YANKEES START 2024 CAMPAIGN 1-0 AFTER EXTRA INNINGS AFFAIR
The 2024 season would open for the two time reigning Detroit MSBL champions at Ford Field against the always formible foe Team USA. Team USA would bring the cavalry with a full 17 man roster while the Yankees would scrape the barrel for 10 willing participants due to coaching, work, and newborn child obligations.
The first inning of the 2024 campaign would start rudely for the Yankees who sent Steve Simmons to the hill for his third consecutive opening day start for the Detroit Yankees. Simmons would not be in midseason form which was evidenced by 3 uncharacteristic walks and a seeing eye double down the 1B line that would score 2 for Team America (f*** yeah) in the first inning. The Yankees would struggle to get their live hitting going until the 3rd inning where Justice and Decarlo would be hit by pitches and a wild pitch would help narrow the deficit to 2-1. Simmons would then come up after and hit a line drive single to right center scoring the tying run making it 2-2 in the 3rd. The Yankees bats would be held in check by Team USA pitching for the next 4 innings with only one hit by Diaz Saunderson. Through these 4 innings, Team USA would have more opportunities to score, but could not come up with the big hit to put them on top and Simmons began to find his grove and rack up the strikeouts.
This game would go into extra innings due to a 2-2 tie with time remaining on the game clock. Runners would start at 2nd base per Major League MSBL rules. Team USA looked to be in trouble with a threat of stranding the second base extra inning runner with two K's to leadoff the inning when the runner decided to excute a delayed steal that caused an errant throw from Simmons giving Team USA the 3-2 extra inning lead in the top of the 8th. The Yankees would get their chance in the bottom of the 8th with the starting runner on 2nd. The first out would be via a pop up not moving the runner. Simmons would then step in and right his wrongs throughout the game with a game tying RBI double down the RF line. Team USA would intentionally walk Alex Pogasic to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Craig Zimmerman would be walked unintentionally after a battle of an at bat to load the bases. Newcomer Andy Bryant would step to the plate with a chance to win it with a drive to the outfield. Bryant did not get the result he wanted in his debut and nor did his bat as the toothpick was snapped over his leg with ease....which reminded everyone in the MSBL to not mess with Andy or they would look like the bat that was shattered into 3 pieces across home plate Bo Jackson-style. Psssssst Nicco, hook this man up with some Platinum bats...with a nice warranty preferably :) Diaz Saunderson would come to the plate with the bases loaded in a tie game in extra innings and take a hallacious hack at a pitch that exited his bat with such force the radar gun measured an exit velo of approximately 15mph. The ball would head straight towards the Team USA pitcher with such english that it changed directions bugs bunny style 7 times prior to getting around their pitcher. Simmons would cross the plate as the winning run and Saunderson would be safe at first base cementing the Yankees first victory of the 2024 campaign.
Stat lines of note:
Diaz Saunderson 2-4 with 1 RBI
Mike Decarlo for being a badass and showing up in a pinch and getting beaned in the hand and continuing to play
Steve Simmons at the plate 2-3 with a 2B and 2RBI plus 8IP 3R and 15K on the mound
The Yankees play game two of their season against the pesky Mets on Friday 6pm once again at Ford Field
The 2-0 Yankees would head to Royal Oak Memorial to take on the newly upper-divisioned Brewers in a matinee affair. The weather would be an elite upper 70's with not a cloud in the sky. The Yankees would appear to have their swagger back as they would finally get to wear their blue jerseys rather than their burlap sack pinstripe sauna jerseys. Some might also say the blues look much more slimming as the Yankees average waist size this year hovers closer to 40 in than previous years.
The Yankees getting their swagger back would be how this game would start. Simmons would get the start on the hill for the home 9 (and exactly 9 and no more once again....). Simmons would carve up the first 9 hitters in order striking out 5. The Yankees would get on the board first in the 3rd with a Simmons single, Pogasic single, and then a Lollio 2 RBI double into the right center gap. The Brewers would not go quietly as they started to put together some admirable at bats against Simmons tacking on 5 hits (some being of the infield single variety) and 3 runs and taking the lead in the 4th. Lollio and Simmons would also have the opportunity to pull some Utica Unicorn trickery as the Brewers took the lead with men on 1st and 2nd. Simmons would flip the ball to Lollio and take a leisurely stroll around the mound and deke by asking the very confused umpire and catcher for a new ball. The Brewers first base runner would take 3 steps off the bag and be tagged out by Lollio on the ole hidden ball trick. Y'all youngins better keep your head on the swivel with these geezers hanging around. Nonetheless, the Yankees would be down 3-2 going into the 5th until Pogasic would lead off with a bunt single, Lollio would hit a turf hop single over 1B and steal a bag to put the Yankees in business with one out and men on 2nd and 3rd. Andy Bryant would step to the dish to attempt to swing the result into the Yankees favor. Things did not go as planned as another bat would meet its fatal demise over Andy's knee. The Brewers would watch in fear as many of them realized they had the same build or slighter as Andy's bat...get this man a bat deal for the love of God. The Brewers closer would be the help that the Yankees needed in the 5th throwing a passed ball and allowing the Yankees to plate the tying run and nothing more after that. The next two innings would be quiet for each team with only a baserunner or two. The teams would go to extra innings. This would be the second extra innings game for the Yankees in 3 games. The Brewers would start with their runner on 2nd. Simmons would rise to the challenge by stranding that runner by striking out the first two batters and then forcing a slicing flyout to LF. The Yankees would get their chance to walk it off in the bottom of the 8th. The leadoff hitter would strike out, then Dynes would deliver a single to the left side putting runners on 1st and 3rd. Zajas would come to the plate with a chance to win the game, but the Brewers would be intimidated by the fact Zajas was most certainly due for a knock. The Brewers would intentionally walk Zajas to get to the Yankees 9 hole hitter and pitcher. With one out and the bases loaded asian sensation and dual threat Simmons would step the the plate hitting a modest .667. The Brewers closer would gas up a fastball that Simmons, with his ginormous biceps, would barrel to dead center about 250 feet into the air for a no-doubt sac fly walkoff for the Yankees to make them 3-0 and remain the only undefeated team in the MSBL.
