The first game to decide who moves on to the Tribe-O-Matic giveaway tournament championship game played out just moments ago (that is, around 5:30pm CST on Friday night).
Tonight's match-up features the 1909 Chicago NL team versus the 2009 team from St. Louis! Can the boys in blue pull one out and find their way to the final game? Will the rogues in red take the win and head into Sunday's final game? It's a patriotic semi-final match!
Before we get to the game, this is a reminder that tonight's game, and the entire tournament, is sponsored by Strat-O-Matic Baseball: Seriously Sports! Visit Strat-O-Matic at http://www.strat-o-matic.com/ the next time you're online and check out their wide array of dice-based board and computer games! Fun for the whole sports-loving family!
Remember to tune in tomorrow for the semi-final match-up between 1909 Chicago AL and the 2009 Los Angeles (AL) teams!
As a special treat tonight (and for the remainder of the tournament), I present you with the play-by-play action of tonight's semi-final game between Chicago and St. Louis (warning - it's a long transcription! Scroll to the end for scores and recap):
We're almost ready to get today's game under way
Skip Schumaker will lead it off for St. Louis
Here's how the Bruins line up defensively...
In the outfield from left to right
Sheckard in left...
Hofman in center...
and Schulte in right
The infield, from third to first it's
Steinfeldt playing the hot corner
Tinker at shortstop
Over at second, Evers
At first base Chance
And the battery of Ed Reulbach
and Archer behind the plate
Now we're ready to go...
Fly ball to center
Hofman is under it
He makes the grab
So one up and one gone
Rasmus walks up to the plate
Rasmus waits for the delivery
Rasmus rips one to center
He hit it right on the nose...
Hofman is off to the races...
He is coming fast...
He dives...
OUT!
Nice play by Solly Hofman
Pujols is up to face Ed Reulbach
Albert told me earlier that he felt lucky today
We shall see if he was right!
Hitching up his pants...
Pujols gazes out to the mound
Reulbach steps on the rubber
There's a fly ball to Wildfire Schulte
Schulte circles under it...
This one would end the inning...
He makes the play
That's out number three
A perfect inning for Reulbach here in the top of the 1st
Setting the defense for St. Louis
As Evers walks to the plate
Molina will be catching Wellemeyer
Todd is a righthanded hurler
Playing first will be Pujols
Schumaker will cover second
His partner is Ryan at short
Thurston will be at thirdbase
From left to right in the outfield
It will be Holliday, Rasmus and Ludwick
Now here is Chicago's leadoff hitter
Batting lefthanded their second baseman Evers
Evers looks down toward the third base coach
Evers waits on Wellemeyer
Evers hits a screamer at Skip Schumaker
Schumaker picks it up and fires to first
The throw pulls Pujols off the bag
Pujols swipes with the glove
Evers is out!
Nice play by Pujols
St. Louis gets the first out of the inning
Now getting set at the plate is Chance
Chicago would like him to get on
He can really motor
Molina flashes the sign to Wellemeyer
Chance hits a three hopper towards Skip Schumaker
Schumaker scoops it and fires it to first for the out
Now here's Hofman
Wellemeyer has the sign from Molina
Hofman hits a fly ball to center
Colby Rasmus camps under it
He's got it
Todd Wellemeyer holds the Bruins scoreless in the first
Here's the left fielder Holliday
To lead off the inning
He'll be followed by Ryan Ludwick
And then Yadier Molina
Reulbach steps off the rubber...
Adjusts his cap...
Now he's ready
Holliday is gone on strikes
Left with the bat still in the cocked position
With one down, up next is Ryan Ludwick
To be followed by Yadier Molina
Ludwick moseys up to the plate
Yadier Molina is heading for the on-deck circle
Right-hander Reulbach eyes the righty Ludwick
Ludwick starts... but lays off the pitch upstairs
Ball four, Reulbach walks him
Up next for the visiting Red Birds
Yadier Molina, their catcher
Full count on the batter, 3-2
Here's the 3-2 delivery....
