Game Top Story: Ken Koperski pitches a gem. Details? um...he threw 27 first-pitch strikes while facing only 21 batters. Ken absolutely loves first pitch strikes, in fact his wife's name is First Pitch Strike. They're a freaky lot. I believe after the game, they had plans to go crash a teenage rave party.
Biggest Hit: Jerry Callahan's double in the first inning. It was also good for the first RBI of the game. Just so happened, the Google satellite was overhead. The Google Earth image of Kyte Monroe diamond 1 is now Jerry's ball landing behind the left fielder and Jerry rounding first base.
Best Defensive Play: John Volpi telling us all what a stud pitcher he used to be. When challenged, he got defensive about it.
Most Handsome Team: Oh my gosh dude, it's the Marlins of course. This is exactly how it went down last fall. "Hey Jim, you got like half a team of really handsome guys." And Jim said "Jim, you know you're right and so do you. We could have an entire team of good looking guys if we merge up." Look for the Marlins Team Calendar around 4th of July. Submit a selfie at a Marlins game and win a free calendar if your shot is selected.
Best Menu in the Parking Lot: Marlins win hands down 3 beverage choices Grilled Ball Park Franks Variety Pack Chips Peanuts
For the guys that show up 10 minutes before the game and expect everything to roll along, realize that Rick Maruszczak gets up at 3am, has a cup o' java, milks the chickens, then gets busy making our diamonds nice. Honestly, today the pitching mound was as nice as it's ever been at Hazel Park. the dirt was all pristine and the chalk lines were immaculate. We appreciate you, buddy.
This directly led to Marlins' starting pitcher Jim McWilliams tossing an impressive game...so thanks for that, Rick. Jim's game included four 1-2-3 innings, and 21 out of 22 first pitch strikes. "Yeah, I really love pounding it out there," Jim chimed in. If that sounds even remotely suggestive to you, that's your problem.
Through 4 innings, the only Cubs' batter to reach base was a sharp double by Jim's former teammate Gene Bennett. Gene asked for a fastball down the middle and got it, but fouled it back to the screen. Next came an inside changeup that had some pretty good ride, but hung a little high. Gene pulled his hand in and pounded the off-speed pitch hard down the line. "Yeah, I really love pounding it out there." Gene chimed in.
Not so obvious by the score is the fact that the Marlins played some pretty sweet defense, particularaly the infield. Doug Fry needed all of his canon arm to nip the Cubs' leadoff hitter by half a step. Jerry Callahan had an impressive backhand play, and later stayed with a bad hop cleanly. Finally in the 7th, Jerry and Doug turned a double play. The two have really hit it off after that time behind the restaurant they changed into each other's clothes.
Let's not forget Ed Alberts' nice scoop of a throw in the dirt. Ed claims he's been putting a lot of time into video research and this accounts for his continued success. "The key..." Ed explains "...is to suit your research to the diamond. Since we're playing at Hazel Park, I've been watching Green Acres on MeTV."
With 18 runs scored, the offense had to be spread out across the entire Marlins' lineup. Every player netted at least 1 base hit. Jerry Callahan led the way today, getting on base all 5 trips to the dish. Ironic then, that it was Mark Stanisz (who is in the process of moving) came to the game saying he had tripped over his dishes 5 times today. "I gotta get all these boxes off the floor!"
We hope everyone enjoyed National Applesauce Cake Day (don't believe me? look it up)
Originally, The Marlins took the game 20-0 with Doug Fry pitching a 7-inning perfect game on 63 pitches, striking out all 21 batters he faced on 3 straight pitches. In the final inning, the Marlins did not even field a defense, showing such confidence in their stud pitcher. "Well, you know" Doug explained "...it's all about staying in shape, drinking enough beer, and Tube8. Everything else is beside the point."
Originally, Catcher Chris Miller had to stop at the urgent care across Harper for an x-ray, and it was a non-displaced fracture. Chris caught all 63 of Doug's pitches, and each one hurt. "My hands haven't been subjected to anything that hard since that I took a shower in well water."
Originally Tim Small had gone 5-for-5 with 6 doubles but had to be removed from the game because too many fans were storming the field.
Ed Alberts originally found that a little math formula makes everything alright. 8==D 0:
But then The Flash was chasing a bad guy and ran faster than time and we were all shifted to an alternate universe. In this universe, the Royals won 8-4.
It was Royals backup first-baseman James Robertson's birthday today, Happy Birthday James! He received a gift from almost every player on both teams. His birthday booty included: batting gloves, reading glasses, a ThighMaster, a jar of olives, his and her bath towels, a game bag on wheels, a ball and gag and a Royals bath robe ... but no plate appearance.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E The Tribe 0 2 1 0 0 0 3 4 1 Marlins 2 0 0 5 2 9 13 1
Ken Koperski took the pill to the hill for the Marlins today and started by setting down the Tribe 1-2-3 to start the game. "I really tried to concentrate on deception, tempo and variety today," Ken began his media interview. "As opposed to what?" asked Tribune beat writer Hugh Jass. "Velocity, movement and control" Ken smiled.
Jim McWilliams set the tone of the game by taking the first pitch to deep right-center for a triple. "Normally I would work a walk, steal second and third ... but I was in a hurry 'cause I had to pee." Jim explained.
Jerry Callahan did take a walk and stole second. The throw to second went into center field scoring Jim. Without a hit or RBI, Jerry created our first run. Two SAC flies later, Jerry scored our second run. Fair to say 'Jerry's got the runs.'
The Tribe battled back a bit, but nobody really took them seriously. Even when they took a brief lead, it didn't feel like it. Let's move on.
Then came the bottom of the 4th ining and the Marlins put together 7 hits in a row. Emile Stinchcombe, Ed Alberts, Tom Rogala, Doug Fry, Jeff Young, Chris Miller and Craig Bevercombe all wanted to see their names in print. Here it is boys, enjoy your moments of glory!
The Marlins capped the scoring parade when Jim Cuthrell led off with a single and of course stole second (it's what we do). The next 5 batters also reached base. Jimmy and Mark Stanisz scored the runs. Ken Koperski and Tom Rogala had the RBIs. <insert joke here>
Doug Fry came in to close the door on a Tribe threat, earning his league-leading 2nd save. "Yeah, the save was fun, but I'm gonna go troll the baby shower in the pavilion," Doug said, and jogged down the driveway.
After the game the Marlins enjoyed standard and premium soda pops, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, pizza rolls, chips, peanuts and FIREBALL. Hands down, the best Brunch in all of Hazel Park.
