Sorry for the technical difficulties and not being able to broadcast Game 2 of the series yesterday. But we are in a barn burner of a game 3. Bob Uecker here sports fans. I’m joined again by Jack Buck. Hey Bob, what are the fans fighting about up there in the front row? I can’t make it out Jack. Oh, I hear them now. “Taste Great…Less Filling!…Taste Great….Less Filling!” Oh my, the things sports fans will argue about!
Well, here’s the recap. The Cardinals are trying to close the series out against the T-Cell Pirates but they are down 3-0. Yeah Bob, the Pirates got off to a fast start. A single shot home run in each of the first three innings. But the Cardinals have shut them out since the fourth and this has been a defensive battle. I tell you Jack, I still can’t believe that the Cardinals brought in Dakota Hudson in such a critical moment in the playoffs. He was called up last year but he essentially a rookie. But he has kept the Pirates off their game for 9 straight innings. I wonder why they went with youth? Not only that, the greater shock is that they pulled Yadi and put in another MS State Alumni Ed Easley. The former backup catcher to Yadi. Bob, this is Joe down in the dugout. The same thing as with the pitcher Wall-E the other day. Dakota went the manager and said, “Give me the Ball and Easley…Bulldogs fight together to the end!” The rest is history at this point.
Well here we are again in the bottom of the ninth. Team Andrew is down 3-0. Henry is up tp the plate with runners on the corners and 1 out. The Pirates have the number one closer in the NL this season on the mound but he is looking vulnerable. Strike 1. Boy, that was a rocket! Ball 1 on the outside. Henry is showing great patience. Ball 2 again on the outside of the plate. Boy, could you imagine this crown if he gets a walk and Big Andrew comes up with the bases loaded? Here comes the pitch, CRACK! There it goes Bob. Henry has crushed it to left field….it’s out of here to tie the ball game. A 3 run shot to tie it up in the bottom of the 9th.
Andrew! Andrew! Andrew! This crowd is going wild here at Bush Stadium. A perfect night for baseball. That’s right Bob. Almost as good as a Friday night in Madden, MS. Who is that. Oh, it’s Melvin Wooten and Gilbert Barham from Leake Academy. Great to have you guys. We wouldn’t miss it. Leake Academy Rebels have been following Big Andrew since he was in K4!
He’s at the plate, Strike 1. Did you see that Melvin? That was a slow swing by Andrew. He might not have any juice left him. Ball 1. Ball 2. You know Jack, he still has that good eye. No pitcher in the league is going to get him with a close pitch. The Pirates are going to have come after him with a fastball. Ball 3. What will they do Bob? I don’t know Jack. This is Gilbert again. What we need right here for them to do is throw a heater and Big Andrew to put it over center field. Here’s the pitch….they Hit him again. Andrew is down. Did you see that Melvin? Did you see that Bob? Yes, Gilbert. I saw it. The benches are clearing again. The managers are holding them back. Andrew has made his way to first. I can’t believe they have hit him again with a pitch. The T-Cells just wont stop coming after him.
Next batter. Here comes the pitch…a hit…caught by the center fielder for out number 2. Now what Bob? Are we looking at extra innings? Jack, it ain’t over till 3 outs. The pitcher is set, Andrew goes for the steal….PICKLE…PICKLE…Big Andrew is in a pickle. He’s fighting. Back and forth. Heading to second and there’s the throw…back to first…Oh No! Andrew comes up lame. Now the second baseman tosses it to first for the out. Wait! Wait. Did you see that Melvin? Andrew played possum. He’s sprinting to second. The first baseman dropped the ball and Andrew is SAFE at second. Pure Sandlot ball, Jack. Wow! Andrew is in scoring position. Don’t ever trust a Sandlot player. Yes, it’s all about the game for Andrew. Next batter up, it’s a single up the middle and Andrew is on third.
Here we are Sports Fans in the bottom the ninth with two outs. Andrew is on third with the game on the line. Big lead by Andrew. The pitcher tries to pick him off. Dangerous move by both players. Big Andrew just pointed at him. Couldn’t make out what Andrew said but it clearly got under the pitchers skin. Bad blood after getting hit twice by the Pirate pitchers. Well, Bad blood or not he has no business with that big of a lead. The pitcher is set. He shakes off the pitch. He’s distracted again by Andrew. He keeps inching further down the line. He’s daring him to try and pick him off. You can cut the tension with a knife. Here’s the pitch….He’s going home…Andrew is going home…its a squeeze play at the plate. A massive collision on the tag. The ball was there on time. Waiting on the call. Waiting. The Umpire is looking. He’s SAFE. The ball is on the ground. The catcher had him tagged but couldn’t hold the Ball. Big Andrew brought the Hammer on the slide and “That’s a Winner!” The Cardinals Win! The Cardinals Win! On to the NL Championship Series. Wow! Wow! He stole Home! Big Andrew stole home like a little league Allstar!
Did you see that Melvin? Yes I did Gilbert!
And that folks is how Big Andrew gets Extubated and off of a breathing machine! He’s breathing on his own. Gearing up to leave the ICU tomorrow, Lord willing. His first words, “Where’s Ms. Elaine?” His first question, “where are my boxing gloves?” His first request, “get my cardinals hat.”
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