Dinger’s two-run homer in the fourth put Cookies & Cream ahead for good and capped a dramatic one-out rally
The Ham Slams led 3-1 in the fourth when Cookies & Cream started a one-out rally that was capped by Dinger’s two-run blast that put Cookies ahead for good. They held on to win 5-3, setting the stage for a regular season ending matchup with Questionable Outfit that would decide the 2016 pennant and the #1 seed heading into the playoffs.
Guthrie took the mound for Cookies & Cream, and he got behind the Slams in the top of the first. Dan doubled with one out, and Josh drove him in with an RBI single to right-center, putting the Ham Slams ahead 1-0. Guthrie retired Kessler to end the inning, and his offense would tie things up in the bottom of the first.
Guthrie led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and moved from first to third when Blose doubled. Joey then doubled, scoring Guthrie, and the game was tied at 1-1. Cookies & Cream had two men in scoring position with no outs, but Josh, the Ham Slams’ starter, buckled down. He fanned Dinger for the first out of the inning, and he got Jordan to fly out to left, stranding both runners, and the game was tied through an inning.
Guthrie made quick work of the Slams in the top of the second, retiring the side in order. Josh matched him in the bottom of the second, sending Guthrie and Blose down consecutively.
The Slams opened up a lead in the top of the third, starting with Josh, who provided his own run support with a solo shot to right, making the score 2-1. Two batters later, Dave hit a solo homer to left-center, and the Slams led 3-1. Dan followed with a single, but Guthrie minimized the damage, retiring Josh to strand the runner and end the inning.
Dan and Dave combine to catch a towering fly ball in deep left-center field
Josh cruised through the bottom of the third, retiring Joey and Dinger, maintaining the Ham Slams’ two run lead.
Kessler doubled to start the top of the fourth, but Guthrie got out of the jam, retiring Dave and Dan to strand the runner, and the score remained 3-1.
Josh got Jordan to ground out to center for the first out in the bottom of the fourth. He had retired six straight Cookies & Cream hitters, but his fortune ended there. Cookies put together a one-out rally, starting with Guthrie who hit a solo homer to make the score 3-2. Blose then doubled, and Joey drove him in with an RBI double that tied the game at 3-3. With a runner on second, Dinger hit a deep two-run homer to left-center, putting Cookies ahead 5-3. Josh retired Jordan to end the inning, but Cookies had scored four runs to take the lead.
Josh delivers a pitch to Joey, who went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI in the Cookies & Cream win
Guthrie retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, and Josh got back on track, doing the same in the bottom of the fifth.
Guthrie, who pitched the complete game win for Cookies & Cream, delivers a pitch to Dave of the Ham Slams, who had a solo homer in the third
The Ham Slams trailed by two heading into their final at-bat in the top of the sixth. They weren’t able to rally, as Guthrie retired the side in order, as he had done in the fourth and fifth innings, and Cookies & Cream held on to win 5-3.
The win moved Cookies & Cream to 14-5, one game back of Questionable Outfit in the standings. The loss dropped the Ham Slams to 8-11. They would wait to see who the loser of the Questionable Outfit vs. Cookies & Cream game would be, as that would be who they play in the first round of the EWL playoffs.
W: Guthrie (7-2)
L: Josh (5-3)
Game Notes:
– Guthrie pitched the complete game win for Cookies & Cream, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits in 6 innings pitched.
– Josh took the loss for the Ham Slams, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings pitched.
– Joey and Blose led Cookies & Cream on offense. Joey went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles, a run scored, and 2 RBI. Blose went 2-for-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored.
– Josh led the Ham Slams at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a single, a homer, a run scored, and 2 RBI.