The 6:00 game saw the La Realeza Advenediza (upstart Royals) defeat the Cubs to pull within 1/2 game of the division-leading, and catalog underwear models, Marlins. The Marlins answered back at 8:15 with a decisive win over the host Diamondbacks.
Jim McWilliams was looking chiseled and dapper in his gray Pair of Thieves long-leg boxer briefs as he took the hill. He allowed only 3 hits, none of them scored, keeping Jim's ERA sitting on a trio of goose eggs...and that's an odd coincidence...goose eggs.
Mark Stanisz featured a Calvin Klein thong in paisley. This, in turn, led to him being the only player on the field to manage 3 hits - all mighty blasts that could have gone for extra bases were it not for the thong doing something special when Mark ran.
Nearly as perfect - 2 hits and a walk - was Doug Fry, sporting his Tommy John blue/yellow/green stripe loose-fit boxers. Doug managed a double and his first stolen base of the season. It's about time...The Marlins as a team lead all MSBL teams in steals with 28, and Doug now accounts for 3.6% of that total. A special thanks from the starting pitcher to the Marlins third baseman. Helluva game over there!
Jimmy Cuthrell gets a nod for his classic Fruit of the Loom whitey-tighties, and his double (ahem) and triple. Also not to be lost was at least 1 nail-biter of a catch out in center field. The whitey-tighties really give him freedom to extend those legs and make some fine running catches. Unfortunately, it also gives him the urge to extend those legs while sitting on the bench, and that's a little uncomfortable.
Jerry Callahan was all that, strutting out to shortstop in his Jockey boy-panties. There's a story there, but you don't want to know... So, Jerry turned the "power of the panties" into a couple hits and another safe on error, for 3 trips safe to first base, then added 3 stolen bases. Jerry now leads the MSBL with 9 stolen bases (Jim and Jim are 2nd and 3rd). Jerry also leads the MSBL with 9 stolen hearts, all attributed to the boy panties.
Ed Alberts, being the throwback player he is, did a cat-walk in his athletic support jock strap. "I feel fast in my cup" Ed spouted, then stole two bases.
Jeff Young made his way to the field in his Duluth Trading Company long johns. "They kind of look like baseball pants" Jeff said "the rest of you guys look ridiculous." Jeff harnessed his confidence to get on base twice, including his heralded 2-RBI base knock.
Honest assesment of the game: The pitching and fielding were pretty even for both teams. Jim Davis, Ken Barnowski, and Jim McWilliams all issued only 1 walk each. Defensively I counted 2 and 3 errors for the teams. We didn't get everything, but both teams got everything they should. Throwing strikes and making plays. Well-played game by both teams.
The difference was the Marlins hitting - all those names above.
Ronnie Elswick tosses a gem with Bob Bell getting the save. The umpires checked Ronnie and Bob thoroughly for foreign substances after the game. They did find Ronnie had excessive hair product, but agreed he was irresistable with his hat off, so they let it slide. Bob had a delightful menthol and peppermint aroma from around his belt buck, but umpires could not find the source. Neither affected the game, but had a big impact on which team the media interviewed afterwards.
Not to be outdone, Ken Koperski (4 IP) and Doug Fry (2 IP) gave up only 1 hit each - Marlins had 4 hits, so the Marlins did out-hit and out-field the Rangers (q.v. errors). An odd twist is that the Marlins managed to strand 90% of the batters they walked. Alas it was not 100%. The first hit the Rangers earned was directly after a walk and stolen base. Pretty sure that was Rob Chafin that scored the only run of the game, but his picture is not on the team web site, so it could have been anybody. Pretty sure it was Kyle Rabideaux that banged that RBI hit. His picture on the web site was before his surgery though, so again...could have been anybody.
Best player on either side was Marlins' star shortstop Jerry Callahan. Jerry was 2-for-3 with a stolen base and made arguably the best catch of the game running 5/8 of a mile to catch a mile-high pop up by Mark Dardzinski. At least we THINK it was Mark Dardzinski... Jerry had apple and cinnamon Toaster Strudles for breakfast, and his confidence just goes through the roof those days.
Ed Alberts was the hero of the after-game (which the Marlins won, thanks to Doug and Jimmy Mac) by wrangling imbibables while the grill heated up. We should also mention Ed made a fine play on a rocket hit by Kevin Tardivi (and we know it was Kevin because of the garlic) that hit first base on the second hop. Ed stayed with the ball and was delighted it wound up in his glove rather than his mouth. "There are only 2 things worse than a baseball in the mouth" Ed explained. "Lobsters on your piano, and crabs on your organ."
David Letterman's Top 10 Reasons the Tigers and Marlins Tied 10. Doug Fry perfect at the plate, perfect in the field, and perfect in front of the mirror 9. Bob Hoffman tosses a gem, tosses his cookies, and tosses a salad (he's a CHEF...sheesh) 8. Mariners steal 9 bases, Tigers steal 9 great deals at Target 7. One umpire tonight and he did a great job. Really hustled. Then sold luggage from his trunk between games. 6. Greg McGlone gets 2 strikeouts in key situations, then made the cover of Cosmopolitan - those shades...oooohweee! 5. Ed Alberts leads the league in "safe on error" and instigating loud-mouth spectators 4. Gene Baratta flattened a ball hitting a single his first time up, then flattened a ball slipping off his bike...owwee 3. Jerry Callahan again made the best play of the game - when he sent an email "PK4" to his play-by-mail chess buddy between innings 2. Duh, because they scored the same number of runs 1. They set it up ahead of time to kiss each other's sisters
Governor Whitmer Declares July 8th "Emile Stinchcombe Day"
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E McRoyals 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 7 4 Marlins 8 2 3 2 0 15 16 3
Emile's day started normal enough. He woke up to the pleasant alarm tone from his Android phone (no wonder you iPhone users are so cranky). He must have had clams for a midnight snack though, because he woke up quite stiff. Luckily, Mrs. Stinchcombe is expert at massaging tight muscles and helped the swelling go down.
A shower and cup of java later and he saw, quite unexpectedly, our governor interrupt Good Morning America with the announcement of Michigan's first Emile Stinchcombe day. There was a parade scheduled for 4pm down Woodward, but that was cancelled due to rain.
Emile went off to work and had a verbal contract to install a $14 million indoor pool at the VFW hall in Roseville, but the storms knocked out power and they had to reschedule the closing on the deal.
