The debate has gone on for decades…some players treat a playoff game like it’s just a regular season game (see Tom Brady’s nap before SuperBowl XXXVI), other folks say the playoffs are a different animal altogether (see Michael Phelps’ Face in Rio). Somerville Alibrandis seems to have hit that extra playoff gear that they have been known to show in August almost every year. On the strength of 8 extra base hits, including 6 doubles and homers by 2015 YBL Playoff MVP Billy Karalis and Will Brennan (both pictured above), the Red Army took a 2-0 series lead. Every Alibrandi starter recorded a hit including multi-hit games from Mike Maguire, Ted Dziuba, Bobby Barrett, Karalis, Brennan, Jimmy Ricoy and Mark Addesa.
The aging Alibrandis pitching staff can’t completely shut down an Al Thomas offense that scored the most regular season runs of any team in YBL History, but the Red offense is certainly taking the pressure off so far this series. ATBC had multi-hit games from Freddi Carrera, Tom Trull and Mike Hicks as their offense is never out of any game.
Alibrandis takes its 2-0 series lead to St. Peter’s Field in Cambridge for Game 3 on Friday night at 7:30pm. The bandbox of a field should allow these offenses to trade punches once again as no lead is safe. Each pitching staff will be challenged to hit every spot all night long to stay away from big innings.
If there is one team that can swing big and get back in the series, the 2016 Athletics is that team. Can they get swinging while cooling down the Somerville bats? Can Bernie put together a solid line-up without Littman and Ricoy in Cambridge? Will Chris Costa, Jon Morse and Lamarre Rey ever see the mound? Stay tuned tomorrow…
Tonight we pause Yawkey action to honor our commitment to YBL HOFer Steve Buckley in support of his Old Time Baseball Game. This year’s game will feature several Yawkey baseballers and will raise funds for Boston vs Bullies (http://www.bostonvsbullies.org/) to help keep bullying out of our schools. I hope to see as many YBL guys there as is possible. St. Peter’s Field in Cambridge, 7pm start.