JrBB Phillies

Speed is a great thing in baseball and racehorses! Smarty Jones was born & bred 40 miles from the MLB Philadelphia Phillies. Smarty Jones can only wish he was as fast as the JrBB Phillies!!

After a very abbreviated pre-season, the Phillies opened the regular season against the Yankees, who had beaten the Royals 15-1 a day prior. The teams ‘christened’ the newly re-worked Field #1 with Fleet Park’s version of "Sand Lot."

The visiting Phillies took the field facing Hatcher who would go 5 innings, 129 pitches, and they went in order in the top of the 1^st. Two singles, 3 walks and a couple of balks plated 3 runs for the Yanks in their half of the inning. A textbook 2-5 (Mahoney-Georges) was key play to stem the tide.

In the 2^nd, Mahoney walked, was advanced to 2^nd on the walk to Georges, and stole 3^rd. He scored to put the Phillies on the board. Before Hatcher recorded his 3^rd K of the inning Chapman walked, stranding runner in scoring position. In their half of the 2^nd, the Yanks plated 2 more runs. Aguirre relieved M. Hall and struck out the 2 batters he faced.

Phillies started their come back in the top of the 3^rd. With 2 outs, Aguirre singled, Mahoney walked, and Georges singled in 2 runs on a hard hit to the right side. After retiring the Yanks in order, the 3^rd ended 5-3.

Barrett drew a 1-out walk in the 4^th and would score after stealing 2^nd and advancing to 3^rd & home on passed balls (PB). Although Hatcher recorded his 6, 7, & 8^th strikeouts, the Phillies closed the gap to 5-4. Aguirre had his fourth K in the bottom half. Key defensive play followed the strikeout. Georges bellied a bad hop on a laser by Hatcher, holding him to a single. A heads-up play by Mahoney caught Hatcher advancing to second on a force play. A routine 1-3 (pitcher to 1^st) retired the side.

M. Hall drew a lead-off walk in the 5^th, stole 2^nd & 3^rd and went home on another PB. The Phillies stranded Mahoney who beat out a dropped  3^rd strike. O. Hall drew a 2-out walk. Yanks went in order again in the 5^th on 2 Ks and a 6-3 (SS to 1^st). Score Yankees 5; Phillies 5.

Phillies made it very interesting in the top of the 6^th, as the time limit (2.5 hours) neared. Triplett worked a full count into a 2-out walk issued by Brogan, the new Yankees pitcher. An error on a pickoff attempt advanced Triplett to 2^nd, who went to 3^rd on a wild pitch (WP). M. Hall and Aguirre walked to load the bases. Before Mahoney grounded out to short, (but after he tomahawked a chin-high fast ball!!), Triplett scored the go-ahead run on anther PB. After five and a half, Phillies 6, Yankees 5.

The Yanks led off the bottom of the 6^th, down 1, with the 8^th batter, and racing the clock like the NCAA. New Yankees pitcher lined to second for the first out. Aguirre issued his only walk in 14 batters. Reinerth replaced Leiderberg on first and advanced to 3^rd as the Phillies focused on getting outs. Barrett covered 30 yards to catch a towering fly for the second out, holding Reinerth at 3^rd. M. Hall covered an equal distance into shallow right to close the deal. Phillies 6—Yanks 5.

Phillies sent 13 batters to the plate; Yanks sent 12.