South Oakland dropped to 3-6 on the season with a 10-0 loss to the Black Sox Brookline Thursday Night. Ducks starter Brian Strom kept South Oakland in it for 4 1/3, allowing 4 runs, 2 of which were unearned. Then the wheels fell off in the bottom of the fifth after some errors and walks.
This was a very disappointing game.
South Oakland resumes league play Monday night at 8pm at Volunteer Field in Carrick against the Express.
Tonight we write another chapter in the history of a storied Pittsburgh NABA rivalry. There are a lot of guys on our team that haven’t played Brookline, or haven’t played them as Ducks. But I think they’ll learn quick. In 2007, I think, The Sox split and the Rebels were formed. From the Rebels came the Gray Bats and then the Militia. This current group of Ducks has several former Militia players. Last year when we moved down to Single A, several Ducks went to the Black Sox. Former Ducks manager and current outfielder TJ Morgan played on the Sox last year, current Sock, James Fago won a title as a Duck and managed the team for a couple seasons. Skovron was a Duck for two seasons. In 2010, Mark Guthrie shut down the Sox in game three of the finals to capture the Ducks 2nd championship.
Arguably the two most successful franchises in league history, the Ducks and Black Sox have been playing each other for nine years. This is likely the last season for the Sox, before they disperse and Rob Cool starts stalking Fago and that lefty they have.
There’s something about playing in Moore Park, with the terrible lights, the cigarette smoke and spilled beer in the the concrete bleachers, trying not to break your ankle in that gully on the first base line that brings out the best in the Ducks.
Bad News for the Black Sox
South Oakland lost a tough one to the Dirty Birds 4-2 in Spring Hill last night.
The Ducks had the winning run at the plate, but the Birds pitcher induced a game ending grund out. It was nice to play what felt like an actual baseball game instead of a 13-12 error fest. We came up just short. It was a well pitched game on both sides. Mon Valley had two guys go yard, but I think they only had four hits. The teams were evenly matched. If we face them again, it will be in the playoffs.
South Oakland (3-5) plays tonight in Brookline against the Black Sox (3-3).
After a dramatic walk off win vs. Cranberry, South Oakland returns to the friendly confines of Spring Hill to host Mon Valley, in what figures to be our toughest game yet. Last year, this team was the second place Lions, most of their best players left and started the Dirty Dirds as an homage to former Atlanta Falcons great, Jamaal Anderson’s touchdown dance.
Their coach garaunteed a victory over the defending AAA champion Cherokee in the league meeting this winter. Clearly, they have huge, dirty balls. They also play Clinton on Sunday, while the Ducks face longtime rival Brookline on Thursday, so, perhaps, we are each others trap game tonight.
The Dirty Birds have a far more professional looking website than this one. Solid. Very GIF-centric. The effort there reminds me of the mid-to-late-aughts, when I didn’t mail-in 90% of these posts, and we had Star War characters and the Hurricanes shit talking each other in the comments for months.
South Oakland may have turned it’s season around, by avoiding a fourth division loss on Monday, but it won’t mean much if we can’t build on it. We showed some resiliance. If we want to make a run at the title this year, we will likely have to go through this team. I’m curious to see if they are as dirty as they claim. We will probably see #22 and that other pitcher who throws hard for them. They will yell a lot.
But we have Doc on the hill for us tonight.
Bad News for the Dirty Birds.
South Oakland snapped a two-game losing streak Monday night at Magee Field, when Brandon Culp capped a two run seventh with a walk-off single to center.
The Ducks lead 2-0 after two innings on RBI from Dipaola and Koshzow.
Then Cranberry scored five in the top of the 3rd to take a three-run lead. Some guy hit one into the pool beyond the left field fence.
The Ducks answered, scoring three runs with two outs in bottom half of the inning when Cranberry’s catcher threw a ball into center on a double steal followed by TJ Morgan’s two-run single.
5-5 after three.
Cranberry scored two runs in the top of the fourth. In the bottom half of the inning the Ducks scored two to tie the game at seven when Casale singled, Gwin reached on an error, Culp walked and Koshzow singled home 2 runs.
7-7 after four.
At this point, the strike zone seemed to shrink, and there were a bunch of walks.
