabling injury to his shoulder that he sustained two years ago while making a diving catch in right field for the Dodgers. Welcome back, Tim and continued good luck!
My sincerest thanks go to the umpires--who's names, I promise, I will one day commit to memory. They are a veteran crew and they always do a marvellous job. Quite predicably, they were patient, fair, and gracious, and I can honestly attest that they didn't miss a single call. (If someone knows the identity of these two gentlemen, I would apprecitate your adding a post below.)
In conclusion, allow me to add that I don't know if it's just me, but this managing in close games can be a rather stressful endeavor. I'd swear yesterday's game took five years off my life. I spent the entire game pacing like a madman in front of the bench, wearing a path in the grass (sorry, Darrell), barking at my players and my kids, and still I don't know whether my agonizing decisions helped or hurt my team!
Even two hours after the game I was still revved up, bouncing off the walls of my house with the scorebook in my hand. I said to my wife, "This stress is TOO MUCH." She replied, "Then, maybe it's time to get out of the business."
Well, all I can say is that managing a CDMSBL team may, in fact, kill me in the end, but, honestly, WHAT A WAY TO GO!
It's great to be underway again, and good luck to all on the rest of the season.
