Manager's Recaps
Game 1 / Game 2 / Game 3 / Game 5 / Game 6 / Game 7 / Game 8 / Game 9 / Game 10 / Game 11 / Game 12 / Game 13
Games 14 & 15 / Game 16 / Games 17 & 18 / Game 19 / Game 20 / Game 21 / Game 22 / Game 23
That was an encouraging start for the 2009 version of the Dodgers. A win would have been better, but we hung in there in a tight game against one of the league’s better teams – one that beat us three times last year by an average score of 21-3. Our pitching was solid, with Murrmann and Burnham throwing strikes, keeping walks to a minimum, and getting us off the field and back in the dugout quickly. Offensively, we were hitting the ball, and if those 2 or 3 three lines drives we hit right at people had instead found holes, we might be 1-0 right now. As you can see from the line score, however, we committed 6 errors which led to 6 unearned runs. So that is an area for improvement. We tied a team record with 9 stolen bases – great running, guys. There were a few missed signs, though. Between the runners and batters, I’d say we “got” the sign about 75% of the time. Let’s be straight on one thing, though: nobody should be stealing on their own. This happened once or twice, and is not conducive to running a disciplined team offense. Also, let’s be smart. They brought a new pitcher in to start the last inning. He walked the leadoff batter on 4 pitches. But instead of making him throw a strike, we immediately swung at the next 5 pitches, and the result was 2 outs. And we needlessly ran into the final out of the game. I realize it was an overzealous hustle play – and believe me, I appreciate hustle and forcing the opponent to make a play; but in this particular instance, it was not important to get the runner to second. We still needed to get the upcoming batter on base and all the way around. So let’s try to be aware of game situations and make decisions accordingly.
All in all, I thought it was a good start, and the strong turnout bodes well for a long season.
Hit of the game: Watson’s booming double to the base of the 325 mark in left.
Web Gem: The 5-4-3 double play. Rhoderick made a clean pickup and perfect throw to 2B, Potts made a quick turn, and Watson picked it out of the dirt at first.
Web Gem runner-up: The DeLisa-Dilts-Richeson relay to nab a runner at the plate in what was then a one-run ballgame. Great diving tag by Richeson to finish it off.
The MSBL pitching debut of Josh Trinks lived up to all the pre-game hype, as he pitched 4 2/3 innings of 2-hit ball, without surrendering a single earned run. Murrmann followed up with superb middle relief, while Arizzi and Burnham combined to hold the lead for the final two innings. Our batters did another fine job of jumping out early, and the defense made the plays when we really needed them. All in all, a great first win for the 2009 Dodgers! I see no reason why we won’t have many more.
While our number of errors (8) exceeded Game 1, I think we actually played better defense. Our “defensive efficiency” -- that is, the percentage of batted balls we turned into outs – was significantly improved over Game 1. And I expect us to get better as the year goes on. Our sign recognition was also much improved. I think we only had two signs missed/misread the whole game (and I’ve talked to those players about it).
While Trinks was the pitching star, he also was one of our hitting standouts with two doubles. Dilts, Watson, DeLisa, Richeson, and Rhoderick also added two hits apiece. DeLisa was the big RBI man with 3, and Dilts was a man on the move with 3 runs scored.
Hit of the Game: Murrmann’s booming double in the first inning, which set the tone for our early offensive explosion, allowing us to play the whole game with a comfortable lead (well, as comfortable as it gets in this league).
Web Gem (tie): Rodney’s diving grab of a line drive; and Mario’s running catch of deep drive, which came just as the Cardinals appeared to be staging a late rally.
Pitch of the Game (new category which may never reappear): John Murrmann’s one-pitch, bases-jammed, potential rally-killing effort to end the 5th – and without the benefit of warming up. A hit or two there would have changed the entire complexion of the game.
I lieu of the traditional game ball, and in honor of the old Brooklyn Dodgers (da Bums), I will designate a Bum of the Game each game. Game 2’s Bum is none other than Josh Trinks.