Stats of note:
Lollio 2-4 with a 2RBI double and a stolen base; successful hidden ball trick
Pogasic 3-4
Dynes 2-3
Simmons 1-3 with game winning sac fly; 8IP and 14K
Simmons would also notch his 50th MSBL win and 800th MSBL strikeout in the contest
The Yankees will be off for the Memorial Day weekend and return to action against the Black Jacks at Kyte Monroe next week.
MSBL Action coming at you live from Flat Rock, MI on a beautiful Monday evening in June where the boys in blue were the home team taking on familiar foe, Bloomfield A's. The undefeated Yankees would send Alex Leija to the hill for his 3rd start of the season. Leija, yet to give up an earned run on the season would faceoff against A's horse, Patrick Najor. Najor, aka King of Capital famously upset the Yankees last season at Capital Park on a hazy night in late July.
A's would take the early lead after a standard, high fly ball hit to Yankees left fielder Diaz Saunderson. Saunderson, fresh off a 2 week EDM bender, forgot how to track a fly ball(and also his hat) as it awkwardly landed in the middle of 3 Yankees in a triangle of death. A's up 1-0 after 3 innings.
Yankees would tie the ball game up in the 4th after a hard hit grounder by Cory Osborne squeeked through to plate the red hot Craig Zimmerman. Leija would exit tonights game with elbow tightness allowing SS Alex Pogasic to make his 2024 debut off the bump for the Yankees. Pogasic would retire the size in order in the top of the 6th to pass the torch off to the top of the Yankees murderers row lineup. A's would attempt to counter the lineup turnover with a fresh arm relieving Patrick Najor.
6th Inning would start with 1 out as Craig Zimmerman tallied his 3rd hit on the day. Nicco Lollio aka the SWIS (Swinging Italian Sausage) would join the hit party with deep fly ball to RC that would set the table for meat of the Yankee order. Yankee cleanup man, Cory Osborne would step up to plate and rip a sharp liner down the line for a 2 RBI double giving the Yankees their first lead 3-1. Andy Bryant would step up to the plate and would waste no time.
***Please let us bow our heads in a moment of silence***
Andy Bryant hit a baseball with the force of 3 mack trucks resulting in heads and necks breaking across the entire Flat Rock sports complex. The ball exited the ballpark still in upward trajectory, some say they saw laces flying high over the scoreboard like fireworks in the night after the balls dissappeared into orbit. Yankees stick a dager in the A's from a shot heard round the world by Andy Bryant making the score where it would finish 5-1. Yankees win it!!
Yankees continue to their undefeated season on Thursday, June 13th against arch nemsis Team USA at Kyte Monroe.
The Yankees would be on the road against the always pesky Team USA for a 6pm affair at Kyte Monroe. As storms threatened another rain out, they would stay at bay for the length of the game. The last time the Yankees played Team USA, it ended in an extra innings dub for the Yankees. Would the script be different for this contest?
Team USA would try to make this the case as the first batter of the game would smash a double to left and promptly ambush the Yankees 9-man roster with a single past the Yankee third baseman to give USA an early 1-0 lead. The Yankees would threaten with the bases loaded in the top of the first, but could not score. In the top of the second to lead off the inning, Steve Simmons would step to the dish and work himself into a "hitter-favorable" 1-2 count and then deposit a fastball over the right center field fence for a solo shot to tie the game up! This was Simmons first home run that cleared a fence since.......well....ever. He would proceed to perform every celly in the book rounding each base which included one flap down, super Mario-ing, and flexing his pitcher-only guns. The game would remain at a stalemate until the 4th when Simmons would step to the plate again and hit a no-doubter to right center for his second HR of the game to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.
