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Game #1
Top 1
Rickey coaxes a leadoff walk from Swindell and steals on the 1-2 pitch to Piazza.
And Piazza crushes an inside slider to LF for a home run. 2-0 Dodgers.
Valentin draws a walk
But Snyder hits into a 6-4-3 double play.
Ashley taps back to the pitcher for the 3rd out.
Bottom 1
Lance Johnson grounds out to SS
Brady Anderson strikes out.
Mark Grace pulls a single past a diving Scott Fletcher
Langston walks Biggio
Then goes full count to Ron Gant, but get's the called 3rd strike on a checked swing.
2-0 Dodgers
Top 2
Gaetti and White make outs on the first pitches they see
Mark Langston strikes out on 5 pitches.
Bottom 2
Dave Valle, Scott Brosious and Dave Silvestri go down in order.
We're glad that the Cubs have Swindell leading off the next inning.
2-0 Dodgers
Top 3
Mike Piazza draws a two-out walk, but the other 3 Dodgers don't get the ball out of the infield.
Bottom 3
Greg Swindell strikes out.
Lance Johnson hammers one toward RF. Fletcher stops it, but can't make the play and is charged with an error.
Brady Anderson strikes out for the second time
And Mark Grace smokes one right at Snyder at first.
2-0 Dodgers
Top 4
Cory Snyder leads off with a single to LF
Ashley K's and Gaetti pops up.
Devon White singles to clear the pitcher's spot.
Langston strikes out.
Bottom 4
Ron Gant and Dave Valle hit back-to-back one out singles, but two fly balls end the inning
2-0 Dodgers
Top 5
Scott Fletcher nubs one in front of the plate, but Dave Valle throws it away and Fletcher ends up on second.
A wild pitch moves him to 3rd
Rickey rockets one to 3B that Gant stops with a dive, but there's no play. Fletcher scores. 3-0 Dodgers
Piazza follows with a single to center. Runners at 1st and 2nd.
Valentin grounds into an easy double play leaving the inning up to Snyder who pops up to LF. We settle for 1
Bottom 5
Swindell, Johnson and Anderson go quietly.
3-0 Dodgers
Top 6
Ashley leads off with a walk. We contemplate pinch running for him and then bringing in Bean who is a better defender thinking that Swindell won't be in the game next time Ashley bats. But, we hold off on making the change.
Gaetti singles to LF and White singles to RF driving in Ashley. 4-0
Langston gets his bunt down and it's runners at second and third for Fletcher. We give some thought to putting the pressure on by pinch hitting here, but we stick with Fletcher's glove at 2B.
Fletcher pops to shallow right, and Gaetti holds at third. A wise choice as Rickey singles to RF scoring both Gaetti and White.
That's it for Swindell. Kip Gross relieves.
Piazza greets him with a home run.
Valentin walks and Snyder homers. 10-0.
That's it for Gross. Steve Tracshel relieves.
Ashley K's to end the inning.
Bottom 6
Mark Grace singles and steals on a Biggio strike out.
Gant K's then Valle singles Grace in before Brosious pops to White to end the inning.
10-1 Dodgers
Top 7
Gaetti ground out before Devon White doubles. At 102 pitches through 6 innings we decide to pinch hit for Langston.
We have to choose betwee Bill Bean, Chris Donnels and Dave Hollins. We prefer Hollins vs lefties and we have fewer infielders so we go with Bean who walks.
Fletcher strikes out on a 3-2 pitch bringing up Henderson with 2 on. He draws a walk and Piazza is up with a chance to add a grand slam to his two home runs. He hammers a ball to deep right center but it falls into Brosius' glove on the warning track.
Bottom 7
Bill Bean stays in the game in LF. Rickey Henderson gets to watch the last few innings.
Pedro Martinez comes in to relieve. We think a 10-1 game is a good opportunity for the rookie to make his playoff debut.
He walks Silvestri. The Cubs elect not to hit for Traschel who can't get a bunt down. Johnson and Anderson hit a couple of mediocre flyballs to end the enning.
10-1 Dodgers
Top 8
Valentin and Snyder are quick outs but Billy Ashley smashes a home run to left. 11-1
Chris Donnels hits for Gaetti, getting his first post season plate appearance. He strikes out.
Bottom 8
Donnels stays in the game at 1B. Valentin moves to 3B. Fletcher goes to SS and Jose Offerman comes in to play 2B.
Boi Rodriguez hits for Grace and strikes out.
Gary Varsho hits for Biggio and his hit by 1-2 pitch. No fights break out this time
Turner Ward his for Gant and lines out to Ashley.
Pedro strikes out Valle to end the inning
11-1 Dodgers
Top 9
Offerman strikes out in his first playoff plate appearance.
Bean flies to RF
And Fletcher strikes out to end the inning.
We wanted to get someone on so Darren Fletcher could pinch hit for Pedro and replace Piazza but we don't get our wish.
Bottom 9
Darren Fletcher comes in to catch. Piazza moves to 1B (so I still have a catcher if Fletcher gets injured), Donnels moves to 3B. Valentin and Snyder get some time off. Jim Gott, who hasn't pitched in 6 days comes in to, hopefully, get the final 3 outs.
Scott Brosius singles.
Dave Silvestri strikes out.
Pinch hitter Ivan Calderon reaches on Scott Fletcher's error.
Tony Fossas comes in and gives up a single to Brady Anderson to load the bases
Boi Rodriguez K's to end the game
Final Score: 11-1 Dodgers
Couldn't have asked for much better than that.
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