We put ourselves in an early 6-1 hole, but we kept coming back, with our rally falling just one run short. In a game where one well placed hit or bobbled ball could have changed the outcome, we accomplished something last year’s team would not have done: after falling behind by a few runs, our pitching – Steve and John -- held together, allowing us the opportunity to come back. Last year, once things went bad, the opponent would have just kept piling on runs. In fact, aside from the second inning, we outscored the Tigers 9-5. Although we had that one bad inning (2 walks, 3 errors, and 2 balks – ouch), giving up the big inning has been an anomaly for us this year. The key is to stay relaxed and not tighten up when we make one mistake. Mistakes will happen, and we must just accept that and move on to the next pitch and the next play.
Our bats were alive once again. Dilts had 3 hits and scored 3 runs, Murrmann, DeLisa, and Trinks chipped in with 2 hits apiece, and Murrmann and Watson blasted back-to back triples. Tom “Ribbie” DeLisa came through in the clutch again with 4 RBIs.
Hit(s) of the Game: The aforementioned back-to-back triples by Murrmann and Watson
Web Gem: Corbin laying out to snag a throw at 1B, and somehow managing to keep his toes on the bag (nice pickup and off-balance throw by Rhoderick, too).
When I’m not playing, I get to observe a little more. Here are a couple of little things I’ve picked up on:
- If an opposing runner is going on the pitch, and the batter fouls it off, he is unlikely to run on the next pitch (he’s usually winded). Let’s not give him a chance to catch his breath by throwing over to first base. Now, don’t come complaining to me when a runner does go on the next pitch. I said it was unlikely, not impossible.
- When the opposing pitcher tried to pick off one of our runners, the batter should step out of the box. Some pitchers will take the ball back and “quick pitch” before the runner can pick himself up and reestablish his lead.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good: Our defense was the best it’s been this year. We made all the routine plays, and our only error was a wild pickoff attempt. Having only one error is probably a Dodgers record.
The Bad: Our hitting. Thirteen strikeouts. Ouch! Seven hits and four runs would be a bad game in this league. Well, those are our offensive numbers for the last two games combined! Let’s concentrate next game and put the bat on the ball.
The Ugly: Our pitching. While we allowed only 8 hits to the best team in the league, we also issued 15 walks, hit 2 batters, and balked twice. Leaving the stadium, one of the Phillies told me, “If your pitchers hadn’t walked so many guys, we would have had a close game.” How true. We need to throw strikes. I won’t be so patient in the future. Don’t make me come out there!
Hit of the Game: We didn’t have many hits, but Mario’s liner off the third baseman’s glove was the hardest hit ball we had.
Web Gem: In a game where we played exceptional defense, no one play stands alone. But I will note Mario’s trifecta of plays out in left, Brian’s catch in center, and Air Corbin’s snag of a high throw to first base while still coming down and getting to the bag before the runner.
Bum of the Game: Tom, who was the only player with more than one hit, and one of only three who did not strike out.
Comments I received during the game from the Phillies coach:
“Where did you pick up your pitcher? He’s tough.” (referring to Scott)
“Your left fielder is playing a good game. He’s made three really nice catches.” (referring to Mario)
We’re now 1-4, and it’s time to make our move. Our next 5 games are definitely winnable. I want to take at least 4 of them. If we keep playing defense like we did Sunday, get our hitters back to normal, and have our pitchers throw strikes, there’s no reason that this shouldn’t happen.
After a two-game hiatus, the Dodger bats came alive big time in a 22-4 win over the Mudcats. Watson led the offense will a 4-4 day, including 2 line-drive doubles, while DeLisa and Richeson banged out 3 hits apiece. Murrmann hit our first homer of the year, although I was tempted to score it a triple plus defensive indifference :) The big RBI man was Dilts, who picked up 4 Ribbies. The defense was solid for the second consecutive game, and this time the pitching was just as good, with Murrmann and Arizzi surrendering only 8 hits and 4 walks (and no hit batters or balks!).
All in all, an impressive win which moves us up a notch in the standings. Let’s not get too overconfident, though. The Mudcats did not field their best team today. Did you see them before the game counting how many players they had and hoping for that 9th guy to show up? Kind of reminds you of us last year, doesn’t it? It’s obvious to me that we have a more dedicated team this year, which allows us to give guys a breather and not have to play guys out of position. And I appreciate that you all let me know when you will not make a game, so I can plan accordingly. It really does help.
