Games 11 & 12 (Once More With Feeling)

Let's Play Two!

Games on back to back days with 9 guys each. It sure felt a lot more like playing in the backyard (or sandlot if you had one) than any games we've had yet this year. Both games were in Three Cities' grasp -- but alas, they managed to slip right through. In Saturday's game against the Dodgers, the umpires provided the lubricant, while in Sunday's contest vs the Ultimate Sack, it was more on just not being able to find the handle to hold onto, as the errors did the team in.

Saturday started off promising, with TCBC pitcher John Toth only allowing 2 lead-off singles in the first 4 innings, as TCBC held onto a 1-1 tie. The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 5th on an error, a hit and a sac fly to deep center, aided by the first controversial miss call: the "neigborhood rule" not being upheld on a potential DP transfer from Lou Gerig to John Millin at second. The Dodgers' lead didn't hold though, as Dan Taylor took a run right back with a "Ricky Henderson"-esque lead-off single followed by 2 steals and taking home on a passed ball, tying the game at 2.

The Dodgers answered in the top of the 6th with 4 singles in a row, 3 of which scored on a combination of another single, an error and a fielder's choice.

With the score 5-2 heading into the bottom of the inning, TCBC mounted a comeback, and after plating runners in the 6th, 7th and 8th inning, were able to draw even once again at 5-5 entering the 9th, as Toth took the mound looking to hold the tie and give the home team the chance to give him a CG win. The field umpire though had other thoughts in mind, as the inning's lead off hitter was awarded first on a "dropped" pop fly by Taylor in center. The next batter hit into what might have been a tag-out throw-out double play at 2nd, but once again the umpire played devil's advocate, saying he did not "see a tag" despite Millin's insistance and the runners own admission. So now with 2 men on and no outs, the Dodgers' starting pitcher Lastoria, although no longer the pitcher of record, gave the Dodgers the boost they needed for their first league win: a base-clearing double over Taylor's head in center, prompting a reaction and subsequent "ejection." 2 batters and one run later Toth's night was over as well. Gerig promptly retired the next 2 batters, but the damage was done -- and the deflated heart of the TCBC order couldn't crack Dodger pitcher Eckard in the 9th.

Here's the boxscore from Game 11.


Sunday had all the promise though of a rebound game, with several players returning to the TCBC lineup and lefty Josh Taylor starting. Taylor, stellar on the mound in his last several appearances, was once again in control and held the Ultimate Sack hitless once through their order and was still cruising with a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the 6th. The TCBC runs had come from the combination of a hit, a walk and a stolen base by Dan Taylor in the 2nd and 5th innings, and an error-aided top of the 6th in which a HBP for John Millin and a sacrifice bunt (turned hit) by Charles Miller manufactured 2 runs.

The bottom of the 6th though saw 2 TCBC errors, a walk, a sacrifice fly and 3 singles bring across 5 runs for the Ultimate Sack, and knock out Taylor -- and Lou Gerig was again introduced for his second relief appearance in as many days.

Despite getting a run back in the 8th, 2 more errors from the TCBC defense and 2 doubles by the Sack put them comfortably in the lead 9-5 heading into the 9th, where singles by Chris Miller (in a standout day at the plate, going 3-4, with a double, RBI, and a team-leading 6th walk) and Millin just were a bit of the old "too little, too late."

Here's the boxscore from Game 12.

Here's the updated Game Results.

Here's the updated Overall Statistics on the year.