The next half inning would result in some shenanigans as a Yankee hitter would get ejected after "arguing" a call for strike three that was rewarded with a no-warning ejection. The trigger was even fast for MLB standards.... The Yankees would play with 8 until another player arrived. Simmons would keep the ball in his catcher, Jack Dynes, glove to keep the stress off the Yankee defense. The Yankees would extend their lead to 3-1 an inning later with a double by Alex Leija and a sac fly by Diaz Saunderson. Team USA would make it interesting by hitting two doubles and making it a 3-2 game. The would get the tying run to reach base via an error on the shorstop for the Yankees, but could not push him across to tie the game giving the Yankees a 3-2 win moving them to 6-0 on the season!
The Yankees will travel to Clawson on Monday for a meeting with the Mets.
The Yankees would be the away team for the season's first 2023 championship rematch at Capitol Park against the Giants. The Yankees would miraculously field 12 bodies for this game. The game would be a sloppy affair for the first 4 innings as the Giants would push 2 runs across in the first 3 innings via an infield error, a couple singles, and a misplays. The Yankees would answer with one run of their own via an RBI by Janssen. After the 3rd, Leija who was pitching for the Yankees would settle in without allowing a run for the rest of the game by working out of some jams. The game would stand 2-1 Giants into the 6th when Zimmerman would work a 10 pitch walk to lead off, followed by a sharp single by Simmons through the right side, and then Saunderson would dial 9 and deposit a line shot homerun over the RF scoreboard giving the Yankees their first lead of the ballgame at 4-2. The Giants would use 17 pitchers to finish the last 2 innings and the Yankees would tack on two more insurance runs in the 7th via two walks and a single by Olmsted, Zajas, and Ibn-Ezra and a 2 RBI single by Zimmerman. The Giants would threaten in the bottom of the 7th by loading the bases, but could not get the big hit to pull themselves back into the game. The Yankees would pull this one out 6-2 to move to 7-1 on the season.
Lines of note:
Leija: 7IP 2R 7K
Zimmerman: 1-3 2RBI BB SB (had to be fielders indifference)
The Yankees would travel to Kyte Monroe for the third matchup between the two teams in the first 10 games. The Yankees had the series lead 2-0 on an extra inning win game 1 and a dog fight 3-2 ball game in game two that would come down to the wire. Game 3 between the two teams would have a similar feel as USA would start off strong with a single and a HR to right center by Pat Masopust to give USA a quick 2-0 reminescent of the last matchup between these two teams where Masopust would get the scoring started with an RBI single down the RF line past the third baseman. The Yankees would go down quickly in the first, but would draw the first blood of their own via a Nicco Lollio single, Potcova groundout that would move the runner to 2nd and then a Simmons RBI double into the left center field gap to cut the lead to 2-1. The next run would be the equalizer in the bottom of the 4th where Grzelkowski would hit a solo homer to right center commorating his first MSBL homerun. He would be interviewed after the game regarding his thoughts of the homerun and the state of the MSBL... Gelly went on to say "I love hitting homeruns, but what I love even more is running the bases, passing on a courtesy runner, catching in 95 degrees, when my catchers gear fits, and of course the pay raise the Detroit Yankees have provided me to support my family. That is something the Twins organization could not match. I plan on keeping my talents in Flat Rock for a long time. Oh also....I'm a better hitter than Nicco."
Back from the digression, the Yankees would tie the game 2-2 in the 4th. Offense would grind to a halt as Simmons on the mound for the Yankees would allow a few sparse baserunners, but would really get his strikeout mojo back.....YEAHHHH BABY. For USA Glaser would match him with keeping the Yankee lineup at bay. The startings of a USA threat would occur in the top of the 7th with one out when a ball would be hit to right center and be fielded by Cory Osborne. The USA runner would make the turn and try for second. Osborne would turn and throw from the gap as 2nd baseman Janssen could be heard yelling "CUT", and under his breath Osborne would mutter "cutoffs are non-ginger peasants" and would deliver a strike in the air to Potcova to tag out the runner at second minimizing the USA threat.
The Yankees would get their last dibs to walk it off in the 7th. The inning would start with identically to the USA top half with a Potcova double to RF that would be stretched into a double on a bang bang play at 2nd with no outs. Simmons would step to the plate with one walkoff already under his belt against the Brewers and would deliver a first pitch RBI single over the outstretched glove of the USA second baseman. YANKEES WIN YANKEES WIN!
After the game, reporters attempted to get a quote from Simmons as he exited the player facilities at Kyte Monroe... the best they got was "I have to get to f****** work by 5pm".....the umpire heard this from the next county over and ejected Simmons from the season for foul language. Simmons will be paid out the rest of his Yankee contract in Coors Banquets in perpetuity and be moved to a solely front office role as assistant to the assistant general manager.