Thursday we have the White Sox at Bell Ranch Park in Crofton at 7:00 pm. As you know, the White Sox are a good team, but we nearly beat them in our opener this year. We will be missing Brian and Mark C. Josh will start on the hill.
Hit of the game: Josh’s bases-clearing triple in the second, which turned a 2-1 game into a 5-1 game and started the hitting parade.
Web Gem: Steve’s tumbling catch in deep center to rob a Mudcat of a sure extra-base hit.
Bum of the Game: John Murrmann, who turned in our best pitching performance of the season. After a shaky first inning in which he threw 30 pitches, he pretty much shut down the Mudcats the rest of the way, throwing only 60 pitches over the next 5 innings (our superb defense helped with that), and giving up a total of one earned run in six innings of work. And he also went 2-4 with a home run, 3 runs, and 2 RBIs.
We again pounded the baseball, amassing 20+ hits for the second consecutive game. Richeson, Dilts, and Arizzi led the way with 3 hits apiece. Our defense was relatively solid and made several nice plays, although the few errors we made each came back to haunt us. And we never gave up, coming back from 7-run and 8-run deficits to within one hit or error or seeing-eye grounder of winning the game. But in the end, we did lose the game, surrendering a season-high 19 runs. The problem (again) was walks. We gave -- and I emphasize gave – the Cardinals 11 of them, and 9 of those came around to score. More on this in an e-mail to follow.
Hit of the Game: DeLisa’s bases-clearing double in the 6th which got us back into the ballgame.
Web Gem: Nice backhanded stop by Rhoderick at SS to force a runner at 3rd (heads-up play by Potts, also, getting back to the bag and receiving the throw).
Bum of the Game: Scott Richeson, who not only played his usual stellar D behind the dish, but crushed 2 doubles and 1 single, knocking in 2 runs.
In a crazy game that appeared over after 6 innings, but yet continued when we had 2 minutes left on the clock, we suffered a late night collapse and fell to the Tigers for the second time this year. Murrmann may not have had his best stuff, but he battled and deserved better, as our defense did not play up to the level it has been playing recently. The relief pitchers again had trouble finding the strike zone – something we need to get better at. We allowed the Tigers to score 20 runs on only 10 hits.
Offensively, we were much more patient with the Tigers’ knuckler than we were last time, at least until the last couple of innings. Rhoderick, Trinks, and Hooper stroked two hits apiece, and Colman and Potts picked up multiple RBIs.
Hit of the Game: At this point, I don’t recall a game-changer, but I was impressed by Hooper’s 6th inning double. That ball was smoked!
Web Gem: Rhoderick’s grab of a high pop into shallow left. There’s just no way I'd catch that ball under the so-called lights.
Bum of the Game: Mark Rhoderick. 2-3 with a walk, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, a stolen base, and solid defense at SS.
Special kudos to Walt Colman, who stepped up, put on the gear, and got behind the dish during our time of need in that last inning. Thanks, Walt!
Despite the loss, in many ways this was the best game we’ve played all year. The pitching by Trinks and Murrmann was superb (only 6 hits and 5 walks), the defense was outstanding (with several Web Gem candidates), and we looked like a real team out there. Unfortunately, we couldn’t come up with the clutch hits, we smoked a few balls right at people, and – to be fair – the Mariners played some excellent “D”. If we continue to play like this, however, we’ll be just fine.
Offensively, Burnham stroked 2 hits and scored twice, and Dilts and Trinks each reached base safely 3 times.
Hit of the Game: Murrmann’s booming double in the 5th.
Web Gem: Like I said earlier, we played great defense today and we have several candidates:
- 5th Runner-up: Dilts’s over-the-shoulder catch in short right field.
- 4rd Runner-up: A textbook 4-6-3 double play (Dilts-Murrmann-Colman) in the third inning.
- 3rd Runner-up: Rhoderick running backhanded grab of a pop fly down the left field line.
