Last night the Silver Marlins and Aging Orioles hooked up in another hard fought game at Cook Park. The Marlins took a 1 - 0 lead on a Ron "Sparky" Lochner single in the second inning. Jim Ansel looked like he was going to make that one run stand up for the first 4 innings, as he mowed down a very talented Orioles batting order, but Mario Arduini came through with a single to left to tie the game at one. The Marlins plated two in the bottom of the fifth off of Joe Guerin on an infield single by Randy Craft and a couple of wild pitches. That looked like it was going to be good enough as Ansel was still in command, but the cooling night air got to Jim in the top of the sixth, as he had to leave the game with a stiffening back. In came Phil Gadomski, and the O's immediately struck for two runs and threatened to blow the game open, but "Mash" settled in and got out of the jam by inducing Mario to ground out to first. Joe Guerin mowed down the Marlins in the bottom of the sixth. Mash returned to the mound in the seventh and retired the O's in order to set up the Marlins for a chance even the series by plating just one run. The run was produced with two walks, a wild pitch, an intentional walk to load the bases. With one out and the bases loaded it was up to John Paloga (who relieved Guerin to intentionally walk Randy Craft) to induce Mike Girard to make an unproductive out or, better yet, hit into a double play . The first pitch from Paloga went squarely into Girard's backside. Game over. Walk-off HBP in the posterior.
It was a very anti-climactic ending to a great game, but it sets the stage for a very exciting final and deciding game tonight at 8:00 at Cook Park. YOU DON'T DARE MISS IT!!!