Category Archives: 2018 Second Quarter

Stars (“New Bees”) Host Speakers

Last Monday (August 12th), the Speakers traveled to Lewisberry to close out the first half of the season against the Stars. However, the  series highlight turned out to be Manager Kevin’s new hobby: bees.

Bee-sides, neither team could muster much offense. The bats must also have been “hiving” in the Baker backyard.

Game 1 – Clayton Kershaw and a trio of relievers shut out the Speakers, who have runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out in the 1st. Kershaw whiffs both Cody Bellinger and Javy Baez to close the frame.

Jake Marisnick decides hitting with RISP is overrated and homers (11-1) in the 2nd off David Price. That 1-0 score holds up.

No Speaker reaches 3rd base again until the 9th. With two fast runners at 1st and 2nd and no outs, Baez grounds into a 6-4-3 DP. Kris Bryant fouls out to left to smother the mini-threat.

The Speakers out-hit the Stars 6-3. Anthony Rendon (3-4, 3 D) collects half of them.

W – Kershaw; L – Price (0-3); S – Nick Goody

Game 2 – Buster Posey and Rendon both reach with 1 out in the 1st. Bellinger launches a 3-run HR (8) as the Speakers dent the plate for the first time in the series.

Chase Anderson makes that one swing hold up by going the distance and shutting out the Stars, 3-0. The Stars get two on base twice in the middle innings, but Anderson takes away 3 hits and a walk during those frames to preserve the shutout. The Speakers never get another runner past 2nd.

W – Anderson (4-1); L – Quintana

Game 3 – Rendon singles home Mookie Betts following a triple to start the game. The Speakers string together 3 singles and a walk to plate a pair in the 2nd for — (in this series, at least) — a commanding 3-0 early advantage.

With 2 outs and nobody on in the 5th, Brent Suter throws wildly to 1st allowing Greg Bird to reach 2nd base. Ender Inciarte strokes the Stars’ first hit to put his team on the board for the first time in 19+ innings.

Betts’ third hit of the game leaves the yard (6) in the 7th to re-engage the Speakers’ 3-run lead, 4-1. Suter works around two more errors (Posey and Anthony Rizzo) until he gets the first 2 outs of the 9th.

That’s when Inciarte spanks his third hit of the game, a triple.  Dustin Pedroia singles home the run to bring the tying run to the plate.

The Speakers lift Suter in favor of Roberto Osuna. Matt Carpenter steps in as a pinch-hitter. Osuna prevents a walk (+43), which would bring the winning run to the plate. Carpenter finally hits a harmless fly ball to left to end the game, 4-2.

W – Suter (1-2); L – Dallas Keuchel; S – Osuna (2)

Afterward, all the buzz was about the Stars scoring just three runs, yet still squeezing a win out the series. The Speakers score in only 4 innings, but it’s good enough to swarm two victories to end the half on a sweet note.

Speakers, Juggs Play 18

Game one saw Juggs score 4 runs in the 1st inning. Peralta lead off single, Votto homer, 2-1 Juggs. Then Judge singled, but Gennett grounds into a double play. With 2 outs Khris Davis doubles and Lowrie doubles right behind him. Then Seager’s RBI single on a rare play that sees him making the third out trying for 2nd. Juggs 4-1 after first inning! But let’s rewind to the top of the 1st. We forgot to mention that the Speakers started the game with a Mookie Betts double off Juggs starter Gio Gonzalez. Then Rendon walks, Posey hits a deep fly to right were Judge makes an over-the-head catch and then guns down Betts at third while he tried to advance on the pop fly. Juggs save a run with that out as Rizzo then doubles in Rendon. Bryant pops out to the catcher to end the inning.

After the 1st inning Juggs don’t score another run for 17 innings as they lose in the 18th when Miguel Castro gives up a 2-run homer to Betts. Speakers scored 2 more in the top of the 4th and tying run in top of the 6th, all against Gonzalez.