- 2nd Runner-up: Our catcher-to-shortstop-to-catcher play to nab the runner at home on an attempted double play. That play was executed flawlessly, and would be our #1 Web Gem nearly any other week..
- 1st Runner-up – but absolutely 1st in the “Did you see that?” category: DeLisa’s catch of a fly ball in right field while sitting on his ass.
- Web Gem: Brian’s diving catch left and throw to second to complete a true “web gem” double play.
Bum of the Game: Debbie said the Bum should be me for dressing out and inspiring you all to play well for fear of me putting myself into the game. While there may be some truth to that, the Bum of the Game goes to our pitching and defense – the best of both we’ve had all year. You’re all Bums this week!
The Dodgers staged another big comeback, rallying from a six-run deficit to tie the game at 11-11, before falling in the final frame. The offense was led by Arizzi (3 hits, 2 runs, 2 ribbies, and 2 swiped bases), with Watson, DeLisa, Richeson, and Trinks stroking two hits apiece. Rhoderick continued to get on base by hook or by crook, reaching safely three out of four times. We continue to play MUCH better defense than we did last year, and this game was no exception, as we came up with several nice plays and played errorless ball after the second inning. Unfortunately, the few errors we did make were combined with walks and resulted in quite a few runs (in fact, the A’s scored 11 runs in the first 3 innings on only 5 hits). Overall, this game again showed that we can play with the best teams in this league if we can stay away from the big inning. We’re getting close. Things will start clicking very soon.
Hit of the Game: Trinks’s 2-run single through the left side of the infield in the middle of our 6th-inning rally. I chose this one because it culminated a great at-bat. After falling behind in the count early, Josh worked the count to 2-2, fouled off two 2-strike pitches, and then brought the runners home on the 7th pitch of the at-bat.
Web Gem: A 5-3 play to end the 4th. It started with a stop at third by Potts, who then made an exceptionally strong throw to a stretched-out Corbin at first to nab the runner by an inch. The most amazing part: Mark got up out of that stretch without assistance. That would not have happened last year, would it, Mark? And kudos to Mark for an all-around excellent game at 1B.
Bum of the Game: Ernie Arizzi, for sparking the offense at the plate and on the base paths.
Well, the silver lining in this one is that we finished it better than we started it. But it was too little, too late, as we lost to the Phillies, 18-8. For the second consecutive game, an error-fueled first inning put us in a hole, and walks (again) did us in throughout the game – 19 total. That may be a new Dodgers record that hopefully will never be broken. The Phillies pitchers and defense had our offense stymied for the first half of the game, as we did not get our first hit until two were out in the fourth inning. Eventually, we got it rolling, with Arizzi, Murrmann, and Burnham each stroking two hits and scoring two runs, with both of Burnham’s hits being doubles he crushed to left.
Hit of the Game: Burnham’s second double, which ignited our 6-run 7th inning.
Web Gem: No contest here – Richeson’s running, tumbling catch of a foul pop down the third base line. There may not be another catcher in this league who makes that play.
Interesting note: Murrmann, who was pitching, actually said something to the effect of “Scott, that’s yours!” I don’t think I’ve ever before seen a popup that John didn’t call for.
Bum of the Game: John Murrmann. Not only did he go 2-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base, but more importantly, he came in and put out the fire (a conflagration, actually), retiring all four batters he faced, and allowing us to make the game respectable.
Another big Dodgers comeback, but unfortunately another hard-luck loss. The Blue Claws came out swinging, jumping out to a quick 8-2 lead. But with Murrmann on the mound and our defense making the plays when we had to, we put a stop to their scoring. Meanwhile, our bats got into gear, and we eventually pulled ahead on an 8th-inning RBI single by Garcia of the Claws’ fireballing closer. It was neck-and-neck from then on out, with the Claws finally pulling out a win on the bottom of the 9th. Hitting stars for the Dodgers were Arizzi with a 4-4 night, Garcia with 3 hits, including a booming triple to right-center, and two hits apiece for Murrmann and Colman. Colman, in fact came through twice with two-out RBI singles. The defense had a few miscues, but for the most part made the key plays when it counted, including an inning-ending DP in the 5th. And Garcia’s rockets from left field certainly put the fear of God into the Claws baserunners. Murrmann was an absolute stud on the mound, throwing a 9-inning complete game while walking only 3 batters and striking out 3.
