Game Summary for Padres VS Angels
Sunday June 29th. 2008 at Napa Valley College
 In
the 10th game of the season, the Pads faced the upstart Angels,
new to the league, but holding their own with a 5-5
record up to this point. After completely shellacking
the 35+ Braves in their previous game, the Padres were coming
into the game feeling confident, no doubt. Starting for the Pads
was Jack Marion, who came into the game
with an 0-3 record. However, he had been pitching well over his
previous 3 starts if you ignore a forgettable 8th inning against
the Phils, giving up only 4 earned over 19.1 innings pitched.
For the Angels, it was the crafty off speed specialist Mario Formosa,
bringing a 2-2 record into his start.
From the start, the Pads took control, shutting
down the Angels over the first 5, only allowing 1 on an isolated
triple, while scoring 3 on key two out base hits by Walls,
Norman and Wags.
Meanwhile, Marion was rolling along having
given up only 2 hits, 1 walk and striking out three. However, in
the top of the fifth after giving up a hit and a walk, and not wanting
a repeat of what happened in the Phillies game, Marion
pulled himself, which brought the newly acquired lefty, Jon
"Brooklyn" Vanaxen into the game. Unfortunately, Vanaxen,
after being out of baseball for the past 3+ years, had some trouble
finding the strike zone. After walking the only four hitters he
faced, Friars manager brought in Jason "Wild
Thing" Gilbert, who after walking a couple more settled
down to get the final two outs of the inning. However, the damage
had been done, as the Angels scored five on seven walks, one single
and a sac fly and led 6-3. It had been one of those "meltdown"
innings and although the Pad's have greatly reduced their frequency
and number this year, they still seem to haunt them from time to
time.
 After
both teams went scoreless over the next inning, the Pads started
to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the seventh scoring two
on a lead off triple by JMash, a walk
by Bruno and back to back RBI singles by
Walls and Giugni,
making the score 6-5. Again, both teams went scoreless in the eighth,
and going into the ninth, Jason Masciorini
came in fresh off his Italian
barnstorming tour, to keep the game close, so the Pads could
win it in the bottom of the ninth. After a shaky start to the inning,
loading the bases on 2 walks and a HBP, JMash
settled down nicely only giving up one on a sac fly, making a nice
spear of a hard hit ground ball up the middle destined for center
field, for the third out. So, the Pads had their work cut out for
them, down two runs going into the bottom of the ninth. Leading
off the inning was Justin "JustMash"
Masciorini, who promptly lined a single into center. After moving
to second on Wags ground out to first, JustMash
stole third and scored on a wild pitch making the score 7-6 Angels.
JMash, who has begun to make the clutch
hit a reoccurring theme for the Pads, continued to do so, with a
single to left. After Mash stole second,
Louis Bruno tied up the game with a shot
over the right fielder's head for a sure triple, if it had not skipped
under the fence for a ground rule double. This brought up Jesse
"JDogg" Walls with the winning run at second and one
out. However, the Angels had other plans, preferring to intentionally
walk Walls, to set up the force, and then
bringing the outfielders in to have a chance to nail Bruno
at the plate on any one base hits. This brought Giugni
to the plate with the chance to be the hero. After taking the first
pitch for a strike, Giugni lined what would
be a clean single on any other day to center. However, with the
outfielders playing in, the centerfielder, was able to run in, make
a clean shoestring catch and double off Bruno
at second to end the inning.
With the game having already taken more than
the full three hours allotted, the home plate umpire ruled that
it was over and had ended in a tie, 7-7.
This weeks, TWIPB note (as provided by roaming
reporter Dave Giugni):
This week's note focuses on the pitchers again
and covers the hit batsmen. So here are the all-time top 4 Padre
leaders....at #4 is Jason Gilbert with 13, at #3 is K2 with 14,
at #2 is Mike "that's 4 blue" Baldwin with 17 and the
grand champion...the Bulldog with 20. Of course those of us who
have been Padres for three years know Mike B. should have one more.
Thanks to him ignoring the Mash middle finger when it came to making
Hal pay the price for Ernie Aubin's base stealing back in 06, but
I guess
stats aren't important to him. Hal let's just say you got lucky
that it wasn't K2 or Gilbert on the mound because you would have
been "rubbing it."
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