Game Date:        6/3/04 restart of 5/25/04
Leagues:          Senior-Minor
Cardinals 7    Red Sox 3
 
Cardinal Pitchers:  Willinger (2) 3, Menser 1
Red Sox Pitchers:   Rowe (2) 2, Peterson 1, Price 1

Description:

This game was rematch of two of the best teams in the division.  The game which began, amid gathering thunderstorms, on May 25th was completed on June 3rd, with the Cardinals turning the tables on the Red Sox who, in the earlier game, had defeated the Cardinals in extra-innings.

The pitching in this game was outstanding.  Both starters, Andrew Willinger (Cardinals) and Matt Rowe (Red Sox) weathered the 9 day rain delay and retook the mound for their respective teams when the game was resumed.  Willinger, whose 5 no-hit, shutout innings included 13 strike outs, recorded his 6th win of the season.  Rowe was excellent in his four innings, striking out 8 Cardinals.  He was followed to the mound by Ben Peterson who pitched a perfect inning, striking out 2.

With the excellent pitching, runs were very hard to come by.  The Cardinals plated a run in the 1st on an RBI ground out by Michael Reaves which scored Michael Taylor.  Taylor, who was 3 for 3 in the game, scored one of two runs in the 3rd when the Cardinals parlayed Taylor’s hit along with a hit by Nathan Frantz into two runs with alert base running.  In the 6th, the Cardinals completed their 9 hit night with consecutive hits by Taylor, Evan Pearce, Willinger, and Reaves.  All four scored in the inning.

Perhaps overlooked by many was the performance of Keith Menser.  Even though Menser had not pitched for the Cardinals in a month, he was asked to come in and close this very important game.  Although he struggled a little with his control, Menser got it together to strike out 2 Red Sox batters.  He then ended the game by fielding a ground ball and making a good throw to first.