Change-up...
Molina checks his swing
Ball four!
Archer tried to frame that pitch but it just missed
Yadier trots down to first with a big grin on his face!
Thurston digs in at the plate
Ready now for Reulbach to come set
1st and 2nd, one man down
Reulbach adjusts his belt...
Looks in for the sign from Archer
Flyball to left
it's caught
Ludwick has a chance to move up...
Ludwick will hold at second base
Ryan gets set at the plate
Ryan gets ready for Reulbach's pitch
His bat is cocked
Grounded towards the sack
Taken by Steinfeldt
Over to Chance
Got him!
Score It: 5-3
That does it for St. Louis in the top of the 2nd
Wildfire Schulte up first for Chicago
He is a threat to steal if he gets on
Wildfire steadies his bat
And waits patiently for Wellemeyer's pitch
Fastball, lined to right...
Base hit for Schulte...
Ludwick over...Grabs it on the big hop...
Fires it back in...
Holding Schulte at first
Now batting will be the shortstop, Joe Tinker
Joe takes a couple of practice cuts
Joe is eagerly awaiting Wellemeyer's pitch
Tinker hits a screamer at Brendan Ryan
Ryan picks it up and fires to second
Out there...
And the throw to first
A tailor made double play
That's the second out of the inning
Harry Steinfeldt will step in to face Wellemeyer next
If he gets on, Jimmy Sheckard will follow
Wellemeyer has the sign he wants
With a 3-1 count... here's the pitch
Steinfeldt goes after Wellemeyer's fastball...
He gets under it a little...
But it is going way back in left-center
Rasmus is retreating after it quickly
He is right at the wall...
He goes up after it...
And brings it down in the webbing!
Harry just missed a homer on that one
Only a long out for the Chicago third baseman
That's all for the Bruins in the 2nd inning
No runs, one hit and no errors...
We head to the 3rd...
No score
Wellemeyer saunters to the plate
He does some stretching...
Knocks the dirt from his spikes...
Now he steps into the batter's box
We'll see how they pitch to Wellemeyer
Wellemeyer waits for the pitch
Swung on and popped up
Chance is waiting...
And that's an easy out
St. Louis with one away
Reulbach steps off the mound as he waits for Skip Schumaker to come to the plate
One away, nobody on base
Schumaker stands ready at the plate
Schumaker wiggles the bat above his head
Reulbach wastes no time
He has the sign from Archer
Skip Schumaker hits a high pop fly on the infield
Joe Tinker calls everyone off
The ball drifts a bit...
But Tinker is there to make the play
Two down
Reulbach retires two in a row
Colby Rasmus makes his way to home plate
Rasmus is at .251 on the season
Reulbach studies his sign
Curve, down and in...
Rasmus swings at it...
It's pulled down the line
Schulte racing to the corner...
He takes it nicely off the wall...
Rasmus steams into second...
There will be no play on him
It's a double
Facing Reulbach now is Pujols
Matt Holliday heads to the on deck circle
Ryan Ludwick waits in the hole
Reulbach steps on the rubber...
Looks in for the sign
Pujols pops it up
Johnny Evers is jogging under it...
And it will be Evers making the play
That's it in the top of the 3rd
After 2 and a half innings in Chicago,
No score
Jimmy Sheckard stops at the on deck circle
Takes a couple more practice swings
Now heads for the plate
Sheckard grips the bat handle
All set, Sheckard is ready for the pitch
Fly ball to center
Rasmus is under it
He makes the grab
So one up and one gone
Archer finishes his practice swings
Now he strides to the batter's box
Watching Wellemeyer, Archer wiggles the bat
He's ready for the pitch
Wellemeyer shakes off two signs
Now he's ready
Breaking ball...
