B League Picayune
Often in error, never in doubt.
Volume 6, Issue 36 – for August 15, 2024
Games of Thursday August 15:
10:00 a.m., Blue (7-5) at Maroon (2-10):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Blue 5 5 0 5 4 X 19 Maroon 4 2 0 2 1 4 13 Pitchers: Blue – Joe Bernal; Maroon – Chunky Wright. Mercenaries: Blue – Hal Darman, Billy Hill, Donnie Janac, and Mike Mordecai; Maroon – Tommy Gillis. Umpires: home plate – Jack Crosley and Jack McDermott; bases – Mike Garrison. Perfect at the plate: Blue – Mike Mordecai (2 for 2 with a walk), George Romo (3 for 3 with a walk), and Steve Sandall and Pat Scott (both 4 for 4); Maroon – Chunky Wright (3 for 3).
Dave Berra’s Weather Report: 86 degrees (95 heat index), 67% humidity. Nice breeze throughout the day kept the dugout comfy.
Blue came out hitting and, aside from a scoreless-for-both-sides third inning, never stopped, scoring 19 of a possible 20 runs, with four players posting perfect days at the plate. In each of the first two innings Blue got key two-out, run-scoring singles, from Donnie Janac and Mike Mordecai in the first, and Richard Battle in the second, to complete their rallies.
Maroon scored four times on six singles in the bottom of the first, but never won an inning until the teams flip-flopped for the buffet. News flash: Joe Bernal is good at pitching. From the second through the fifth, he allowed just five runs, twice recording inning-opening strikeouts. His defense helped, too, as George Romo turned a 6u., 6-3 double play to end the bottom of the second after four of the first five batters hit safely and two scored.
The double was by Tommy Gillis and was one of four hit by Maroon, James Chavana knocking a pair and Tom Brownfield one. Jeff Fisher doubled for Blue, but otherwise it was just a storm of singles, 24 in all. Maroon’s defensive highlight came in the top of the third, when Scott Wright turned a 5u., 5-3 inning-ending double play.
With Blue up by ten, the teams flip-flopped for the buffet inning. Maroon collected six hits, including two-baggers by James Chavana and Tom Brownfield, and scored four times before running out of outs, Joe Bernal getting three force plays at second on grounders, covering the base himself on the final out of the game. Final score: Blue 19, Maroon 13
11:00 a.m., Green (8-4) at Gray (7-4):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Green 5 1 1 2 2 4 15 Gray 2 1 0 0 5 5 13 Pitchers: Green – Tommy Deleon (innings 1-2, 5-buffet) and David Pittard (innings 3-4); Gray - Jack Kelly. Mercenaries: Gray – Jimmy Sneed. Umpires: home – Chunky Wright; bases – Marvin Krabbenhoft. Perfect at the plate: Green – Paul Rubin (3 for 3 with a walk) and Ralph Villela (4 for 4 with a double and a triple); Gray – Johnny Lee and Jimmy Sneed (both 4 for 4).
Dave Berra’s Weather Report: 90 degrees (98 heat index), 57% humidity
As expected, an epic battle for first place. Green broke out on top, scoring five runs on seven singles and Jack Crosley’s sacrifice fly in the top of the first, and went on to score in every inning, never relinquishing that early lead, though Gray battled and made it very close. Five of its first six batters hit safely to start the bottom of the first, four singles and a double by Tommy Gillis, and Ken Brown and Tommy scored, but Tommy Deleon escaped a bases-loaded jam by retiring Mike Mordecai on a liner to shortstop Ralph Villela and getting Mark Dolan to hit a two-strike foul.
Tommy Gillis’s double came on a well-struck line drive to left field that deflected off Mike Garrison’s glove and clipped Mike’s eyebrow (per picture above). Mike briefly exited the game while Greg Lloyd – as Jeff Broussard describes him, “the league’s best cut man” – cleaned and bandaged the wound, and Mike returned to play without missing an at bat. Green had 11 players present, so did not need to draw a mercenary to cover Mike’s brief absence. After the game, Mike got six stitches to close the gash.
Each team scored a single run in the second, Green on Mike Hill’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the top half, Gray on Tommy Gillis’s two-out RBI single in the bottom. Green got another singleton in the third, on Jack Crosley’s second sacrifice fly, and then David Pittard took over on the mound in the home half and threw a scoreless inning, working around singles by Don Solberg and Johnny Lee.
Jack Kelly retired the first two batters in the fourth, but Green still managed to hang two runs on him, as Ralph Villela tripled and scored on Paul Rubin’s single, and then Mike Hill tripled in Paul. David Pittard came out for a second inning on the mound and allowed singles to the first three batters, but escaped without allowing a run. Jack Kelly, with Mark Dolan running from home, singled to open the frame, and Jimmy Sneed followed with a hit as well. Ken Brown singled to right; Mark ran through third-base coach Gary Coyle’s stop sign and was thrown out at home 9-4-2 (I believe), Jack McDermott to Mike Hill to Jim McAnelly. David then got Tommy Gillis on a pop to shortstop and Gary on a liner to Paul Rubin in left-center.
