Bill takes wild series against Pittsburgh, faces Loons for the Title!

PITTSBURGH, PA - Bill came back against the Pitates, down 3-2 going into Pittsburgh he managed to squeak by in Game 6 and ultimately throttled a hapless Billy Hoeft in Game 7. Full recap of the series below:

Game 1 (at Anthony’s 1-1 HR Park)

Turley (Bill) vs Donovan (Anthony)

The only run in the game came courtesy of Del Crandall’s 4th inning single, which scored Ted Williams (who had singled before George Crowe’s walk).  This made up up for Ballgame’s second inning diamond roll of 5 (barely to the warning track in this graveyard of a park).  Turley (6 INN) combined with Ellis Kinder (3 INN) for the shutout.  Anthony grounded into SEVEN double plays in the 9 innings!

Game 2 (at Anthony’s 1-1 HR Park)

Spooner (Bill) vs Byrd (Anthony)

Three key defensive mistakes from Bill’s defense (including Williams allowing a single AND a triple) accounted for 4 of Anthony’s 6 runs, as he shut Bill’s offense down en route to a series tying 6-2 victory.  It could have been worse if Anthony’s leadoff hitter (Richey Ashburn) hadn’t been out caught stealing ALL THREE TIMES he got on base!

Game 3 (at Bill’s 15-15 HR Park)

Hoeft (Anthony) vs Rogovin (Bill)

Anthony appeared to continue on the right road in the top of the first, after Ashburn worked a leadoff walk, stole second, and scored on #2 hitter’s Yost’s double in the gap.  Bill sighed with relief when 3 batters later, Les Moss lined out into an anti-clutch third out, down just 1-0.  Both offenses were equally inept, as the score was still Anthony 1-0, going into Bill’s bottom of the 8th.  Anthony’s Hoeft had been dominating all game, allowing no runs and just 2 hits in the first 7 innings.  Chuck Harmon led off with a line drive off the wall for a double.  Bill’s weak 7/8 hitters (Carrasquel and Busby) went down easily, failing to even move Harmon over.  Gus Zernial PH in the 9 spot and roped a double into the gap to tie it up 1-1.  Leadoff hitter Gus McDougald beat out a single, moving Zernial to third.  Hoeft received a mound visit, but convinced Anthony to keep him in, even though the National League MVP (Wally Post) was coming up.  Post delivered by ripping a line drive single over McMillian’s head, scoring Zernial.  Lefty-Feasting Walker Cooper also came through, another double into the gap, scoring McDougald.  As the weak-throwing Richie Ashburn grabbed the ball near the wall with two outs, Katona waved Post around third to get the important bonus run.  In a CLOSE play at the plate, Ashburn made his best cf to home throw all season, and gunned Post down for the third out.  Katona up 3-1 going into the 9th, Roy Face coming in to pitch.  In the top of the 9th, Anthony called on PH Abrams, who got the party started with a double down the third base line.  Next two batters got out, Goodman pinch hits, and hits a slicer to right field.  Post gets good glove on it, then drops it for a two-base error.  Anthony is now down by just one, and on base machine Ashburn stepped in.  The home fans go crazy after Richie hits a weak groundout to ss Chico Carrasquel, who comes up clean and makes the toss to first, giving Bill a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4 (at Bill’s 15-15 HR Park)

Jackson (Anthony) vs McDermott (Bill)

Both teams came out swinging in the first inning—for Anthony, Ashburn singled, Kelly walked, and Abrams sends a deep shot to right field with a diamond homer to 15 roll.  Anthony choked with a 20 roll!  Cerv continued the hit attack with a run scoring single, but Katona and McDermott felt very fortunate to get out with only one run, as Evers and Astroth failed to keep the inning going.  Bill came right back in the bottom of the first, with a leadoff HR by Hank Thompson, a McDougald single, and Post walk.  Teddie Ballgame stepped up with confidence, and rolled what looked like a game blowing open diamond to 15.  Evers reached up OVER THE WALL and made an incredible catch, with Bill rolling a 16 to barely miss the 3-run HR!  George Crowe followed with an inning-ending 463 double play.  Katona added a run in the third, and two more in the fourth (Carrasquel HR), but Anthony scored three in the top of the fifth to tie the game 4-4.  Fast forward to Anthony’s top of the 9th inning.  Ashburn’s lead-off double, followed by Kell’s single and Cerv’s RBI put Anthony on the verge of tying the series.  Lefty Don Mossi came in to close out Bill in the 9th.  PH Burbrink led off with a single, but Carrasqual and Busby failed to advance him.  Walt Dropo PH with 2 outs, and roped a double to right field.  Burbrink (the potential tying run) was waved home, and was GUNNED DOWN AT THE PLATE TO END THE GAME!  Series tied, 2-2!

