Wolfe was masterful in pitching around three Black errors and never faced more than five batters in an inning. "Once we got the early lead, the game plan was to stay out of the big inning," Wolfe said. He struck out seven and walked only two in his complete-game gem.
Brad Franklin was the hard-luck loser for Cardinal. He allowed only three earned runs, including a tack-on home run provided by Black center fielder Zach Whicker in the top of the seventh. Franklin surrendered four runs on only two hits, one walk and three errors in the top of the second.Whicker led off the second
with a single, which was followed by one of Ryan Mercer's three walks. After a successful sacrifice by John McConagha, both runners scored when Anthony Ramakis' hot shot to short found its way through a drawn-in infield despite contacting leather on at least one Cardinal defender. Chris Smith singled to left, but the ball was bobbled in the outfield and Ramakis and Smith moved up to third and second, respectively. Wolfe's groundball to Pelletier at second plated Ramakis. Smith scored on yet another defensive misplay on Gabe Staub's groundball. When the dust settled, Wolfe found a four-run lead that he would not relinquish. After McConagha made the score 5-0 with an RBI single in the third, Cardinal finally answered with run-scoring singles from Pat Murphy, scoring Pelletier who had doubled in the fourth, and Matt Webb, who drove in Franklin after he doubled in the sixth. But the day belonged to Wolfe and his three through six hitters, who were a combined 6 for 8 on the day with 6 walks. Hot hitting Nick Black added two singles to his three hits in game one in a strong early bid for MVP honors while Whicker, Mercer, and McConagha were retired only twice on the day, both times on sacrifice bunts. "I think my boys took Pelletier's comments to heart," Wolfe sobbed at the postgame press conference. "It's great to know I've got that kind of support from my ballclub." Game 3 is slated for 12:45 on Sunday at Team Black. Pelletier is expected to start on the mound with his team's back to the wall. Offensive stalwart Mercer, who has been retired only once in the series gets the nod for Team Black.Both teams are expected to be bolstered by roster additions from the training staff as Andrew Duffy for Black and Jeff Carmichael for Cardinal return to their clubs.
Pelletier seemed a bit distracted by the impending fine for his outburst on the officiating in game one. He asked Commissioner Gene Baker, "Are we playing the re-entry rule?" even though he had only nine players in his dugout. The fine still looms ominously overhead.- G. Baker