Both teams used 5 relievers in the game. Juggs had 1st and 3rd with one out in the 2nd inning when Votto hit what should have been a sac fly to right field. But Brian and I used the APBA booklet this series. And guess what? Luke Weaver, an (XY) pitcher, turns that fly ball into a strike out. (I like it!)

The Juggs also had runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs in the bottom of the 5th when Judge lined into a double play. UGH! What was Votto thinking on 2nd? He wasn’t being forced. Stay on the bag! After that the Juggs never came close to scoring except two lead off infield errors by the Speakers. Juggs Lose game one 6-4.

W – Brandon Kintzler (1-0); L – Castro

Game two – Juggs love the lefties and spank Suter in his CG for a 6-2 win . Chacin also had a CG for the win and much needed rest for both bullpens. Donaldson, who is killing the ball since being traded to a winning team (lol), went 3-3 with a single, double, home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, plus a walk.

W – Joulys Chacin; L – Brent Suter (0-2)

Game 3 – Juggs lose a heart breaker as they hit starter Chase Anderson for 12 hits but still lose. Miguel Castro again gives up a dinger, in the top of 9th this time to Machado. Votto, Judge and Smoak get shut down in the bottom of 9th. Speakers win 5-4.

W – Brad Hand (4-0); L – Castro; S – Juan Nicasio (1)

Speakers win 2 of 3 at Juggernauts. I really enjoyed the Booklet; was very easy to adapt to.

Manager Tim

Bees and Plague Double Up

Game 1; Darvish vs Snell; Plague score twice in 3rd, Bees get 3 run HR by Pham in bottom of 3rd and add one run in 5th, Plague get a 2 out 2 run double by Santana in 6th to tie, Bees get solo HR by Upton in 7th, Plague a two out 2 run HR by Goldschmidt in 8th as Plague win 6-5

Game 2; Nola vs Bumgarner; Plague score single runs in 3rd, 4th and 5th innings and Bees manage just a single run in 4th as Plague win 3-1

Game 3; Duffy vs Gray; Bees get bases loaded in first on walk, single, walk and then get another walk for a run but that would be all, Plague get solo HR by Goldie in 4th, Bees get a Hosmer solo HR in 5th, Plague score single runs in 6th and 7th, Bees tie game in 8th, Plague get unearned run in 10th for win, Plague win 4-3

Game 4; Nelson vs Hendricks; Plague get a unearned run in first on 2 walks, PB, fielders choice scoring run and both pitchers go the distance giving up 2 hits, Plague win 1-0

Game 5: Nola vs Ray; Bees get solo HR by Zunino in 6th, 5 more runs in 7th and Ray goes the distance for a Bees win 6-0

Game 6; Duffy vs Bumgarner; Both teams score 1 run in 1st and 2 run in 2nd, Plague get a solo HR by Bregman in 5th, Bees tie game in 8th and with 2 out in bottom of 10th Contreras hits a walk off HR for a Bees win 5-4, after last two games both bullpens were used heavily in this one.

Bees record at 27-18 and still need to schedule Lemonheads and Speakers.

Manager John

Juggs ‘n Bees Pool Party

Game 1; Gio Gonzalez vs Bumgarner; Juggs get 2 run triple by Judge in 2nd and Taylor sac flies Judge to make it 3 zip, Bees lead off 7th with a walk and Cozart hits 2 run HR, with 2 outs and Hosmer on first Upton hits a 2 run HR two walks follow and a Beltre single scores another and Bees hold on to win 5-3

Game 2; Davis vs Hendricks; Juggs score 2 runs in 5th and 2 runs in 6th, Bees get a lead off HR by Yelich in 6th and score a second run in the inning, Juggs hit 2 run HR by Judge in 8th and win it 6-2

Game 3; Chacin vs Ray; Bees get a rbi single by Cano in 2nd and with 2 on Zunino follows with a 3 run HR, Bees score single runs in 4th and 5th, Juggs send 8 batters to plate and score 3 runs in 6th but then bats went silent and Bees win it 6-3

Lymebees record at 25-14 looking to schedule Speakers, Lemonheads and Plague to finish out second period.