In the top of the fifth, Cranberry scored three runs on two hit batters, two walks, a single, and a fielder’s choice before Duck’s reliever Ben Sorosky induced an inning ending 1-6-3 double play.
In the bottom of the fifth, of course, the Ducks scored three runs to tie the game, again. Strom doubled to right to start the inning, and pinch runner Andy Nichols scored on a single by Galvanek. Then Tuomisto doubled in Galvanek, Gwin singled in Tuomisto.
10-10 after five.
Cranberry scored one in the top of the sixth. The Ducks were kept off the score board in the bottom of the inning.
11-10 after Six.
In the top of the seventh, Garrett Moore made possibly the catch of the year on a ball down the right field line. The defensive specialist/bullpen catcher/bench coach made a Full extension diving catch to rob a sure double. Ducks pitcher, Ben Phillips (3-0), then retired the side with a K and a ground out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tuomisto drew a one-out walk, Limbach singled, and Casale hit into a fielder’s choice to put runners on first and third with 2 outs for Gwin who singled in Tuomisto to tie the game. Then, with runners on first and second, Brandon Culp hit a 1-1 pitch back up the middle and Casale scored from second.
12-11 Ducks.
What a game.
We only made one error: a low throw on a pickoff attempt at first. There were several fine defensive plays by the Ducks on the evening. Naturally, our defense won us this 12-11 game. Cranberry (4-8) made four errors.
Ducks of note:
Strom: 2-for-2, 2B, BB
Koshzow: 2-for-2, 2B, 2BB, 2RBI, R
Culp: 3-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2R
Casale: 2-for-4, BB, SB, 3R
South Oakland (3-4) next plays tomorrow night at the Duck Pond when they take on the first place Dirty Birds (10-3).
quack.
Cranberry has been in the leage for like five years without picking a team name.
Lazy.
This is a team we can out hustle.
This image appeared when I googled, “cranberry mascot”
If were them, I would just go with the Astros and get those sweet early 80s jerseys with the horizontal strpies.
Or be the rays and rock these unis, which would fit with their color scheme.
Cranberry has a non-player coach, which I am theoretically and philosophically opposed to in adult league baseball. They dropped down to Double A after a rough season last year, while the Ducks moved up after finishing 3rd in Single A. This is the kind of matchup the league wanted with the new format. It should be pretty even. They will probably throw Andy becuase he always pitches for them, and their other guy will probably be at some cookout in Wexford.
As did this image
So far, Cranberry has played elevn games and lost seven. They lost to the Oilers 5-2, but beat the express 14-1. The Express, of course, beat the Oilers 13-0.
Additionally, Cranberry beat the WOLFPACK! who beat Jefferson Hills who beat the Cherokee.
Last weekend, Cranberry dropped a double header to the Warriors and the Cherokee by scores of 9-0 and 13-1, respectively.
I guess the Warriors are the best team in the league.
South Oakland enters the game having lost three of its last five. Two of those losses were by 2 runs, and the other came in 8 innings. We’re a couple bad bounces away from being 5-1, but we don’t have any control over that. That shit evens out. That’s baseball.
I think while Cranberry doesnt have a name, this Ducks team still doesn’t have an identity, and that’s on the returning players and mostly on the manager to cultivate that. We’re underachieving right now. We have time to turn it around, but it’s got to start soon. We’re due to start putting it together.
![Game Day [10]: Ducks (6-3) vs Bulldogs (3-3)](https://southoaklandducks.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/kellyleak_cig.jpg)
Bad News for Cranberry.
South Oakland lost to the Devils 9-7 last Wednesday to fall to 2-4 on the season.
Brian Strom pitched well in relief, so did Ben Phillips. Limbach had a sweet double. Culp and Tuomisto hit well. Dover was 3-for-3 RBI.
We lost this last one without five regulars, but still made it close, I guess. We had the winning run at the plate when we had a runner picked off first when he got caught between first and second on a past ball.
Not to take anything away from the Chris Wojton-led Devils, but they were 2-7 coming in to the game, and we made it easy on them. It was another frustrating loss.
We have five games in ten days against good teams. It would have been nice to bank a couple early wins. We have to play better. We need to cut out the lazy plays, and do a better job with basic situational stuff. Most of that’s on me.
Good teams find ways to win close games, and we haven’t done that yet. But the losses haven’t been due to a lack of talent, it’s mostly been coaching decisions. I take responsibility for not doing a better job of putting players in position to succeed.
