HOFers vs HOFers

[VanillaGorilla]

Don Sutton entered the game 10-0 and demonstrated why he was 10-0 as he held the the league favorite Sergeants hitless for 6 IP.

Toad Ramsey, entering at 6-3, demonstrated that his resume of being the best pitcher in the history of the league preceding this one was not the result of facing inferior talent, as he threw a complete game 4 hit, 0 walk, 14 strikeout shutout.

If Ramsey threw a shutout, that means Sutton did not. With a no hitter intact through 6 2/3 innings, Barry Bonds stepped up to the plate, and stepped up in the game.

The first pitch he saw from Sutton, he fouled straight back. The next one, he was right on, again, but sent it straight over the right center field wall, some 374 feet. His fourth HR of the season ties him for the league lead with teammates Gary Carter and Kevin Mitchell.

That was the ball game.

[VanillaGorilla]

Box Score:

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With the Battle Cats 23 game win streak halted, Charlotte sends hot hand Early Wynn to the mound to face Sandy Koufax.

Koufax, you may remember, made his season debut by shutting out the Battle Cats. He has 3 shutouts in 4 starts, and has allowed only 1 run in 36 innings, which was unearned.

The Sergeants will be sending out the same line-up, while Ron Cey returns as the third base starter for Charlotte. The Battle Cats are also giving starts to Eric Davis, Joe Rudi, and Smoky Burgess as they attempt to hang a loss on Koufax.

The series really starts now. A split is a win for the Battle Cats, so whoever wins two of the next three will exit the series with momentum as well as bragging rights.

[VanillaGorilla]

The fans in Charlotte were treated to a classic game which had the feeling of the play-offs in June.

Larry Doyle hit a sac fly in the bottom of the second with Kevin Mitchell, again, beating a throw from Mike Trout. Sandy Koufax returned to the mound, where he had struck out the Battle Cats in order in the first, and continued his dominate display.

Early Wynn proved he belonged on the same field as Koufax as he traded zeros with the Segeant's immortal through 6 innings.

Mike Trout, once again, found himself at the center of the action in the 6th. He hit a GB to Larry Doyle and forced him to play the ball quickly. When Doyle juggled the exchange, Trout was on first base with an error charged to Doyle.

After unsuccessfully trying to bunt Trout over, Miguel Cabrera hit a clean single on an 0-2 count which moved Trout to second. Rico Petrocelli did his job by slapping a FC ball to the right side.

With runners on first and third and one out, Koufax faced Dodger legend Ron Cey. Sandy won the battle as Cey was sent packing on a swinging strike.

Following Cey was another Dodger legend, Jackie Robinson. J-Rob singled to center, bringing home Trout to tie the game.

That is where the game stood through 9. Through 10. Through 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, as well.

Alex Serrano relieved Koufax in the 15th. In the bottom of the 16th, John McGraw singled to open the frame. Jackie Robinson moved him over on a grounder to the left of a charging Kevin Mitchell.

Continuing the Dodger theme, Eric Davis came to the plate and hit a slow bouncer to Larry Doyle. When Doyle had the ball go under his glove, McGraw made the turn home and scored without a play to end the marathon session, and Doyle had picked up is 4th error of the contest.*

Early Wynn went the distance and posted a Game Score of 120. Koufax had a game score of 104 in the ND.

Rico Petrocelli left the game with a sprained elbow. A decision will be made tomorrow by the Battle Cats to put him on the DL, or not.

[VanillaGorilla]

Box score:

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Rico Petrocelli has been sent to the 15 day disabled list. The Battle Cats have activated Mike McCormick (McCormack) from the reserve roster. The newcomer will get the start at 2B as Jimmy Rollins assumes SS responsibilities.

The Sergeants will give Charlotte their first look at Chipper Jones as a starter, at 3B. Willie Mays will patrol CF for Cleveland, also.

The pitching match-up of a 10-1 Hal Newhouser facing the 2-0 Unknown McDoolan, certainly favors Cleveland. This is a game that Cleveland should win and, as much as a game in June can be so, must win.

