Game 16: Ultimate Sack 17, TCBC 1

There's not really a lot of good things to say about this one. But it was under the lights. So there's that. Plus it didn't rain. So we had that going for us, too. Other than that, no one really got hurt that bad, plus we saw Chris Elliott make it back onto the mound pain-free for the first time in almost 3 months -- which bodes really well for the 2010 TCBC rotation.

It goes without saying that the story of the game was pitching -- or lack thereof. Starter Josh Taylor gave up 5 walks and hit a batter in a little over 2 innings work, and Elliott and John Toth combined for an equal number of free passes in relief (Toth added 2 more HBP in his 3 innings of work), as the Three Cities nine struggled through 7 innings.

On offense, hits were contributed by spots 5-9, most notably a single by John Millin followed up by a Matt Willbond double leading to the Three Cities' only run. Hits were added by Nate Kievmann, Jeff Hess, plus 2 singles each by Dan Taylor and Elliott. Despite that production, with only 1 hit (a lead-off infield single in the 1st) from the 1 through 4 hitters combined, TCBC wasn't able to show the offensive prowess they've exhibited in the two previous meetings with Ultimate Sack this season, and the TCBC faithful watched as the inaugural season ended early -- and on a sour note. But, it was under the lights.

Here's the boxscore from the game.

Here's the season's overall stats.

Games 14 & 15 (A Long Strange Trip)

Another set of back to back games this past weekend, as the Three Cities took on the Akron Cardinals and the Riverside Dodgers in what would be all three teams' last regular season game(s).

In the Saturday game, with a game time temperature nearing 90 degrees, TCBC marched out another minimum numbered squad of 9 (an alarming trend) against the Akron Cardinals in the third meeting of the year between the two teams. The Cardinals struck early in the first on a 2-run home run for catcher Youngblood off of TCBC starter Josh Taylor, after starting the game with a strike-out and a walk. The Cardinals added another run in the 2nd, capitalizing on a lead-off HBP with a 2-out error and single. Taylor would escape unscathed though in the 3rd and 4th innings, giving Three Cities an opportunity to mount a comeback.

In the home half of the 3rd, John Stewart started a 2-out surge with a single and successive stolen bases of 2nd and 3rd (scoring on an overthrow to 3rd base). After a single by Lou Gerig, a Nate Kievman bomb was caught just steps before the fence in center, momentarily pausing the TCBC attack.

The 4th opened with a single by Jimmy Swearingen, who was chased (literally) to score by Dan Taylor on his triple to the power ally in left. Taylor scored on a sacrifice fly by John Millin, who was awarded safe passage on the error when the Cardinal center fielder mis-judged the ball. Matt Willbond kept the inning moving with a single, but after responding with back-to-back strikeouts and running the count full on lead-off hitter Stewart, the Cardinal pitcher daftly picked off the slumbering Millin at second -- avoiding a potential bases-loaded opportunity for TCBC and Gerig.

The 5th inning saw Taylor lose the lead once again -- albeit on an unearned run -- but he bounced back with a solid 6th inning, invoking a double play after allowing the first 2 Cardinal runners to reach. It was opening the 7th inning with 3 consecutive walks (one being of the intentional variety to Youngblood to set up a force at home), resulted in his exit from the game. John Toth entered with the bases loaded and no outs, and after a bases clearing single to the wall, TCBC was presented with a deficit more than they could match, despite Toth pitching 2 more scoreless frames to keep them close, and knocking in D. Taylor with a run in the 7th.

The box score from game 14 is here.

Sunday's 1pm start proved to be hotter than Saturday's -- if you can believe it. In their fourth meeting of the year, TCBC and the Dodgers had their most lopsided contest to date, and the late additions to the Dodgers (including pitchers Smith and Lastoria), have really helped them become a tough opponent for TCBC. Brian Plona, in his first game back after straining his arm and still hampered by an aching back, started on the hill for TCBC, and managed to work fairly comfortably through the first 3 innings -- only giving up 3 runs (2 earned) and one extra base hit. TCBC did give Plona a bit of support in the top of the 3rd, with 2 runs scoring on a 2-out single by Lou Gerig. But the 4th brought the end of the road for Plona, who was replaced by Gerig to induce the final out in an inning where 5 Dodger batters reached (and 3 scored).

Gerig came back out to work the 5th, but the Dodgers were able extend their lead to 7 runs by the end of the inning on an error and 4 hits.

The 6th inning saw the top of the TCBC order produce 2 runs on a single by John Stewart and a triple by Gerig (his 3rd RBI on the day), followed by a John Toth single to score Gerig and bring TCBC within 5. Toth then pitched the bottom half of the 6th, but after a walk and a double play, a 2-out error by defensive replacement John Millin brought up the top of the Dodger order -- and 3 more unearned runs were quickly produced by the surging Dodgers.

Although TCBC would score 3 more times in the 2 innings that followed, the hits contributed by Charles Miller, Millin, Dan Taylor and Plona and walks by Gerig, Rob Ortenzi and Josh Taylor were not enough -- as the final out was recorded with the bases loaded in both frames.

Here's the boxscore from game 15.

