The Top 15 In-Game Moments from the 1st Half
By Nikc Cafardo
For a long game, every part of the past game can sure come together to just one pitch and swing. It may have been nearly half a year since session 1, but I'm sure some teams can remember it very well. Without further ado, here are the top moments in the MLR in the 1st half of Season 2:
#15: Session 3: JD steals home
It wasn't the most exciting of games. The Devil Rays ended up winning by 6 against the Indians. What was exciting however, was one of the most well-known players successfully completing one of the ballsiest plays in fakebaseball, stealing home. Although he got ejected right after, this moment was pretty impressive: "What's this?! As Foxconn comes set De Las Rosas breaks for home! He doesn't see him! Bambino is standing up screaming at Foxconn but the pitcher is going through his full windup unaware of the runner streaking towards the plate! De Las Rosas slides in just as the ball reaches home easily stealing the base making it 9-3 Devil Rays!
Pitch: 40
Steal Attempt: 25
Difference: 15/successful steal of home"
#14: Session 5: Gerzone strikes out 11
He may have been overshadowed by other great pitching performances, but Dan Gerzone put in yet another dominating start. It may have been a 9 run game, but that doesn't make Gerzone nearly striking out 2 batters per inning any less impressive. No other pitcher has ever struck out as many batters in 6 innings, and he just completely dominated the Rockies in Coors.
#13: Session 1: Indians comeback against Tigers, Frank game-winning homerun
Indian-to-be Big Tuna was the opening day starter for the Tigers, and he was dealing early. By the time they reached the 4th, the score was 4-1 Detroit. And then the hit parade started for Cleveland. Cardith Lorda drove in the 1st run of the inning to make it a 2-run deficit, then Bambino Jr. made it a 1-run deficit, and then Stig Bond tied the game up with a clutch double. Fast-forward to the deciding 6th inning. At the time of Session 1, Filthy Frank had already made a name for himself as one of the most controversial rookies for the new season. With him already being 0-2 on the day, there had been some laughs shared by fans at the expense of Frank's ego. But this didn't stop him from swinging. With 1 out, Frank came up against reliever Bartholomew Masters. Here's the call from the booth :"It would appear that the thinner bat to a little bit to find but once Frank had the bat in his hand he took a few good practice swings before digging in the first two pitches fell outside the zone but he jumped into the third pitch a hanging curve ball and rocketed it into deep left feild. Going to at the track and GONE the indians tale there first lead of the game of a Homer from filthy Frank. Pitch was 370." Frank hit the clutch home run, and then Norwood MacKenzie closed the game up to give the Indians the first victory of their season.
#12: Session 8: Ziggy Ceder hits 3 home runs and double
Arguably the best hitting performance in MLR history came in the high-scoring battl ebetween playoff contenders. Ziggy Ceder was on fire against the Twins, going 4 for 4 with 3 home runs and a double, including 4 RBIs and 3 runs. The MLR was watching as Ceder came up for his 4th at-bat, looking to break the record for most home runs hit in a game with 3: "Ceder manages to work a 3-1 count against Sanchez and awaits the next pitch. Sanchez hangs a curveball, and Ceder hits it into the night sky! It's hooking, will it stay fair...no! Ceder just misses that one and now the count is full. Sanchez switches it up and throws a fastball high in the zone and Ceder gets on this one too! It's a moonshot no doubt about it, fair all the way, ANOTHER home run for Ziggy Ceder! Possibly the greatest hitting performance in MLR history, the Twins crowd gives him a standing ovation. His teammates mob him in the dugout. Wow.
Pitch 821
Diff 3
Result HR"
#11: Session 7: Tim Burr throws CGSO 1-hitter
Tim Burr has proven himself to be one of the best pitchers in the MLR, and he really made himself a name after this dominating performance against the Mariners. Burr went 5 2/3rds with no-hit baseball. It didn't get a ton of exposure because the Twins kept silent, but Burr definitely impressed. One out from a no-hitter Rex Kidobi came up, and hit the first single for the Mariners. Burr was able to relax and get the final out to cap off his historic start.