To celebrate the nearly great things happening, Emile splurged and got Uber Eats to deliver a fine steak dinner. As fate would have it, the delivery van (a '72 Dodge 1500) had a cracked distributor cap and once it got wet, his steaks never made it. He had to settle for grilled cheese and tomato soup.
The weather seemed certain to wipe out his greatest joy, playing with the (because Tim Small attended) most-handsome team in the Detroit MSBL. However, Emile not only got to play his game, but was also named starting pitcher. Another tug on the rug later and he was off to the field.
Mother nature ensured that despite the entire state being under 18" of water, the field at Flat Rock was in fine condition. Emile on the mound and somewhere between 0 and 11 able-bodied Marlins in attendance (this is 52-and-over, after all). Making his first pitching appearance of the season, Emile took it to the Royals allowing no earned runs while pitching a complete game. Furthermore, 3 times on base out of 4 trips to the plate. There was also a little something for him when he got home - and it involved a shower.
Emile didn't do this alone, but he certainly inspired his team. Tom Rogala crushed the ball a couple times and made the best catch on the field today ... all for his buddy E. Jeff Young drew 4 walks in 4 trips. He never swung the bat because he was mezmerized how Emile glistened on first base. Mark Stanisz clobbered his first of 22 doubles this season and cited "Emile really smells good today - it's energizing!" Mark quipped. Finally, Ed Alberts stayed up late harrassing the author with his unique joviality because he couldn't sleep. "Man, when Emo has games like that I'm giddy for days."
Slow, slower and slowest ground balls ruled the game at this bizzare but hellafun match between 26 guys wearing the same jerseys. It was all Joe Gorelski's idea. Joe's other idea was to buy the bar at the corner of Caniff and Conant, but that's another matter altogether.
This game featured the Marlins taking an early lead, then the .45s catching up, Marlins take the lead again until finally Bobby (don't call me Spaulding) Wilson was the late hero ... picking up the Coors light. Also something about a bomb...
Speaking of bombs, the Marlins have the most bomb guy in the league. Mark Stanisz knocked in the first 2 runs of the game. Not so much a bomb as a missle, but still, when your hits are regarded as military ordinance, you're drinking the right bourbon.
The other big bat of the day was Craig Bevercombe's Rawlings Big Stick. So big, in fact... Craig went 2-for-3 and had the go-ahead RBI in extra-innings. "I thought I heard Ken say he would take me to Arby's if I got a hit. It turns out he was saying I would get an RBI. Giving us the lead was nice, but ARBY'S?! Creamy Mediteranean Chicken Wrap, please."
Another Marlin that knocked in a go-ahead run was Chris Miller - his came in the 4th. Chris drove home Doug after he had single and stolen a base. He also drove Doug home after the game when Doug tried to drink a case of beer in an hour.
Finally, congratulations to Greg Deeg who went all 8 innings for the win. Also congratulations to Greg for winning FLEX CAM at the last Tiger's home game. Those Upright Rows finally paid off.
Diamondbacks Stun the World with Comeback of the Ages
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E DiamondBs 2 2 0 0 0 11 15 14 1 Marlins 1 0 1 7 3 0 12 11 4
The Marlins tried a bunch of pitchers, but the Diamondbacks knocked the snot out of any not named Fry. Doug was over-extended but pitched into his 5th inning before he allowed a hit. Best pitching peformance on the field tonight. In a string of 11 batters, the only player to reach base did so on error. #19 racked up 5 Ks along the way, including striking out the side in order in the 5th. All on an achy shoulder. Luckily for Doug, his personal physician recommends beer and plenty of it. Mow 'em down, knock 'em back, Canasta!
That 11-run 6th inning the DBs put up was something to witness. The Marlins had not quite as large of an inning, scoring 7 in the 4th ... but they didn't have to trade their souls for it. I'm SURE I saw a guy in a red suit walking away after the game. There's just no other explanation.
The game was not without some bright spots. Ed Alberts (who leads the league in safe on error despite not having ever been safe on error) went 3-for-3. Afterwards, Ed showed everyone his stick (say that out loud), and proved he had the most massive wood on the team. 35/48, I believe.
The actual safe on error king is currently Tim Small, who extended his safe on error streak to 3 consecutive plate appearances. The fact is, Tim gets down to first base so quickly, every infielder panics. Tim also gets down to Boogie Town quickly on the weekends. Watch his live feeds on YouTube.
The Marlins offense was remarkably spread out. Every batter did 2 of something...some 2 of many things. 2 players had 2+ hits 2 players hit doubles 5 players scored 2 runs 3 players had 2 RBI 2 players had 2 stolen bases 7 players reached base twice 2 players ate 2 grilled cheese sandwiches == one player made 6 of these 7 categories, see if you can figure out who ==
Based on difficulty level, the defensive play of the game was Jeff Young going back to reel in a Terry Graham deep drive in the 3rd inning. Jeff admitted after the game the catch was due to his new GoogleLens contacts, which have a fly ball predictive algorithm. He just ran to the spot he saw on the ground. Thanks Google!
We've all suffered through rain in 9 out of the last 7 days. Yesterday was a deluge. No way we can play this morning, right? Well, let me tell you...the baseball gods love both the Cubs and Marlins and stopped the rain JUST IN TIME. Hats off to the Mott Athletic Director for rigging that bond vote a couple years ago. (the State Police know I'm always joking, right?) This is an awesome field and was dry in no time.
Speaking of both the Cubs and Marlins, it seems like all the same guys. Everyone on both teams has been teammates with half the other team. That makes it super fun. Then it turned out to be a competitive and evenly-balanced game. Both teams featured good pitching (1 walk each side), good hitting (lotsa hits), and botched defensive plays (lotsa Es). Bottom line, this was a fun game to play. Close glame start to finish. Today being National Emoji Day earns a big :)
The two standout hitters of the day were former teammates Mark Stanisz and Dave Brown. Mark was the only player on the field to reach base 4 times, and hit the 3rd of his 22 doubles this season. Dave, on the other hand, reached base twice and knocked in a run with a SAC fly in his other plate appearance. They are good buddies, but seeing Mark and Dave share a corn on the cob after the game was a bit weird.
The pitching was really good today. Ken Koperski for the home Marlins; Rick Maruszczak for the visting Cubs were the starters. Both went deep and kept the game close and threw strikes to move the game along. Jim McWilliams and Jess Monitcello closed it out in the same fashion. The game was finished in 1:45 due to the adept pitching. Or maybe, it was because Pat Benetar was setting up to play a concert in the high school gym (Dave's favorite GB).