[VanillaGorilla]

There is much excitement in Charlotte as the expected to be second place Battle Cats defeated the Sergeants behind Unknown McDoolan's quality pitching and a couple of rare home runs.

Larry Doyle, who had a day to forget, yesterday, provided a 2 out single in the 3rd to put Cleveland in front.

John Romano thrilled the crowd in the bottom half of the inning by hitting a 2 out game tying HR following an unsuccessful steal attempt by Mike Trout.

With the score 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th, Hal Newhouser issued a free pass to Ron Cey. It's not the HRs that hurt, but the guys you walk in front of the HR. And miguel Cabrera made the walk to Cey very painful for Newhouser and the Sergeants when he jerked a 2-0 fast ball down the line for a 347 foot HR.

The Sergeants got to withing one, but McDoolan was in command and went the distance to pick up his third win on the season.

Mike McCormick went 0 for 3, but he showed his HOF base stealing ability by getting a SB in his first appearance with the Battle Cats against a very tough Newhouser/Gary Carter battery.

[VanillaGorilla]

Box Score:

[VanillaGorilla]

This is excitement.

Following their unexpected victory, yesterday, the Battle Cats look to even the season series at 4 games apiece, today. The pitching match-up could not be better.

Today's game is, literally, brought to you by Johnson & Johnson, with 5-0 Randy facing 10-0 Josh. This should be quite a sword fight.....

The Battle Cats would take a three game lead with a victory, and the Sergeants would get back to within one game if their Johnson is better.

Mickey Mantle returns to the Cleveland starting eight. Mike Piazza gives Gary Carter a day off.

For Charlotte, Jackie Robinson returns to second base and Benny Kauff takes his usual place in RF, with Eric Davis moving to LF.

[VanillaGorilla]

What a game was had! This season is going to be exciting.

The Sergeants came out on the attack. Eddie Collins opened with a single. Mickey Mantle followed with one of his own. Collins sought to take advantage of the Josh Johnson.John Romano battery by attempting to steal third. Romano was up to the task and Collins left the field wondering why Mantle was still at 1B.

Lou Gehrig singled Mantle to second. With a 3-2 count on Kevin Mitchell, the Battle Cats got a strike-em-out/throw-em out DP as Mantle was gunned down on the aggressive call from the dugout. 0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, one left.

One thing is certain: the answer to the SS question for Cleveland is NOT Larry Doyle.

In the bottom of the second he committed another error. And then another. And then Jimmy Rollins drove home the first run of the game.

Kevin Mitchell ripped a triple in the top of the 4th and came home on Stan Musial's ground out to tie the game.

A walk, 2 hits, a wild pitch, and an OF throwing error led to two Cleveland runs in the top of the 5th.

No team had surrendered a two run lead to the other and come back, all season.

With one out in the bottom of the 9th, Cabrera walked. Jim Wynn pinch hit for John Romano and guided a grounder between newly inserted def replacements Mike Schmidt and Nap Lajoie.

A wild pitch advanced the runners and Eric Davis smoked a 3-1 pitch past j at SS to bring home Cabrera.

Out came A-Rod to PH for Jimmy Rollins. Whatever the SS question is for Cleveland, Nap Lajoie is not the answer, either. Rodriguez sent a routing grounder which Lajoie muffed and Jim Wynn scored to tie the game.

With the score now tied, the Battle Cats let Josh Johnson stay in the game to sacrifice. He put the third strike foul, and Mike Trout came to the plate with 2 outs. He struck out.

With 2 outs in the top of the 10th, the Sergeants had the bases loaded and brought out Willie McCovey to face JJ. McCovey hit the ball hard, but right at the first baseman (seen that movie).

Jackie Robinson led of the Battle Cat tenth with a double. Benny Kauff was intentionally walked to make DP target practice of Ron Cey. Cey did his job by getting the ball in the air to advance Robinson to third.

Miguel Cabrera followed, and on a 1-2 count he found the hole between the "defensive replacements" on the left side of the infield. Ball game.

[VanillaGorilla]

So, Josh Johnson goes to 11-0 in an incredible comeback by the Cats vs the Unit.