It darts down and out as Archer swings way over it
He was fooled completely
Molina loses it momentarily, but now finds the handle and tags
Jimmy as he was heading for the dugout
Two down
Wellemeyer retires the first two Chicago batters
Walking up to the plate now is Reulbach
Johnny Evers waits on deck
Reulbach awaits the delivery
Swung on and hit sharply to short
Ryan plays it on one bounce
Over to Pujols...
Out of there!
1-2-3, nothing across...
Holliday is walking to the plate
Now he steps into the batter's box
Ed peers in for the sign...
Shakes off the first one...
Likes the second one
Over the outside corner
Holliday hits the curve right to second...
Evers takes it on the second hop
Fires to 1st...
Holliday is out by a couple of steps
One out
Due up next is Ryan Ludwick
And the batter is Ryan Ludwick
Yadier Molina is on-deck
He's ready
Reulbach goes into his windup
Here it comes
Ludwick pounds it on the ground toward the pitcher Reulbach
Reulbach swipes at it...
He only succeeds at knocking it in front of him
That will be an error on Ed Reulbach
Yadier Molina will face Reulbach
Righty against righty
Molina a righty in the batter's box
facing the righthanded Reulbach
Molina is set in the batter's box
He's staring intently out at Reulbach
He's waiting for the pitch
Drilled deep to center field
Solly Hofman is running hard
He can't get to it
Molina running hard out of the box
Hofman corrals the ball
Molina digging for 2nd
He's slides in, Safe!
Ludwick takes third
Slowly coming up is Thurston for St. Louis
He is finally in the batter's box
Scoreless game
2nd and 3rd, 1 man down
Ed gets the sign from Archer
Swung on and hit right at short
Joe Tinker up with it...
Looks Ludwick back to third
Ludwick retreats to the bag
Tinker then fires it to Chance for the out
Two down
Archer asks for a new ball
He calls time and trots out to the mound
A conference going on between Archer and Reulbach
They are issuing a free pass to Ryan
Ryan takes ball four
The pitcher, Todd Wellemeyer, is up next
Wellemeyer digs in on the right side of the plate facing the righty Reulbach
Look for this pitch down the middle
This is no time to be cute
Ed looks for the sign he wants...
Shakes off the first one
But he likes the next
Wellemeyer is waiting
Todd need wait no more... he's outta here
Just another victim of Reulbach's curveball
That's it for St. Louis here in the top of the 4th
They leave 3 runners stranded
Chicago has no runs, one hit and one error
While St. Louis has no runs, 2 hits and no errors
Leading off for the Bruins is the second baseman Evers
He'll be followed by Frank Chance
And then Solly Hofman
Wellemeyer eyes Evers intently
It's a BULLET, hit towards second
Schumaker grabs it for the out
Score It: 4
One down, nobody on
Game tied
From Fresno CA, Frank Chance, who attended the U of Washington for a time, is approaching the plate
Chance is 0 for 1 today
Wellemeyer is happy with the sign
It's a high fly into center
Rasmus ranges to his right
Reaches up, and takes it for the easy out
Two out, nobody on
No score
Batting for Chicago will be Hofman
He's ready for the delivery
Hofman rips a high drive into right
Ludwick races to the wall
Reaches up
And pulls it down for the out
Schumaker is making his way to home plate
He's digging out his "spot" in the batter's box
He's taking several practice swings
Bending from side to side
Finally, he's ready
Reulbach ready quickly,
looks in for the sign
Reulbach throws the 2 strike pitch
Schumaker swings and misses
STRIKE THREE!
Reulbach strikes out Skip Schumaker
So one up and one gone
Colby Rasmus, the center fielder, strides to the plate
Rasmus is taking his practice swings
Colby is 1 for 2 this afternoon
He doubled last time at bat
Set now is Rasmus
There's a fly ball to Jimmy Sheckard
Sheckard circles under it...
He makes the play
Two gone for St. Louis
It will be Pujols to face Reulbach
Albert is batting .327 with 47 home runs on the season
He is 0 for 2 today
Pujols cocks his bat
Outside fastball... lashed at by Pujols...
