[rpriske]

May 15th, 1985

Big game today! Atlee hammer vs John Candelaria and the Pirates!

Let's keep the momentum from yesterday!

In the 1st I took a grounder by Denny Gonzalez. (I had no chances yesterday.) The Pirates pushed one across before we got an at-bat.

I struck out to lead off. I got another grounder in the 2nd to get Greg Gross for the 3rd out.

I came up in the 3rd with one out at Hammaker on 1st. I reached on a fielder's choice. I made the most of it by stealing base #29. I was left there.

I made the first out in the 4th, grabbing another grounder by Gonzalez. I then grabbed a nasty liner by Gross and a grounder by Dale Berra in the 5th. (From no chances to LOTS)

I came up in the 6th with one out and nobody on. I returned the favour by grounding out to Gonzalez at 2nd.

Atlee pitched himself out of a base loaded jam in the 7th and we still trailed 1-0... until Rob Deer hit a solo shot that inning to tie it up!

In the 8th I jumped and snagged a liner by Robin Yount for the 2nd out and handled a grounder by Kirk Gibson for the 3rd.

John Castin pinch hit for Kenny Oberkfell to lead off our half of the 8th and he swatted a home run to put us up 2-0! On out later I came up and grounded out to Ron Wotus at 1st.

Ron Davis came in to close out the 9th for us. That did not go so great. Tony Pena singled and then Bill Madlock singles and a misplay by Terry Harper put them on 2nd and 3rd with still none out. But then Ron struck out pinch-hitter Steve Kemp. But then he uncorked a wild pitch to pnch0hitter Willie Aikens and Pen scored, tying the game. He struck out Aikens and pinch-hitter Tim Tolman and we went to the bottom of the 9th tied 2-2.

We couldn't score and it was extra innings.

Nestor stuck with Davis and he gave up a single to Joe Orsulak and then another to Gonzalez. Orsulak tried to go too 3rd and Kenny Smith, who had replaced Chili Davis for defense in centre, gunned him down at 3rd. Tom O'Malley came up hurting after the slide but he is tough. Gonzalez got as far as 3rd but Davis got out of it.

I came up in the 10th, now facing Lee Smith, with two out and nobody on. I flew out to Gibson in right. On to inning #11.

Mark Davis replaced Ron Davis. He got the Pirate sin order, including a 3rd out foul pop by Kemp that I caught.

In the 12th he gave up a single to Orsulak he moved up a bag on a balk but was then gunned out by Brenly trying to steal 3rd.

In the 13th I got Gonzalez trying to go to 2nd on a Gibson grounder for the 2nd out, but we couldn't get the double play. A Pena single and a hit batsman on Madlock and the bases were loaded. Mark struck out Cecilio Guante and got out of it.

Both teams had run out of pitch hitters.

I faced Guante to lead off our half of the 13th and singled past Yount at short. Then Tom O'Malley cracked a ball into the right field corner and I scored from 1st!

We won in 13! 3-2!

Along the way Jeff Leonard hurt his PCL while running the bases. It looks like a D.L. stint for sure.

The next morning it was confirmed. He went to the 15-day and Mike Aldrete was called up from Phoenix.

Travel day. We are heading to New York to face the Mets!