There were other big days with the bat also. Other Marlin multi-hit games were notched by Jerry Callahan, Jeff Young and Tom Bonner. And it's amazing any one of them were here. - Jerry's wife called him right when it was time to leave for the game. "Honey, I locked my keys in the car at the bakery, come rescue me." "Sorry, got a game...<click>" That Jerry, he's a gamer. - Every player on the Marlins will tell you they thought Jeff Young was going to miss the game today, but there he was like a rabbit out of a hat. - Tom Bonner was mistaken for Tom Selek coming into the parking lot and had to sign autographs for an hour.
Finally, we'll shout out to Paul Czuchna for being the lone Cub with a multi-hit game. Na Zdrowie!
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Tigers 1 0 2 0 2 0 5 11 1 Marlins 4 3 0 5 2 14 18 1
President Biden announced a program to provide plenty of free hits to amateur baseball teams. Both the Tigers and Marlins applied (approved same day) and knocked a whopping 29 hits combined. No less than 10 players had multi-hit games. In case you like to see your name in print, those guys were Jack Di Giovani, Ed Collins, Greg McLone, Jim McWilliams, Jerry Callahan, Mark Stanisz, Doug Fry, Emile Stinchcombe, Chris Miller, Jeff Young. Phew, now I don't have to say anything about these jokers the rest of the recap.
One of those guys from that list had the biggest hit of the day. It was a 2 RBI double in the 2nd inning (his 4th of 22 doubles this season) driving in Craig Bevercombe and a guy from the first list. He wore #33, but it looked like "3.3" after a fastball in the middle of the back from another guy in the first list.
Best defensive play of the game was ... well, there were no "wow" plays, but the catchers all made some good snags, Tom Barkowski, Jim Cuthrell, and a guy from the first list all made some nice backhand catches and blocked balls in the dirt. One of the guys I just mentioned took a solid foul ball to the mask, rattling his cage. He had a little double-vision after the game but he said it will work to his advantage. "I think I'm gettin' lucky tonight. I'll pretend it's a threesome."
The Max Efficiency Award goes to Tim Small, who managed to make contact just once tonight. But that once was crucial, it was a single to drive in a run, which led to this guy also scoring a run. The RBI was the (by 1980s rules) Game-Winning RBI. I hear he also eats exactly one prune before bed every night. Efficiency!
At this age, everyone hurts. Tonight it was a rash of leg injuries on the Marlins, and a run on Tigers' faces hurting. (They're killing me!) There were 2 new leg injuries today on the Marlins, to go with the 3 pre-existing. I can't tell you who they were, because I already said all their names in the first list. By the end, we had more players with courtesy runners than without.
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 0 0 1 2 1 1 5 10 1 The Tribe 10 3 0 1 4 18 19 0
When the score is lopsided, you simply look for silver linings.
Here's one, Tom Rogala was the Marlins' player of the game. He was on base 3 times including a double and stolen base, but it was his defense that earns him the PotG nod. Tom made a long running catch that wowwed everyone early in the game. Later he threw out 2 runners at home. Well, one was thrown out, the other got tipped on the way to the plate, but the runner was hung out to dry on the great throw. Let's see...great hitting, great defense...oh yeah, Tom also did an oil change on Craig's car before the game, massaged the knot out of Jerry's pulled hamstring in the 3rd inning, and got a crazy interest rate on a home re-fi for Ed. That Tom...what a guy!
Best Marlins' hitter of the day was Mark Stanisz. Mark has been our best hitter several games in a row and banged the 5th of his 22 doubles his year. "Let me tell you, whether it's baseball, pictures at Fotomat, or shots of bourbon, doubles are the way to go" Mark Explained. "Let me tell you, whether it's baseball, pictures at Fotomat, or shots of bourbon, doubles are the way to go" Mark Explained.
Statistical oddity: all 3 outs for the Tribe in the 5th inning went 6-4 (Jim McWilliams to Ed Alberts). The oddity is that neither were playing their starting positions on the team. In fact, because of players missing and injuries, the only player at his starting position was catcher Chris Miller. Manager Jim Cuthrell said "I thought it might be good to get some guys some innings at places they don't normally play. Jimmy Mac played short, Ed played second base, and Emile Stinchcombe played first chair violin with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra." "They all worked out fine, except Emile doesn't really play violin, so I caught some heat for that."
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 1 0 5 0 4 5 15 13 2 ZugIslnd 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 9 0
<ch.2> Bob Barker: Okay Marcia, for winning Over-Under you get to select a prize. Do you want what's in tiny box A, behind door B, or behind the curtains C? Marcia: I'll take what's behind door B please Bob Barker: Marcia takes door B, let's open the door; Johnny, tell her what's she's won Johnny: Bob, Marcia has won Tom Rogala, the phenom center fielder that makes long-running catches and stops teams dead in their tracks with his rocket arm. Tonight he had 3 hits, 2 runs, a double and the first RBI of the game. Marcia: Woohoo! I also need to figure out how to sign up for long-term care!
<ch.4> Alex Trebeck: Correct answer Frieda, you get to select the next question. Frieda: Alex, I'll take "Hunka Burnin' Love" for $800 please. Alex Trebeck: Staying within the umpire's tolerance of baselines, he took an awesome route to third base...and he had 3 hits tonight Frieda: Who is Tom Rogala? Alex Trebeck: No, I'm sorry...the answer is Ed Alberts Frieda: Darn! I've always wanted to fish the Detroit River
<ch.7> Gene Rayburn: Okay Betsie, would you like question A or B? Betsie: I'll take A please, Gene Gene Rayburn: A it is, here's your question: "Jimmy Cuthrell really had a great game tonight, in fact he had a pair of <blank>" Betsie: Gosh, that could be anything. I'll say "hits" Gene Rayburn: Charles you start us, "Jimmy Cuthrell really had a great game tonight, in fact he had a pair of <blank>" Charles Neslon Reilly: "walks" Gene Rayburn: That may be true, but it doesn't match Betsie's answer. Next up...Nipsy, what did Jim Cuthrell have a pair of? Nipsey Russel: I said "RBIs" Gene Rayburn: Also true, but not what Betsie answered again. Betty, what would you say? Betty White: I said "cahones" Gene, his hamstring is still not 100% Gene Rayburn: Also true. Let's see if Fanny can get us a match. Fanny "Jimmy Cuthrell really had a great game tonight, in fact he had a pair of <blank>" Fanny Flagg: I was sure she would have said "nice scoops" I didn't watch the game, but I heard he played a nice first base. Gene Rayburn: Richard, can you finally get Betsie a match? What did Jim have a pair of? Richard Dawson: Sorry, I went with "at-bats" Gene Rayburn: That leaves it all up to Brett Sommers. Brett, what did Jimmy have a pair of? Brett Sommers: When you said 'great game' I thought this was a hook-up artist. I never heard of him. So I just said "pick up lines" Gene Rayburn: No, I'm sorry Brett, not only is that not a match, but Jim's got no game. Sorry Betsie, you didn't get any matches but you're not going away empty handed, you get the home version of Match Game to play with friends and family, as well as a set of American Tourister luggage. Smart and stylish, American Tourister.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E DmdnBcks 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 Marlins 013 3 0 4 0 20 15 3
The Marlins exacted sweet revenge, turning the trick on the Diamondbacks. It was these same D'B's that ambushed the Marlins with an 11-run inning the last time these two teams met. This time the orangies put up a 13-spot with everyone in the lineup scoring at least once in the second inning. There is a reason...