Pop fly...Shallow left...
Dropping quickly...
Sheckard pulls up, doesn't want it to get by him
Base hit for Pujols...
As Sheckard fields it on one bounce
Two out, Pujols at first
Coming up is Matt Holliday
Holliday is 0 for 2 today
And Ed studies the sign from Archer...
Now he's got it
Hanging curveball...
Over the outside edge of the plate...
Holliday reaches across for it...
He clubs one deep... Very DEEP!...
There it goes...
No doubt about it
That is one long home run!
That quiets the home crowd
Ludwick coming up for St. Louis
Nobody on, two away
Ludwick is batting .265 with 22 HR's this year
The right-hander Reulbach is set to deliver to Ludwick
Ludwick hits it on the handle
He slices a soft pop behind first base
Evers roams over
Still after it
Drops in foul territory
. . . Ludwick back in the box
And here comes the next pitch
Long fly ball to left field
Jimmy Sheckard giving chase
He's at the wall
IT'S WAY BACK THERE . . .
CAUGHT!
Score It: 7
That ends the top of the 5th
2 runs, 2 hits and no errors
After 4 and a half innings,
St. Louis leads by 2
The Bruins will send Schulte, Joe Tinker, and Harry Steinfeldt up to the plate this inning
Wellemeyer is rubbing the ball up
Now the umpire wants to take a look
No problems found...
Now Wellemeyer gets the sign from Molina
Good slider, inside part of the plate
Schulte gets the bat on it...
Slams a sharp grounder to the right side
Schumaker grabs it...
Throws to first...
OUT!
That's one away
The aggressive, contact hitting,
Joe Tinker, is approaching the plate
St. Louis leads 2 to 0
Molina flashes the sign...
Wellemeyer waves it off...
Now he's happy
Tinker hits a deep fly ball into the alley
Colby Rasmus chases it down
But the ball hits the base of the wall
Rasmus hits the wall and falls to the ground
Tinker is into third with a triple
Now they check on Rasmus
He's okay
That ball hit right at the base of the wall
399 feet from home plate
Here's Harry Steinfeldt
Harry is 0 for 1 this spring afternoon
He flied out in his last plate appearance
Molina flashes the sign...
Wellemeyer shakes it off,
he wants another...
Now he's happy
Harry Steinfeldt hits a medium deep fly ball
Colby Rasmus lines up his throw to the plate
He makes the catch
Appears to lose his balance and his throw goes wide
Steinfeldt gets an RBI on the sac fly
Now at the plate will be Sheckard
left fielder for Chicago today
Sheckard is 0 for 1 today
Jimmy flied out last time around
Wellemeyer is ready quickly
The kick and the pitch
Sheckard pulls one to the right side
It's going to scoot on through the infield
Ludwick will retrieve it without difficulty
He tosses it back in to second
as Sheckard retreats to first after a wide turn
That will bring up catcher, Jimmy Archer
Wellemeyer squeezes the resin bag...
Peers in
Bouncer to second
Schumaker grabs it
His throw to first
GOT HIM!
Score It: 4-3
That's all for the Bruins
in the 5th inning
They get 1 run across
At the end of five...
It's Red Birds 2, Chicago 1
First up for St. Louis in the top of the 6th
is Molina against Reulbach
The St. Louis catcher will be followed by Joe Thurston and Brendan Ryan
St. Louis on top 2 to 1
Molina scuffs up the lines around the box
Molina is set for the pitch
Molina hits a routine grounder to Reulbach
He scoops it up, and throws to first
SAFE, the throw pulled Chance off the bag
Charge Reulbach with the error
St. Louis third baseman, Joe Thurston, will be up next
He will be followed by Brendan Ryan
One on... no one out
St. Louis up by 1
Thurston is 0 for 2 today
Reulbach looks down at Archer
for the sign...