At the 1/4 mark of the season, I’m still trying to see where everyone fits, with the goal of getting the team ready for the playoffs. As we move forward with players in more defined roles we will have more success. I am confident in this team and our ability to make a run in the post-season.
South Oakland plays next against Cranberry at our home away from home, Magee Field in Greenfield, 8PM Monday night.
Quack.
We had our 3 hitter up with one out and the bases loaded, tie game, in the bottom of the seventh and he crushed a one-hopper to the shortstop who made a ridiculous backhand then threw out a runner at home. It’s like if he hit a crappy chopper or something we probably get the run in. That’s baseball, though. Our four hitter then flew out to center.
In the top of the eighth, the Oilers scored four unearned runs.
We had some very hard hit outs. We got solid pitching, but we booted a couple. One of their guys hit a solo home run. I don’t know how we didn’t win this game. It was frustrating.
Former Duck, Anthony Ciccone pitched all 8 innings for the Hebrew Oilers (3-5). He pitched well and deserved the win.
After getting rained-out on what turned out to be a beautiful Sunday evening, South Oakland (2-3) will take on the Devils (2-9), Wednesday, 9PM at Spring Hill.
Quack.
On Tuesday night, South Oakland of the North Side lost to the Shaler Rebels, 11-9, in a game they lead 8-4 after three and a half innings.
A combination of walks, hitbatsmen and errors led to a seven-run fourth inning for Sahler. The Ducks could not recover. South Oakland left the bases loaded twice and had the tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh.
Pat Dipaola hit a 3-run homerun in the loss and pitched 3 scoreless innings. Culp had a great game in center field, making an over the shoulder catch at the wall, and throwing a guy out at home. Donnie hit a ground rule double.
That team could hit a little bit, but we should win games in which we score nine runs. The defense has not helped out our pitching thus far.
On Wednsday, The Ducks beat the Maulers 6-1 in Spring Hill. Andy Nichols and Ben Phillips (2-0) combned to allow 1 run over seven innings. Nichols pitched the last four, and I think he allowed 2 baserunners. Culp hit a three-run home run over the house beyond the left field fence. I’ve never seen a ball hit that far at Spring Hill. We played better defense in this one.
Ducks firstbaseman and DH, Eric Tuomisto went 6-for-6 with a walk over the two game stretch. I don’t think he’s gotten out yet this year. Mike Brandt and Ben Sorosky both have 2-game hitting streaks. TJ Morgan was hit by a pitch.
To summarize: We can hit, but we need to play better defense. Our fifth guy off the bench is probably batting .400 right now. And, I swear, the big roster will payoff when people start going on vacation.
South Oakland (2-2) next plays on Wed. 5/13 at home vs. the resurgent BIG OIL who beat the first place Dirty Birds last week. The Hebrew Oilers (2-3) are led by a couple former Ducks. It should be a fun game.
Note: Jeremy Barchie may have re-retired after blowing his arm out again. We are willing to offer him a one-day contract so he can finish his career as a Duck.
quack.
South Oakland of the North Side defeated the Single A Bombers (2-3) 15-1 in five innings last Wednsday at Magee Field.
Culp went yard. Mike hit two doubles. TJ Morgan hit a triple, Galvanek and Dover both doubled off the wall. We turned two double plays, and Ben Phillips (W, 1-0) and Brian Strom combined to allow 2 hits over five innings.
Ducks Pitcher, Brian Strom hit a batter extending his consecutive outings with a HBP to 65, a national record that spans his eight years in the NABA and includes post season games.
This was basically the opposite of our first game. I’m glad the Bombers at least didn’t have to drive an hour down 51 to lose like that.
After two games, the Ducks (1-1) have played 7 2/3 innings of baseball, scored 17 runs and allowed 18. Tuesday’s game figures to be a pitcher’s duel.
This week, South Oakland opens league play against the Rebels, in the dreaded Tuesday, 6pm time slot at Stoneridge Field in Shaler.
Notes on Springview Field:
Apparently, the Duck Pond was vandalized. The mound and home plate area had to be ruined before the city took any action to make it playable. According to sources close to the team, the field is now in great shape and will be ready for out home opener this Wednsday.
quack.
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 