B League Picayune
Often in error, never in doubt.
Volume 5, Issue 25 – June 12, 2023
Weather: Summer has arrived – perhaps not yet in its fullest fury, but getting there. My weather app said it was 75 degrees with 87% humidity at the start of the 10:30 game, and it was mostly sunny. By the third game the temperature had crept into the low 90s, though the humidity dropped a bit, to 49%, and there was lots of sun.
Injured list:
Blue team: Stan Fisher – Dupuytren’s contracture
Gold team: Jeff Stone – broken left pinky finger
Maroon team: Chris Villareal – hamstring
Alvin Gauna – broken finger
Returned to play (and very nice it was to have these guys playing again) :
Blue’s Jimmy Shrull, who’d been out with a strained hamstring, plus travel.
Maroon’s Rex Horvath, whom I misreported as suffering sciatica – Rex actually was out with a severe sinus infection.
Purple’s Tommy Deleon, back from leg muscle pulls.
Games of Monday June 12:
10:30 a.m., Purple (4.5 – 10.5) at Green (6-9):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Purple 3 0 0 2 0 6 11 Green 1 3 0 4 3 1 12 Pitchers: Purple – Tommy Deleon; Green – Chunky Wright. Mercenaries: Purple – Peter Atkins, Tom Brownfield, Rick Jensen, and Larry Shupe; Green – Jack McDermott and Jack Spellman. Umpires: home plate – Jeff Stone; bases – Mike Garrison and Joe Roche. Perfect at the plate: Purple – Jim Aaron (3 for 3 with a double), Larry Bunton (3 for 3 with a walk), Rick Jensen and Billy Hill (each 2 for 2 with a walk).
Excellent, hard-fought game. Purple jumped off to a quick led, as the first five batters hit safely and three scored in the top of the first. The rally was cut short by two ground balls to second baseman Clint Fletcher, who started a 4-6-3 double play (Mike Hill on the pivot) and then retired Tommy Deleon 4-3. Green got one run back on four singles in the bottom of the inning, a nicely turned 5u., 5-3 double play by Rick Jensen on Donnie Janac’s grounder to third preventing further damage. Rick then led off the second with a walk and was forced at second on Peter Atkins’ grounder to third. Tom Brownfield lofted a fly to short right-center that Reed Durant charged and made a tremendous catch of, but landing on and injuring his left shoulder – Reed left the game, with Jack McDermott entering in his place. Jack batted second in the bottom of the second, followinng Chunky Wright’s single with one of his own. Chunky scored on Jack Spellman’s sacrifice fly to right-center, and Jack McDermott scored on Clint Fletcher’s single. Mike Hill then tripled to right field, Clint scoring to give Green a 4-3 lead.
Neither team scored in the third inning. In the top half, Clint Fletcher turned another double play, making a good catch on Don Solberg’s pop and throwing to first to double up Larry Bunton’s pinch-runner, Larry having singled to start the inning. Clint then made a good play on Adam Reddell’s hard grounder to Clint’s left, throwing to first for the third out. Tommy Deleon worked around Ray Pilgrim’s two-out single in the bottom half.
Purple reclaimed the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth, as Jim Aaron singled and Billy Hill and Gil Delossantos singled to open the frame, Jim scoring. Billy’s pinch-runner scored on Rick Jensen’s one-out single. Purple’s 5-4 lead was short-lived, however, as Green scored four runs in the bottom half on five singles and Jack Spellman’s triple. Purple did not score in the top of the fifth, as Clint Fletcher started a third double play, once again 4-6-3 to Mike Hill, on Don Solberg’s hard grounder following Larry Bunton’s lead-off single. Green scored three times in the home half, as Chunky Wright drew a lead-off walk, Buddy Gaswint doubled with one out, and three run-scoring singles followed.
That left Purple chasing six runs heading into buffet, and danged if they didn’t put together an excellent rally to tie the game. Jim Aaron led off with a single, his third hit in as many at bats, and Billy Hill drew a walk to complete his perfect day at the plate. Gil Delossantos singled, Jim scoring. Chunky Wright got Tommy Deleon to foul off a two-strike pitch for the first out. Rick Jensen singled, Billy’s pinch-runner scoring. Peter Atkins fouled a pitch back, and catcher Ray Pilgrim made a terrific quick grab of the ball for the second out. Both Tom Brownfield and Larry Shupe singled, Gil and Rick scoring. That cut Purple’s lead to 11-9. Larry Bunton walked, completing his perfect day at the plate and loading the bases for Don Solberg. Don lofted a very high fly to right field, where Jack Spellman was playing. I barely had to move, had all the time in the world to line the ball up and make the game-ending catch, and I proceeded to totally muff the catch – the ball glanced off my glove and towards Jack McDermott, to my right; Tom and Larry both scored on the play, tying the score, but Jack alertly and quickly retrieved the ball and threw to shortstop Mike Hill, whose throw home to catcher Ray Pilgrim beat the runner to end the inning.