Shakes him off once... twice
Now he has the pitch he wants
Back door breaking ball...
And it's in there...
Thurston looks at strike three
And there's one away
Molina moves away from first
Molina is unable to take the lead he wants
Brendan Ryan will make his way to home plate
He's the shortstop for St. Louis
Reulbach looks down at Archer for the sign
Shakes him off once... twice...
Now he has the pitch he wants
Bouncer to short...made to order doubleplay ball
Tinker has it on two hops...wrists it to Evers
He evades the slide of Molina
The throw to Chance...
It just nips Ryan!
And that will do it for St. Louis
The pitcher Reulbach will start things off for the Bruins
Right-hander Wellemeyer prepares for the pitch to the right-handed swinging Reulbach
With a 1-1 count, the pitch
It's a BULLET, hit towards second
Schumaker jumps
He snares it for the out!
Score It: 4
Coming up for Chicago is Johnny Evers
Nobody on base, one out
Wellemeyer has a 3-hitter going through 5 1/3 innings
Wellemeyer is into his windup
Here's the pitch
The batter checks his swing
Here's the appeal
Evers held up, and draws a walk
Wellemeyer isn't happy at all with that call
Tony LaRussa is visiting the mound...
He decides to stick with Todd Wellemeyer
Evers takes a three step lead
Fastball outside corner...
Chance looks at the pitch...
And there goes Evers!
The throw by Molina...
Good throw... the ball is waiting for Evers...
SAFE!!...
He slid in under the tag
Wow, Schumaker is hot!
He is jumping up and down as if on a pogo stick!
He is just sure he made the play
Unfortunately for him, Bill Breenan disagrees
Frank Chance steps into the box
Wellemeyer looks down at Molina for the sign
Now he's ready...
Just inside, BALL FOUR
And Chance walks
That's 2 walks given up by Wellemeyer today
Tony LaRussa is visiting the umpire...
He'll be making a double switch
Brad Thompson has been called from the bullpen
And Mark Derosa will come in as the third baseman
Hofman is up now for Chicago
Thompson looks down at Molina for the sign
Now he's ready
Bounding ball to short
Taken by Ryan
Over to second for one
On to first
Double Play!
Score It: 6-4-3
That's it for Chicago
Here at West Side Park, After 6 innings,
St. Louis has 2 runs, 4 hits and no errors
While Chicago has one run, 3 hits and 2 errors
Chicago has left 1 on base
St. Louis has stranded 6
Mark Derosa, Skip Schumaker, and Colby Rasmus are due up
Reulbach steps off the mound toward second
Gives the resin bag a good squeeze...
Now he toes the rubber...
He's ready to go
Derosa drives one into left
Jimmy Sheckard sprints over to make the play
One down for St. Louis
Skip Schumaker is still in the on-deck circle
and Colby Rasmus is looking for a bat in the dugout
One away, nobody on...
top of the 7th
The first base coach exhorting Schumaker to get on base...
One of those perennial war cries
Reulbach has the sign from Archer
With a 3-2 count
Reulbach kicks and fires
A slider by Reulbach
Schumaker gets good wood on it...
Hofman back-pedals quickly...
Up with his glove...
Out!
Up now for St. Louis is Rasmus
Two away, nobody on
Time is called...
Don't know what for...
Now we appear ready
Reulbach is into his windup
Here's the pitch
Routine grounder to second
Evers scoops it up
Over to first for the out
That's three up, three down
Ed Reulbach has been pitching a very strong game this afternoon
It's time for the 7th inning stretch!
Lets play our trivia game while the crowd enjoys 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame'
Of the following players, which players have stolen home ten or more times in their careers: Babe Ruth,
Lou Brock, Maury Wills, George Case and George Sisler?
Tonight's trivia game is sponsored by Tribecards. When you're looking for your favorite Indians players, or just some random jibberish generally surrounding the game of baseball and the card-collecting hobby, think Tribecards!