#10: Session 8: DBacks score 4 in final 2 innings, walk-off against Padres
The heat between these 2 division rivals started with Doc JaAm calling San Diego's team "The Badres", and it didn't stop there. After a Smudge lead off home run, the Padres came back and hit a grand slam to give them a convincing lead. Headed into the bottom of the 6th down by 2, the DBacks needed their bats to come alive. Luckily, Matty Lynn was able to cut the deficit to 1 with a double, and then Tsar Zaar delivered a 2 out single to tie the game and send it to extras. After the Padres played some small ball to take the 5-4 lead, the DBacks started where they left off with the bats. Andrew Drechsler hit a clutch double to tie the game up at the start of the inning, and then Will Power was able to move him to 3rd with a single. With a chance to either win the game or have it sent to the 8th, recently forgotten Gil Metz delivered: "The time is now. A lot of different results result in a run scoring. Is this the one? Let's dive right in:
In Wednesday tradition, Metz comes out of the on deck circle in a to-scale camel costume, with Lynn bringing up the rear and replacing him. Shedding the attire, he readies in the batter's box, making sure to face the correct direction before the pitch comes in.
He had a decent breakfast, consisting of Honey Nut Cheerios® and an overly ripe banana (he prefers mushy food). Settling properly in his stomach, it sits at the ready to fuel the bomb that is inevitably coming, right?
Almost.
Metz gets a dollop of power to come out when he makes contact with the ball, driving it pretty deep to left field. The ball is caught handily by McFly, who knows what needs to be done next.
Drechsler gets the call from his base coach to tag up. Damn have to leave shortly so this is gonna be a tad rushed. My apologies.
Rambo gets a running start on the catch and flails his body to get the utmost power behind the throw. Little does he know that Drechsler was a track star in middle school and runs really really fast. So fast that he crosses home plate before the throw gets in.
Looks like that is the winning run and the Dbacks walk it off at home.
!!!!!
6-5 is the final score in this one.
Pitch: 921
Diff: 200 (FO)"
#9: Session 4: Valentino Rollin hits clutch 3 run homer leads to Tigers victory
The Blue Jays were already 3-0, and Levi Pyram came out into the 6th looking to complete a complete game shutout with a 2 run lead, but the Tigers offense had a rally instead. With 1 down, Spurs walked and then Baladan singled. Phoenix tried to be the hero, but all he could do was fly out, leading to Rollin's at-bat: "That's a freaking three run homer. The Tigers now lead 3-2.
Two outs, bases empty
Pitch: 338 Difference: 10, homerun"
Rollin delivered the clutch hit to give the Tigers the lead, and it eventually lead to a Tigers victory.
#8: Session 2: Banaco hits walk off home run vs Cardinals
It had been a pitcher's duel the whole way through. Cooter threw 5 scoreless, and the Twins were carried by the trio of Dickshot, Burr, and Nuckolls. There were only 6 hits prior to the final swing. In the bottom of the 6th, Jaco Banaco with 2 outs, but was able to prevent extra innings with one guess of a number: "The first two pitches are strikes right at the knees of the second baseman. With two strikes, he has to protect.
The 0-2 is a change-up low in the dirt, but Banaco swings and somehow manages to foul it off to keep the at-bat alive.
Another 0-2 change-up from Powers, but this ones a little bit higher up. Banaco swings.
CRACK
THIS BALL IS HAMMERED INTO DEEP LEFT-CENTER FIELD!! NINEFINGERS IS RACING BACK FOR IT, MAYBE HE CAN SAVE THIS GAME HERE!! BANACO IS RACING TOWARDS SECOND AFTER ROUNDING FIRST!! NINEFINGERS GETS TO THE WALL... BUT IT'S NO USE!!!! WALK OFF HOME RUN FOR THE TWINS!!!
THE TEAM GATHERS AROUND HOME PLATE AS BANACO TOSSES HIS HELMET INTO THE STANDS AND JUMPS WITH TWO FEET ON HOME PLATE! THE GATORADE SHOWERS START!!! WHAT A FINISH HERE IN MINNESOTA!!
Pitch: 997 (difference 12)
It came down to the very last out and boy was it worth it!!"
Banaco's clutch home run got the Twins their 2nd win in only 2 games.
#7: Session 6: Devil Rays come back from down 7 in the 1st
The greatly hyped Donked McToad pitching debut was set to happen in session 6 against the Mariners...and it was a disaster. The Mariners managed to score 7 runs in just the 1st inning. Not only did McToad's career seem over, but the game was basically done already...or so we thought. The Devil Rays offense came more alive than ever before, somehow taking the lead by just the 2nd inning against Frankie Stickyfingers and Artie Ziff. De Las Rosas homered, Carp had an RBi single, Nominus tripled, and then Peter Peckershine hit a grand slam to give the Devil Rays the lead. Even then the Devil Rays didn't stop, scoring 3 more in the 3rd to give them a convincing comeback win.
