The Cubs and Dodgers got together on a hot and very humid night, last night at Watervliet High School.
The games between these two teams are always hotly contested, and last night was no exception.
The outcome was in doubt until the very last pitch was thrown.

The Cubs got off to a good start getting two runs in the top of the first inning. Paul Miles led off with a single,
and stole second. Ron Massaroni then walked and Mike Girard drove Miles home with a RBI single, and Massaroni
moved to third on the play. A 5-4-3 double play plated the second run.

The Cubs would push the lead to 4-0 in the 3rd inning with a two out and nobody on rally. Girard got the rally started with a single.
Mike Reutter worked a walk, and Jerry Rosen followed with a long two run double.

The Cubs added a single run in the top of the 4th. An Andy Hoyle walk, a Scott Ross single, and a walk to Jim Bonaparte loaded the bases
with one out. Kevin Moon then "took one for the team" and the 5th run was forced in. A smart 6-4-3 ended the rally.

The Dodgers would climb back into the game with the help of a pair of hits and a pair of Cubs' errors, to pull to within 3 runs at 5-2.
An error started the inning, and one out later Marc Trinchillo singled. Ray Coletta followed with a blast onto the left field hill by the tennis courts
for a 2-RBI double, and the Dodgers were right back in the thick of it.

The Cubs added a 6th run in the 5th. Paul Miles walked, and advanced all of the way to 3rd on a wild pick-off throw. With two outs, Paul got caught in a pickle
between home and third, but used his speed and smarts to not only escape the pickle, but score on the play.

The Dodgers would not go away. Jim Tesereiro led off the bottom of the 5th with a sharp single. John Cortese bunted and Girard fielded the ball
but threw it down the right field line, and the runners ended up on second and third. Steve Schaefer hit a RBI single. A walk to Don Ball loaded the
bases with one out. Leadoff man Harry Staulter then lined the ball up the middle, and it looked like it would be a 2 RBI single, but the Cubs' pitcher
speared it, and tossed to first for an easy double play, snuffing out the rally.

The 6th inning passed quietly and it was on to the 7th, with the Cubs leading 6-3. The Cubs got a very important insurance run in the top of the 7th.
With one out, Jim Bonaparte singled and made it to second when Kevin Moon's grounder was misplayed by the Dodgers third baseman. Ron McCarthy
then singled to load the bases and Paul Miles delivered Bones with a RBI single.

The bottom of the seventh began with the Cubs up 7-3 and Ron Massaroni on in relief. Ron came on in the 6th and pitched a 1-2-3 inning. The 7th would
start innocently enough with a soft liner to SS for the first out. A seemingly harmless walk to Greg Gougler gave the Dodgers their first runner. Jim Bradley, Jimmy T,
and John Cortese followed with singles, with Tesereiro and Cortese picking up RBIs. An errant throw from the Cubs' right fielder on the Cortese hit allowed an extra run to score
and had Mr. Cortes standing in scoring position with the tying run, with just one out. "Big Game" Ron Massaroni came through when needed as he induced a comebacker
for the second out. Cortese advanced to third on the play and was just 90 feet away from tying the game with two outs. Massaroni induced a grounder in the hole on the left side
that eluded a diving Cubs' third baseman, but the Cubs SS got to the ball in time to get the ball and throw the runner out at first. Game over. Cubs win 7-6. What a finish!

The Cubs move to 12-1-1 with the victory, to hang on to first place, but face a tough finish to the season with games against the Giants and Whiz Kids. If they can somehow
sweep the two games, it would assure them of the number one seed entering the playoffs. If they were to lose one or both they could drop all of the way to the third seed.
A big week ahead!







-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 27th of August 2021 09:12:25 AM

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 27th of August 2021 09:30:42 AM

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 27th of August 2021 12:44:20 PM