Green then scored two more runs in the top of the fifth, on a lead-off walk to Mike Garrison and three singles, the third a two-out line drive to center by Daniel Baladez.
That made it 11-3 in Green’s favor. Gray rallied and got back in the game with five runs in the home half on five singles and Mike Mordecai’s double, Ken Brown delivering the fifth run with a sacrifice fly to right-center.
Green led 11-8 entering the buffet, with the top of its order due up. The first six batters hit safely, Ralph Villela completing a perfect day at the plate with a lead-off double and the next five knocking clean singles. Three runs were in and the bases loaded. Jack McDermott brought in a fourth run with a sacrifice fly to right-center, but Jack Kelly escaped the inning by getting Jack Crosley to ground into a 1-6-3 double play, Gary Coyle on the pivot.
That left Gray chasing seven to tie. Tommy Gillis singled and took second on an overthrow to start the inning, then advanced to third on Gary Coyle’s single to left. Tommy Deleon got Don Solberg on a foul to the catcher for the first out, then walked Donnie Janac, loading the bases. Johnny Lee unloaded them, driving in all three runners with a drive to the fence in right field that would have been good for extra bases except he’d taken a runner from home.
Mike Mordecai grounded into a 6-4 force, Ralph Villela to Mike Hill, for the second out. Consecutive singles by Mark Dolan, Jack Kelly, Jimmy Sneed (completing his 4-for-4 game), and Ken Brown resulted in Mike and Mark scoring the fourth and fifth runs of the inning, cutting Green’s lead to 15-13 with the bases loaded, the tying run at second and the winning runs on first, and Tommy Gillis up. Tommy, as he had in the first inning, lined a pitch to deep left field; this time, Mike Garrison drew a bead on it and made the catch for the final out. Final score: Green 15, Gray 13, Green maintaining its hold on first place for the session.
Noon, Orange (6-7) at Purple (7-5):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Orange 1 3 5 2 5 1 17 Purple 5 0 1 0 3 7 16 Pitchers: Orange – Tommy Deleon; Purple – Tom Kelm. Mercenaries: Orange – Tommy Deleon, Jack McDermott, and Dave Pittard; Purple – Johnny Lee, Mike Mordecai, Phil Stanch, and Scott Wright. Umpires: home – Jack Kelly; bases – Tommy Gillis. Perfect at the plate: Orange – Tony Garcia (5 for 5), Jack McDermott (3 for 3 with a double and a walk), David Pittard (2 for 2 with two walks), and Larry Shupe (3 for 3 with a walk); Purple – Rick Jensen (5 for 5) and Tom Kelm and Scott Wright (both 4 for 4).
Dave Berra’s Weather Report: Game started at 93 degrees (104 heat index), at game’s end 96 degrees (107 heat index). Breeze not as much help by the end. Even the pee tree seemed wilted.
The Pee Tree – now and forever more. (Photo credit for this Mapplethorpian image – Scott Wright.)
By all accounts, this was a tough game, due to the heat and humidity, for the participants and umpires (hats off to Jack Kelly and Tommy Gillis), but by my reading of Terry Watts’ (invaluable) scoresheet, it was one heck of a contest.
Orange scored a single run on four singles in the top of the first, Tom Kelm getting three ground-ball outs – two to second baseman Mike Velaney, one to shortstop Rick Jensen – to limit the damage. Purple then took the lead with five runs on six singles and Johnny Lee’s rally-capping double in the home half. Scott Wright drove in the third and fourth runs with a single to center field, though Rip Wright was thrown out 8-6-5 (Matt Levitt to Tony Garcia to David Pittard) trying to advance first to third on the play. Scott scored the fifth run from first on Johnny Lee’s drive to right field.
Orange clawed back into the game, scoring three runs on two walks, two singles, and Jack McDermott’s double in the top of the second, and then five runs on seven singles and Fritz Hensel’s bases-loaded walk in the third. Meanwhile, Tommy Deleon held Purple scoreless in the bottom of the second, working around Rick Jensen’s two-out single, then allowed just one run on three-ish singles in the third. Tom Kelm led off with a single to center; his pinch-runner took third on Daniel Carvajal’s single to left-center, then one out later scored on Rip Wright’s force-out grounder. Scott Wright knocked a ball into center for what I’m calling a hit, even though Matt Levitt’s quick throw to second beat Rip to the bag for the third out.
Orange won both the fourth and fifth innings as well, scoring two runs on three singles and Larry Shupe’s walk in the top of the fourth and shutting out Purple in the bottom half, Tommy Deleon working around a walk and Rick Jensen’s two-out hit. Orange scored five runs, all with two out, in the top of the fifth. Tony Garcia singled, Matt Levitt flied out to left-center, and Fritz Hensel singled to open the frame. Jim Maloy grounded into a 4-6 force which left runners on the corners with two out. Tom Kelm couldn’t get that third out. Larry Shupe banged a double to left field, completing a perfect day at the plate, Tony scoring. Singles by Dave Berra and Tommy Deleon brought in Jim and Larry. Tom then lost the strike zone, walking the next three batters, forcing across the fourth and fifth runs.
