There is only one explanation for the Cubs vs Pirates playoff game being able to be played in full, last night at Rogowicz Field in Cook Park.
There was rain, wind, and lightning all around us. The forecast was for it to hit us at about 7:00 pm. Then the forecast said 6:00 pm, and the skies
became ominous at about 5:30 pm. There was no way we believed that we would play more than an inning or two. In spite of all of that, we proceeded with
blind faith that somehow the storms would stay away. That blind faith was rewarded when the ominous clouds seemed to move in the opposite direction of
the prevailing wind, and there was nothing but a few tiny little drops two or three times during the game. Otherwise a beautiful night to complete our
single elimination playoff game.

The Pirates got right to it in the top of the first. With one out Jim Jasiewicz singled and stole second. A ground out to the pitcher, moved Jasiewicz to third.
Clean up man, John Haff bounced a ball up the middle that Cubs' shortstop (Ron Massaroni) made a nice play on, but Haff beat the throw to first, and the
8-seed Pirates owned a 1-0 lead over the 16-1 (top seed) Cubs.

The Cubs would even the score in the bottom of the second. Ron Lochner got it started with a 4 pitch walk. Courtesy runner, Chris Dunn, stole second and
Jim Bonaparte delivered him with a RBI single. Pirates starter, Eric Westfall settled down and got the next 3 Cubs in order to keep the game tied at 1.

The top of the Pirates order was at it again, in the top of the 3rd, when Jose Moreno singled to lead off the inning. Jasiewicz then forced Moreno at second, and followed
with a stolen base. Another 1-3 ground out moved him to third with 2 outs. It was DEJAVU all over again, as Haff drilled a one hopper to short that was too hot to
handle, and the Pirates took a 2-1 lead.

The Cubs were able to even the score again in the bottom half of the 3rd. Chris Mason reached on an error and stole second. Two outs later, Paul Miles singled Mason home
and the game was tied at 2, through 3 complete innings.

Cubs' starter, Mike Girard got his first 1-2-3 inning, in the 4th, inducing two comebackers and getting a strike out. The Cubs then showed why they finished the regular season at 16 wins and 1 loss.
Eight consecutive Cubs reached on 7 singles and a double. Bonaparte, Jim McQuade, Alex Marin, Dan Hernandez, and Mason all singled. Hernandez and Mason collected RBI's on their hits
to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead, with the bases loaded and nobody out. Then the Cub's number 10 hitter, John Coulombe doubled to clear the bases, and push the lead to 7-2. Ron Massaroni
followed with a single to move Coulombe to third, and stole second. Paul Miles singled, scoring Coulombe, and moving Massaroni to 3rd. Chris Dunn grounded out to second, but the Cubs
picked up their 9th run on the play. Girard followed with an RBI single and the Cubs owned a 10-2 lead. It all happened in a flash.

The Cubs would pick up two more runs in the bottom of the 6th to fill out the final score at 12-2. Mason, Coulombe, Massaroni, and Dunn all singled in the inning. Girard went 5 full innings,
giving up 2 runs on just 3 singles and one walk, while striking out 3. Ron Massaroni came on to clean up the final 3 outs.

The Cubs move on to the best 2 out of 3 semi-finals vs the 4-seed Dodgers. First game is Monday, 09/11, at the A-Diamond in Schenectady. Game time is slated at 4:45 pm.




-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 8th of September 2023 09:54:29 AM