The two teams square off next on July 9th.

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Team Home Pages:

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It is July 19th and the Battle Cats return to Cleveland to face the Sergeants for a three game set. Injuries have hit both clubs, but the Battle Cats have taken a tougher blow as they have watched their three game lead drop to a lead of only one game.

The Battle Cats are without the services of Don Sutton for about 2 more months and will be missing Benny Kauff for another 5 weeks. Lou Galvin and Manny Ramirez have taken their spots on the roster.

Cleveland will be missing Lou Gehrig for another 5 weeks. Don Mincher takes his spot on the roster.

As can be seen by their multiple appearances on the leaderboards, all three men have been solid contributors to their teams' successes.

[VanillaGorilla]

Unknown Edwards makes his first start against Cleveland, today. He faces the Sergeants' Hal Newhouser who has owned every team in the league, except Charlotte.

Alex Rodriguez gets the start at 3B for Charlotte and Rico Petrocelli returns to the line-up at SS. Manny Ramirez makes his first start against Cleveland (much to the delight of the paid crowd).

For Cleveland, Stan Musial has moved to 1B, in the absence of Lou Gehrig. Hank Aaron takes the RF spot vacated by Musial.

[VanillaGorilla]

Scrolling back through this thread I notice that I have been using various forms of the word "excitement" quite a bit. Well, not to be redundant, but this is exciting.

I find myself pulling for the Battle Cats as much as I have pulled for any team I have actually run. The odds are against them. There are no play-offs, only a pennant to win in the regular season that is the ticket to the World Series.

To the latest exciting game:

Unknown Edwards and Hal Newhouser brought their A-game to the ball park in Cleveland. No score and 2 outs in the top of the 5th, Edwards hits a ground ball to Larry Doyle, who again marks the score sheet for the wrong reasons. He muffs Edwards routing hopper and allows Mike Trout to come to the plate and extend the inning, further, with a single that allows Edwards to take third.

Next up is Jackie Robinson who hits a gb to, yep, SS, where it is botched. Edwards scores, 1-0 Battle Cats.

Kevin Mitchell joins in the error parade in the top of the 6th by kicking a Rico Petrocelli gimmie. With two outs, and Petrocelli now at second and Jim Wynn at first, courtesy a walk, John Romano strokes a double scoring Petrocelli. 2-0 Battle Cats.

In the 7th, Manny Ramirez collects his first hit of the season and first RBI as he plates Petrocelli, again, with a single.

Newhouser pitched brilliantly. He went the distance fanning 16 and walking just one and allowed no earned runs. But Unknown Edwards is getting known. He tosses the 5 hit shutout and fans 8 with0 walks to give Newhouser his third loss at the hands of Charlotte.

[VanillaGorilla]

Box Score:

[VanillaGorilla]

The Battle Cats look to extend their 16 game winning streak against their rivals, today, with Early Wynn taking the mound. Jim Wynn gets the start in LF (always cool when that happens). Tommie Agee will be patrolling RF for Charlotte.

The Sergeants send Toad Ramsey to halt the Cats and get Cleveland back to within a game and give them a chance to take the series.

Both have done well against the opposition. This looks to be another, uh, EXCITING match-up.

[VanillaGorilla]

Excitement abounds! Ok, now that the catch word is out of the way....

Larry Doyle was the story, again. However, this time it was for the right reasons.

Doyle, while struggling mightily in his efforts to fill the SS hole for the Sergeants, has been swinging a strong bat through it all. Today he was the hitting star as he provided a run scoring double and a solo home run. This was more than enough support for Toad Ramsey who spun 6 innings of shut out ball.

A 110 minute rain delay brought in the bullpens. Neither gave up any runs. Cleveland is now just a game back as the rubber game of the series approaches.

[VanillaGorilla]

Box score:

[VanillaGorilla]

Lou Galvin returns to the Battle Cat v Sergeant match-up and draws Steve Carlton. This is a huge game. The pairing favors Cleveland, so they really need to cash in, today.

Eric Davis gets the start in RF for Charlotte and Willie Mays makes the CF start for Cleveland.