Purple got three runs back on five singles in the bottom of the inning. After singles by Tom Kelm, Daniel Carvajal, and Jim Foelker loaded the bases to start the frame, Tommy Deleon got Rip Wright to ground back to the box, Tommy throwing home for the first out. Scott Wright singled to right field, two runs scoring. Tommy got Johnny Lee to hit a two-strike foul (I heard the calls to “Change that rule” in Santa Fe). Mike Mordecai singled to left-center to bring in Rip with the third run. Phil Stanch squared up on a pitch, but lined it to second baseman Doc Hobar for the third out.
With Orange leading 16-9, the teams agreed to flip-flop for the buffet. Purple proceeded to go on a tear, sending a dozen batters the plate, knocking eight singles and a double (by Daniel Carvajal) and scoring seven runs to tie the game. Rick Jensen led off and capped the rally with singles to right field, completing a 5-for-5 game, his second hit driving in the tying run. Scott Wright’s single completed a 4-for-4 game and also drove in a run, his fifth RBI of the contest. Even the first two outs were well struck, coming on line drives to shortstop (by Jim Foelker) and second (by Mike Mordecai).
Everyone agreed that if Orange couldn’t score in its half of the buffet, the game would be declared a tie. It didn’t come to that. Tony Garcia led off with his fifth hit of the game. Matt Levitt grounded a single into left field, Tony stopping at second. Fritz Hensel worked his second walk of the game, loading the bases. And Jim Maloy lined a clean single to left-center to deliver the winning run. Final score: Orange 17, Purple 16
Standings – Session Three:
Games Runs Runs Run W/L
W L Win %: behind: for: allowed: differential: streak:
Green 9 4 .692 — 179 151 +28 W3
Blue 8 5 .625 1 170 155 +15 W1
Gray 7 5 .583 1.5 144 152 – 8 L2
Purple 7 6 .538 2 151 147 + 4 L1
Orange 7 7 .500 2.5 177 171 + 6 W4
Red 5 7 .417 3.5 157 166 – 9 L1
Maroon 2 11 .154 7 141 177 -36 L1
Home Visitor Walk-off Extra-inning Flip-flop 1-run games
W-L: W-L: Wins: W-L: W-L: W-L:
Green 3-3 6-1 2 0-0 4-0 2-0
Blue 4-2 4-3 1 0-0 1-1 1-2
Gray 3-4 4-1 1 0-0 1-3 1-0
Purple 2-5 5-1 1 0-0 1-4 1-2
Orange 1-5 6-2 1 0-0 4-2 2-1
Red 1-5 4-2 1 0-0 2-1 1-1
Maroon 1-6 1-5 0 0-0 0-2 0-2
2024 total victories (read across) and losses (read down):
Blue Gray Green Maroon Orange Purple Red TOTAL
Blue X 2 1 4 4 1 3 15
Gray 3 X 3 3 4 0 4 17
Green 3 2 X 4 2 4 3 18
Maroon 1 2 3 X 3 0 3 12
Orange 1 1 2 2 X 3 2 11
Purple 4 2 2 4 3 X 1 16
Red 3 1 2 1 3 4 X 14
_______________________________________________________________
TOTAL: 15 10 13 18 19 12 16 103
Season home run leaders:
Tim Coles – 5
Ken Brown – 3
Gregory Bied – 2
Tim Bruton – 2
Larry Fiorentino – 2
David Kruse – 2
Pat Scott – 2
Jimmy Sneed – 2
Peter Atkins – 1
David Brown – 1
Jack Crosley – 1
Jeff Fisher – 1
Clint Fletcher – 1
Anthony Galindo – 1
Buddy Gaswint – 1
Rex Horvath – 1
Denny Malloy – 1
Bobby Miller – 1
Eddie Ortiz -1
David Pittard – 1
Paul Rubin – 1
Ralph Villela – 1
Morgan Witthoft – 1
Schedule for Monday August 19:
10:00 a.m.: Gray (7-5) at Red (5-7), Maroon umpiring
11:00 a.m.: Maroon (2-11) at Orange (7-7), Red umpiring
Noon: Purple (7-5) at Green (9-4), Orange umpiring
Blue has the bye, with priority for its players out of the bucket.
Preview: Four dates remain in the session. Green can go a long way toward wrapping up the session title with a victory at noon versus Purple, which can make a play for the title with a victory. Gray (-8) and Red (-9) have nearly identical run differentials for the sessions, though Gray has a 7-5 record to show for it, to Red’s 5-7; they meet at 10:00. At 11:00, Maroon will try to knock Orange back under .500. Will B League be responsible for the early demise of the Pee Tree? One thing is certain: It all comes down to turnout.
Keggy’s Korner:
So bummed I missed not only the in-person follow-up to the great arborist-urination colloquy of 2024, but also the Western TV themes/America’s Got Talent auditions. My two cents: definitely a sawed-off.
Johnny Lee and Arctic Blues Band will perform at The Lighthouse on The Lake, 513 Sleat Drive in Briarclift, TONIGHT from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
And Mike Mordecai emcees and plays at the Elephant Room (https://elephantroom.com/calendar) Mondays from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.