The Cubs got off to a flying start in game one of their Semi-final series with the Twins.
Carlos Espada and Bryce Cutler both walked to start off the game. Mike Girard's ground out
moved both runners into scoring position. Jerry Rosen and Ron Lochner followed with RBI singles.
Mike Reutter and PJ Martone singled and suddenly it was 4-0. A Twin's error on a slow grounder to short
plated the 5th run in the inning. Cubs lead 5-0 after one.

The Cubs got two more runs in the second inning on three more walks (Paul Miles, Espada, and Rosen);
a Girard single, and a RBI fielder's choice by Lochner. Cubs lead 7-0, after 2.

The Cubs used a 2-out rally to plate two more runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Sherwin So started the
trouble with a 2-out double down the left field line. Paul Miles singled So to 3rd, and stole second. Espada
followed with a clutch 2-RBI single and the Cubs lead grew to 9-0, after 3 complete.

Meanwhile, Cubs starter - Mike Girard, sailed through the first 3 innings facing just two over the minimum.
That is when the Twins showed their mental toughness. It would have been easy to throw in the towel and
just go through the motions, down 9-0 to the defending champs after just 3 innings. They never quit!

Instead, they put together 3 strong offensive innings against Girard in innings 4-6. A single by Cohen and a double by
Jeff Whitehead had both runners in scoring position with no outs. A ground out to second by Rick Saidenburg
plated Jeff Cohen and moved Whitehead to 3rd, with just one out. Steve Rychik hit a slow roller to short, but Espada
charged hard and made a perfect throw home to nail Whitehead for the second out (a real rally killer). Girard got the
third out via a strike out and the Twins rally netted just one run. Cubs 9 - Twins 1, after 4.

Girard had to work hard to keep the Twins at bay, in the 5th, as Stefan Koustakis singled and after a strike out Rodney Smith walked,
but an infield fly and a ground out kept the score at 9-1. In the 6th, the Twins rallied again, stringing together good at bat after good at bat.
With one out, Whitehead drilled his second double (3rd hit) of the game, to start the rally. Saidenburg followed with a single and
Rychik walked to load the bases. Girard got a comebacker and got the runner at home, for the second out. With the bases still loaded,
Koustakis came through with a clutch 2-RBI single and the score was 9-3 and two runners on. Girard then hit Mike Arbour with a pitch to
reload the bases. A pop-out to short got Girard and the Cubs out of the jam and on to the 7th. Cubs 9 - Twins 3, after 6.

Girard found a second wind inthe 7th, and got the Twins in order on 3 ground outs. Two of the three outs came on very nice defensive plays
by Espada and So. The Cubs walked out with a 9-3, game 1, victory and a chance to advance to the finals with a win in game 2, on Monday
night at the A-Diamond at 5:00 pm.




-- Edited by mgirard11 on Friday 12th of September 2025 09:36:40 AM