So something interesting happened today while I was playing the third game of a series between the 1998 San Diego Padres at 1954 Cleveland Indians in my Crazy 48's League.
The game was close, a 3-1 lead for the Padres entering the bottom of the 6th. The pitching matchup was the Padres' Joey Hamilton verses the Indians' Mike Garcia. The Indians are at the plate, and I decide to have Hamilton pitch to the dangerous Al Rosen, he strikes him out. My mind was made up prior to the at-bat, that I would have him pitch to Rosen, then have Randy Myers (a Grade C-Y) come out of the bullpen to pitch against the rightie, to take advantage of the in-inning pitching grade bump-up (making Myers a B-Y) against Larry Doby.
While I go to write Hamilton's information down, I notice he has not allowed a hit -- How do I miss something like this? Pretty easy, when considering the first inning alone he walked two Indians, plunked another, and a run scored off a sacrifice fly; the Padres would also allow a runner on a error by Steve Finley, and Hamilton would walk another batter in the 3rd, so nothing jumped out NO-HITTER ALERT.
So what did I do? Normally I leave the guy in, and see if he can seal the deal -- but Joey Hamilton was a Grade C, if I was to keep him in, he would have to pitch through the 7th without allowing a run (since he allowed one in the first) to get bumped up to a Grade B. Plus with Larry Doby coming up, followed by some pop with Dave Philley & Bill Glynn -- and the fact that my first instinct was go to the bullpen, I decide to proceed with Randy Myers. Myers would go on and strike Doby out, drop back to his normal Grade C, and get Philley to ground out.
We are shooting for the combined no-hitter here, I have it planned to bring Donne Wall (APBA Grade A-YW) in the bottom of the 7th, with Trevor Hoffman (A&C-K) to do double the work for the 8th & 9th. I felt that this was a very possible feat, especially considering the Indians entered the game with a horrible .161 team batting average (yes, .161!).
Donne Wall would face Bill Glynn, in which Glynn grounds out, one down. Jim Hegan would strike out, which brings up Bo Strickland. Wall would walk Strickland, should have known the chances would be good there for Strickland, he was a lousy hitter for 54' Indians, but knew how to draw a walk from time to time (his 8th of the season). So two outs, and the Tribe wants to stay in this game, so they leave their reliever (who also started in 54') Art Houtteman, because he is pitcher who knows how to come up with some hits.
Runner on first, I roll the dice... it comes up 35, look on Houtteman's card.... 35-9, and a 9 against an A pitcher with a man on first, is a base-hit! NO-HITTER, BUSTED! A strange way to get a 9 for a hitting pitcher by the way... but that's why we enjoy the game, the odd roll of the dice & the situations that play out.
This is one of many reasons, I'm really enjoying my Crazy 48's, and why I have a love affair with APBA Baseball.
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