Hit of the Game: With apologies to the aforementioned Garcia blast, the hit of the game is DeLisa’s two-out, two-strike, two-RBI hit to tie the game in the 7th. A great at-bat.
Web Gem: The Gem goes to Trinks for his backhanded stab at third and long accurate throw to nab the batter at first.
Bum of the Game: With apologies to Mr. 4-4, we have a guy who reached base 4 times, stole 3 bases, scored 3 runs, batted 1 in, and … oh yeah, threw 143 pitches en route to a 9-inning complete game. John Murrmann was THE MAN.
What a game! We had another patented Dodgers comeback, but this time our pitching and defense held the opposition scoreless for the final three innings, and we walked away with a 9-9 tie. The pressure was really on as we faced two do-or-die situations in the bottom of the 9th and 10th. But we came through with the big plays in the late innings – a pickoff of a runner at first base by Arizzi in the 8th, Richeson gunning down a would-be base stealer in the 9th (nice sweep tag by Murrmann, too), and Trinks making a nice play at 3rd to start the 10th.
The offense was led by Watson, Richeson, and Rhoderick with two hits apiece. Dilts filled the leadoff role nicely by reaching safely in all three of his plate appearances, while Watson, DeLisa, and Garcia also reached base three times.
The pitching was solid, with Richeson giving us a quality start, and the apparently well-rested Arizzi turning in a stellar relief performance (6 innings, 2 runs). But the story of the day was our defense. The Mudcats put at least two baserunners on in all but one inning, but we kept our composure and made the plays when we needed them.
Hit of the Game: Garcia’s two-run double to tie the game at 7-7 in the 5th, after the Mudcats had built a 7-2 lead.
Web Gem: Based on sheer impact, it has to be the inning-ending bases-loaded double play to end the 5th and preserve our one-run lead. Trinks to Rhoderick to Colman – sounds just as good as Tinkers to Evans to Chance, doesn’t it?
Bum of the Game: This is not a copout. I truly believe this is a group award this week. The Bum goes to our defense. That’s all of you. I haven’t meticulously checked the book while trying to recall who played which positions every inning, but I’m pretty sure each of you had at least one putout or assist. And like I said earlier, most of these came with runners on in a very close game. Our “D” was absolutely clutch!
Interesting Note: Both teams had identical line scores:
9 Runs 11 hits 3 errors
The undermanned Dodgers gave it their best, but in the end were swept by the hard-hitting White Sox. In the first game, we stayed within striking distance until the Sox’ bats got hot late and they pulled away. In Game 2, the Sox picked up where they left off, building an early lead. Our bats were silent – or, more accurately, their defense was outstanding, robbing us of several key hits which would normally have put runs on the board. We were missing a few key players, which caused us to play several guys out of position, and unfortunately it showed. It’s time to suck it up, though, as we will remain somewhat shorthanded for the next three games.
Hit(s) of the Day: The Arizzi double, Murrmann double, and Richeson single which produced our only runs in Game 1.
Almost Hit of the Day: Trinks’ bases-loaded smash on which he was absolutely robbed of a bases-clearing extra-base hit in Game 2.
Web Gem: Colman’s running catch in right-center in Game 1.
Bums of the Day:
Arizzi: Two doubles in Game 1, and a scoreless, 12-pitch inning in Game 2.
Colman: Web gem in Game 1, 2-2 in Game 2, and a respectable pitching performance.
Note: This day marked the long-awaited season debut of Nicol, who had not swung a bat in nearly a year. His 0-for-4 performance demonstrated that the long layoff has had no effect on his hitting ability. In his defense, he claims that he has not swung and missed a pitch all year.