Interview of the day:
Hal Darman to Jack Spellman: “Jack, what happened out there?”
Mike Hill: “I’ll tell you what happened – we’re infielders, not outfielders.”
Green came up needing a run to win. Jeff Fisher led off with a line drive back to the box that Tommy Deleon made a terrific play on for the first out. But the next four hitters – Ray Pilgrim, Chunky Wright, Jack McDermott, and Buddy Gaswint – each singled, a meat-and-potatoes, station-to-station rally that resulted in Clint Fletcher, running for Ray, coming around to score, Buddy’s single over third base driving him in. Final score: Green 12, Purple 11
11:30 a.m., Gold (10-4) at Maroon (10-4):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Gold 5 5 1 1 3 0 15 Maroon 4 5 5 1 0 1 16 Pitchers: Gold – Joe Roche; Maroon – Joe Bernal. Mercenaries: Maroon – Jeff Fisher. Umpires: home plate – Gary Coyle; bases – Tim Balke. Perfect at the plate: Gold – James Chavana (3 for 3), Jack Spellman (4 for 4 with a homerun), and Larry Young (1 for 1 with two walks); Maroon – Joe Bernal and Marvin Krabbenhoft (each 1 for 1 with three walks) and Jeff Fisher (4 for 4). Homerun: Jack Spellman (inside the park)
The battle for the Session Two marbles. Both teams started strong, scoring 19 of a possible 20 runs over the first two innings. Gold scored five times without making an out in the top of the first, on five singles and Mike Garrison’s triple; Maroon responded with four runs on five singles, a walk to Joe Bernal, and Peter Atkins’ sacrifice fly. In the second Gold scored five more, on three singles, a walk to Larry Young, and an inside-the-park three-run homer to center, a line drive that gapped the outfielders, by Jack Spellman. Maroon came right back in the home half with five of its own, on five singles, Mike Velaney’s double, and Joe Bernal’s second walk.
Selfie with Dave Berra and Pluckers coupon. I’m aware that the coupons expire June 30. I’m working on it.
Three of Gold’s first four hitters in the third inning singled, but only one run resulted, Joe Bernal getting a swinging strike three on Denny Malloy on a great, practically unhittable pitch, and then making an excellent play on Rip Wright’s hard grounder back to the box for the third out. Maroon went ahead 14-11 with five runs in the bottom half, on seven singles (the last four with two out) and a walk drawn by Marvin Krabbenhoft. (Marvin and Joe Bernal each drew three walks, the only ones issued by Joe Roche.)
Rex Horvath started a very nice 6-4-3 double play after Larry Young drew his second walk to start the fourth inning. Purple still managed to score a run in the inning, as Tim Bruton doubled and scored on Jack Spellman’s single. Jack McDermott hit a hard grounder up the middle that Joe Bernal got a piece of, deflecting it to Rex at shortstop, and then somehow Joe managed to cover second and take Rex’s throw to the bag, beating me by inches – great defensive play. Maroon got that run back in the home half, Jeff Fisher singling in Peter Atkins, who had led off with a single and advanced on Marvin Krabbenhoft’s third base on balls.
Gold trailed 15-12 entering the final five-run inning, and proceeded to tie the score, Denny Malloy’s double the key hit – it drove in Mike Garrison and sent James Chavana to third; James scored on Rip Wright’s grounder to second baseman Mike Velaney, who made an outstanding play to his left to rob Rip of a hit, and Denny scored on Larry Young’s single to center field. Maroon put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom half when Mike Velaney singled and Joe Bernal drew his third walk, but Joe Roche got Dave Jaffe to ground to shortstop Tim Bruton, who threw to third for the force there, then retired Ken Brown on a fly to Mike Garrison in right-center.