The Marlins showed up for the 8:00am mass with Brother Rice himself. The clergyman greeted all attendees and blessed them with a palm frond, "duos hits, et uni deambulatio" and that explains everything.
The biggest Boomer on the field was Mark Stanisz. Well, "Boomer" is HIS nickname for that thing ... anyway ... Mark's bat delivered a 3-for-4 day with 2 doubles and 5 RBIs. Mark's truck delivered some Grub Hub on the way home. Finally, his golden voice delivered a delightful serenade to his wife when he returned home. If Mark drives his wife to that baby shower tonight, he better bring rubber gloves with him. - Mark now leads the league in hits, doubles, and RBIs.
Ken Koperski was the Marlins starting pitcher and tossed a 3-hitter with 6 strike outs. Offensively, Ken was one of the 7 batters to reach base 3 times. Appointing himself Marketing Director, Ken also brought the second most fans we've seen all year. But...does Ken get to enjoy a fine cigar after the game? No!
In the final inning the Diamondbacks brought in their closer and he was in the high 70s, maybe low 80s. His age...not how hard he throws. Special note, he got out of the inning 1-2-3.
Doug Fry also reached base 3 times. Doug has now drawn a league-leading 13 walks. Doug also went 3-and-3 after the game. 3 hot dogs and 3 beers, that is.
Media swarmed the south fence at Clawson. "No flash photography, please" Sluggin' Stanisz supplicated the spectators. "Headlights, okay but only if there's something in it for me later." It has been 7 games in a row Mark has tallied a double...closing in on Hugh Jass' record.
No doubles today, though. <sad face> Media around the globe find that despite the utter disappointment he brings his family by breaking his prestigious streak, he did manage to go 3-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBI. Regardless, fans were heard to jeer "come on Stanisz, I didn't come for a vanilla cone, BRING THE BANANA SPLIT!"
*TRIPLE CROWN WATCH* Mark now leads the lead in hits, doubles and RBIs. .009 off the batting title lead.
There were several mighty blast we're going to highlight. First on the list, first of the game, George Pfeiffer's drive to right-center. In celebration, his Cubby teammates got him with a shaving cream pie in the face. "Oh my god you guys, I've always wanted a pie in the face...that's so sweet" George emoted with a quivering lip.
Next batter, next drive. Dave Brown over the left fielder's head for 2 RBI. Amazingly, nobody on the Cubs saw the ball hit; they were all looking away at exactly that moment. Even the runners were confused. Dave had to yell, "run!"
Ken Koperski was next to really drill a ball deep into the inky blackness that is the Clawson sky at night. "Is that the ball, or the moon?" "I don't know, but it's pretty far away."
Jeff Young (on base 4 times) had the best extra-base-hit of all. Jeff crushed the ball over Cubs' centerfielder and good buddy Gene Bennett's head. The ball looked like a fly to center off the bat, but oh around second base or so, it looked like the ball was hit again and carried DEEEEP! Following suit, Jeff's voice dropped an octave after the hit. He now has the deepest voice in the league, then landed a gig hosting "Pillow Talk" on Smooth 104 FM.
Finally, as the Cubs began a rally in the final inning mark A white closed out the doubles parade. He also closed down the parking lot. Good for you, A.
This mound makes us wish Rick would work his magic EVERYWHERE.
Despite the high-scoring appearance of the game, Jim McWilliams did manage to throw 4 consecutive shutout innings (then make a dazzling play at shortstop to nip the speedy Mike Lane). "I owe it all to high blood pressure and anxiety" Jim explained. Now my doctor says I'm not getting enough arsenic and suggested I take up smoking.
Doug Fry went 3-for-4, but it was so unremarkable, I don't have a joke for it.
Ed Alberts really appreciated the ice after the game. Shrieks of "ooh" were involved. Let your imaginations run wild.
Ed Alberts did not hit 2 home runs today. The Marlins would have lost by alot less had he hit those dingers, but no.
Marlins' best player today was Ken Koperski. The starting pitcher had the lead for 3 innings and was bringing good heat. Ken also had one of the few Marlins' hits. Too bad he left before he could claim his PotG prizes. In addition to a nifty participation medal, Ken missed out on the gift basket that featured a Home Depot gift card, the latest Reader's Digest, and half a dozen twenty dollar cigars. We'll at least get him the medal at the next game.
Hey, thanks to Eric Toysa and Scott Misuraca for busting their azzez to get the mound playable. 'Preciate you guys. Eric stuck around to watch the entire game, hoping HE would win the medal. He may deserve it after he dislodged the un-stuckable ball caught at the top of the net.
Doug Fry scored the Marlins' only run. He was one of five players that went 1-for-2 (one player went 2-for-3) as well as caught a ton of pop ups at third base. None more impressive than the ball Dave Ruczko hit that had a 7.4 second hang time. Doug was recently awarded a certificate of appreciate from his home-owner's association for having the most neatly-trimmed bush.
After his hit, Doug advanced to second then third on passed balls. Chris Miller drove in our only run of the day with a ground out to shortstop. That ground out was far more productive than the 2 home runs Ed Alberts didn't hit.
Finally, after the game the Marlins all went home and snuck some zuccini onto their neighbor's porches. Why? Because August 8th is National Sneak Some Zuccini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day. Think I'm kidding?
