On a perfect Fall afternoon, the Golden Marlins won game one of the finals, 8-6 over the Giants. With Steve Lounello facing off against Chuck Sohl, the game promised to be a low scoring, pitcher's duel, but the Giants had 11 hits and the Marlins 14.
The Marlins got things going in the top of the first, with a one out triple by Randy Craft and a RBI single by Ron Lochner. Chuck Sohl retired the Giants in order, in the bottom half of the inning, to give the Fish a 1-0 lead and an important boost in confidence.
A two-out rally, in the top of the second, would give the Goldens some breathing room. After two quick pop outs, Jim McQuade would work a walk and would steal second. Phil Gadomski brought him home with a single, to make it 2-0. The courtesy runner would steal second and Tom Maney drilled a RBI double to make it 3-0. Randy Craft would reach first and Tommy would score on an error to make it 4-0. Mike Girard then popped a ball behind first that found some empty real estate for a RBI single to make it 5-0. The Giants would get a single and a stolen base from Jim Whitford, in the bottom of the inning, but Sohl would strand him there.
Steve Lounello would bear down in the 3rd and 4th innings, keeping the Marlins from adding to their lead, and giving his team a chance. The Giants would take advantage of a good bounce in the bottom of the 4th. Tony Nardacci led off with a single. Steve Lounello followed with a fielder's choice and stole second. Ron Smaka singled, moving Lounello to third with one out. Sohl pitched very carefully to Dick Stark and walked him to load the bases, with one out. Chuck then struck out Whitford, in a key spot, to get the second out. Sohl then got Mike Kane to hit a hard grounder at second baseman, TJ Scorsone. The ball took a funny hop on the last bounce and caromed off to center field and score two runs. Chuck then struck out Joe Careccia to limit the damage.
It is always very important if you are scored upon, after having a lead, to score right back, to limit the momentum. The Golden Marlins would accomplish that in the top of the 5th, plating a run on a Ron Lochner lead-off double and a Chuck Sohl two-out RBI single. With the score 6-2, the Giants would go back to work in the bottom of the 5th. Jack Riley would lead off with a solid single and steal second. He would move to third, after a pop out, on a Bob Bolt single. Bob would steal second on the next pitch. With runners on second and third and a hot-hitting Tony Nardacci at the plate and just one out. Marlins' catcher Mike Ferraro threw behind Riley at third and picked him off by a full step. That was huge, especially when Nardacci followed with a RBI single and stolen base and Lounello drove Nardacci in with a single to make it 6-4. Sohl then got Smaka to ground out to second to end the inning.
Tom Maney led of the top of the sixth with his third hit of the day (a hard double down the left field line). With one out, Girard would hit a 0-2 pitch through the right side to drive in Maney. Girard would then steal second and move to third on a single to left by Mike Ferraro. With two outs and two strikes, TJ Scorsone doubled in the 8th Marlin run, to provide some very important insurance. Chuck Sohl was tiring, but got the Giants out in order, in the bottom of the sixth.
Tom Maney would get his 4th hit of the day in the top of the seventh, but the Fish were unable to add to their lead. In the bottom of the seventh, the Giants would get two runs on singles by Jack Riley, Bob Bolt, and Tony Nardacci, but when the tying run got to the plate, with two outs, in the form of Giants #5 hitter, Steve Lounello, Chuck got the strike out he needed, and game one went to the Golden Marlins 8-6.
Games two and three (if necessary) will be played a Swift Road Park today, starting at noon. It is obviously will be the place to be!

Be there or miss out on the best baseball of the season!





-- Edited by mgirard11 on Monday 27th of September 2010 05:58:42 AM