Tonight's trivia answer:
Babe Ruth (10) and George Sisler (19)
Now, back to the game...
Schulte saunters to the plate...
He stretches out a little
Then kicks the dirt from his spikes...
Now he steps into the batter's box
Schulte is trying to get comfortable in the box
Digging that back foot in
Schulte waiting on the delivery
Sinking fastball...
Schulte swings...
Raps a hard ground ball right at Derosa...
He snares it easily, throws to first...
Out by a step
One up, one down for Chicago
Planting his right foot
Tinker is set in the box...
The infield shifts slightly to the left
for the right hand hitting Tinker
Thompson adjusts his cap...
Now he's set
Tinker gets wood on the hard slider
It's a bouncer hit past the mound...
And PAST Ryan into the outfield...
Base hit for Tinker
Tinker watches Thompson move...
He's moving away from the bag
Inside slider... Steinfeldt ducks down...
And there goes Tinker!
Here's the peg down...
The slide at second...
Tinker is out!
Nice peg by Molina
Harry Steinfeldt is up to face Brad Thompson
Thompson tosses the resin bag aside
He steps on the rubber...
Ground ball to the left side...
Ryan scoops it up
Over to first for the putout
That is the third out for Chicago here in the last of the seventh
The attendance has just been announced at 14,868
Albert Pujols stepping in
He will be the first batter for St. Louis
We are in the top of the 8th
St. Louis leads 2 to 1
Pujols awaits the delivery
Reulbach goes into his windup
And here's the 1-2 offering
Pujols hits it sharply on the ground...
into the hole at third
Steinfeldt dives...
It's through for a base hit!
He almost got his glove on it...
Pujols reaches on a sizzling single to left
A nice try by the third baseman, Harry Steinfeldt
(Guarding Lines Effect)
A big bopper coming to the plate...
Batting clean-up, Matt Holliday
Pujols takes his lead
Reulbach shakes off the sign...
Now "Big" Ed brushes off another one...
The righty is Detroit-born and has pin point control and knows how to win
Fastball over the plate...
Holliday swings...
He hits this one very deep...
Wildfire Schulte is giving chase...
But this one is going, going...
GONE!
Holliday now has 2 homers on the day!
Nice day indeed!
He now has 24 roundtrippers on the year
Matt Holliday gave it a ride!
Ludwick, St. Louis' right fielder, is coming to the plate
He is finished with his pre-bat warmup
Yadier Molina waits on deck
Ludwick is 0 for 2 today, with 1 walk
Ed Reulbach on the mound for the Bruins...
Reulbach has gone the distance so far
He's given up 6 hits and 4 runs
Ludwick tries to hold up
Archer points down at the first base umpire
The ump says he went around
STRIKE THREE!
Chicago gets the first out here late in this contest
Molina departs the on-deck circle
He makes his way slowly to the plate
He's not known for his speed anyway!
Molina, batting righthanded, is in his crouch
Ready to face the righthanded Reulbach
Molina lines one over short for a single
He rounds the bag hard and starts for second
Oh, look at that throw by Jimmy Sheckard
Molina scrambles back to first and holds
Frank Chance will be bringing in a relief pitcher
Carl Lundgren has been called from the bullpen
A few warm up tosses and we'll be set to go
Rick Ankiel is swinging a bat
He'll come up to hit for Brad Thompson
Rick Ankiel is up next for St. Louis
One out, top of the 8th
St. Louis on top 4 to 1
Brendan Ryan is on deck
Ankiel taps home plate
Looks into the dugout
Now he's ready
Ankiel waits patiently for the pitch
His bat is coiled
Ankiel drives the ball to center for extra bases
Jose Oquendo wisely holds the runner at third...
Double for Ankiel
Wait, Archer calls time
He is looking to the dugout
Now he's signaling for an intentional pass
This will load them up
But Chicago now has a force at any base
Pounding the plate with his bat
Derosa awaits the pitch
He's ready
Ryan on first, Ankiel on second
Molina on third
Here's the curve...