Here's the updated stats on the season.

Game 13: Colts 11, TCBC 1

A FOUL BALL is a batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or that first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base, or that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, or any object foreign to the natural ground. A foul fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the infielder is on foul or fair territory at the time he touches the ball. A batted ball not touched by a fielder, which hits the pitcher's rubber and rebounds into foul territory, between home and first, or between home and third base is a foul ball.

FOUL TERRITORY is that part of the playing field outside the first and third base lines extended to the fence and perpendicularly upwards.

LOOK WHERE I AM! LOOK WHERE I AM! LOOK WHERE I AM! GAWDAMMIT, LOOK WHERE I AM!

This game was just another where TCBC couldn't hold on long enough and found ourselves stretching players beyond what their prescribed nature is. But at least the team walked away learning a few things about the game:

• It's easier to play with 9 guys on the field.
• There should always be 3 outfielders, not 2.
• Relief pitchers are invaluable.
• A foul ball isn't always foul, and a ball called fair is a fair ball, no matter where it lands.

This is not to say there wasn't a bright spot or 4 for the good guys. Josh Taylor showed again what's made him the de-fact-o staff ace by pitching 2 strong innings against the Colts before succumbing to arm fatigue. Chris Miller extended his hot streak, pushing his OPS for the last 5 games to an unheard of 1.283! Lou Gerig pitched well for his first 4 innings in relief, striking out 5 Colts hitters (the highest single-outing total for a TCBC hurler since Chris Elliot's 9 K effort in week 3), and Matt Willbond broke through with a hit and an RBI (and some excellent play in the field while starting at 3rd base for the first time this year).

Here's the boxscore.

Here's the updated (overall) season stats.

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.

Game 10: TCBC 3, Riverside Dodgers 2

So I guess the old adages are true: in Baseball, all things come back around, and the calls even out. Finally, it seemed like the errors didn't totally destroy an inning for Three Cities, and the bad calls didn't knock the team out of the game. . . This time, it was the the Dodgers who ended up on the short end of things, with a costly throwing error in the 6th breathing life to a 3-run inning TCBC and nullifying a solid pitching performance by their starting pitcher.

After breezing through the heart of TCBC's order twice without issue, Chris Miller and John Millin led off the 6th with back-to-back walks, bringing up Matt Willbond, who squared to put down the sacrifice bunt. The ball was fielded cleanly by the Dodger pitcher, but with Tim Zeitz running for Miller, the throw to third had to be rushed, and the combination of a sliding Zeitz and a ball in the dirt knocked the overthrow out of play, scoring Zeitz, and moving Millin to third (and an alert Willbond into scoring position himself). As has happened time and again this season, the top of the Three Cities batting order did not dissappoint, with John Stewart and Lou Gerig knocking in an RBI each and giving TCBC a 3-2 lead in the process. This was enough to put Three Cities on top for good in this game.

Another solid start was put in by Josh Taylor, bringing his record to an even 1-1 on the year and dropping his ERA to an even 3.00 on the season (in 21 IP). In a bit of the old switcheroo, John Toth was credited with the save, and in pitching 3 scoreless innings to close out the game, brought his ERA into the single digits (in a team-leading 24 IP).

Fielding gems were the norm again for Gerig, but new comer Nate Kievman also made his presence known in putting in a good showing at first base, and especially in connecting on a rare 5-3-2-4-3 throw-'em-out tag-'em-out double play with Chris Elliott, Miller and Millin to end a rally in the Dodger 4th.


Here's the Boxscore

Here's the updated season (to date) stats.

Here's the Game Results.

Games 8 & 9 (Different Paths to the Same Destination)

Dunno what to say about these two games other than I wish we'd won them both.

The game a week ago against the league leading A's could be considered one of TCBC's finest defensive showings (despite the score), as gems abounded, errors were few, and John Toth was in control on the mound through 7 innings (Lou Gerig even showed a bit of promise from the hill in the 9th). The 8-2 score sure doesn't tell the whole story. When the 8th inning unraveled, it was almost as though the team had held on for as long as it could, and then, bloodied and bruised (literally), watched the A's take the game from TCBC's hands . . . It'd be difficult to say it was as disappointing of a game as the score might imply.

Here's the boxscore from Week 8

The 7/19 game against the Indians was a different story altogether. Although Josh Taylor put in a good effort in relief, John Toth's trickery and deception just wasn't fooling the Indians hitters to start the affair, and by their second time through the order -- TCBC couldn't buy an out. Offensively, despite cutting down on the 14 K's from a week prior, only 4 players breaking through will always make it difficult to put a tally in the "W" column.

Here's the boxscore from Week 9

Here's the Overall Stats

Here's the Game Results

Heyyyy Buddy, Looks Like You Got Some Sun . . .

Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy! For the second time in just 3 weeks one of TCBC's own has been named the NEORH Open Division "Player Of the Week!"

This time, it's good ol' number 25, Jimmy Swearingen, who was honored after going 3-5 with a double, a run-scored and an RBI off of the Akron Cardinals in the Three Cities loss this week.

