Game one of the Roy Hobbs World Series went very well for the Albany Cubs. The Cubs won the game 15-6.
The Midwest 9 opened the game with two runs in the bottom of the first with off of Albany starter, Ron Massaroni. With 2 outs and nobody on, the visitors from the Chicago area got a single from their 3 hitter, a triple from their clean-up hitter, and a bloop single by the 5 hitter to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Ronnie Mazz settled down and got the final out of the inning.
The Cubs' hitters would not let them enjoy the lead for long. Tony Nardacci and Shawn Martin walked. Jerry Rosen singled, Mike Girard got an RBI groundout and Dave Mitchell followed with a 2-RBI single. One out into the bottom of the inning and the Cubs were back on top, 3-2. In the bottom of the third, the Cubs got a single run, to make the score 4-2. Shawn Martin walked and Girard was hit by a pitch. Mitch again came through with a RBI single.
The top of the 4th saw the Midwest 9 plate two runs to tie the game at 4. Again, the Cubs would immediately spoil that good feeling in the in the Second City dugout. Two walks (Pat Martone and Steve Lounello) and a perfect bunt by Ralph Caputo loaded the bases with nobody out. After a strike out, Kevin Carpenter followed with a RBI single; Jim McQuade provided a 2-RBI single; the bases were re-loaded with a Nardacci walk; then Shawn Martin and Mike Girard followed with another 2-RBI single. One batter later, Pete Geanellis hit his own 2-RBI single and a 4-4 game was suddenly a 14-4 game.
John Weber came on in relief for the Cubs, in the 5th, and was clean through the 5th and 6th innings. The Midwest 9 would get just 1 run in the 7th, and one run in the 8th. The Cubs got the final run of the game, in the bottom of the 8th, on a Pat Martone rocket to right, that ended up as a triple, and a Lounello RBI single. The final score was 15-6, and the Cubs are off to a 1-0 start.
Monday is double-header day for the Cubs, playing Atlanta Baseball at 10:00 am, and the Nova Scotia Giants at 1:45pm. It will be 83 degrees today, so it looks like a great day to play two!