The swing...
Derosa hits a high fly ball...
Jimmy Sheckard settling under it...
Makes the grab
But stumbles as he steps towards home
And chooses to hold up his throw
Molina is in easily on the sac fly
With that putout
Lundgren only needs one more out to get out of this inning
But 3 runs already across for St. Louis
Schumaker steps in
Two out, Ryan at first, Ankiel at second
Schumaker digs in from the left side of the plate against the righty Lundgren
The bat is cocked
Schumaker drives the ball to right for extra bases
Ankiel scores
Jose Oquendo is waving the runner home...
The throw is coming home...
Aggressive baserunning by St. Louis...
It's cut-off
The run scores
Here's the play on the trail runner...
All runners are safe!
Double for Schumaker
Lundgren looks down at Rasmus
as he steps in
Colby is ready to go
Colby is 1 for 4 this spring afternoon
He's batting .251 on the season
Rasmus waits for the pitch
His bat is coiled
Rasmus swings and lifts one toward right
Schulte drifts over slowly...
He is under it now...
And makes the easy catch...
That retires the side...
After 7 and a half innings
at West Side Park
here in Chicago,
St. Louis has 7 runs, 9 hits and no errors
While Chicago has one run,
4 hits and 2 errors
St. Louis has left 7 men on base
Chicago has stranded only 2
Tony LaRussa will be bringing in a relief pitcher
Kyle McClellan has been called from the bullpen
A few warm up tosses and we'll be set to go
Jimmy Sheckard will step into the box to start the inning
Chicago would like to get some runners on board
Sheckard goes through his routine of settling in
Jimmy is ready for the delivery
Sheckard swings on a ball in on his fists
It results in a pop up to first
Pujols is under it...
A few steps to his right...
One hands it for the out
Sheckard looked bad on that pitch
That'll bring up catcher Jimmy Archer...
St. Louis way out in front
St. Louis leads 7 to 1
Stepping in and then stepping out again
Archer looks to third for a sign
McClellan is asking for a new ball...
The ump throws him a new one...
McClellan looks in...
Now he's ready
Changeup down low...
Archer makes contact and hits one out to center
Colby Rasmus is drifting over...
Now he's under it...
Easy out for McClellan
Two gone for Chicago
Time is running out for them
They need a touchdown!
St. Louis is certainly in the catbird seat
Frank Chance brings on Heinie Zimmerman
to hit for Carl Lundgren
The Bruins are way behind
They need baserunners...
And a lot of them!
The Bruins will send
Heinie Zimmerman up to the plate
McClellan steps on the rubber
Change-up, Zimmerman is looking for it...
He smacks a deep fly to left-center...
Holliday racing back...
At the warning track...
Waits...
Leaps...
Off the wall!
Holliday chases it down
Firing a strong throw back in
They'll never get Zimmerman
The slide...
In there!
It's a double for Heinie Zimmerman
Johnny Evers, will be up next
Frank Chance hopes to get a chance as well
Zimmerman kicking up the dirt at second... two outs
St. Louis leads Chicago by 6 runs
Evers is at .263 on the season
Kyle gets the sign from Molina
Fastball, belt high, away...
Evers goes after it...
There's a fly ball to Rasmus
Rasmus is gliding under it...
He flags it down on the run
We head to the 9th...
The score is still St. Louis 7, Bruins 1
Irv Higginbotham will be coming in to mop up for Chicago...
St. Louis has a comfortable lead...
They're out in front by 6, in the top of the 9th
Chicago's defensive changes are...
Zimmerman will bat 9th and play 2B
Albert Pujols leads off for St. Louis
Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwick will follow
Today's game is something of a yawner
St. Louis came to play...
The Chicago players should've stayed in bed
After getting set, Pujols waits on the pitch
There's a routine pop by Pujols
Chance moves under it and makes the catch
And there's one away
Matt Holliday, the left fielder, strides to the plate
Matt Holliday will step in to face Higginbotham
He is 2 for 4 on the afternoon with 2 home runs!