Swearingen has really seemed to respond to a more consistant role as clean-up hitter and third base for TCBC, hitting .500 / .667 / . 583 with 2 doubles, 3 runs scored and 6 RBI over the last 3 games. On the year, he leads the club in total bases, average, hits, extra-base hits, RBIs, and stolen bases (tied with 4 others).

Congratulations again Jimmy!



Here's the release from the league:

Here are your Players of the Week for Week #9:
They will be recognized on the NEO Roy Hobbs web site and will receive a certificate in the mail for 24 wings at Scorchers in the Valley (36 winges of they attend in uniform).


28s (Open Division):
Jimmy Swearingen (Three Cities Baseball Clubs) 2b, 2-1b, run, RBI;


38s (Veterans Division):
Gary Galehouse (Kent MudHens Vets) 2-HR, 2-1b, SB, 4-runs, 3-RBI;


Thanks,
Don B

Congratulations again, Jimmy!

Game 7: TCBC 4, Akron Cardinals 5

This was a tough one for sure -- but, oh what a game! Josh Taylor pitched a stellar 6 1/3 innings, only giving up 4 hits and no earned runs, while picking up the tough loss. It was the 4 unearned runs in the 3-error 3rd that tied the game back up for the Cardinals, after TCBC jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a 3-run first and adding another in the 2nd. After the 3rd though, both pitchers really settled down and took control of the game, with no runs plating until the bottom of the 7th, when the Cardinals manufactured a run on a walk, a fielder's choice and an error.

TCBC was not without their own opportunities though -- putting runners on in each of the 6th, 7th, and 8th and then loading the bases in the 9th. But just couldn't get that "one more" run home.

Here's the boxscore.

Here's updated stats on the season.

Here's our game results on the year.

Game 6: Colts 22, TCBC 3

Something was just, well, off on Sunday the 14th. There must've been something about the orbit of the moon, or how close the sun was to the earth, or . . . something.

Anything.

Why? Because this happened to the Mets.

And this happened to the Blue Jays, and this to the Red Sox. And this to the Braves. It was like a video game virtual reality out there.

So well, you probably already know what happened to TCBC*:

game06-1

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So take solace in knowing we were not alone. Not on this night.

* I put the wrong game's boxscore up there. The rest is correct. Sorry. I'll fix it later, I swear.†

† Ok, so I'm not going to fix it, but click on this link to see the actual boxscore from the 6/14 game against the Colts.

Game 5: Ultimate Sack 10, TCBC 12

What an exhausting game! 22 runs were scored between the 2 teams on 25 hits, 22 walks (see accompanying illustration) and 8 errors -- but finally a satisfying outcome for Three Cities.

John Toth pitched 5 innings of no-hit ball, but the inconsistent strike zone of the home plate umpire made him leave the game after the 5th, although comfortably in the lead, sooner than the Three Cities' faithful would have liked. Brian Plona followed Toth on the mound, registering a solid 2 innings of relief for TCBC's first hold of the year, and he was followed by newcomer Lou Gerig in the 8th, who managed to pick up both the blown save and the win on an innings' worth of work. Josh Taylor then handled closing duties in true Cleveland baseball style: 2 quick outs, then a hit and 2 walks to load the bases before getting that ever-elusive third out for the save.

On the offensive end, TCBC's trio of POTW nominees Toth, Jimmy Swearingen and Danny Taylor led the attack, helping put the team up 10-4 entering the 8th inning. Toth was 4-4 with a run scored, Swearingen knocked in 4 runs on 2 hits, and D. Taylor did not register an out -- going 3-3 with a triple (scoring on an overthrow to third) and contributing a walk to lead off the 8th inning rally that put TCBC ahead for good. Following Taylor's walk and a sacrifice bunt by John Millin, Chris Miller and Charles Miller drew back-to-back walks and John Stewart came to bat with the bases loaded and one out (cue ESPN cut scene). Stewart then came through with the crucial hit of the night -- a solid double down the left field line, scoring both Taylor and a hard-charging Chris Miller -- for the game-winning RBI.

Also joining the hit parade were Josh Taylor, Plona, Millin, Gerig and Charles Miller.

Here's the stats:

game05-1

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Game 4, TCBC 1, Wood Electric A's 13 (7)

Sorry this took forever to get up. Been a bit busy. Go figure. Obviously another not-so-positive finish, but it really wasn't as bad as things appeared. Again -- chalk it up to one or two bad innings, a few too many errors, and a lack of that one hit to drive guys in. . .

Here's the stats:

game04-1

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Game 3, H&RA Indians 12, TCBC 1 (7)

Ok, so this could've gone better. But the first three innings were sweet. We were still in it in the fourth, and then the wheels fell off.

game03-1

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Game 2, TCBC: 5, Riverside Dodgers 3

Ahhhh, yeah! Now that's much better. Here's the box score from the second game, plus stats, records, etc from the both games -- updated and with as much information as I have available. Let me know if there's anything more you'd like to see!

game02-3

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Game 1: Akron Cardinals 17, TCBC 0

Here's the box score, stats, records, from the first game. It's been updated and has as much of the stats I could decipher from the score book (thanks to Jeff and myself's scratching).

game01-1

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It'll get better.