Whew! After the first couple of innings, it looked like we were headed for an early blowout. But we righted the ship, staged a bit of a comeback to get within 5 runs, but things eventually got ugly in the last two innings as we fell to the Mariners. In the middle four innings, we outscored the first-place Mariners 6-4. Unfortunately, in the other four innings (first two and last two), we were outscored 22-0. The culprit again was free passes – 16 walks and 5 hit batters. We can complain about the strike zone -- and the ump did have a problem calling curveballs -- but the fact remains that the opposing pitchers only walked three. Until we can cut down on the free passes, we are going to struggle to win ball games. We only issued 3 of the 21 free passes in the middle four innings, so I know we can do it. We just have to do it consistently.
Offensively, we hit the ball well, like we almost always do. In fact, the Mariners manager commented to me about what a good-hitting ballclub we have. Trinks led the hit parade with three hits, including two doubles. Potts, Arizzi, and Watson also stroked two hits apiece, with Watson blasting the Dodgers’ first out-of-the-park homer of the season.
We made some nice defensive plays, with both Trinks and Dilts contributing some sharp play at shortstop, and Richeson showing off that arm by catching two would-be base stealers. We made a few errors late, but once darkness falls at Sawmill and we’re under what passes for lights at that field … well, let’s just say it’s a tough play to play defense.
Hit of the Game: This is an easy one: Watson’s two-run homer over the left field fence.
Web Gem: This one is not so easy, as we really did have some nice plays out there. But I’m going with Richeson’s TWO right-on-the money throws down to second to nab two attempted base stealers. Quick release, accurate throws; Mark barely had to move the glove (and kudos to Mark for sticking that fractured thumb into harm’s way).
Bum of the Game: Josh Trinks, who in addition to his three hits (two doubles) and two runs scored, played a stellar game at short (6 assists, 2 putouts, including a leaping grab of a line drive).
Game 1
We jumped out early, then our offense took a break for a few innings while the Claws piled up some runs to build a 9-run lead. The Dodger bats then reawakened, but our rally fell short, 16-13. We did bang out 14 hits, with Watson and Trinks leading the way with 3 apiece, and Rhoderick and Burnham also contributed a pair each. Our defense was solid, as we only committed two errors.
Hits of the Game: You knew there had to be two, as both Trinks and Watson crushed balls over the fence; Trinks with a towering fly to left, and Watson with a line drive beyond left-center.
Web Gem: Potts’s barehanded catch-n-throw to nab a runner at first. It wasn’t just that he barehanded it; he read the hop perfectly, held up his charge, and then caught the ball with his bare hand and fired a strike to first.
Bum(s) of the Game: Trinks and Watson. They each went 3-4 with a homer, 2 runs, and 3 ribbies. Watson also hit 2 doubles and Trinks fell just a triple shy of a cycle.
Game 2
We again had a big first inning, but this time we held on. Every time the Claws made a move to get close, we responded immediately with runs of our own, and we eventually held on for a 13-11 victory. The Dodgers bats stayed hot, as we pounded out 16 hits, with Arizzi, Rhoderick, Potts, Dilts, and Nicol contributing two hits apiece. Our defense faltered a little in our second game under the oppressive mid-90s heat, but Burnham kept working out of jams and pitched a gutsy 6-inning complete-game for the win. It was a big win for the Dodgers, and moved us up one notch in the standings.
Hit of the Game: Potts’s booming double to lead off the fourth and start a 4-run rally in an inning that we entered tied 6-6.
Web Gem: Dilts’s over-the shoulder grab of a blooper in short rightfield with the game tied and bases loaded in the fourth. The ball appeared headed for no man’s land, but Rodney ran back and made the catch. And as the next batter grounded out to end the inning, that catch saved at least two runs – a great, clutch play.
Bum of the Game: Steve Burnham, who turned in his best game on the mound this year when we needed it most. It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t pretty, but coming after we all spent a few hours in the heat, it was gutsy. There were men on base most of the game, but he didn’t get rattled and pulled it together when it mattered.
Other Notes on the Day: Despite not having caught since … well, probably since high school, Dilts did an admirable job catching the whole first game. And Ernie stepped up and caught Game 2, after throwing nearly 60 pitches in Game 1. Kudos to both for stepping up and getting the job done on the hottest day of the year.
