Babe Ruth Beats the Yankees

On this day in 1917 - Babe Ruth beats the Yankees, pitching a three-hit, 10-3 win for the Red Sox in the opener. He is on the way to a 24-13 record and a league-leading 35 complete games in his best year as a pitcher.

We played softball lite, at WHSS, on Friday. That’s 30 percent less players, but the same great game. Quite a few players have headed back up North for summer ball. A few of the regulars that normally stay and play year round did not show up for Friday’s games. So, the NL and AL combined for a 3 team game. Although several guys had to play out of position, the game was close and there were several nice plays in the field.

Ron Butler’s (Hitting Team): Scarbrough, Marinacci, Miller, Matta, Hartley, Butler, Smith, Moots, Wells, Gibson and McPartlin.

VS.

Jeff Simon’s, (Sitting Team): Dampier, Coffman, Giordano, Smith, Lopez, Simon, JD, Hill, Michalski, Bess and Bowley.

VS.

Rich Marino, (Fielding Team): Marino, Gazarek, Wiltshire, DeRidder, Drouillard, Kline, Thompson, Dvchan, Taylor, Bloom, Merritt and Morey.

Butler’s team, which had the most guys playing out of position took the lead in the 3^rd inning and stayed in the lead until the 6^th inning. It was in the 6^th that Simon’s team exploded for 8 runs, to tie the game at 11.

That set up a dramatic 7^th inning, the final inning, in the 3 team game. Butler’s team scored 5 times in the top of that inning to grab a big lead. There were several key hits in the inning by Marinacci, Miller, Matta, and Hartley. However, it was team captain, Ron Butler, who had the big blow, with the bases juiced, Ron hit a screaming line drive in the gap in right center, to clear the bases with a grand slam.

Simon’s team was now down by 5 and needed to mount a rally of their own. They were up for the challenge. Kirk Coffman lead off the inning with what looked to be a line drive single off the 3^rd baseman’s glove. Ron Butler, who was playing shortstop, tracked down the ball and fired a strike to 1^st base, to throw out the speedy Coffman. That turned out to be the game saver, because the next five batters (Giordano, Smith, Lopez, Simon, and JD) all had base hits. Michalski and Bess also joined the party with hits later in the inning. With 2 outs the bases were loaded and the tying run was at 3^rd.  Josh Wells was able to retire the final batter, getting a grounder to force out the runner at 2^nd base, to preserve the win.

Team Marino who led early in the game, but trailed the other two teams late in the game, could not mount a rally and finished with the tarnished Bronze metal.

Box Scores:

Butler:   2-1-5-0-3-0-5       16

Simon:   1-0-0-1-1-8-4       15

Marino:  5-0-1-0-2-1-1      10

Congratulations to Ron Butler who had the game winning grand slam and then the game preserving defensive play in the last inning.

Leading Hitters for team Butler:

Scarbrough: 3 / 4 with two doubles.

Marinacci: 4 / 4.

Miller: 4 / 4 with a triple and a double.

Matta: 3 / 4.

Butler: 2 / 3 with a Grand slam and a SF.

Wells: 3/ 4.

Wells was the winning pitcher.

Leading Hitters for team Simon:

Dampier: 3 / 4.

Terry Smith: 3 / 4.

Leading Hitters for team Marino:

Wiltshire: 3 / 4.

DeRidder: 3 / 4.

Drouillard: 3 / 4.

Kline: 3 / 3 and a walk.

Ducham: 3 / 4.

Merritt: 2 / 3.

Morey: 2 / 3.