Canterbury Baseball Club
by Sean Callahan 20 February 2005
Sam Ballinger (3-1) surrendered three runs, none earned, on four hits and one walk as the Cardinals beat the Cubs 13-4 in five innings in the second game on Sunday. He added a single, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored to help his cause. Chad Denny (0-4) took the loss for the Cubs. The win reduces the Cardinals magic number to two.
The Cardinals scored an unearned run in the first without a hit, taking advantage of three walks.
Ballinger worked around a lead-off single in the bottom of the first, striking out Jun Tomonaga with a runner on third for the second out, before getting Denny to ground out to second.
The Cardinals picked up four in the second. David Ballinger singled, stole second and went to third on a grounder to first. Callahan was hit by a pitch and stole second. Tak Inagawa doubled in Ballinger and Callahan and went to third when Diego Evan threw the ball to the backstop. Nick Batchelor reached second on an error, as Inagawa scored, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
The Cubs made it 5-2 in their half of the second. Evan doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Jesse Norcliffe walked to put runners on the corners. With Jesse going on the pitch, Phil Norcliffe hit a slow grounder to short. Inagawa had only one play at first, as Evan scored, but Jesse rounded second too far and was picked off by Josh Batchelor for the second out. Phil Laurenson followed with a single to right and then scored when David Ballinger lost Steve Phillips’ fly ball in left.
The Cardinals made it 8-2 in the third. Sam Ballinger had a two-RBI single and Callahan had a run scoring ground out. They made it 9-2 in the fourth as David Roche had a solo home-run to left-center.
Ballinger cruised through the third, retiring the side in order and nearly made it through the fourth unscathed. With two-outs, he plonked Laurenson, who stole second, and then watched his dad muff another fly ball as Laurenson scored.
The Cardinals put it away in the fifth. Sam Ballinger doubled to lead it off before Denny struck out Sam Shen. Evan gave away the right side of the field by standing on second to hold Ballinger and Callahan used the opening to line a ball to the right-field gap. By the time Allen Hu ran it down, Callahan had a two-run home run. Nick Batchelor followed Inagawa’s walk with a single and then Inagawa scored on a wild pitch. David Roche made it seven total bases for the game with a triple to drive in Batchelor and then scored on Josh Batchelor’s infield ground out.
It was all over in a hurry for the Cubs in the bottom of the fifth, as Ballinger needed just six pitches to end the game. Peasey flew out to center on a 1-0 pitch, while Tomonaga was out at second trying to stretch his first-pitch single into a double. Ballinger then threw three straight pitches past Denny to end the game.
Notes: Mr. Patient, David Roche, had six walks on the day, plus a triple and a home run when he did get strikes. He saw 38 pitches on the day, just 12 strikes.
The Cardinals’ manager was a little premature in celebrating winning the second half (and the season) after the game. They need to beat the Brewers in one of their last two games, while the Brewers cannot lose more than one of their remaining two games against the Cubs. Of course, that requires that the Brewers show up for their games.
With the Cubs out of the running, perhaps Scott and Andrew can make some trades. A prospect for a veteran? Or in true Major League Baseball fashion, a fire sale? We shall see.
The Cardinals scored an unearned run in the first without a hit, taking advantage of three walks.
Ballinger worked around a lead-off single in the bottom of the first, striking out Jun Tomonaga with a runner on third for the second out, before getting Denny to ground out to second.
The Cardinals picked up four in the second. David Ballinger singled, stole second and went to third on a grounder to first. Callahan was hit by a pitch and stole second. Tak Inagawa doubled in Ballinger and Callahan and went to third when Diego Evan threw the ball to the backstop. Nick Batchelor reached second on an error, as Inagawa scored, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
The Cubs made it 5-2 in their half of the second. Evan doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Jesse Norcliffe walked to put runners on the corners. With Jesse going on the pitch, Phil Norcliffe hit a slow grounder to short. Inagawa had only one play at first, as Evan scored, but Jesse rounded second too far and was picked off by Josh Batchelor for the second out. Phil Laurenson followed with a single to right and then scored when David Ballinger lost Steve Phillips’ fly ball in left.
The Cardinals made it 8-2 in the third. Sam Ballinger had a two-RBI single and Callahan had a run scoring ground out. They made it 9-2 in the fourth as David Roche had a solo home-run to left-center.
Ballinger cruised through the third, retiring the side in order and nearly made it through the fourth unscathed. With two-outs, he plonked Laurenson, who stole second, and then watched his dad muff another fly ball as Laurenson scored.
The Cardinals put it away in the fifth. Sam Ballinger doubled to lead it off before Denny struck out Sam Shen. Evan gave away the right side of the field by standing on second to hold Ballinger and Callahan used the opening to line a ball to the right-field gap. By the time Allen Hu ran it down, Callahan had a two-run home run. Nick Batchelor followed Inagawa’s walk with a single and then Inagawa scored on a wild pitch. David Roche made it seven total bases for the game with a triple to drive in Batchelor and then scored on Josh Batchelor’s infield ground out.
It was all over in a hurry for the Cubs in the bottom of the fifth, as Ballinger needed just six pitches to end the game. Peasey flew out to center on a 1-0 pitch, while Tomonaga was out at second trying to stretch his first-pitch single into a double. Ballinger then threw three straight pitches past Denny to end the game.
Notes: Mr. Patient, David Roche, had six walks on the day, plus a triple and a home run when he did get strikes. He saw 38 pitches on the day, just 12 strikes.
The Cardinals’ manager was a little premature in celebrating winning the second half (and the season) after the game. They need to beat the Brewers in one of their last two games, while the Brewers cannot lose more than one of their remaining two games against the Cubs. Of course, that requires that the Brewers show up for their games.
With the Cubs out of the running, perhaps Scott and Andrew can make some trades. A prospect for a veteran? Or in true Major League Baseball fashion, a fire sale? We shall see.
Box Score