As was noted by another GM, the 55 Pirates are not a team to take lightly. Jimmy Eephus Dalton has worked hard to continually upgrade his roster. The first inning was very unusual not that it went 1-2-3, 1-2-3, but that 4 of the 6 outs were called third strikes, 2 for each team. 7 total Ks in the game, none swinging. Like people in general, every umpire is different and thats what keep things interesting. He was a young umpire and I believe he was laying down the law early. If you have 2 strikes and the pitch is close to the strike zone, then you better swing or youll be taking a walk back to the bench. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Twins got on the Jumbotron first as a John Reel 2 out single plated Stefan Koutsakis who had also singled. The home team Identicals added another run in the 5th when Rodney Smith drew a walk, reached 3rd on a Ricky Saidenberg one out double and chugged home on an RBI sac fly by Charlie Freer. Twins starting pitcher Wayne Nicholsen preserved his teams 2-0 lead through 5 full allowing just 2 hits while facing just 17 batters. Here come the determined Pirates in the top of the 6th. First batter out 1-3. Second batter called third strike. Speedy leadoff Jimmy Jasiewicz reaches on an E-5 and of course steals 2nd. Jose Moreno pushes him home with a single. 2-1 ballgame. Bottom of the 6th the Twins load the bases with one out and Joe Parker hammers a line shot to the left fielder who makes the catch. Inning ends on a pop up to first. Pirates enter the 7th with a groundout to first. Greg Allen reaches on another Twins E-5, makes it to third with 2 outs and scores on a very slow grounder to third with no chance of a play at the plate or first . However, on the same play Rick Knipper, who had been on 2nd, committed himself to taking third and was tagged out by Jim Tino to end the inning but Allen was able to score before the tag was made on Knipper. Some of us thought the game was over. But NOT ! It was the right call all the way. 2-2 ballgame going to the bottom of the 7th. Smith flys out to left. Jim Edelman grounds out 6-3. Boomerang champion Rick Saidenberg grounds a clutch 2 strike 2 out single up the middle. Up comes Freer who proceeds to crush the first pitch high and deep over the head of the left fielder as the ball lands just shy of the fence. Saidenberg comes all the way around to score and, BOOM !, it was over, just like that. 3-2 Twins. For the Twins Lee Madsen, Freer, Terry McCarthy, and Saidenberg each collected 2 hits. Jimmy Jazz, Jose Moreno, John Haff, and Jim Ansel each had a hit for the Pirates. Jeff Whitehead had what was likely a great game saving catch in deep deep center off the bat of Jim Denny in the 4th inning. Eric Westfall was the pitcher of record for the Pirates going the full 7 allowing 11 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and struck out 4. Nicholsen picked up a complete game hard earned win surrendering 4 hits, 2 unearned runs, 1 walk, while striking out 3. Twins win a tight one 3-2.
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 13th of July 2023 11:18:03 AM
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 13th of July 2023 11:18:50 AM
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 13th of July 2023 11:52:50 AM
