Thursday, September 23, 2010

Spencer @ Butler: Bring your brooms

Game 1 -- James “The” Sheilds @ Kevin “Dead”Millwood

Ahhh, a classic rivalry resume last Saturday morning as Spencer hosted Butler for only his second series of the year. It was “Pooch Day” at the ballpark and three black lab puppies, Leela, Maddie, and Sheamus were excited to see some dice rolled. Sadly, before the game we were informed that Knuckles did not secure a ticket to the game and missed the festivities.
Things started off quick for Spencer in the top of the 1st, as The Swami Raji Davis singled, stole 2nd, was SAC’d to 3rd, then scored on America’s Next Top Model Winner: Evan Longoria SAC Fly. With two outs, Big Tex walked, the scored on a J.D. Drew RBI single. 2-0 Spencer.
Spencer went nuclear in the Top of the 4th off Kevin Deadwood. J.D. Drew led off with a double, Big Papi doubled, Kelly Shoppachaholic singled, Ceasar Izturis singled, The Swami RBI-ground out (1 out), Aaron Hill singled, Eva Longoria doubled, Big Tex walked, Ave Mexican Juan Rivera doubled. Seven runs were scored at the end of the outburst. Butler would get two runs back in the bottom of the 4th on Torii Hunter’s 2-RBI single. Spencer leads 9-2 after 4 innings. Butler added 1 run in the 5th and 6th innings. Spencer leads 9-4 after six innings. Spencer answered back in the 8th as, Aaron Hill donged a 2-run shot to make it 11-4 Spencer. Butler however, would not take my dice rolling insults or puppy distractions lying down. Enter Flamethrower Daniel Bard from the bullpen……
Average Joe Mauer smacked a Grand Salami w/ smoked provolone and pepper rings. Next batter Miguel Cabrera smacked a solo shot. Next batter Torii Hunter smacked a solo shot. BACK-TO-BACK-TO BACK JACKS FOR BUTLER!!!! Spencer now leads 11-10 after 8 innings. Spencer added a AAA insurance run in the 9th as Jon Papelbon closed the door. SPENCER WINS 12-10 in a slugfest


W – Shields 6.0, 9h, 4er, 5w, 2k, 1hr

L – Tony Pena 3.1, 4h, 3er, 2k, hr

S – Papelbon 1.2, 2w, 3k




GAME 2 “Slick” Rick Porcello @ “Brewers Announcer” Brian Anderson

Game 1 was a slugfest so of course Game 2 was a pitchers duel. Quick Synopsis:
Spencer scored three runs on a an Aaron Hill RBI-single in the 1st, Cesar Isturis RBI-double in the 2nd, and a Juan Rivera Solo HR in the 7th. Slick Rick Porcello made quick work of Butler’s squad as he was due to perform songs from his platinum album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick Porcello later in the night at the Apollo Theatre. Porcello scattered six hits and gave up one run on a Pedroia RBI-double. Spencer wins 3-1.


W - Porcello CG, 6h, er, 3w, 3k
L – Anderson 6.1, 9h, 2er, 3k, hr



Game 3 Nick Blackburn pitching in the dead of night @ Jered Coyle Weaver

…we move to extra innings as the game was tied at 2-2 after 9 innings. In the Top of the 11th, I-Rod lead off with a walk, Izturis singled amd the Swami walked to load the bases. Franklin Gutierrez, batting .197 on the year, smacked the game winning single. Papelbon gets another save. SPENCER WINS 4-2. SPENCER SWEEPS SERIES 3-0.

It was a close series.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Butler beats Nick in two of three at home

Butler and I hooked up on Sunday for a three-gamer, before the Packers dissected the hapless Buffalo Bills. The highlight of my day was clearly watching the Packers, as my ptp team's struggles continue.

GAME ONE
John Danks pitched eight solid innings (four hits, six k's, one earned run), before the Mexicutioner closed the door. Butler's team got at Cy Young contender Zack Greinke in the first inning, as Joe Mauer hit a two run double and was later plated on a Torii Hunter triple. Greinke now falls to 1-2. Nick's lone run came in the first on a Mike Nappy double. Butler stretched his lead in the eighth thanks to a Dustin Pedroia triple.
Butler 3, Nick 1
WP - Danks LP - Greinke SV - Soria

GAME TWO
Tied 5-5 in the 9th, Jason Kubel hit a bomb to give Nick's team the lead, 6-5. Asdrubal Cabrerrrrr then added two more insurance runs on a base-clearing double, before closer Mike Wuertz collected his fourth save of the year. Butler jumped on the struggling Jake Peavy, scoring four runs in the first three innings, before Nick took the lead back on a Nick Swisher base-clearing single. In the loss, Mauer had three hits, two runs and a RBI and Nolan Reimold added two hits and two rbis.
Nick 8, Butler 5
WP - O'Day LP - Carrasco SV - Wuertz

GAME THREE
Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Michael Young hit a lead-off triple. A batter later, Nolan "Keith hates me" Reimold hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to win the game for the home team Royals, 3-2. Believe it or not, Young's triple was the second of the game for the hustling handsome hitter. Jason Kubel hit a solo homer and Lyle Overbay drove in the only other run for Nick's "squadron." Mike Wuertz blew his first save of the year.
Bulter 3, Nick 2
WP - Robertson LP - Wuertz

Butler wins 2 of 3...

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Keith @ Nick: NL Baseball in the AL

Nick and I hooked up this past weekend for a three-game showdown. Here’s what transpired…

Game One: Lackey @ Baker

A surprisingly well-pitched game gave this one the feel of a National League game. Nick got things started in the bottom of the 3rd with a Mike “Who’s Got the Nappiest Balls of All?” Napoli solo jobber, followed up by a Choo RBI double. Youks cut the lead in half in the top of the 4th, answering Napoli with a leadoff solo jack. Things stayed quiet until the top of the 8th, when a Adam Jones leadoff double chased Baker from the game. Nick called in Darren “All Day, Errry Day” O’Day, who apparently earned his nickname by blowing games all day, every day. A Crawford triple, Youks single and Kendry Morales bomb before the inning ended gave Keith the 5-2 lead, and the win.

Keith Wins 5-2
W – J. Frazor
L – O’Day
S – M. Rivera

Game Two: Beckett @ Hunter

Nick once again grabbed an early lead courtesy of a Kubel RBI double driving in Choo in the bottom of the first. The lead would not last long, however, as RBIs by Polanco and Vladdy in the 3rd and provided Keith with a 2-1 lead. A big 6th inning for Keith, highlighted by a Matt Wieters three run home run, gave Keith some breathing room and a 6-1 lead. Nick would mount a comeback with a Cabrera RBI triple in the 7th and a two run bombski by Jason Kubel in the bottom of the 9th. Not enough though to overcome Beckett’s performance, who struck out eight in 8 strong innings.

Keith Wins 6-4
W – Beckett
L – Hunter
S – J. Bulger

Game Three: Washburn @ Pavano

Nick, getting a bit frustrated with his pitching at this point, pulled Pavano after only facing four batters – during which he managed to give up two runs on Markakis and Youkilis RBI’s. The strategy worked, as Aceves, Francisco and Wertz combined to hold Keith scoreless the rest of the game. A two run homer by Izturiz in the 3rd, a sac fly by Scutaro in the fourth, an RBI double by Adam Lind in the 7th and another RBI double by Cabrera in the 8th would allow Nick to eliminate any possibility of being on the wrong end of a sweep.

Nick Wins 5-2
W – Aceves
L – Washburn
S – Wertz
Keith wins series 2-1.