[Nick Soulis]

Series #222 broadcast:
Ernie Harwell teams up with Ron Darling



Bees Swarm to Glory
1936 Boston Stings Marlins in Five



Game 1
At Braves Field
1999 Florida Marlins 3
1936 Boston Bees 4 (10 inn)
WP: D. MacFayden (1-0) LP: A. Fernandez (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Danny MacFayden (10 IP, 13 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 154 P)
1933 Bees Lead Series 1-0

Ernie Harwell:
“Well friends, if you ever needed a reason to love the timeless magic of baseball, you got it here at Braves Field this afternoon. Under a gray, drizzling October sky, the 1936 Boston Bees and the 1999 Florida Marlins went toe-to-toe for 10 tense innings. And in the end, it was Gene Moore, the slender right fielder from Shelby, North Carolina, who etched his name into Field of Dreams lore. A ringing double into the gap in right-center, scoring Pinky Whitney from first, and setting off a celebration that could be heard all the way down Commonwealth Avenue.”

Ron Darling:
“You know, Ernie, the stat line is going to show Moore with two hits in five trips, but the weight of that hit can’t be measured in box scores. That was a veteran’s at-bat — patient, balanced, ready to pounce when Fernandez missed his location. And speaking of Fernandez, let’s not overlook him: 9⅓ innings, 132 pitches in cold, wet conditions — that’s an effort that would win you most games. But MacFayden… wow. Ten full innings in an era where you just don’t see that anymore, mixing the fastball and breaking ball like he was painting on canvas.”

Ernie Harwell:
“You’re right, Ron. MacFayden looked as fresh in the 10th as he did in the first. And for the Bees, it wasn’t just Moore — Berger, Whitney, Jordan — all had timely extra-base hits that kept Boston in the driver’s seat. Florida fought back with a two-run rally in the eighth to tie it, showing they wouldn’t go quietly. But in the end, the home crowd got what they came for — a walk-off win to start Series #222 with a flourish.”

Ron Darling:
“And that crowd… they were into every pitch. Rain, cold, extra innings — it didn’t matter. This felt like a 1930s prizefight: two starters refusing to give way, offense having to claw and scrap for every run. Game 1 sets a tone, and right now the Bees have the upper hand. The question is whether the Marlins can shake this one off in time for Game 2 tomorrow.”

Ernie Harwell:
“We’ll find out soon enough, my friends. But tonight in Boston, the name Gene Moore is on everyone’s lips.”

Game 1
At Braves Field
1999 Florida Marlins 7
1936 Boston Bees 9
WP: R. Weir (1-0) LP: L. Hernandez (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Mark Kotsay (3-5, 2 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
1936 Bees Lead Series 2-0

Ernie Harwell:
"Well, folks, what a day for baseball in Boston! The year is 1936, the setting is Braves Field, and the hometown Bees have sent their fans home smiling again. Final score — Boston 9, Florida 7 — and that puts the Bees just two wins away from taking this best-of-seven affair. The big story early was Boston’s ferocious first inning: six runs on a flurry of hits, capped off by Tommy Thompson’s two-run single. Poor Liván Hernández — he faced 19 batters in just 2 1/3 innings and never looked comfortable."

Ron Darling:
"And yet, the Marlins refused to roll over. Mark Kotsay — what a performance! Three hits, two of them triples, driving in two runs and scoring two more. He’s now the owner of the single-game triples record for this Field of Dreams playoff setting. Florida made late noise with a three-run eighth, but the gap from that first-inning disaster was just too much to erase."

Ernie Harwell:
"Randy Weir earned the win despite giving up 11 hits and six earned runs — he’ll take it. The Bees’ bats were balanced: every starter reached base, and Tony Cuccinello’s three-hit afternoon kept traffic on the bases. But in the end, the story is that Boston’s big first inning is the kind of inning that can swing an entire series’ momentum."

Ron Darling:
"Now the scene shifts to Sun Life Stadium in Miami for Game 3, where the Marlins have no choice but to hold serve. A 3–0 hole would be fatal — history tells us that. But for tonight, Boston controls the board, and the fans here in Braves Field are savoring every bit of it."