############### League Leader Watch ############### AVG .583 Mark Stanisz (Mark White is listed on the leaders page, but does not have enough PA to qualify. This also applies to SLG and OPS.) Hits 28 Mark Stanisz Runs 25 Jim McWilliams Doubles 7 Mark Stanisz Walks 13 Doug Fry Stolen Bases 30 Jim McWilliams
Doug Fry threw the first complete game of his Career. He convincingly mowed down the Indians throwing a one-hit shutout through 6 innings and did not allow an earned run. His cutter was a difference-maker today. And by that, I mean he cut the cheese during the team prayer and several players had to be put on a respirator. Luckily, those with iron constitutions played a fabulous game of defense behind him.
The best play of the game though, was Doug's friend Ed Alberts' speech to present Doug the team medal after the game, comparing Doug to Shohei Ohtani (Doug was on base 2/3 with 2 RBI today also). Shohei may have a great head of hair, but I'm taking Doug in a game of beer pong all night long.
Before the game, Doug Fry gave his blessing to a lineup that featured fellow media darling Tom Rogala batting fourth. Because of Doug's keen approval, the Marlins' cleanup hitter had a day going 2-for-3 with a double, run and RBI. Doug mentioned that Tom was the only Marlin with two hits. Doug also appreciated the fine plays Tom made in center field that allowed him to throw such a masterpiece. Tom's double directly led to Doug netting 2 RBIs on the next hit. That hit of Doug's, by the way, would have been the Game Winning RBI, if such a thing still existed.
Doug, the winning pitcher, was also the happy recipient of a couple double plays. The first was a line drive to Doug's long-time drinking buddy Mark Stanisz, with a leap that got him higher than Snoop Dogg at a Bob Marley convention - then a quick dart throw to second base to double off Ed Klieman (no relation to Doug Fry).
The second Marlins double play was started by the Road Manager of the Doug Fry Travelling Circus, Jerry Callahan. Jerry had gone far up the middle to grab a sharp Hazel Park grounder, hoping to bail Doug out of a jam in the 7th. A quick turn at second base and we have double play number 2 on Doug's behalf.
A defensive play to remember was a ground ball to first that Doug Fry was slow covering the bag. As he ran to first, Doug's buddy Ed led him with a perfect throw. Doug knew he couldn't beat the runner to the bag, but because he took a good route he could tag the runner ... so he did.
Just to top it off Doug drove home after the game only to find someone has broken into his house. Oddly though, is the only thing he can find that was touched is that the bandits removed all the super-thin toilet paper Doug stole from work and replaced it with Northern Quilted Ultra ... weird ... but it's been that kind of day for our hero, Doug Fry!
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 1 3 3 0 5 2 14 16 3 DiamondBs 1 0 1 0 0 2 4 3 1
With a decisive victory over all his buddies on the Diamondbacks, the Marlins become Ed Alberts' second team to claim the top spot in their division. "This champagne thing has gotta stop, it messes with my Coumadin."
Larry Feola was the surprise starting pitcher and made a statement going 4 strong innings. Larry, making his first start since seatbelts were an option, had done everything right all weekend...plenty of water yesterday, went to bed early, ate a healthy breakfast, plenty of stretching and a botox session to look his best.
Tim Small was the surprise second baseman and reliever, putting the pain aside to help his team win a championship. On base 4 times, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2 innings pitched including a 1-2-3 5th inning. The pain? Tim's back is sore from carrying this team.
Jeff Young had a heckuva day also, getting on base 4 times, 3 hits, 4 RBIs, 2 stolen bases and the best defensive play of the game. Jeff was playing left field and had the longest running catch we may have seen this year. Unfortunately Jeff never stopped and he ran right through the chain-link fence, ending up a pile of diamond-shaped sausage on the other side. Services will be held next Saturday at Zehnder's of Frankenmuth (with a side of cranberry sauce).
Tom Rogala, Ed Alberts, Craig Bevercombe and Larry Feola also had multi-hit games. Since Larry and Ed already got paragraphs about them, we'll ignore them this time around (irony, look it up). Tom is putting pressure on the outfielders these days, thanks to the Elven +1 Strength bat he got at the Rennaisance Festival. Craig manages a big day at the plate despite staying up all night covering for Superman while he's on vacation.
Shout out to Diamondbacks' catcher Ken Barnowski, his throws were all on the money today. And it was so awesome that he brought popsicles for both teams. Blue is my favorite!
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 6 4 0 3 5 7 25 27 0 McRoyals 1 2 2 0 0 1 6 8 2
The Marlins Win (sing to the tune of "The Brady Bunch")
It's a story of a team named Marlins Whose team-play nearly brought Jim Cuthrell to tears After the game, cooking hot dogs And a round of beers
Well this team that was in first place played the second And a rivalary exist between blue and orange It was well-played, and lots of fun But no, I can't rhyme anything with "orange"
The Marlins Win The Marlins Win That's the way, we became The Marlins...win!
Marlins Voted Sexiest Buns by Detroit Bakery Guild
1 2 3 4 5 R H E Lugnuts 0 0 0 1 2 3 6 0 Marlins 6 5 1 0 12 16 3
After months of reality-show TV, a field of 32 teams with pretty nice buns was whittled down to two. The two Best-Buns finalist settled the score by resorting to baseball for the final challenge. It was the Lascivious Lugnuts versus the Magnificent Marlins.
The game started all Lugnuts with Yukon Don, Jim Stark and Jeff King of the Brittons base-knocking against Marlins' starter Jim McWilliams. From there, Jim buckled down by tossing a strikeout then double-play for a shutout inning. 2 more shutout innings were to follow. But more importantly, the sun would hit at such an angle, the bun judges just couldn't resist giving the pitching buns edge to the Marlins.
Immediately, the heralded Marlins bats exploded and kept exploding. You can't really single out anyone because absolutely every Marlins batter looked great in their Rawlings Slim-Fits. Okay, if you're going to single out ONE guy, sheesh Ed Alberts hit the snot out of the ball, and if he ever made an out, he also got an RBI. Ed happened to be wearing padded sliding shorts, so his buns were looking particularly Snooky tonight.
Do not ask Ed if the one-hopper to the fence was his highlight tonight, because his hair is too short for highlights.
How about that Marlins' middle-infield turning a couple double plays tonight, huh? Chris Miller and Jerry Callahan, and Chris playing second base for maybe the first time this year. Well, let me tell you...Both Chris and Jerry had their pants tailored at Jimmy Taylor's Tailoring, and the fit was marvelous. The bun judges definitely gave the defensive vote to the Marlins.
