Dateline: Hook Road 1
There were a few drizzles during the day, but things dried up just enough for the teams to take the field. The White Sox jumped on Cards starter Matthew for four runs but he did make one nice play as he fired from pitcher to first for an out. In the bottom of the first, the Cards fought back. Michael singled and Jamie launched a shot to dead center that was still rolling around the outfield when he crossed the plate. After one it was White Sox 4 Cards 2.
Second inning and Matthew settled down. He got the first batter to ground out back to the mound where Matthew threw to Jamie at first for out one. After a single, the next batter hit a hard shot to Michael who touched second and fired to first to almost get a double play and send to the queen to the long-promised trip to Dairy Queen for a ground ball double play. Carter did a great job of alertly ducking to make it so Michael could fire to first. Finally, the next batter grounded out to Michael at short who tossed to Carter for out three.
Bottom of the second and the Cards kept hitting. Isaac led off with a single. Zack singled. Jordan singled to score Isaac. Michael hit a big singled to score Zack. Carter hit a big smash to center t score Jordan and Michael. When the dust cleared it was Cards 6 White Sox 2. John came on in the third and pitched well. He got the first batter to ground out to the mound, the second batter flew out to center where Jamie made a nice catch and the last batter grounded out to the mound. Three up and three down. Bottom of the third, the Cards threatened with a single by Rei and a single by Mikhail but it was for naught.
The game move to the fourth and Carter came in to pitch. He struggled with control problems early, loading the bases on two infield hits and a hit batter. He settled down and looked sharp as he struck out a batter, but with one out, the cleanup hitter drove one to right to score the fourth run. Bottom of the fourth and the Cards offense kept on rolling. Isaac led off with a single, Zack singled, Jordan singled to left to score Isaac. Michael drilled a single to score Zack. Carter hit a hard shot to score Jordan and Jamie smashed a single to center to score Michael — his third run of the day. Suddenly it was a 10-8 game with the Cards in the lead.
The Cards took the field in the fifth and only needed to hold the White Sox to two runs. Jamie, strolled to the mound and threw hard. The first two batter got on with an infield hit and a hit batter. Jamie settled down to strike out the next batter and the next batter grounded out to the mound but a run scored. The next batter was hit. Two outs, bases loaded, Cards only one batter away from being done. Oh the drama. The last batter singled to center to score the tying run. Jamie settled down and struck out the White Sox leadoff man. Game tied. Last at bat for the Cards. More drama. Matthew leads off with as single. Rei singled and Matthew stole third. John at the plate with one out. He slashes a hard shot to first and Matthew scores easily. Final score: Cardinals 11 White Sox 10.
Coach Grossman said, “If you look at our games this year most of them have been close and this one was no exception. I was very pleased we didn’t make any base running errors or serious mental mistakes. Our players are starting to really learn the game and now its just a matter of improving our defense and getting our pitching to be more consistent. Every one of our pitchers tonight threw a few good strikes, but we need to work to be more consistent on the mound. Our hitting keeps improving — any time you score 11 runs you can’t complain about the hitting.” Coach Goldstein said, ” Our catchers looked great today — Rei, Isaac, Jordan and Michael did a great job of hustling back there.”