[rpriske]

April 30th, 1985

My first time in Chicago. Heck of a city! Wrigley Field!

We have Atlee Hammaker - who has been ACES so far this season - taking on Chuck Rainey and the Cubs.

Time to pick up a win after losing two in a row.

I led off the game against Rainey by outrunning an infield single to Leon Durham at first. You know what is coming next... I picked up stolen base #17 on the first pitch to Kenny Oberkfell. I stole 3rd for #18 on the 3rd pitch. I scored on an Oberkfell grounder.

In the 2nd the Cubbies got it back when Ryne Sandberg hit one over the CF wall. Also that inning I started a Priske-Castino-Deer double play to erase Mel Hall and Jody Davis.

In the 3rd I came up with one out and nobody on and once again outran an infield hit for a single. Stolen base #19. Then I scored from 2nd when Kenny singled to centre. The inning got better and better, capped off with a 3-run homer by Jeff Leonard. We led 5-1.

The bottom of the inning was as bad as the top half was good. They scored 4 times, including a Leon Durham homer. By the time I caught a liner by Davis for the 3rd out the game was tied at 5.

In the 4th I came up with one out and Castino on 2nd. I blasted one to the wall but Bob Dernier managed to come up with it. Castino moved up so at least it was a 'productive out'.

In the 6th I came up with one out, Terry Harper on 2nd and Castino on 1st. (Atlee was pulled for a pinch hitter but Sixto Lezcano popped out.) I wa facing receiver Ray Soff.

And I hit my first major league home run.

Wow.

(I got the ball later. This one is a keeper!)

We had the lead back, 8-5.

Curt Brown came in to pitch for us. Maybe that homer took my mind out of the game because I made my 4th error of the season and the very first play once I took the field. I messed up a throw on a Sandberg grounder. Rob Deer made sure it didn't get past him, but it shouldn't have happened. Then Sandberg tried to steal and Bob Brenly threw it away and I couldn't do what Deer did. Ryne took 3rd. He ended up scoring on a Mel Hall sac fly. Another ball got past when Garry Templeton hit a little pop to shallow centre that neither Chili or I could reach. We got out of it with only the one run, but I was not happy with my defense there.

In the 7th I came up, facing Dickie Noles, with pinch hitter Eddie Vargas on 2nd and two out. I flied out to centre to end the inning, but only after we scored 3 times and took an 11-6 lead!

Pat Perry came in to pitch the 7th for us. That inning went well but in the 8th he gave up a couple on a double by pinch-hitter Tony Armas. He got the hook and Mark Davis came in. He got out of it and the lead was now 11-8.

In the 9th I came up with one out and Castino on 2nd and Kenny Smith (pinch hitting) on 1st. I flied out to right. We scored a couple more that inning and went into the bottom half with a 13-8 lead.

Scott Garrelts took the mound to end things and he did so in three batters, including two strikeouts.

We won!

And my first homer!

I was named Player of the Game after going 3 for 6, a home run, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 3 stolen bases!

We found out later that John Stearns was gone. He was picked off waivers by the Braves.

Tomorrow there will be two struggling pitchers going - Jeff Robinson for us and Scott McGregor for the Cubs.