Anyone who watched all of the NY Yankees Chicago Cubs game from Wrigley Field last night will need an extra cup of coffee this morning, because the game didn't end until this morning. It means you took in all six hours and five minutes and each of the 18 innings that resulted, finally, in a 5-4 Yankees victory when Starlin Castro's RBI ground-out scored Aaron Hicks with the winning run.
Chasen Shreve pitched the last of his three scoreless innings in the bottom of the 18th on a cold night in Chicago that added insult to injury for the Cubs fans who braved the six hour chill at the Friendly Confines only to see their Cubs lose and the Yankees complete a three game sweep that really could be considered a four game sweep since 18 innings means you essentially played two, as the immortal Cub Ernie Banks liked to say. Those who did stay sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" for a second time when the game went into the bottom of the 14th inning, the second 7th inning stretch of the contest.
The Yankees looked like they were going to win the game a lot sooner when they took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th and with former Cubs close Aroldis Chapman on the mound, the same closer who helped the Cubs win their first world series in 108 years last fall. But the Cubs rallied and tied the game when Chapman hit Anthony Rizzo on the arm with the bases loaded. Then it was a whole lot of zeroes before Castro's winning ground out RBI in the 18th. The two teams set records for longest ever interleague game and most combined strike-outs, 48 of them in total. The Yankees are now 20-9 on the season and may be yawning a bit when they take batting practice in Cincinnati tonight before taking on the Reds.
The Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 17-6 at Target Field in Minneapolis yesterday, but I'm not kidding when I say this was, for the most part, a really close game. The Red Sox were clinging to a 7-6 lead over the Twins in the bottom of the 8th with one out and a man on third representing the tying run for Minnesota when closer Craig Kimbrel was brought in with the intention of getting a 5-out save, something he'd never done in his career. He still hasn't, but not because he blew the save. Kimbrel got a huge strikeout on a borderline call against Joe Mauer, and then struck out Max Kepler swinging to end the threat and preserve the one run lead. Kimbrel would have come out to pitch the ninth but there was no need since the Red Sox exploded for 10 runs in the top of the ninth to produce the illusory lopsided final. It was a home run derby for the Sox offense, which is finally showing signs of breaking out of its early season funk. Sandy Leon went deep twice, his first homer breaking a 4-4 tie in the seventh. Dustin Pedroia, Andrew Benintendi, and Mookie Betts also went yard, and for once this season they picked up starter Chris Sale, who actually needed the help when he blew a 4-0 lead, allowing four runs in the bottom of the 5th. He did strike out 10, however, and he's set down at least ten batters for the sixth time in a row this season as he improves to 3-2 on the year.
Adam Wilk started for the NY Mets against the Miami Marlins yesterday, and if you're wondering who Adam Wilk is, so is Matt Harvey, who was supposed to start for the Mets but instead found out he'd been suspended by the team and scratched from his start when he got to the ball park. Harvey will miss three games for the Mets for violating team rules, but the violation was undisclosed by the Mets, so there are only rumors as to what Harvey did wrong. None of this is good news for a struggling Mets team that lost 7-0 with Wilk on the mound. Giancarlo Stanton took the rookie deep twice in the Marlin's rout.
The Toronto Blue Jays eked out a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays when Darwin Barney hit a tie breaking homer in the 8th.
The Boston Celtics are in a dog fight now and its been the Washington Wizards getting a better grip on the bone over the past couple of games, including last night's 121-102 blow out that ties the series at two games apiece. The Wizards put this one away when they went on a 26-0 run in the 3rd quarter. Game five is back in Boston and so far this has been a home team series, a critical game the Celtics, especially since the Wizards haven't lost at home since the playoffs began.
Elsewhere, James Harden scored 28 points and the Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 125-104 to even that series at two games apiece, and if you blinked you missed the Cleveland Cavaliers Toronto Raptors series, which is over now after a four-game sweep by Lebron James and the Cavs, who knocked out Toronto with a 109-102 win yesterday.
NHL playoffs, and the St. Louis Blues are out, beaten in six games by the Nashville Predators after a 3-1 win yesterday. Ryan Johansen go the game winner for the Preds, who have reached the conference finals for the first time in their history. The Blues have been in the NHL since 1967 and have still never won a Stanley Cup. And the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks are going to a seventh and deciding game after the Oilers routed the Ducks 7-1 yesterday.
Vermont native Amanda Pelkey has earned a spot on the United States women's national hockey team. The former UVM star was named to the squad on Friday, and will compete in in the Olympics next year.
Later this morning the Castleton Spartans baseball team will play for the North Atlantic Conference Championship against New England College. The Spartans beat the Husson Eagles 4-3 yesterday to reach the title game, but will need to take two from the Pilgrims to be crowned the champs, while New England College can claim the title with just one win against Castelton. Scott Michaels preserved the win for the Spartans yesterday, retiring the Eagles after coming into the game with one on and no outs.