The Yankees will travel to Flat Rock for a god blessed night game (FINALLY) on Tuesday vs the Apple Jacks
The Yankees would have a home away from home contest at Flat Rock against the Black Jacks on a humid Tuesday night. The Yankees would send the Swamp Donkey to the hill to oppose Gio Aiuto for the Black Jacks. The Yankees would draw blood in the first on a single by TJ Potcova another single by Alex Pogasic and a pair of wild pitches to give them a 1-0 lead. The Black Jacks would recover that run via a single and another infield single. The Yankees would take the lead back in this see-saw affair in the 3rd with double of the left center field wall by Alex Pogasic to plate Potcova and Ibn-Ezra to give the Yankees the 3-1 lead. The Black Jacks would strike back off a dropped third strike, walk, pair of stolen bases and a single to make it 3-3. The Yankees would lock it down on the mound and defensively from here on out and the offense would wake up and put up 5 more runs in the last two innings via 2 HBP (which would be the 4th HBP and require an ejection for the Black Jacks pitcher......he did it on purpose. He had the craziest look in his eye... at one point he looked at the Yankee's hitters and said "lets get it on"). Steve Simmons would then rope a 2 run triple off the RF wall and score on a passed ball to make the game 8-3 which is where it would end. The Yankees would send Pogasic to the hill for the final inning of cleanup. He would work a cleanish inning and record 2 K's despite the defensive debacle behind him.
The Yankees moved to 9-1 on the season and will take on The A's at Capitol under the lights on Friday in a highly anticipated matchup.
The Yankees would travel to Capitol Park to take on the surging A's for the second time this season. The A's would send Spillane to the hill to oppose Steve Simmons for the Yankees. The Yankee would bring a trim and proper 9 gents for the contest who would all carry their weight in this affair. The A's would draw the first hit in the top of the first off a two strike handle-shot flare into shallow RF, and that is the last hit they would muster in additional to two walks. An A's runner would not touch 3rd base the entire contest as Simmons was dialed in after the 1st. Simmons would proceed to face 3 over the minimum with a final line of 7IP 1H 0R 2BB and 14K. The real story of the game wasn't even the one hitter, but it was the Yankee offense that would roar to life in the 4th inning.
The game would be 0-0 going into the bottom of the 4th with both offenses faltering until Lollio hit a leadoff double, followed by a Simmons RBI triple, and then the great Googily Moogily Nick George would step to the dish a launch his first career MSBL homerun deep into the Redford night for a 2RBI ding dong. Justice and Starks would get in on the act with singles of their own scoring an additional run giving the Yankees a 4-0 commanding lead going into the 5th. The onslaught would continue the same way it started with a Lollio single followed by a Simmons double. Nick George would then step to the dish in a game of almost and make contact with what he thought was his second bomb of the game. He would trot it out, give the dugout a wink, make a gesture as if he was massaging a can of tennis balls, and proceed to watch his rocket fall to the warning track as he waddled into 1st with a long RBI single. The final run of the Yankees barrage would happen with a Lollio RBI single in the 6th for good measure. Which is where the game would end in decisive fashion with a 7-0 Yankees dub.
In other game notes, Simmons would also come within a homer of the cycle and within one pitch of an immaculate inning setting down the A's 9,10,1 hitters on 10 pitches instead of 9.
The Yankees move to 10-1 on the season with an impressive lead on the rest of the league heading into the 4th of July break. The Yankees will pick up the second half of the season against the Red Birds in 11 days.
"Weathering" off the potential of torrential downpour, the Yankees would take on the Red Birds in yet ANOTHER 6pm game. This game would see a dual off between MIAA alumni Steve Simmons for the Yankees (Kalamazoo College) and Mitch Shedlowsky for the Red Birds (Albion). The first inning would roll by with little opposition and the second wouldn't be much different with the exception of a few guys on base for the Yankees. The 3rd inning is where the party would start with back to back singles from Pogasic and Zimmerman to put ducks on the pond for reigning HR champion Nicco Lollio to drop dick and hit a no doubter to right center field. This would be Nicco's first of the year and the start of many more. He credits hitting soft toss in the 30+ to this games' success. The Yankees would put a few more on the board via an error, two singles, and a double by Troy Justice to give them a late 5-0 lead. The Yankees would roll into the 5th with Simmons still not allowing a baserunner.... people were starting to murmur until they weren't with the perfect game being broken up with a handle shot between 1st and 2nd. Things got a bit loose after that and a ground rule double and another single would result cutting the Yankees lead to 5-2. That is where it would stay as the Yankees would only put one more runner on base the last two innings via a David Ibn-Ezra double and Simmons would slam the door not allowing a baserunner for the last two innings with 3 strikeouts and a nice running grab by Craig Zimmerman in RF.