It was a complete sweep by the Marlins. And ironically both the Lugnuts and Marlins will be finalists on a different reality TV show, Pec Perfection, next Tuesday, 6pm at Hazel Park.
Good Effort Not Enough to Save Playoff Bid for Tigers
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 1 1 5 2 1 4 15 13 2 Tigers 0 0 0 4 1 1 6 15 5
And here are the awards for tonight's contest:
Best Pitching Award: Doug Fry for three magnificent innings. Unfortunately, Doug pitched FOUR innings tonight.
Best Hitting Award: Ed Alberts, but he can't win this award because he also wins the Best Defense Award. Ed went 3-for-4 and for the second straight game his only out of the day drove in a run. But Ed is disqualified from winning two awards, so he doesn't win this one. Let's give it to Craig Bevercombe for being the other Marlin to reach base 3 times.
Best Defense Award: Ed Alberts, but he can't win this award because he also wins the Best Hitting Award. Ed was out of this world at first base, catching a foul bliner nobody on the field but Ed thought he could get to, including the runner who stood still and watched the play happen, then get caught further from the base than Ed. 2-for-1 sale! But Ed is disqualified from winning two awards, so he doesn't win this one. Let's give it to Ed and Jim for turning a tough double play. No wait. There was a nice grab at first base when .... ARGH!
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 3 4 3 3 2 4 19 15 1 Lugnuts 1 0 0 5 3 9 4 2
Marlins at Lugnuts, this sounds like more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Now, just imagine that if you will. How about a huge oaken barrel from a General Store when we were kids. You could fit maybe a dozen monkeys in there. Personally, the first things I think about are the smell, the mess they will make, and the boundless energey if they all get out. Then I think about the game we just played, and I conclude: you know what, we ARE a barrel of monkeys.
So, 19-9 sounds like everbody hit, and you see a couple shutout innings and you figure someone did some good pitching. The fact is you'd be right to think so. However, it was in this setting that several oddities occurred. Let's focus on the special, the odd, the weird, the bizarre, the downright fascinating.
Fascinating Fact Jeff Young drew a free pass in the top of the 6th. Passed ball, wild pitch, wild pitch - Jeff scores. "Thanks for coming, guy batting in that spot."
Fascinating Fact Craig Bevercombe lays down a beauty bunt base hit. But the real story was the hustle Craig showed to first base. I call him "cat quick." Ever see an old cat lope around the house? That's the way Craig gets around - until it matters. Then he pounces and you never knew what hit you. Never be in a bowling league with him. He'll sandbag the first 3 weeks just for the handicap.
Fascinating Fact Jim McWilliams was on base every inning of the game. Sounds mighty impressive until you see a walk, HBP and fielding error. Then we're back to "Thanks for coming, guy batting in that spot."
Fascinating Fact Craig Bevercombe scored runs in 3 consecutive innings. He was also first to discover the restrooms were locked...something ELSE named 'runs' may or may not have been involved.
Fascinating Fact Technically, I could put it like this: "Jim Cuthrell hit a single, then stole 2nd and 3rd. Bill didn't like that so much and struck out the next two batters." Thing is...Bill Springer wasn't pitching yet.
Fascinating Fact Craig Bevercombe is due for a mention.
Fascinating Fact The three Jims combined for 8 stolen bases. Far outpacing other names like Jerry, Doug and Mitch, all netting 1 each. Coincidentally, it was all the Jerrys, Dougs and Mitches that assertained it was a full moon. And likewise it was all the Jims that maintained the moon was Waning Gibbous.
Fascinating Fact Craig Bevercombe got away with wearing a decidedly non-team hat. Ooooh, it was a cat paw print logo ... yeah, that cat thing again. Did you know? Craig appeared in the 1982 movie Cat People, alongside Nastassja Kinski and Malcom McDowell. He was the intern that had to clean up that severed arm.
Fascinating Fact Craig bequeathed the game medal to Jerry. Jerry: Made a couple outstanding defensive plays, check. Jerry: Tallied multiple runs and RBIs, check Jerry: Brought a bag full of Ibuprofen, CBD creams, ice packs and Ben Gay, check...that Jerry, what a guy!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++ SEASON SUPPLIMENT++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
16 sets the Marlins franchise record for wins in a season. The offense no doubt was the key reason. Averaging more than 10 runs a game. The Marlins had all 15 players bat above .300. The Marlins had 5 of the top 6 in many league offensive statistic categories. If you want to see all the stat leaders, go to League > Statistics > 52+ > Batting sortable stats > sort by {stat} Unless some teams decide to alter their stats later, here are the league leaders as of now:
HITS Mark Stanisz 35 RUNS Jim McWilliams 38 RBIs Ed Alberts 32 DOUBLES Mark Stanisz 8 WALKS Doug Fry 18 STOLEN BASES Jim McWilliams 45 TOTAL BASES Mark Stanisz 43
We didn't lead the league in everything, but somebody on the team led the team, so that's easy math. Here are the category leaders that led the team, but didn't lead the league (percentage leaders qualify at 52 PA). AVG Mark Stanisz .530 OBP Mark Stanisz .592 SLG Tom Rogala .661 OPS Mark Stanisz 1.244 TRIPLES Tom Rogala 2 HOME RUNS Craig Bevercombe, tied everyone else with 0 HIT BY PITCH Jim McWilliams 7 SAC FLY Tom Rogala, Ed Alberts 2 SAFE ON ERROR Tim Small, Ed Alberts, Jim McWilliams 5 CATCHER'S INTERFERENCE Jim Cuthrell 1
First of all, congratulations to the Lugnuts for making the playoffs. This was a scrappy game that could have gone either way. Hats off to you, fellas.
It took eleven tries, but the Lugnuts and Marlins finally got in all their games. Avoiding the rain has been harder than a __________ (you make the joke).
The pitching matchup was one for the ages. The soul of the Marlins, Tim Small - versus the ironman of the mound, Mark Wrubel. Incidentally, you've seen Tim dance on Soul Train several times, and Mark Wrubel is Robert Downey Jr.'s back-side stand-in in the Ironman franchise.
Truth be told, both starting pitchers tossed 3 gem innings. No...they didn't only pitch 3 innings, but give credit where credit is due. In between all those 4 and 5s in the box score, there were shutout innings. Shutout innings were harder than normal, considering neither team distinguished themselves in the field.
