Thursday night's game under the lights at the Clifton Commons featured the 3rd place Yankees and the 1st place Cubs. Doug Duell and Mike Girard faced off on the mound for their respective teams. Both pitchers controlled the opponents offensive line-ups all night long.
Duell gave up one first inning run, when Chris Dunn walked, stole second, was wild pitched to 3rd, and scored on Mike Girard's ground out to 3rd. The hard throwing right hander mixed up his heater with a plus breaking ball to get strike outs when he needed them most and even struck out the side in the 5th inning, in order. Dominant. Girard, in the meantime kept the Yankees hitless through the first 3 innings. The Yankees would mount a huge threat in the bottom of the 4th, when Carlos Llera recorded the Yanks first hit to lead off the inning. He was immediately erased when Jerry Rosen threw him out trying to steal. Darrell Duncan and Mark Marshall then grounded singles through the left side. Paul Post was retired on a fielders' choice, leaving runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Post then stole second. The Cubs intentionally walked Duell to load the bases with 2 outs. Girard got the final out of the inning on a strike out, and the Cubs' lead would remain in tact, 1-0.
Then the bottom of the 5th rolled around with the Yanks needing to rally. Chad Bowman tried a drag bunt down the third base line to lead off the inning. Girard got to it quickly and fired to first in time to get the runner, but the ball eluded the Cubs first baseman and Bowman was on second. Lex Herlett then reached on another Cubs error, and there were runners on 1st and 3rd, with nobody out. Bob Altobelli and Llera then reached on fielder's choices, but Bowman was still stuck at 3rd, and the bases were loaded, now with two outs. Then the blow that changed the game: Darrell Duncan blasted a deep drive over the left fielder's head, scoring the tying and go ahead runs. Llera tried to score from first on the play, but Jim McQuade and Carlos Espada made perfect relay throws to get the ball to Jerry Rosen in time to cut down the runner at the plate. Girard got Marshall on a weak pop out back to the mound, and the inning was over. The Cubs had given up two unearned runs on only one hit, and the Yanks had the 2-1 lead entering the 6th. Bad news with Duell dealing!
With one out in the 6th, Chris Dunn singled for the second time in the game. Girard followed with a solid single to right center on a hit and run play, getting Dunn to 3rd with just one out and the meat of the Cubs order up. Duell regained control of the inning by getting the Cubs 4 and 6 hitters on a pop out to second and a routine fly ball to right. Fire out, and the Yanks were still in front 2-1. The Yanks got an insurance run in the bottom of the 6th without getting a hit. Two Cubs errors paved that way to that run. With a 3-1 lead going into the 7th, Duell completed his masterpiece with 2 K's and a pop out to short. Doug scattered 6 hits and walked 2, while striking out 9, yes 9! He gave up just the one run in the first before keeping the previously undefeated Cubs off the board the rest of the way to earn the win. Girard was the hard luck loser, giving up just 4 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 2. All 3 of the runs he gave up were unearned.
The Cubs still hold the lead in the 55+ division at 13-1, with just 3 games left in the regular season. Next up for the Cubs is another game under the lights, this time on Tuesday 08/19, at 7:45 pm, at the A-Diamond, vs the Twins. The Whiz hold the 2-seed, currently sitting at 12-2. The Yanks keep the 3-seed as they enter the next segment of the regular season at 7-3-1, needing to make up 3 games, while playing 3 more over the next 4 weeks. The results over the next 4 weeks will determine the final seeding for the playoffs which start the week of 09/15. Good luck and good health to all that remain in the hunt for the trophy in 2025!
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Wednesday 13th of August 2025 09:43:20 AM
