The games are almost always competitive when the Cubs and the 2-time defending champion Whiz Kids get together. Last night's game at New Scotland was no exception.
The Whiz got off to a quick start, in the bottom of the first, against Cubs' starter Mike Girard. With one out, Jeff Friedman, Shawn Martin, and Doug Reisinger had consecutive singles, to plate the game's first run. Girard settled down and got the next two batters on routine fly balls to limit the damage to just one run.
The top of the second saw Chris Dunn blast a one-out solo home run over the right field wall against Whiz starter, Bob Bolt. After the Dunn HR, both starters settled in and kept their opponents from scoring further until the top of the 6th inning. With Jeff Friedman on in relief for the Whiz, the Cubs got a two out single from Ron Lochner. Next up was Tony Parella, struggling with a bad hamstring. He hit the ball into the right field corner, sending courtesy runner, Chris Dunn, all of the way around to score the go ahead run.
Coming out for the bottom of the 6th, Mike Girard had produced 4 scoreless innings against a very tough line up. The Whiz were far from done, however. With one out in the inning, Doug Reisinger doubled to left field. Girard intentionally walked Gene Hallenbeck. With a 3-2 count on Paul Graziano, Girard thought that he had made the perfect pitch, with a fastball on the outside corner, but the ump called it a ball, which loaded the bases with just one out. It also caused the Cubs' hurler to get lose focus, as he thought that he had gotten a big strikeout. The Cubs' manager decided to make a move right then to Chris Mason. Mason walked Joe Burns, and the game was tied at 2. With the bases loaded and just one out, the crafty lefty placed a pitch perfectly on the low and inside part of the plate that Jan Friedman hit hard right at third baseman, Andy Hoyle. Hoyle caught the firm one hopper and stepped on third and threw to first, in time for a game saving double play.
The top of the 7th inning saw the Cubs load the bases with one out. Alex Marin led off with a single and Ron Massaroni followed with a walk. John Coulombe dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. All the Cubs would need was a ball to the outfield to take the lead. Friedman made two great pitches to induce the Cubs leadoff hitter and 2-hitter to pop up to the infield to end the rally without a run.
The Cubs' manager decided to bring on Chris Dunn for the bottom of the 7th. He got two pop ups and a ground out, sandwiched around a walk, and the game was on to extra innings. The top of the 8th inning looked promising as the Cubs loaded the bases when Girard was hit by the first pitch he saw; Mike Reutter singled; and Dave Mitchell walked. Again Chris Dunn was in the spotlight -- bases loaded and nobody out. He came through with a 2-RBI single, and the Cubs held a 4-2 lead. Another walk reloaded the bases with one out. Friedman struck out the next Cub, and got some help, when a screaming liner by Andy Hoyle was snagged by the Whiz SS, and quickly relayed to third for an inning ending double play.
Now came the bottom of the 8th. Shawn Martin hit a soft liner between right and center that evaded the glove of Paul Miles as he tried to make a sliding catch. Uh Oh! Now came the heart of the Whiz order. Chris Dunn got Doug Reisinger (already had two hits) to hit a foul pop that looked like it would fall harmlessly by the first base dugout. Dave Mitchell came steaming in like a freight train to make a great running catch, just inches from the dugout. I think the dugout flinched as Dave was approaching. With one out and the dangerous Reisinger out of the way, Dunn struck out the next batter and got a lazy pop-up to first and the game was over. The Cubs were very proud owners of a 4-2 victory.
Dunn again was the headliner on offense for the Cubs, as his solo homer and 2-run single were the difference. Girard threw 5-1/3 innings, giving up both Whiz runs on 6 hits, 2 walks, and 1 HBP, while striking out 3. Chris Mason came on to get the Cubs out of a serious jam in the 6th to set the stage for the dramatic win, and Dunn got the win with his two innings of shut out pitching. Shawn Martin and Reisinger both had two hits for the Whiz. The rest of the lineup was held to 3 hits (Jeff Friedman, Mike Kane, and Greg Mangione) in 20 at bats.
The win give the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the regular season vs the 2-time defending champs, with one more game to go. Next up for the Cubs will be two games with the now second place Damn Yankees. A regularly scheduled game at Watervliet HS on Thursday next week, and a make up at New Scotland on Wednesday of the following week. Get your tickets now. They will likely go fast.