#6: Session 2: Devil Rays and Orioles play 7 innings of pitcher's dual, have back-and-forth 8th inning
It was a back-and-forth sad-but-exciting game the whole way through. For a game that went well over the time limit (21 day long game!), going all the way to the 8th inning tied at 1 was both a blessing and a curse. On the Devil Rays side, they were getting good pitching out of Turner and McElroy, while on the Orioles side they had 7 1-run innings from Dipper, and sent him back out for the 8th after getting De Las Rosas to ground into a double play to get out of a big jam in the 7th. Jay Money was able to get the 3rd run of the game to score on a ground out, and then Grimm Carp gave the Devil Rays a 3 run lead with his clutch home run to follow it up: "After two straight AB's of flailing around his robotic arm in confusion, Grimm Carp seems to have gotten the hang of the thing. He grips his bat with one hand and swings, hard, making contact to solidly that it shatters his bat into splinters. That ball is absolutely crushed, and it's not coming back. Carp fist pumps with his robotic arm as he rounds first, but before the ump can finish the Aaron Judge joke, he pumps his fist so hard that he seems to pull his shoulder on the way around.
Pitch: 720
Tampa leads it 4-1, two outs, bases clear."
All seemed safe for the Devil Rays until the bottom half when the Orioles were able to score the given base runners on a Merto single. Now with the tying run at first, Nikki Falke came up with a chance to stretch the game even further: "The spectators plea
For an ending with glee
But they're finally free
Because this was strike three
Pitch: 791
Tampa wins it 4-3"
#5: Session 3: McBaseballface hits walk-off homer against the Twins
The Twins were pretty much expected to win this game before it started. They were 2-0, the Red Sox were 0-2, but after 6 innings of it being tied at 1, the game went to extras. With help from the extra inning rule, Daz Reference gave his team a 1 run lead in the top half with a sacrifice fly. That's all the Red Sox gave up before they came up in the bottom half. Nickolls had a tough job keeping the Red Sox scoreless, but after a LGO and K to start off the inning, the Twins were in good position to win. Until Brent Royal stepped up. Royal hit a single to center and the tying run scored! Next up came Basebally McBaseballface, and he was able to end it: "McBaseballface waits...
He knows the knuckler's coming
Game.
Pitch: 13 diff: 1 result: 2-run walk off HR
End game"
And then McBaseballface was traded.
#4: Session 2: Blue Jays come back, Adams hits walk off 3 run home run
Heading into the bottom of the 6th, the Red Sox had a comfortable lead. Especially with Bargeparge dealing the way he was, it appeared as if the Red Sox would pick up their 1st win of the young season. But the Blue Jays weren't on board with that. Down by 2, Mike Honcho lead off the inning with a 6 difference home run to cut the deficit to 1. After a strikeout, Gleeson and Jorgenson were able to barely work walks to get the winning run on base. Ziggy Ceder then came up to deliver the clutch double to tie the game rather than ground into a game ending double play, and now the winning run was 90 feet away. Rather than just hit the sac fly he needed, Quentin Adams wanted to show off a bit: "The crowd is going nuts as Adams steps into the box. Bargeparge is running on fumes doing everything he can to get his team back into the dugout. He gets the sign and fires. Strike 1! Bargeparge nails the outside corner with a fastball that Adams calmly takes. Bargeparge rocks and fires again. Strike 2! This time he freezes Adams with a nice curveball. Adams steps out, adjusts his batting gloves and refocuses. Bargeparge shakes off Guthrie 3 times before finally getting the sign he likes. Here's the pitch. Adams gets the high fastball he's been looking for and sends it DEEEEEEEP into center field.
The Blue Jays come rushing out of the dugout to await their hero. Bargeparge and the rest of the Red Sox can only walk off the field in agony as Adams ends the game with a 3 run walk off home run!
Pitch: 305
Difference: 3/HR
Blue Jays win 6-3!"