Well, one guy did distinguish himself ... Jeff Young robbed Jeff Britton of extra bases. The long running catch in left field ended the 6th inning with the game tied. Of course with all great plays that end innings, Jeff led off the next inning. #21 smoked a ball to right-center, good for extra bases. Those back-to-back feats of glory earned Jeff the team medal after the game. Too bad we had the late game, buddy. If you were home by 9:30, you mighta got lucky for flashing that bling.
It was Jerry Callahan that bestowed the medal on Jeff. Jerry was the first Marlin to take seriously "you must wear the medal the entire next game." Jerry had a great game wearing the medal. Played a terrific shortstop, got a couple hits, scored a couple runs. Incidentally, it was just last night that Jerry was inducted into the Damhsa Abhann Hall Of Fame. Jerry is of course a world-class river dancer...that Irish blood.
So now it's on to Friday night's double-header against the Cubs for all the wax beans in China.
The difference in this game was the Cubs played sharper defense. But enough about the Cubs, they're the most boring team in the league. Let's talk about the Marlins. Now THERE'S a team with some charisma!
For example, did you know...Jim McWilliams and Jerry Callahan both were on base 3 times and scored twice? Did you also know they also both hosted their high school talent shows? Jim because he had the microphone and speaker, Jerry because he owned a tuxedo. Charisma!
Did you know...Ed Alberts was the only Marlin to tally multiple hits, three total bases and 3 RBI? Did you also know Ed WON his high school talent show? He performed magic as "Eduardo the Eduirdo". His best trick was when he made 50 Little Caesers pizza-pizzas magically appear in the audience. When it came time to vote, pizza wins every time. Charisma!
Both relief pitchers were very good. Emile Stinchcombe came out of retirement to throw 5 fantastic innings. {LH Cubs pitcher} was equally as impressive on the mound. And Tuesday nights at 8pm on ABC belong to Emile and {LH Cubs pitcher} staring in the New Starsky and Hutch. E plays Hutch, mainly because he sings "Don't Give Up On Me Baby" so well. Charisma! {LH Cubs pitcher} of course will be Starsky because he is financing the production. * If you want to know who {LH Cubs pitcher} really is, go read the Cubs recap. * The Cubs had three players get on base three times. If you want to know about them, go read the Cubs recap.
Revenge Served on a Platter (also chicken and BBQ sauce)
1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E Marlins 3 7 0 0 0 6 16 16 1 Cubs 2 0 0 4 5 1 11 7 3
Funny how this happens, the team that made one error instead of three won again.
And again, wacky scoring. After 3 innings it looked like it would be all Marlins. 10-2 felt as comfortable and old flannel pajamas. The ones with the pictures of Sheriff badges and Colt 45s. Then we shat our britches. Jim's ankle folded and the game did a complete 180 with the Cubs (yeah, those boring Cubs again) taking the lead by the 5th. Long innings take a long time, so the umps limited us to 6 in the night cap (and that's okay, we were all in the mood for a night cap). In the 6th, the Marlins unleashed another big inning that won the game in dramatic fashion. To wit:
Mark "The Hit Man" Stanisz was the hero, knocking in Craig "I'm Getting Carded Again" Bevercombe to tie the game. Ed "Healin' Heels" Alberts was the next hero, giving us the lead knocking in Tom "The V Neck" Bonner, running for Chris "Dryer Than A Maytag" Miller, hitting for Jim "Ice Packs" McWilliams. Tom "With Benefits" Rogala put the game away knocking in Mark "Now I'm The Scoring Man" Stanisz and Doug "Me Too" Fry. Finally, back-to-back Cubs errors cemented the deal. And if you have a deal that needs cementing, call my cousin Vinne at 1-800-DA-FISHES.
Then Doug Fry tossed a couple pitches to end the game.
First of all, tip of the cap to the Cubs. You don't make it to the 9-inning game by accident. Plus all y'all are all y'all's buddies, so that just makes it fun for 25 guys to hang out and play ball. Hey, while we're at it, let's thank Scotty and Rico for a terrific job umpiring.
We were lucky to have either of them show up. Scotty parachuted from the ISS early this morning and finally landed in the Hazel Park parking lot 6 minutes before the game. Rico was passed out at the back of his wood-panel station wagon in the middle of changing into his game duds. I don't know all the details, but I think I overheard "blue cheese" and "nyquil" were involved.
The entire Cubs team nearly didn't make the game. They had all taken a field trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts earlier in the day, and their bus got a flat tire on the way to the game, less than a mile away. Rick Maruszczak was supposed to lead off tonight and play center field. But this guy got out of the bus, evaluated the tire, decided he could pick up the axle and run the bus the rest of the way to the field like Fred Flintsone. The Cubs arrived 3 minutes before the game. Rick decided not to play, he was gassed.
Jim McWilliams got the start on the mound for the home Marlins this fine October evening and set the Cubs down 1-2-3 thanks to the most reliable infield in the MSBL. Jim says so.
Bottom of the first inning Jim also gets to lead off and small-balls his way to a run, with Tom Rogala knocking him home. Ironic since Tom was peddling insurance door-to-door in Jim's neighborhood today and knocked on his door, at home.
The second inning went quietly for both teams.
Third inning, kaboom. The Marlins pulled off one of their big innings, scoring seven. It all started with Craig Bevercombe (played by Kevin James) knocking his first hit. Followed by Larry Feola's (played by Pierce Brosnan) base knock. Jim McWilliams (played by Martin Freeman) also singled. Bases loaded for our golden boy Jerry Callahan (played by Robert Vaughn) who drew a walk. Yep, Jerry and Babe Ruth, those are the kinds of guys you walk with the bases loaded. Next up, Mark Stanisz (played by George Clooney) hit a ball just outside the third baseman's playable range to drive in another, with the bags still juiced. Tom Rogala (played by Superman) then drove a ball hard to drive in a run. Doug Fry (played by Woody Allen) pounded an off-speed pitch for a 2-run double. Finally, Ed Alberts (played by Kevin Leary) clears the bases for the 6th and 7th runs of the inning.
From here, both teams nickled and dimed a few runs, but the Cubs never got back in, like they did in the Friday night-cap. After 7 strong innings pitched by Jim, Tim Small came in to close the game. Tim struck out the final batter to win the championship. Atta Boy Tim! Mow down your buddies!
Ah, the first of 4 consecutive Marlins championships. Invigorating.
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