The Yankees would take on the Giants in a 2023 championship repeat for the second time in the 2024 campaign. The Giants would roll up to the field with a thin 8....the 9th being somebody named Mary Jane. The Yankees would send Alex Leija to the hill to oppose the Giants youngster Calbin Gonzales. Leija would cruise through the first two innings only allowing one single. The Yankees would be all over the Giants all game long posting a crooked number in all 5 innings played....couldn't play 7 because the Giants 40 man roster couldn't muster 9 freakin guys :)
1st inning: Zimmerman leadoff 2B followed by Pogasic 2B and Osborne 2 run HR
2nd inning: Justice walk, Zimmerman walk, Pogasic reached on error, Lollio 2 RBI single up the box
3rd inning: Simmons leadoff single, Bryant reached on an error, Justice walked, Olmstead RBI single and Ibn-Ezra RBI FC
4th inning: Lollio MAMMO tape measure shot to RF (4th homerun in 3 games)
5th inning: Zimmerman single then accidental stolen bag, Pogasic walkm Lollio 2 RBI Double
The Giants would end up drawing minimal blood in the 3rd with a single, walk, and 3 run HR by Hernandez. The Yankees thought it was the right thing to do to let the Giants at least have a little fun. Calopietro would come in to relieve Leija for the final two frame and only allow traffic on the basepaths due to 2 walks and 2 errors, but end up qwelling the threat and striking out 2 batters. The Yankees are now 9-3 in their last 12 and have won 5 in a row against the big bad Giants.
The Yankees move to 12-1 on the season and maintain their strangle-hold on the MSBL upper division 1st seed. They will travel to "Crapitol" to take on the lower division's finest Detroit Brewers and their electric offensive lineup featuring Mark Morgan who's average is the same as his slugging percentage :)
So basically.... no runs, no runs, no runs, Simmons cruises on the mound for the Yankees, Brewers pitchers qwell Yankee rallies, Andy Bryant comes up in the 4th inning, big boom, Andy hit ball far for solo homerun, Simmons closes game out. Yankees win 1-0 to move to 13-1 in the Detroit MSBL. Yankees take on the Black Jacks Wednesday at Clawson for a god blessed late game.
Notable stats:
Simmons: 7IP 0R 2H 13K 1BB; 3-3 at the plate with a 2B
Andy Bryant 2-3 with solo HR
Nicco Lollio 2-3
Jon Starks 1-3 with clutch throw at the end
Olmstead 2-3
Zimmerman 1-3 with 2B to raise that slugging percentage ;)
Yankees would be the home team in a late night game (finally) at Clawson. The Yankees would be thin with the usual mid season 9 man lineup. The Yankees would give the Black Jacks a head start via a first inning double and single combo to give them a 1-0 lead. The Black Jack pitcher would keep the Yankee lineup at bay the first time through and then the flood gates would open in the 3rd. Simmons and Zimmerman would reach on singles and be scored by a single by Pogasic and a double by Janssen to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. In the 5th the Yankees would tack on one more via a Simmons double and Lollio single. Then in the 6th the Yankees would add some massive insurance via Starks HBP, Leija single, Zimmerman single, Simmons double, and a Pogasic double to tack on 4 more.
Leija would start this game for the Yankees and end it as well. He would navigate a good Black Jack lineup that would tally some hard contact. Leija would perform great damage control only giving up 3 runs; 2 earned and 6 strikeouts.
The Yankees will have the week off until seeing the Mets again at Flat Rock.
The Yankees would take on the Mets in game 3 of the series that is tied at 1 a piece. The Yankees would get the party started early and establish their dominance with 6 runs in the first 3 innings via Zimmerman and Lollio walks followed by an Osborne triple, a Starks double followed by a Justice RBI single, then a Simmons reached on error, Lollio single, Osborne walk, and George 2 RBI single. The Yankees would be held to 4 baserunnners through frame 4-7. Overall, the Yankees would bash the ball in an 11 hit attack.
On the defensive side, Leija would take the pill for the Yankees and be the model of efficiency until the 4th when things got a bit loose and the Mets started to find some barrels leading to their one run. Reid Olmstead would make his return to the MSBL mound for the first time in 3 years to secure the 3 inning hold by allowing one hit and K'ing one with elite movement.
The Yankees would secure the 6-1 win and push their win streak to 9 games. The Yankees travel to Capitol Friday to take on the A's to try to push their streak to 10
Capitol park would be the setting of the 3rd matchup between the Yankees and A's for yet another early 6pm game which would be the Yankees 14th in 17 games....sheesh. Simmons would take the hill for the Yankees to oppose the A's Najor who is the A's proclaimed "King of Capitol".
Osborne would start the hitting for the Yankees in the first with a 2 out double but would not score. The A's would draw first blood in the second with a walk on some very questionable/hesitant umpiring, but albeit bad for both sides, and a Frankhouse double on a 1-0 pitch to the right center gap....some say that if the Yankees presented to the game with 8 men as originally planned, this ball may have been caught ;)
The Yankees would threaten with guys in scoring position for 3 of the last 4 innings with less than 2 outs but could not push across the one key hit that the A's would get early in the game.
Simmons would cruise after the 2nd inning run to only allow 2 more baserunners via a single and a walk, but all would be for not as Simmons would lead off the top of the 7th with a single and advancement on an error to 2B, but would not be pushed across to tie the game due to a solid game defensively by the A's.
