GRAPEJELLY SERIES -
ROUND ONE TO THE BISCUITS
Tied at three going into the ninth, scoring on a freaky play, a broken fielders choice and a throwing error on the same play gave Montgomery the lead by a pair. The Smokies pushed one run across in their half of the ninth but came up just short.
Another tasty series win for the Biscuits.
Not only did the Skitz take the game and the series, they were nice enough to follow the script as I had suggested it. Thanks fellas! I said probably Matt Loosen for TN's starting pitcher. Check.
I said tight game. Check.
I said an error could lead to big inning. Check
I said big inning hard to overcome. Check
I said Skitz hit well late. Check.
I said TN lead was not safe from Biscuits. Check
COMING UP
MONTGOMERY VS BIRMINGHAM BARONS
AGAIN
For the home team we go back to the top of the rotation - Jake Thompson gets the ball at home looking to beat the Barons for the second time this year. Jake will look to right the ship after his last two starts saw him fail to make it to the fifth inning. Thompson, the California Kid, has compiled a brutal ERA and allowed alot of hits, but also has been striking out superb numbers, about one per inning.
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| B-ham Barons warming at Riverwalk in April |
For the visiting Barons lefty Wes Whisler takes the hill. Whisler spent time in the bigleagues with the White Sox in 2009 and at 6'5 is a tall lefthander, always tough on Biscuits.
Okay, I wont go off too badly, but just consider the idiocy of hosting the Birmingham team again. We face this North Division team as much as we face any of the teams in our own Southern division, four times - yet we only face other teams in the North division three times total and only hosting most of them one single time, but we get these guys coming back already in just the first month.
ONE GOOD DAY AND ITS HELLO DURHAM
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| Liberatore threw all strikes |
He threw 13 pitches.
All were strikes.
9 were swings and misses, 4 were hit into play.
None reached base.
His next appearance was in triple-A Durham.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Be on the lookout for a roster move sometime soon, there are guys in High-A Charlotte ready to try on the new Skitz uniforms!
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| Sir Not Appearing YET |
Kyeong Kang is hitting his way out of High A and back to the Biscuits, while here last year he managed just a .243 average but is hitting at a .345 clip for Charlotte. Through 16 games Kang was hitting .500 when he put the ball in play - an excellent BABIP. He also leads Charlotte in bases on balls, showing excellent discipline at the dish.
Also on the rise is young 1b Alejandro Segovia, but he will have to season a little longer while Cameron Seitzer holds onto the first sack job for the Biscuits.
LOOK OUT FOR LUKE?
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| Not this guy |
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| Not this one either |
However, with the Rays on a road trip, it is less likely that they would make a roster move on Sunday when Scott is due to be re-evaluated.
If they Rays are anxious for his return, or have someone to send down, Scott isn't likely to come here.
But if they would prefer to bring the oft-injured Scott back slowly or delay making a roster move to clear a spot for him in Tampa, then he could get a few games in as a Biscuit.
I'm just sayin.
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| THATS the one! |
THE LUCKY WHITEMAN STORY
FROM MONTGOMERY CLIMBER TO WORLD SERIES HERO
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| Lefty Ruth warms up before Game 4 |
GAME FOUR
Babe Ruth pitches again.
Lucky Whiteman hits fourth again, playing left field in front of the Green Monster.
The first time up at the plate in front of the hometown crowd of just over 22000 at Fenway, Lucky flies out to right field to end the inning.
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| 1918 World Series crowd at Game 4 |
In his second plate appearance Whiteman takes a walk from Cubs starter Lefty Tyler and after a groundout erases the runner ahead of him, Lucky stands at second base as the worlds greatest power hitter steps to the plate.
DECISION TIME
At that moment, Cubs manager Fred Mitchell elects to have Lefty Tyler pitch to The Bambino instead of walking him, leaving first base is unoccupied and Lucky the runner at second. Instead of facing Everett Scott (.243 career BA) with two outs and runners on first and second, He instructs Tyler to pitch to the most prolific home run hitter in the game.
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| Cubs mgr. Fred Mitchell didn't issue free passes |
Not quite the Hollywood result though not far from it - Babe drives the ball to deep right center field - banging it against the wall and dropping onto the outfield grass. Lucky scampers home with the first run of the game and McInnis behind him with a second run.
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| Ruth with Sox |
Ruth ends up at third with a triple.
He would be stranded there, but would hold the Cubs down until the eighth inning when Chicago would tie the game. Even in 1918 leadoff walks came around to score, and so it was with game four. A pair of singles and a groundout would knot the score at two each going into the ninth inning.
In the Boston half of the ninth, the RedSox would take back the lead on a Cubs error. (the curse? the fix?)
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| 1918 Series action! |
Whiteman, who tapped back to the mound in the sixth, would leave with the game still on the line, lifted for a relief pitcher.
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| World Series souvenir |
Ruth was removed as pitcher and shifted to left field, replacing Lucky Whiteman.
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| Bullet Joe Bush - deadball era bullpen specialist |
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| Cubs failing at sacrifice bunt vs Red Sox, 1918 World Series |
TOMORROW -
GAME FIVE FOR LUCKY, NEW SKITZ PICS, SERIES PREVIEW VS BHAM
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