A big 13-1 victory propelled the Dodgers into the midst of a 4-team race for the 7th through 10th spots in the standings. Murrmann returned from his vacation, apparently rested and ready, and hurled an 8-inning complete game, surrendering a single run on six hits and no walks, while striking out three. Watson crushed his third homer in four games – a three-run shot in the 3rd -- as he, Rhoderick, and DeLisa led the hit parade with three apiece. Murrmann, Richeson, Dilts, and Potts also chipped in two each. The defense was solid once again, making the plays and turning both a pop fly and a line drive into double plays. Kudos to Dilts, who made three hustling, heads up plays in his debut as a first baseman. We are on a roll!
Hit of the Game: What can you say? Watson is in a zone. His third homer in the last four games cleared the left-centerfield fence with plenty to spare. Not only that, but it came with two outs and two runners on, doubling our lead to 6-0.
Web Gem: With apologies to the aforementioned DPs, this one goes to DeLisa, who charged a one-hop liner in right and fired a perfect strike to first to nab the batter. Nice stretch by Dilts on the play, also. The key was communication, as Tom and Rodney had discussed this scenario just one or two innings earlier. Coming right on the heels of a 6-4 DP, this inning-ender had to be a crusher to the morale of the Cardinals, who appeared to have a rally going after starting the inning by getting the first two batters on base.
Bum of the Game: There is no doubt on this one: complete game, one run, no walks. Murrmann was King of the Hill this day. And just for good measure, he reached base safely in 3 of his 5 ABs. Oh yeah, he also drove in the last two runs to end the game on mercy rule. BTW, John: You threw 99 pitches, an incredibly low number for 8 innings in this league; and 65 of them were for strikes.
In a game that was much closer than the final score of 17-10 would indicate, we extended our winning streak to a franchise-record three games. We jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the 4th. The bats were hot and the defense was especially sharp, as we perfectly executed two different 1st-and-3rd plays, twice getting the lead runner on attempted double steals. A couple of runs here and there, however, and one bad defensive inning when imposters inhabited our jerseys put us into a 10-9 game. The nail-biter continued through the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings, as both teams combined to put 12 runners on base over those three innings, without a single run scoring. Then in the 9th, with a combination of plate discipline (patience) against a tired pitcher and some key hits off the reliever, we broke the game open. Murrmann and Dilts led the way with 3 hits each, while most of the remaining lineup had at least 2 hits and a walk. Extra base hits went to Murrmann (triple) and Watson (double). We banged out 19 hits in all, and also drew 11 walks. Murrmann was again a stud on the mound, pitching his second consecutive complete game and ending it with a strikeout on his 162nd pitch. It was a great win which vaulted us ahead of both the Tigers and Cardinals in the standings.
Hit of the Game: Watson’s bases-clearing double which was the key to our early lead.
Web Gem: I’ll break with tradition here to name a Web Gem Inning. Bottom of the 6th, Dodgers up by one, bases full of Tigers with no outs, and the top of the order coming up. Infield in; game on the line. First batter: 6-2 force at home, Josh to Scott. Second batter: strikeout on a 2-2 pitch. 3rd batter: 6-5 force out, Josh to Dennis. NO RUNS; lead preserved.
Bum of the Game: Gotta give it to Murrmann once again. A 162-pitch, 9-inning complete game when we really needed it, as we had another game coming up the next night. Not only that, but 3 hits (including a triple), a walk, a stolen base, 2 runs scored, and an RBI.
Our record for winning streaks lasted only 24 hours, as we battled our way to our fourth consecutive victory, a 14-12 win over a hot Mudcats team, that also had won its last four. After a short preliminary struggle with locked gates, grass clippings, and bees, we bolted to a lead in the top of the first, highlighted by Arizzi’s leadoff triple and Richeson’s 3-run bomb over the left field fence. Unfortunately, the Mudcats answered in the bottom of the frame with 6 runs of their own off Garcia, who was making his first start of the season. Garcia held tough after that, allowing just a single run over the next three innings. Meanwhile, we took advantage of the Mudcats’ starter’s sudden wildness, scoring 5 runs in the 3rd to retake the lead, 9-7. The teams traded 2- and 3-run innings, along with some goose eggs, the rest of the way, and we maintained our lead. Arizzi threw 4 innings of outstanding relief, surrendering only 2 earned runs. Together, Garcia and Arizzi allowed only 13 hits and 4 walks. It’s no coincidence that during this 4-game winning streak, we’ve had 3 different winning pitchers, along with a 4th who earned a save. When we have several guys pitching well, we are very tough to beat, as we can hit and play defense with anybody in this league. The win edged us ahead of the Blue Claws and into 7th place.