The Yankees would out hit the A's decisively 7 to 2, but the A's would escape with a very fortunate win to win their World Series for the season.
The Yankees have a quick turnaround and will face the Mets in an afternoon matinee game on Sunday.
Yankees would have game #18 at Kyte Monroe vs the Mets. The Yankees would send "The Swamp Donkey" Austin Calopietro to the hill to oppose the Mets Checkoway. The Swamp Donkey would only allow two base runners in the opening two frame due to two singles. The Yankees would kickstart their offense much sooner by racking up 2 runs in the first via a Pogasic and George RBI single. The Yankees would add 3 more in the 3rd by a Starks 2 RBI single and a Dynes RBI single. The Mets would also get on the board in the 3rd via an infield single and pitch to 1st base with no one covering due to perfect placement and then a few singles and a "fielders choice" that would plate one more Mets run on a Yankee double play opportunity that was an by all accounts a missed call. After a loose inning in the second, Calopietro would strand the Mets and toss the ball to Pogasic would would finish the game off in the 7th.
The Yankees offense between the 3rd and 7th would not be silenced as they added 5 more runs on George RBI double, a Lollio 2 RBI single, a Starks sac fly, and some debauchery that allowed the Yankees to score on an error.
The biggest story line occurred in the 5th inning with Nicco Lollio leading off the inning at the plate....a certain teammate named Jack Dynes who took exception to the lack of Nicco Lollio power output would proclaim "if you don't catch a barrel, you're gay"....Nicco would promptly piss on a double to left field with an extraordinary exit velo....the same teammate could be heard after the double saying "Confirmed not gay!"
The Yankees would finally get a late night game under the lights against the Brewers at Kyte for game #19. The Yankees would send "The King of Kyte; just field A" Steve Simmons to the hill to oppose the Brewers big lefty Larry "the bearcat" Wood in a battle of the big arms. The Yankees would be held in check in the first inning besides a Zimmerman leadoff single and Simmons would match with a scoreless first of his own. In the 2nd inning, Nick George would continue to mash baseballs with a single to left center. Steve Simmons would step to the plate and on an 0-2 pitch with perfect swing mechanics, would hit a no-doubter to right center to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. The offense would continue in this inning with a Janssen single, Dynes double that just missed HR distance, and a Zimmerman 2 RBI single to give the Yankees a commanding 4-0 lead. The Yankees would then be held to only three baserunners until the 6th inning. Prior to the 6th, the Brewers would have their best opportunity of the evening with two singles by Zacharski and Williamson and then a walk and a sac fly by Butler to put the Brewers on the board and to make the game 4-1 in the top of the 6th. In the top of the 6th, Simmons would reach on an error in the Bermuda triangle between 1B and RF, Dynes would walk, Justice would take one for the team, and Starks would walk to plate a run and Zimmerman would come to the plate once again and slap a 2 RBI double to widen the lead to 6-1. The Yankees would not call off the dogs yet, as George would reach on a walk and Jared Janssen, an MSBL veteran, would step to the plate and smack a no doubter to center that would clang off the scoreboard for a 2 run homerun which would be his first MSBL tank (congrats Janssen!). The Yankees would hold a 9-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 7th with Simmons still on the hill, which is always a good sign. Simmons would strikeout 6 of the final 8 batters to secure the dub and the season sweep of the Brewers. A 9-1 dub to cap off a 3-0 series win for the Yankees.
Stats of Note:
Janssen 2-4; First career MSBL HR; 2-run HR
Zimmerman 3-4, 2B, 4 RBI (bout fookin time)
Simmons 1-3, 2-run HR; 7IP 3H 1R 17K's
Yankees make the trek back to Kyte Monroe Thursday for their 700th matchup vs Team USA aka "The Buntin' Boylans"
The Yankees would travel to Kyte Monroe for the 2nd time in 3 days to take on Team USA in their series finale. The previous 2 games would be tightly contested one run victories for the Yankees. The Yankees would send Alex Leija to the hill to oppose Nick Blum of USA. The Yankees would strike first via an RBI single by Jack Dynes in the first. Team USA would respond nicely with two of their own in the 1st via a 2 RBI triple by Markiewicz. USA would have traffic on the bases throughout the game, but would take full advantage in the 3rd with a bases clearing triple from Boylan and another bases clearing double by Boedecker (who should be hitting 3rd over that guy who bunts in mens league *vomits on keyboard*). The Yankees would be down big at a 9-1 score in the sixth and would send MSBL power threat Nicco Lollio to the mound for his first MSBL mound appearance where he would dazzle with a fastball, curveball, and knucklebal combo to toss two scoreless frames with 3K's only blemished by a Donaldson single....way to ruin the fun Donny.... The Yankees last ups in the 7th would make it hurt a little less as the Yankees would attempt to use their 10x runs homerun multiplier ball on Andy Bryant who would hit a solo shot to left field...unfortunately the usage of the homerun 10x multiplier ball was not yet standard in MSBL rules. The Yankees would wear this one 9-2.