Game 5 (at Bill’s 15-15 HR Park)

Gomez (Anthony) vs Turley (Bill)

Anthony left an incredible 16 runners on base in the nine innings, but Bill’s struggling offense kept the game close—in fact, the score was 3-3 after 8 innings.  Anthony came up big in the 9th, McMillan’s one out triple scored Kell (who had doubled two batters earlier), and PH Goodman’s sac fly brought in McMillan.  Mossi shut Bill down after Cerv gave up a 2-base error to Bill’s leadoff hitter Carrasquel, followed by Katona pinch hitting for his 8/9/1 hitters with 3 guys looking for a timely game-tying HR.  Wilson, Harmon, and Zernial all failed, and Anthony took a 3-2 game lead.

Game 6 (at Anthony’s 1-1 HR Park)

Face (Bill) vs Donovan (Anthony)

Another Rocky Balboa-ish fight, back and forth.  Katona’s Crandall hit a solo shot in the second, but Anthony came right back in the bottom of the inning with a two-out game tying single by Schoendienst on a ss-X to Chico Carrasquel.  Ted Williams’ bases loaded walk in the top of third was good for a 2-1 lead, but Bill stranded the bases loaded.  Anthony’s Bob Cerv tied it back up in the bottom of the third with a two-out single, but Eddie Yost (who got on base from an error by Carrasquel) was nailed at the plate by a great throw from Jim Busby!  Katona took a three run lead after scoring 2 runs in the 7th and one in the 8th (Carrasquel and Crandall HRs).  Anthony got two of those back with a two-RBI single from Bob Cerv, to get within one run.  The Bob Cerv hit chased Roy Face, who gave way to Ellis Kinder.  Kinder shut Anthony down, and Bill added one more run in the top of the 9th to win 6-4.  SERIES TIED 3-3!

GAME 7 (at Anthony’s 1-1 HR Park)

Spooner (Bill) vs Hoeft (Anthony)

Katona knew that all cylinders would have to be firing in this win or go home game.  Hoeft had shut him down most of game 3.  Bill’s offense had been underperforming.  He KNEW he needed to come out of the gate BIG!  Well, that’s what happened.  In the top of the first inning, bases were loaded with two outs, Walt Dropo stepped in…..bases clearing double to go up 3-0!  It appeared that Anthony was going to get the runs right back after Ashburn led off the bottom of the first with a single, then stole second, and advanced to third after Walker Cooper’s throw went into centerfield.  Yost followed with a run scoring single.  Two batters later, one out, Bob Cerv singled Yost to third, then stole second base.  Abrams grounded out, and George Kell was up.  Katona called for the ballsy intentional walk, which LOADED THE BASES in the clutch (anti-clutch lol) vs Red Schoendienst—who grounded out to end the inning.  Katona added 3 more in the third inning, Anthony got one back….so Bill was up 6-2 after 3 innings.  And that was the last time the game was even close.  Bill piled on 6 runs in the top of the 5th vs an openly frustrated Billy Hoeft—who hadn’t been diced like this all season.  Highlights of the inning included a 2-RBI triple by McDougald and a 3-run homer from Ted Williams.  The final score was 16-6, lefty-hitting specialist Walker Cooper getting the game ball after getting on base all 6 plate appearances, and scoring 5 runs.  

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Kudos to Anthony on a great season.  The first 6 games were epic, filled with an incredible amount of ups and downs, and were all gut-wrenching!  EVERY SINGLE GAME could have easily gone the other way.  As always, I will manage my butt off to represent the National League versus the Great Lakes Loons.  Gonna be tough, that’s an outstanding team and management staff over there!