Game 3
At Sunlife Stadium
1936 Boston Bees 0
1999 Florida Marlins 4
WP: A. Burnett (1-0) LP: B. Smith (0-1)
HR: K. Millar (1)
POG: AJ Burnett (9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 132 P)
1936 Bees Lead Series 2-1

Ernie Harwell:
“Well, friends, you could see the determination in the eyes of A.J. Burnett from the first pitch. This was a man who wanted to keep his team’s season alive — and he pitched like it. He wasn’t perfect, but he was powerful and purposeful, shutting out Boston on just two hits and keeping the Bees swatting at air all afternoon.
Boston’s Buster Smith didn’t pitch poorly, mind you — but three errors behind him, and some timely Marlins hitting, put this one out of reach. Luis Castillo’s double in the fourth brought the crowd to life, and Kevin Millar’s seventh-inning home run gave them a comfortable cushion.
Ron, this was just the sort of game Florida needed after losing the first two in Boston.”

Ron Darling:
“Absolutely, Ernie. When you’re down 0–2 in a best-of-seven, Game 3 is a psychological fork in the road. Burnett attacked the strike zone, kept the Bees guessing with a good mix of his fastball and curve, and importantly, worked quickly. You could see the Boston hitters pressing, and when that happens against a pitcher in rhythm, it’s a tough day.
On the flip side, Boston will have to regroup quickly. Their defense was sloppy — Urbanski’s three errors really hurt — and they simply couldn’t get anything going offensively. They’ll need to be sharper tomorrow, because this Marlins lineup, while not overpowering, can nickel-and-dime you to death when you give them extra outs.”

Game 4
At Sunlife Stadium
1936 Boston Bees 3
1999 Florida Marlins 1
WP: B. Cantwell (1-0) LP: R. Dempster (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Ben Cantwell (9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 126 P)
1936 Bees Lead Series 3-1

Ernie Harwell:
"From beautiful Sunlife Stadium here in Miami, it was a crisp autumn afternoon that saw the Boston Bees of 1936 inch one step away from glory. Ben Cantwell was the picture of poise today, and, my friends, he was masterful. In this world where pressure makes many crumble, Cantwell stood tall — nine innings, no earned runs, and every pitch with purpose. It wasn’t overpowering stuff, but it was smart, confident pitching, the kind that wins championships. Boston now leads three games to one, and the Marlins, well, they’re on life support."

Ron Darling:
"Ernie, what stood out to me was how Cantwell used his defense and kept his infielders engaged. He induced ten ground-ball outs, stayed away from the heart of the plate to Florida’s power bats, and never let them string hits together. The Bees’ offense wasn’t flashy — only five hits — but they took advantage of Florida’s miscues and got those critical two-out RBIs. Tony Cuccinello’s bloop single in the seventh was the dagger. On the flip side, Ryan Dempster pitched well enough to win most nights, but his club couldn’t give him the support. One run on five hits isn’t going to do it in October."

Ernie Harwell:
"That’s the beauty of baseball, Ron. Sometimes it’s the quiet wins that set up the loud celebrations. The Bees will have their first chance to close it out tomorrow right here. And if Ben Cantwell’s performance today is any indication, Boston smells a series victory."

Game 5
At Sunlife Stadium
1936 Boston Bees 7
1999 Florida Marlins 4
WP: D. MacFayden (2-0) LP: A. Fernandez (0-2)
HR: None
POG: Gene Moore (2-4, 2B, RBI, 3 R, SB)

Ernie Harwell:
“Well friends, that’s the ballgame, that’s the series, and that’s the 1936 Boston Bees taking home the crown in Series #222. They came down to Florida with business to finish, and oh my, did they ever. That five-run third inning was the thunderclap that set the tone, and even when the Marlins fought back, Boston had an answer. A tip of the cap to Danny MacFayden — nine innings, 132 pitches, every out recorded with calm purpose.

And how about Buck Jordan? The man’s steady bat and glove all series long earns him the MVP. He’s the kind of first baseman you win with: not flashy, just consistent, reliable, and dangerous when it matters.”

Ron Darling:
“Ernie, what stood out to me was how fundamentally sound this Boston club was. They turned the right plays, manufactured runs, and in the big moments, they didn’t try to do too much. Gene Moore’s speed, Tommy Thompson’s timely hits, Urbanski’s table-setting — all of it added up.

And the Marlins? Listen, they had their hits, they put men on base, but Boston never allowed the crooked number that changes a game. This was a vintage, 1930s-style clincher — hit ‘em where they ain’t, run smart, pitch to contact, and walk away winners.”

1936 Boston Bees Win Series 4 Games To 1

Series MVP:

(.455, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B, .500 OBP, 1.000 OPS)