Hit of the Game: You know we are on a power surge when I actually have to think about whether a home run deserves to be the hit of the game. But this one does: Richeson’s 2-out, 3-run bomb in the 1st surely let the Mudcats know that they were in for a fight this night. On a side note: After that ‘tater, Richeson walked in all three of his subsequent plate appearances. Or put another way, he homered every time they didn’t walk him.
Web Gem: Trinks’s fantastic running catch of a pop fly into shallow left field. Definitely one of the best plays I’ve seen this year by any player on any team.
Bum of the Game: This was a tough one. Richeson homered, reached base all for times, played his usual superb defense, and called a great game. Trinks was fantastic all night at SS. Potts was solid (and very busy) at 3B and also contributed 2 hits and reached base in 3 of his 4 plate appearances. Everyone contributed to this one. But the award goes to Arizzi, who crushed the ball all night (prompting an intentional walk in the 9th), and also threw 4 innings of stellar relief.
Game 22, 8/30/09 (Playoff Game #1)
We came out flat, and while our defense picked up, our offense never got in gear, as we lost to the Tigers, 12-3. After the Tigers dropped 6 runs on us in the first, we held them to only 2 more runs until the ninth. Unfortunately, our bats were silent except for a two-out three-run outburst in the 8th. Murrmann and Richeson led the offense with 2 hits apiece. After that first inning, when our entire team seemed like we were not quite warmed up, Murrmann turned in another quality pitching performance – one which would have been good enough for a “W” on most days. While we made a few errors, we did turn several nice defensive plays; Trinks, Potts, DeLisa, Richeson, and Dilts, just to name a few.
Hit of the Game: DeLisa’s two-out, two-RBI double to get us on the scoreboard.
Web Gem: Richeson’s running grab of a foul pop to end the 7th.
Bum of the Game: Richeson. Scott stroked two hits, picked up one ribbie, gunned down a would-be base stealer, and made the aforementioned great catch
Game 23, 9/1/09 (Playoff Game #2)
With both teams facing elimination, we scored a run in each of the first two frames to take a 2-0 lead. In the first, Richeson followed Dilts’s single with a booming double to right-center to drive in the first run. We scratched for a run in the second, as Trinks walked, stole second, advanced to third on a long fly ball by Burnham, and scored on a wild pitch. After that … well, when you play a night game at Sawmill with a bad home plate umpire, it’s only a matter of time before the game gets ugly. The key to beating a good-hitting team like the White Sox is to minimize the freebies (walks, errors, and hit batters), and the combination of a bad field, poor lighting, a small and variable strike zone, and a depleted pitching staff did us in. We came back, as we always do, to make the final score more respectable, but in the end it was an inglorious end to a season in which we showed much improvement to last year’s inaugural season. In fact, we doubled last year’s win total, lost five less games (I’m not counting the forfeit), and finished three places higher in the standings. With the same level of improvement next year, this team will be right in the middle of things.
Hit of the Game: I have two: Richeson’s RBI double to give us a first inning lead; and Arizzi’s RBI single to knock in the first of our six 6th-inning runs, coming just minutes after his arrival from the airport.
Web Gem: Potts’s snag of a shot down the third base line and throw to first. That batter got down the line much faster than he looked like he could and barely beat it out, but it was still a heck of a play.
Bum of the Game: This one goes to Potts, also, who not only had a key hit in our last-inning rally, but played a solid game at 3B. For those of you who have never played 3B at Sawmill at night, believe me, it takes both skill and courage.
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