#3: Session 5: Miguel Snow hits walk off home run, Phillies win
The Phillies offense just could not get anything going against the Nationals. In fact, they hadn't scored a run in 2 months. Hudson Hildebrandt was able to carry a no-hitter into the bottom of the 6th, but instead of it being an easy victory, the Phillies pitching matched him. Owen Uridge and Hudson Quin held the Nationals scoreless through 6 innings. Back to the bottom of the 6th, Charlie Bae jr. managed to break up the no-hitter to lead off the inning, but then got caught stealing with Snow up. Even though there was still nobody on base, Snow delivered big time for the Phillies victory: "Hildebrandt comes set but steps off the mound as sounds of chaos begin to float in from outside the stadium. The faint smell of smoke is wafting through the air and the PA system announces that fans should stay inside the stadium as the streets of Philadelphia are in turmoil after the Eagles won the Super Bowl late last night.
Snow seems unphased by all of this having played in in Philly for quiet sometime now and just remains in his stance staring Hildebrandt down. Hildebrandt toes the rubber once more but is obviously shaken by the noise and smells coming from just outside the stadium.
Hilderbarandt fires and makes his first true mistake of the game and Snow doesn't miss! The Phillies 3B stands and stares at the majestic flight of the ball before slowly starting his trot around the bases. His teammates poor out of the dugout ready to celebrate their first run in 58 days!
The city of Philadelphia quivers as 50,00+ prepare to join their brethren outside and join in the revelry.
Mick Frizzle can be heard above all the noise screaming "DOESN'T MATTER, HAD SEX!"
Pitch: 324
Difference: 2/HR
Phillies win in walkoff fashion 1-0!"
#2: Session 5: Moritz Steifel throws a no-hitter
The most-watched game in MLR history both came down to the wire and featured arguably the greatest individual performance to date. Steifel wasn't much of a name prior to this game, he had an auto-BB on record and barely had any experience. But he looked like a veteran against the Indians. Steifel set the first 2 batters down to start off the bottom of the 6th and he was 1 out away from the only no-hitter in MLR history. Up came Xavier Quinn and...he walked. It may have prolonged the game, but maybe it was for the best as well-known shortstop G.H. Morello came up to the plate. Naturally, he swung a 69, and for Steifel, he made history: "The umpire shakes Morello's hand heartily and agrees that people need to grow up and stop calling for the beanball. Somebody could get hurt out here. Morello steps in, and as everyone knows, he isn't one for waiting around and dragging out AB's. Either this ball is leaving the fucking park, or he's going down trying to put it there. Steifel throws a first pitch fastball and Morello jumps on it immediately, driving the pitch out to deep right-center field. Oscar Vegas is playing deep, but shaded towards left, and he bolts, seeing Kyle Corbett get a bad jump and stumble a bit in right field. He knows it's up to him. He sprints full tilt towards the notorious Fenway gap, the one that produces so many extra base hits off of tricky caroms. The ball is tailing towards the low wall in right-center, but Vegas knows what his teammate on the mound is trying to accomplish, and is imbued with a sense of urgency heretofore not experienced by the young center fielder. He takes two last steps, launches himself from his feet into the air and into the wall, and grabs the fly ball in the webbing of his glove, coming crashing to the ground. The air in the stadium is still for a moment, until Vegas' left arm shoots up from the collapsed outfielder, the ball in hand, the third out secured.
Moritz Steifel has thrown a no-hitter."
And then Steifel was traded.
#1: Session 3: Sadness Bowl
We've all heard the tale of the sadness bowl by now. It was another game that went to extras, this time taking 19 days. For anyone watching prior to the bottom of the 6th, it was miserable, highlighted by a strong performance from Dan Gerzone. The Brewers went into the bottom of the 6th with a 2 run lead, and put Sonny Streaker to close the Cardinals out. Down to their final out, Huckingly is able to lay off ball 4 for the walk, and then came up Kegs Mabry: "With two outs and a man on first, things look grim for the Cardinals, potentially headed for their third loss in a row to start the season. Kegs Mabry steps into the box to face off with a fresh Sonny Streaker, who has been pretty sharp so far in his relief appearance. Mabry takes a patient approach at the plate, laying off the first two pitches to work a 1-1 count. He watches the third pitch as well as it dives under the zone, a curveball with a bit too much bite. Mabry knows that Streaker is throwing a strike with his next pitch. The ball starts inside, but Mabry thinks that Streaker is trying to front-door a two-seam fastball on him, and as the ball swings back towards the zone, Mabry bunches up his shoulders and turns on the ball hard, making solid contact. The THWACK of the bat echoes throughout the stadium, and the ball, with it's side-spin, hurtles out over the seats in foul territory to pull down the first-base line. However, the ball is hooking back towards the pole. Mabry stares incredulously as the ball starts foul, hooks all the way back, and narrowly misses the pole to the left as it lands in the corner right field bleachers. A two-run, game-tying home run. The crowd at Busch Stadium is on it's feet and losing its collective mind as Mabry punches the air in front of him and circles the bases, having finally broken this game open for St. Louis in the 11th hour.
