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GAME #1: YANKEES vs TEAM USA @ FORD FIELD
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
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1--Yankees Schedule