On a picture perfect Saturday morning, the Hummnbird traveled to Swift Road Park in New Scotland, for a battle between 2 of the divisions top 4 teams.
These are not your daddy's Hummnbirds!!! The top 3 guys in this order can really fly!
If they are on base, they will steal, and there is very little you can do about it.

Eddie Alvaraez led off the game with a single and stole second. After Jon Martin got the Hummers 2-hitter to fly out to right, moving Alvarez to third, Jed Sagazie reached first on a HBP. The Hummers put on the double steal. The Cubs worked the cutoff play with shortstop cutting off the throw to second and firing home. One small problem! Alavarez was already safely home with the games's first run. Tom Bruck would follow with a RBI double to give the Hummers a 2-0 lead. Jon Martin would get the next two hitters on grounders to escape the inning with no more damage.
In the top of the second, Martin would injure his right leg while pitching to the first batter of the inning. Ron Massaroni would come on and retire that batter. Frank Witkowski would reach first on an error and move to second on a sacrafice bunt by Ian Walker. Walker's bunt was a key play as Alvarez would follow with a RBI single to move the lead to 3-0.
A one out walk, a stolen base, and back-to-back singles by Ron Coon and Bert Myers would give the Hummnbirds a 4-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning.
The lead would reach 5 - 0, in the top of the fourth, when the Birds would get another single and stolen base from Alvarez and two walks.
Meanwhile, John Latorre was pitching a gem for the men in orange. John pitched a complete game for the Hummnbirds, while never allowing more than 4 Cubs to come to the plate in any one inning. He scattered 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1HBP, while striking out 3.
The only Cubs run came in the bottom of the 4th inning, when Jim McQuade led off with a double and was singled home one out later by Randy Craft.
The next time these two teams get together, it will likely be in the semi-finals or finals.
Good luck to the Hummnbirds the rest of the way!


-- Edited by mgirard11 on Monday 18th of July 2011 10:04:43 AM

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Monday 18th of July 2011 10:05:55 AM