That impressive display of power has been good for 4 RBI's
Holliday waits for the pitch
His bat is coiled
Higginbotham misses low on that one
Holliday draws the walk
Number 1 today by Higginbotham
Coming to the plate is Ludwick
One down and runner at first
Chicago is set up for two
Higginbotham looks down at Archer for the sign
Now he's ready...
There's a high pop down the left field line
It's going to go into foul territory
Steinfeldt and Tinker are chasing it down the line
Harry dives, and makes the play!
St. Louis leads 7 to 1 with two away this inning
Yadier Molina will get a crack at Higginbotham next
Kyle McClellan would be up next...
But only if Molina can reach safely
Molina is batting .293 with 6 HR's this year
Irv looks for the sign he wants...
Shakes off the first one
But he likes the next
Molina swings
He slices it down the right field line
Schulte is at the warning track
The ball is going,...going
Right into his outstretched glove!
That wraps up the inning for St. Louis
So After 8 and a half innings
St. Louis has 7 runs, 9 hits and no errors
While Chicago has one run, 5 hits and 2 errors
St. Louis has left 8 stranded
Chicago has failed to bring home 3
Frank Chance leads off the inning
Chance has hit no home runs this year
McClellan likes the sign
Chance gets wood on the hard slider
It's a bouncer hit past the mound...
And PAST Ryan into the outfield...
Base hit for Chance
Hofman gets set in the batter's box
The speedy Chance is on first
He probably won't be taking any chances, though
Chicago is trailing by 6 runs
Molina flashes the sign...
McClellan waves it off...
Now he's happy
Hofman drives the ball to center for extra bases
The 3rd base coach gives the green light...
The throw is cut off...
And that allows the run to score
Double for Hofman
The right fielder, Schulte, is ready to bat
St. Louis ahead 7 to 2 in the bottom of the 9th
Schulte waiting on the delivery
Schulte swings and misses, strike three!
Wildfire chased a curve ball in the dirt
One gone for Chicago
Joe Tinker will face McClellan
Righty against righty
Tinker is at .256 on the season
The right-hander McClellan is
set to deliver to Tinker
McClellan seems reluctant
to pitch to Tinker
The pitch comes in very high for ball four
Tinker takes first
On the unintentional intentional walk
There is going to be a change in pitchers
Kyle McClellan will hit the showers
Ryan Franklin will be coming on in relief
We are in the bottom of the 9th here at West Side Park
St. Louis ahead 7 to 2
And it brings up Harry Steinfeldt
On deck is Jimmy Sheckard
Jimmy Archer in the hole
1st and 2nd, one man down
Franklin is ready quickly
Fastball... down and away...
NO! It's called a strike
And Steinfeldt is outta there
And there's two away
Jimmy Sheckard is up next
The Bruins' left fielder finds 2 on with 2 outs
Sheckard goes through his routine of settling in
Set now is Sheckard
STRIKE THREE!
He swung on a ball that was in the dirt
Sheckard was overanxious up there
That was almost a wild pitch
And that will do it for Chicago
St. Louis wins 7 to 2
Wellemeyer gets credit for the win
Reulbach takes the loss
The hitting star for St. Louis was Matt Holliday
He was 2 for 4 with 2 homeruns!
He also knocked in 4 runs
And that wraps things up
So long from Chicago.
There you have it, folks! KEVIN is the first manager advancing to the Championship Game, which will be played on Sunday afternoon (CST)!! Congratulations to Kevin and his 2009 St. Louis team! Let's see how he does, and let's see how our two teams fare tomorrow!
Box Scores, Play Account and Scorecard are here.
*Note: I added the "Tribecards commercial" and I combined some sentences to help make the overall length a little shorter. No actual game text was altered, however. So, yes, he really said they needed a touchdown... oy.
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