The Cubs got a mammoth home run over the left field wall by Mike Reutter and an inside-the-park home run by Paul Miles
to come out on top of the Pirates 18-7 on Thursday night at the A-Diamond. The two home runs came as part of the Cubs
scoring 16 unanswered runs from the 3rd through 6th innings.

The Pirates got off to a flying start as they used stellar defense and disciplined hitting in the first two innings to take a 5-1 lead.
They got 5 runs in the first after the Cubs' starter issued 4 walks and the defense contributed an error to begin the game.
The Pirates took full advantage of those gifts with RBI singles from Richard Knipper, Fred Pidgeon, and Jim Kidd , and a RBI ground out
by Howard Becker to jump out to a 5-1 lead. Jim Bonaparte came on in relief and shut down things quickly. Not allowing another Pirates run
until the bottom of the 6th when the Cubs had already gained control of the game. Jim pitched 6 innings giving up just one earned run
on 6 hits, and one walk, while striking out 4.

The Cubs comeback started in the top of the 3rd. Scott Ross and Paul Miles led off with walks and Mike Girard followed with a 2-RBI
double to the left center field wall. An error put runners on second and third with no outs, then Mike Reutter absolutely annihilated a pitch
over the left field wall for a 3-run homer and a 6-5 Cubs' lead. Jerry Rosen then walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored
on Jim Bonapartes' long sacrifice fly to left. The Cubs entered the inning down 5-1 and left with a 7-5 lead.

The Cubs would bat around again in the 4th inning, plating 6 runs. Paul Miles started the rally with a wicked line drive to right center that made
it all of the way to the fence, and with his wheels, he made the grand tour before the ball made it back to the infield, recording an inside-the-park home run.
Singles by Girard, Reutter, and Jerry Rosen were sandwiched around a Ron Lochner walk, with Rosen and Reutter picking up RBI's. After a one out walk to Bonaparte,
Dave Schillinger and Ron Massaroni followed with RBI singles. One out later, Scott Ross closed the scoring in the inning with a RBI single. Cubs had a 13-7
lead when it was over.

Jim Dalton came on for the Pirates and shut things down for an inning, but the Cubs were at it again in the 6th. Singles by Dave Mitchell and Dave Schillinger, along with 3 walks,
set the table for a 2-RBI triple for Paul Miles. Massaroni delivered a run on a bases loaded walk, and Ron McCarthy and Kevin Moon had RBI groundouts.

The Pirates showed their grit when they fought hard for two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning. Wayne Newcomb led the inning off with a single and Knipper had a RBI triple in the rally.
The Cubs moved their record to 10-0-1 on the season with the victory. Next up is a tough week with the 3rd place Yankees at New Scotland on Wednesday and the 5th place Giants on Friday at Kuhn Field
(in Cook Park). It will be a great preview of the fast approaching playoffs. Looking forward to it.


-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 6th of August 2021 09:14:26 AM