The Yankees will be taking on the Red Birds at Lutheran High NW Sunday afternoon with 4 games remaining in the regular season.
The Yankees would take on the Red Birds at Lutheran High NW softball field...I mean baseball field for the second last matchup between the teams before playoffs. The Yankees would send ace Steve Simmons to the bump to oppose Red Bird DJ Gotz on a steamy Sunday afternoon where there were more hungover players than not. The Yankees would get the scoring started EARLY after a quick top of the 1st by Simmons. Few pitches into the Yankees first at-bat, Craig Zimmerman would send a deep drive to RF all of 110 feet to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. The Yankees would load the bases in the first after the homerun, but would strand them there. The second inning, the Yankees would not call off the dogs as the Red Birds pitching got a bit loosey goosey giving up some walks and hits allowing the Yankees to plate 5 more runs via a reached on error by Zimmerman, RBI singles by Simmons and Pogasic, and a sacrifice by Dynes. The scoring would pick back up in the 4th with 5 more Yankee runs via a HBP with the bases loaded and then a deep drive to centerfield by Yankee CF Jon Starks for his 1st MSBL homerun in grand slam fashion! Congrats to Jon! The Yankees would add one more run in the following inning via an Alex Pogasic pop up over the right center field fence for a solo shot and Pogasic's first of the year.
The defensive side of the ball for the Yankees would be relatively stress free given the offensive output. Simmons would take a no hitter into the 4th that would be broken up by a Dobson hit to CF and then a solo shot to center by Schmittou. Simmons would only allow 5 baserunners throughout the game while striking out 13.
Stats of note:
Starks: First career HR and grand slam; 1HR 4 RBI
Pogasic: 2-4; HR 2RBI
Simmons: 7IP 3H 1R 2BB 13K/// 3-4 RBI
Zimmerman: 1-4; HR 2RBI (HR actually 300+ and not 110 :) )
George: 1-2 RBI 2BB; all white incredibly hung over; 0 upchucks (witnessed)
YANKEES CLINCH MSBL PISTONO DIVISION REGULAR SEASON CROWN FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE SEASON
Yankees vs Giants @ RO
The Yankees and Giants would be involved in yet another dramatic affair Thursday night at Royal Oak Memorial. Steve Simmons would take the hill against Dean Sigler for the Giants. The Giants would get on the board first after two walks due to a very questionable strikezone (questionable was generous), and a triple by Ahart into the left center field gap. The Giants would add again in the 3rd with a walk, double, and a single to go up 4-0. Despite the early runs, Simmons would retire every out into the 5th inning via a punchout. Word came out that the A's lost the early game and the Yankees would clinch the division yet again. This took some of the pressure off to let the offense go to work in the 3rd for the Yankees. The Yankees would battle back via a Justice walk, George single, Lollio RBI single, Simmons 2 RBI single, and a passed ball to knot the game up at 4-4 in the 3rd.
Both offenses would threaten in the 4th and 5th innings, but the pitchers would execute much needed pitches in crunch time to hold the game in a tie. This would change in the bottom of the 6th when Bryant would work a leadoff walk. He would be advanced over to 3rd on two groundballs and would be scored via a clutch RBI ripped single by Zimmerman to give the Yankees the late 5-4 lead. The Giants would make it interesting in the top of the 7th after yet another questionable zone resulted in a walk to put the tying run on base. Simmons would get the first two outs and face the 4 hitter who would hit a ball into the left center gap once again that would be tracked down with ease by Jon Starks to secure the Yankee win and the season series 3-0 sweep of the Giants.
Stats of note:
Simmons 7IP 3H 4R 13K 8BB (wtf...); 2-3 with 2RBI
Zimmerman 2-3 RBI
Lollio 1-1 RBI
Starks: great route and catch in CF
With the Yankees locked into the 1st seed, they will close out their season vs the Redbirds Tuesday and A's next saturday.
The Yankees would play their second to last regular season game against the always scrappy Red Birds. This game would be special as it would be a heavy weight bout between Simmons and Wick on the hill for the first time since 2019. The game would start as expected with lots of strikeouts and lots of juice. The lone hit would be a Nick George double in the right center gap. The price of a double off Wick you ask? Just one of Nick George's prized and well conditioned hamstrings rounding first. The script would flip for the Yankees the second time through the order. Cory Osborne would deliver a leadoff triple and then be driven in off a Steve Simmons line drive single to center to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Jared Janssen would then deliver the insurance with a double down the line to score Simmons, but the Yankees would strand a pair in scoring position. The offense would see some flares without much to show for it besides Nick George who on one hamstring decided to stick it out and deliver two more singles and a 3-3 day.
On the defensive side of the ball, Simmons was dominant going the distance for the 2 hit shutout win with 1BB and 13K. The 13th K was of great importance as it would allow Simmons to break the single season strike out record for 18+ the he set in 2021.
