The field at the Commons, in Clifton Park, was "iffy" to start.
The infield grass was uncut, and there were 4 areas of the dirt that were still moist, but
were good enough to give it a go. Just as we were about to start an 5 minute light shower added to
the difficult conditions. If it was a 10 minute rain, we would have been unable to play.

The pitchers struggled with the footing on the mound all night, and the infielders were always throwing a wet ball
every time a grounder was hit. The errors that resulted made for a longer, higher scoring game. The end result, however, was a nail biter
that was undecided until the last pitch.

The Dodgers got a run on 3 hits and an error, 2 of the hits never left the infield. The Cubs got one back in the bottom of the 1st when Chris Dunn singled and stole second.
Grounders by Mike Girard and Ron Lochner moved him to third and scored him. The Cubs would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 2nd. Andy Hoyle singled to lead off
the inning and stole second one out later. Jim McQuade singled him home with two outs. The Cubs doubled their lead with a run in the 4th. Hoyle reached on an error and
advanced to second on a fielder's choice. Ron Massaroni singled him to third, and McQuade plated him with a sacrifice fly.

The game took a big swing in the top of the 5th. Mark Callahan doubled with one out and Dennis Lane worked a walk. Cubs' starter, Mike Girard, got the second out before
surrendering singles to Greg Gougler (RBI), Tim Burns (RBI), and John Weber (2RBI). Girard got out of the jam with a strike out to end the inning, but the Dodgers emerged with
a 5-3 lead. The Cubs cut the lead to one, in the bottom half of the inning on a lead off single by Dunn and a stolen base. Girard traded places with Dunn, as Dunn made a base running error,
but stayed in the rundown long enough to get Girard to second. Ron Lochner followed with a RBI single to make it 5-4.

The Dodgers were determined that they were going to win this game and plated 3 big insurance runs in the top of the 6th. Hits by Callahan and Gougler, along with a walk and
two wet ball errors made the score 8-4. Ron Massaroni then came on in relief of Girard, and got the last 2 outs to keep the score at 8-4.

Most teams would have thrown up the white flag. But not the Cubs, not on this night. The Cubs' half of the 6th started with another Hoyle hit.
Bonaparte and Massaroni walked to load the bases, with no outs. McQuade stepped up to the plate and drilled a 2-RBI single to cut the lead to 8-6, with still no outs. Callahan then
struck out the Cubs' 9 hitter and got Sherwin So to ground out 6-3, moving both runners into scoring position. Don Ball then decided to walk Dunn to load the bases, asking Callahan to
take on Girard with the bases loaded and two outs, with a 2-run lead. Girard took the first pitch curveball to right field for a 2-RBI single and tied the game at 8. Lochner was then
intentionally walked after getting to a 2-0 count, to re-load the bases. Mike Reutter then hit a towering fly ball to left that was caught for the final out.

Massaroni pitched around a 1-out error in the 7th, and Callahan escaped a jam in the bottom of the 7th, when Don Ball made a nice play on a grounder to third, throwing a soaking wet ball to first,
just in time to get Dan Hernandez on a bang-bang play at first with runners on first and third with 2 outs.

The top of the 8th started with Dennis Lane drilling a line drive single to center -- at least that is what everybody thought. Everybody except Chris Dunn. He charged the liner and took it on one hop
and fired a seed to first in plenty of time to nail Lane at first. That turned out to be huge! After a second out on a comebacker to the mound, Gougler hity a sinking liner that was misplayed by the Cubs right fielder.
That was followed by a Tim Burns double that would definitely have scored Lane had he made it safely to first. Instead with runners on second and third with two outs, Massaroni got another sinking liner to right
from John Weber, but this time Sherwin So battled the lights and a hard sinking liner to make a very nice catch to end the inning. Dodger's manager, Don Ball, brought on Lane in relief of Callahan. With one out, Dunn
rapped his third single of the game. He took off on the first pitch and Girard tried a hit and run, but grounded the ball to short. Dunn reached second safely, but Girard was thrown out at first - two outs with a man on second.
Dunn then proceeded to steal third. Why try that with 2 outs? This is why: Ron Lochner hit a grounder to short. With the long wet grass and a quick bobble of the grounder by the Dodgers shortstop Lochner was able to beat
the throw to first on another bang-bang play at first, Dunn scored and the Cubs walked off with a 9-8 victory.

A heartbreaking loss for the Dodgers leaves them at 5-9; while the Cubs improve to 12-2.
Great finish to a great game under very difficult conditions.
A tip of the cap to Dodgers' starter Mark Callahan, who pitched great in defeat, again under very difficult conditions.
One more game left in the regular season between these two teams. It should be a Doozy!






-- Edited by mgirard11 on Thursday 22nd of August 2024 10:35:30 AM