To the buffet, the game tied. Tim Bruton grounded back to the box, then ran for Jack Spellman after Spellman grounded a single to the right side. Jack McDermott beat out an infield single, topping a ball in front of home plate. But Joe Roche flied out to right-center, Tim advancing to third, and Mike Garrison to left, ending the inning. The bottom half started with Peter Atkins flying out to left-center, but Tom Kelm lined a singled to left field and Marvin Krabbenhoft followed with a base hit that sent Ken Brown, running for Tom, to second. Larry Shupe popped out to shortstop Tim Bruton for the second out. Jeff Fisher then stepped in and completed his perfect day at the plate with a line single to right field – Denny Malloy came up throwing, but had no chance at throwing out Ken, who scored the Session-winning run easily. Final score: Maroon 16, Gold 15, Maroon winning the Session Two title.
12:30 p.m., Blue (5.5 – 9.5) at Red (7-7):
1 2 3 4 5 6 BUFFET EXTRA FINAL Blue 0 0 2 1 3 2 0 1 9 Red 0 0 0 0 1 4 3 2 10 Pitchers: Blue – Rex Horvath; Red – Tommy Deleon. Mercenaries: Blue – Tim Bruton, Mike Garrison, and Rex Horvath; Red – Tom Brownfield, Tommy Deleon, Rick Jensen, and Jack Spellman. Umpires: home plate – Tom Kelm; bases – Marvin Krabbenhoft. Perfect at the plate: Red – Ken Mockler (3 for 3 with a walk) and Scott Sovereen (4 for 4 with a double).
Another barn-burner of a game, scoreless until Blue broke through in the top of the third, scoring two runs on five hits, Anthony Galindo’s double the key blow. Rex Horvath shut out Red over the first four innings, getting Red’s hitters to beat the ball into the ground: three ground outs in the first, two in the second, a 6-4-3 double play (George Romo to Tim Bruton to Dale Fugate) and a 4-6 force (Tim to George) in the third, and another 6-4-3 double play to end the top of the fourth.
Blue added a single run in the fourth, on three singles, and three more in the fifth, on doubles by Morgan Withhoft and Jimmy Shrull and singles by Dale Fugate, Rex Horvath, and Tim Bruton. (Nobody on Blue was perfect at the plate, but Morgan, Jimmy, Dale, Richard Battle, Rex Horvath, and George Romo each collected three hits.) So Red was trailing 6-0 before finally scoring its first run of the game, on three singles in the bottom of the fifth, the inning ending on yet another double play, 1-6-3 – Rex Horvath to George Romo to Dale Fugate.
Blue opened up the sixth inning with the top of its order hitting three grounders to shortstop, Richard Battle beating his out for a hit, Anthony Galindo and Morgan Witthoft hitting into force outs. George Romo, Dale Fugate, Fritz Hensel, and Jimmy Shrull then followed with singles, Morgan and George scoring, but the inning ending with Dale thrown out at home on a 10-4-2 relay, Scott Sovereen to Tom Brownfield to Sam Baker, on Jimmy’s hit to right. Each leg of that relay was perfect – Scott made a strong, quick, and accurate throw to Tom, who lined up his throw home and made it on the fly to Sam, who did well to catch the ball while maintaining a foot on the matt.
Red finally showed some life in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four runs. Paul Rubin and David Ferley led off with doubles, Scott Sovereen singled, and Ken Mockler walked. Daniel Baladez popped out to catcher Fritz Hensel (very good play on a tough angle) and Hal Darman popped out to shortstop, but Sam Baker, Tom Brownfield, and Jack Spellman each singled. Tim Bruton caught Rick Jensen’s looper in short right field, but Red had cut Blue’s lead to 8-5 going into the buffet.
Tommy Deleon worked a scoreless top half of the buffet, working around a one-out single by Tim Bruton and a two-out single by Richard Battle. Tommy led off the home half and hit a line drive up the middle that Rex Horvath made an excellent play on, for out number one. Paul Rubin doubled, and David Ferley, Scott Sovereen and Ken Mockler each singled, Paul scoring. Daniel Baladez came up and knocked a sacrifice fly to left field to score David (here’s the video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/o7CmbRGR6FFya8wf8). Hal Darman came up and delivered a line single up the middle to drive in Scott with the tying run (video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nq88MurmZ5VpUEJGA). Sam Baker was next, with a chance to win the game, and he hit a ball hard to the 3-4 hole, but second baseman Tim Bruton made a terrific play to his left and threw Sam out to end the inning (as seen in the video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7FDvdNCsr4GyB3id8).