A team record was also broken with the Yankees eclipsing 20 wins for the first time in their storied 4 year history.
The Spankees final regular season game is this Saturday against the 2nd seed A's in a game that could not mean less. Rain might be each teams best friend.
The Yankees draw a 1v8 matchup first round of playoffs Monday vs the Mets
The Yankees would begin their championship push under the lights against the always scrappy Mets. The Yankees would send Steve Simmons to the mound to oppose Checkoway. The Mets would only threaten in the first two innings via a walk and single and then a two strike HBP and single, but they would not push any runs across. After the second inning Simmons would cruise and not allow a single base runner after the second inning.
The Yankees would bring their stacked lineup for playoffs game 1 with great anticipation for an offensive outburst. The opposing arm Checkoway would bring solid stuff to qwell alot of Yankee rallies and tally his fair share of strikeouts. However, the Yankee offense would break through early in the 1st with a leadoff Zimmerman walk, some passed balls, and a Grzelakowski single to right center to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. The Yankees would add a second run with a Simmons 2-out triple down the RF line. Simmons would then score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. The Yankees would tack another on with strategic prowess. Andy Bryant would draw a walk and Jon Starks would steal 2nd and come in to score on a Zimmerman sac fly. The last Yankee run would come to the dish in the form of a Lollio reached on error, Pogasic single, and Nick George SMASH to left field to plate the extra insurance run for the Yankees to go home happy with a 4-0 playoff win.
The Yankees will travel to Clawson for the late game to face the familiar foe Red Birds in the MSBL semifinal.
After a thrilling Brewers vs Black Jacks game in the MSBL playoff semifinal matinee, the Yankees would attempt to match the excitement with reaching their 3rd consecutive MSBL championship against a familiar foe the Red Birds. Both teams would bring their A+ lineups in a game that would definetly live up to the bill. The Yankees would send right handed flamethrower Austin "Swamp Donkey" Calopietro to the hill in an ever important win or go home game. Mitch Shedlowsky would oppose him. Both pitchers would set a good pace in the first 4 innings. The Birds would threaten with a few singular baserunners in the first two frames and then put two men on in the 4th that would be stranded. The early tone setter would come in the second inning for the Birds with a man on first via the walk, Red Bird MIF Bynum would double down the RF line and the runner on first would be waived home. A perfect cutoff from Osborne to Zajas and then an immaculate throw by Zajas to the dish would freeze the runner in no-mans-land to be ousted by a perfect toss to 3rd to keep the game 0-0. The Yankees would have their own chances in the first 4 innings. The Yankees would have some baserunning blunders via getting doubled up by first on a line drive to SS and a ground ball betwixt SS and 3rd would lead to a canning of the runner at 3rd.
The Red Birds would have their big inning in the 5th with a Van Son leadoff HR to right center and a double by Duva and RBI single by Dobson to put the Red Birds up 2-0. Things would look bleak for the Yankees as Shedlowsky was locating exceptionally well in the zone and limiting hard contact, but the Yankees would find a way to have an inning of their own with an Osborne single, Pogasic HBP, and a Janssen RBI double putting the Yankees on the board, but still down 2-1 with a man on 3rd and one out. Jack Dynes would come to the plate and be Mr. Clutch as he would serve a deep fly ball to right center to plate the tying run via a sacrifice to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 5th.
The Red Birds would keep the pressure on. The Swamp Donkey would be up to the challnge striking out the first two of the inning to set the tone. The meat of the Red Bird order would do their job with 2 outs and reach on a double and walk to put men on. The Yankees would flip the ball to Simmons in leverage time who would strike out the final Red Bird batter to strand the Birds go ahead run.
The Yankees would play some situational baseball in the bottom of the 6th with Zimmerman reaching on a leadoff double. Simmons would sacrifice him over to 3rd with a flyout to RF. Grzelkowski would be intentionally walked to keep the double play in order. Lollio would come up with two outs and poke a ball with just enough gusto to get between the 1st and 2nd baseman to score Zimmerman to give the Yankees a late 3-2 lead going into the 7th.
The Yankees would be 3 outs from their 3rd consecutive championship birth. Simmons would take the hill to close it out. Simmons would strikeout the first two batters of the inning. The third batter would walk on a full count. Dobson would step to the plate with a chance to tie the game. The count would be 2-2. Simmons would throw a nasty breaker middle-middle that would buckle the Red Bird batsman as well as the umpire and induce a mind boggling 3-2 count with the Red Bird 3 hitter who has a patchy moustache on deck. The Dobson-Simmons battle wound ensue for another foul ball and then a high fastball would be served out to right fielder where Osborne would be camped to seal off the 3-2 Yankee win sending them to the MSBL championship.
The Yankees will take on the Motor City Black Jacks in the MSBL finals with a two game slate Friday and an "if game" Monday for a best of 3 series.
Yankees Schedule