Pitch: 456"
Mabry tied the game up, but the Cardinals did not stop hitting there. Pitcher Jimbob Cooter came up and delivered a single which led to the winning run being on 3rd, but McGoogol flew out to send the game into extras. If that wasn't enough action, it gets even crazier. The Cardinals are able to keep the Brewers quiet 2 batters in despite the runner given on 2nd, but Smegma came to the rescue to give the Brewers the 3-2 lead with an 2 RBI single. After another single from Kevin Arianna, up came James Earl Pwns: "James Earl Pwns sits on a fastball and gets it, as Cooter is afraid to go to his curveball after hanging the last one. It's 92 mph to the outer half, and Pwns absolutely barrels it, crushing the ball out to center field. Puckun Huckingly turns around and jogs towards the wall, but he knows there's no use. That ball is 15 rows deep. Three more runs for the Brewers are on the board and Jimbob Cooter is hiding his face in his glove as the boos start to rain down.
Pitch: 286"
It seemed as if that comeback from the Cardinals was all for nothing. But if you know anything about the Sadness Bowl, you knew it never ended. With the Brewers up by 4, the Cardinals came up in the bottom of the 7th and got straight to work. Ewell started the inning with a single to put runners on the corners. McDichael then hit a sac fly to cut the Brewers' lead to 3. After Paglia's single, Stan "The" Mann came up with a chance to do some damage: "Pitch: 432
Stan Mann steps up to the plate, digs in his back foot, takes a deep breath, and looks for a first pitch strike. Sonny Streaker throws a two-seam fastball, starting outside and running back into the zone. Mann sees it coming, loads back his right arm, and unleashes his swing, making powerful contact and sending a solid CRACK echoing through Busch Stadium. Immediately the crowd starts to roar as the ball flies out towards the gap in left-center, Chocolate Smegma and Pip Squires running full-tilt towards the wall. It's futile for them both. The ball sails over the wall and lands several rows deep into the stands, and the crowd goes absolutely wild. Stan Mann has tied this game AGAIN with a 3-run bomb, and Sonny Streaker has spiked his glove into the dirt and crouched down on the mound, hiding his face from his teammates.
Tied up at 6, one out."
Huckingly then followed that up with a double to put even more pressure on the Brewers, who then got one more out and an auto-BB before putting in catcher Kevin Arianna to pitch. The catcher pitching to the pitcher Jimbob Cooter went well for one team, not so well for the other: "Pitch: 69
Jimbob Cooter is a pitcher. When he dreamed about winning baseball games in dramatic fashion, he imagined standing on that mound and striking out the last man of the game, celebrating with his catcher halfway between the mound and the plate, bathing his arm in ice afterward and watching his mound highlights in the clubhouse. But here he is, standing at the plate, wearing a helmet that's too big and using Brandon Aconi's bat, with the winning run at second base and two outs. Milwaukee's new pitcher is an odd duck, as he can't seem to find the strike zone and quickly falls behind 2-0. Cooter knows he has to find the zone eventually, and timidly watches a strange almost knuckling "fastball" find the zone to make things 2-1. He's nervous and a little lost, but suddenly, the pitcher has a thought.
"I'm the pitcher of record right now... If I can drive in a run here, I'll get the win!"
Suddenly a focused look comes over Cooter's face, and on the next pitch, another knuckling meatball, Cooter swings hard and rockets the pitch straight up the middle Huckingly is gone immediately from second base, and Pip Squires charges the ball from center field. He barehands the rolling base hit and fires home, but it's no use. Huckingly comes screaming into home hands-first, and touches the plate right before Bo-Horse Jackman can receive the throw from center. Jimbob Cooter primally screams at the ground as the crowd goes absolutely wild and his teammates come streaming out of the dugout to mob the winning pitcher and walk-off single hitter."