On to the extra inning. Anthony Galindo started the top of the inning at second base for Blue, with one out and one-pitch rules in effect. Anthony advanced to third on Morgan Withhoft’s fly out to David Ferley in right-center, then scored on George Romo’s line single. Dale Fugate hit a hard ground ball to third base that Rick Jensen made a terrific play to his left to catch cleanly, throwing to Tom Brownfield for the inning-ending force at second.
Red came up needing a run to tie, two to win, with Sam Baker at second base. Tom Brownfield immediately tied the game by driving in Sam with a double. Jack Spellman took a one-pitch walk (pitch was deep and missed the plate by a couple inches). So did Rick Jensen, loading the bases for Tommy Deleon. And so did Tommy, forcing in Tom with the winning run. Final score: Red 10, Blue 9, Red finishing the session above .500. All three of the day’s games were walk-off one-run wins by the home teams.
Final standings – Session Two:
Games Runs Runs Run W/L
W L Win %: behind: for: allowed: differential: streak:
Maroon 11 4 .733 — 174 150 +24 W1
Gold 10 5 .667 1 188 161 +27 L1
Gray 8 7 .533 3 187 152 +35 W3
Red 8 7 .533 3 164 182 -18 W1
Green 7 9 .438 4.5 172 193 -21 W1
Blue 5.5 10.5 .344 6 172 197 -25 L5
Purple 4.5 11.5 .281 7 170 192 -22 L1
Home Visitor Walk-off Extra-inning Flip-flop 1-run games
W-L: W-L: Wins: W-L: W-L: W-L:
Maroon 6-1 5-3 2 0-0 2-1 4-1
Gold 5-2 5-3 4 2-0 2-0 5-3
Gray 3-3 5-4 2 0-2 4-2 2-3
Red 5-3 3-4 2 1-0 2-3 2-1
Green 4-5 3-4 2 0-1 2-3 2-1
Blue 1.5-6.5 4-4 0 1.5-1.5 2-2 0-2
Purple 3-6 1.5-5.5 0 0.5-0.5 0-3 0-4
[Purple and Blue tied their game of May 11; it is counted as half a win and half a loss in the standings.]
Cumulative Standings through Session Two:
Games Runs Runs Run W/L
W L Win %: behind: for: allowed: differential: streak:
Maroon 13 6 .684 — 225 209 +16 W1
Gold 11 8 .579 2 235 216 +19 L1
Gray 10 9 .526 3 231 188 +43 W3
Red 10 10 .500 3.5 234 256 -22 W1
Green 10 11 .476 4 244 262 -18 W1
Blue 8.5 11.5 .425 5 229 243 -14 L5
Purple 6.5 13.5 .325 7 231 255 -24 L1
Home Visitor Walk-off Extra-inning Flip-flop 1-run games
W-L: W-L: Wins: W-L: W-L: W-L:
Maroon 7-1 6-5 3 0-0 3-1 5-1
Gold 6-4 5-4 4 2-0 3-1 5-4
Gray 4-4 6-5 2 0-2 5-2 2-4
Red 7-4 3-6 2 1-1 2-4 2-2
Green 5-6 5-5 3 0-1 3-5 3-1
Blue 2.5-6.5 6-5 0 1.5-1.5 2-2 0-2
Purple 5-7 1.5-6.5 1 1.5-0.5 0-3 1-4
2023 total victories (read across) and losses (read down):
Blue Gold Gray Green Maroon Purple Red TOTAL
Blue X 2 2 1 0 2.5 1 8.5
Gold 2 X 2 4 1 1 1 11
Gray 2 1 X 2 1 1 3 10
Green 1 0 1 X 1 4 3 10
Maroon 2 3 1 3 X 3 1 13
Purple 1.5 1 2 0 1 X 1 6.5
Red 3 1 1 1 2 2 X 10
_____________________________________________________________
TOTAL: 11.5 8 9 11 6 13.5 10 69
Schedule for Thursday June 15:
10:30 a.m.: Red at Purple, Green umpiring
11:30 a.m.: Green at Gold, Red umpiring
12:30 p.m.: Maroon at Blue, Gold umpiring
Gray has the bye – players from that team will have priority out of the bucket.
Preview: This will be the first set of games for Session Three, everyone starting with a clean slate. Who’ll win this session? Only one thing is certain: time will tell.
Keggy’s Korner:
Bruce Barnett checks in:
The Burger Cookout scheduled for this coming Thursday the 15th is being postponed until Thursday June 22nd due to personal matters and the 105 temperature forecast.
Sorry for the delay and let’s hope for a little lower temperatures on the 22nd.
Bruce Barnett
512-923-4409