Playoff Game C9 - Canada at New Zealand
12:58 pm and the blue have joined the teams on the field.
Sean Whitten will start for Canada
Marty Grant will start for New Zealand
Team Canada on the 1b side - Black Sox on the 3b side
Umpire Schedule for this game
- the schedule for the 2nd game will be announced after the outcome of this game. There are alternates already picked, it depends on who is in the gold medal game
Haka next - its 1:05pm
One of the Best ever! Almost with the same intensity as the in your face (here is one for Paul Algar) when the Black Sox played the USA.
- Canada did one better by coming right back with a rousing edition of Oh Canada, arm in arm that moved the crowd - major foot stomping on our leaky steel roof - the stands are metal above us.
- I did get the full thing on video but will have to wait til Monday night to upload it to facebook.
1:11pm start
Short visit from Lou Davis, blue from Nova Scotia, loaning me the umbrella from our friend the blue from Japan, he may need it on the field but I have it now.
Bob Henning went on an umbrella hunt for the umbrella, thanks Bobby!
T1
77, Ryan Wolfe, strikes out
51, Keith MacKintosh, caught at 3b
14, Ian Fehrman, a solo Home Run that brings the crowd to a roar. 1-0 Canada
20, Colin Abbott, fly to deep cf and out.
1-0 Canada lead
1:22pm
I just noticed the TV cameras, real ones, from here can see one on Team Canada dugout and two on the two cherry pickers in the outfield. I am sure there are others but cannot tell from my best seat in the house under the stands behind home plate. Best seat in the house and lovin it.
for the first time this week I can barely see my screen, there is a glare that we did not have during he sunny days.
B1
Whitten throwing to OB
21, Thomas Makea, fly out to cf, to a rousing cheer
12, Nathan Nukunuku, rips one hard down the 1b side, on the line, to screams of foul ball but there is a sea of blue out there so he is safe. OB asks the blue. Here comes Mark to ask why no blue saw what the crowd say. oh well, home town crowd. blue says it was fair
11, Jarrod Martin, rips one down the gap and scores Nukes, safe on 1b
15, Brad Rona, - high fly to deep rf and out
- Ethier is warming up
- blue meeting at 1b, some discusson of interference? Mark Smith is out, what is going on? have to watch it next week on TV
Rona, - Martin steals 2nd. Tosh had him but came down too late with the tag, Jarrod was in under him when the tag came down - meeting at 2b
- Eddie out for a change for the BS, Cook running at 2b
- Martin may have hurt someting
Rona, bounces a single and scores a run
Todd Martin warming up
22, Donny Hale, and here comes Todd Martin,
this pitching change brought to you by Mark Smith
1:37pm
- I am typing blind half the time due to the glare so apologies for the even worse spelling today
22, Hale, fly out but moves the runner - 2 out
14, Travis Wilson, goes down swinging to a rousing cheer
- one very noisy super fan up to my right drowing out all the Black Sox fan club
2-1 lead for NZ
1:44pm
and yes, I am wearing ALL RED and yes I did pick the Black Sox to win this one but I really want Canada to win. so pardon my cheering
(all red under my black ballparkradio rain shell, for now)
T2
Donny Hale is now playing 1b for BS
33, Mulalley, pop up and out
9, Dereck Mayson, grounder, out at first
22, Jody Eidt, 2 out, no one on, - blue runs out to look at the ball, seems ok, lets move on - goes down swinging
2-1 lead for NZ
why is there a TV camera on me?
1:54pm
B2
Shannon hit by pitch
Casley pop oout
Milne, fly out lf
Shannon stole second, overthrow, went to third
Makea goes down swinging and the crowd goes wild.
2pm
T3
12, c, Sean O'Brien, single, left side, Giesbrecht will run
19, lf, Jeff Elsworth, a beautiful bunt and the speedster is on 1b and the runer is on 2b and the crowd roars
77, Wolfe, the lead off hitter, with no one out - light pop into Marty's hands, he was charging in, nice one Marty, runners hold on 1 and 2
51, Keith MacKintosh, bunt single but runnr out at 3b; 2 out
14, ss, Ian Fearhman, rips a grounder down the middle to score one. runners on 1 and 2
20, Colin Abbott, - pitching conference, out comes the blue with his stop watch. Abby, grounds to the pitcher and out at 1b
one run on 3 hits, 2 lob, no errors
2-2 tie
2:12pm
A sea of mud out behind the stadium skip between the puddles on the run to the restroom
B3
12, Nathan Nukunuku, grounds to ss, out at 1b
11, Jarrod Martin, grounder, out at 1b
15, Brad Rona, 2 out, a nicely placed shot just over the head of p and 2b for a double, although Brad was not in high gear until he rounded 1b headed for 2b
Hale hits it right to Martin for the 3rd out.
one lob
2-2 tie
2:20pm
Hello my friend! God I wish I was there!! Hope you're enjoying the action and thanks for keeping all of us at home updated on the most anticipated game in the last 5 yrs!! Say hi to everyone for me! Brian Baillie
The place is bugged, just noticed the mike about 3' from my head from Rogers Sportsnet. Must watch my language.
T4
33, Steve Mulalley, pops high to behind 2b out by the cf
9, Mayson, grounds to p and out at 1b
22, Jody Eidt, grounds to 3b out at 1b, Jody not able to run at full speed yet, but he was out by a long shot in any case.
quick inning, too quick
Dean Holoien warming up
2:27pm
2-2 tie
B4
14, Travis Wilson, out! Martin is pumped!
1, Shannon (who happens to be Marty's catcher in his club team, The Kitchener Rivershark Twins) - ohhh Marty did not like that call - the look - more discussion on the strike zone with the blue - Shannon rams one out to lf to reach 2b.
Casley, goes down, but it was a foul ball, runner on 3b, some think he should be sent back to 2b, out comes Mark Smith, no luck Shannon sticks to 3b - nice stop by OB, almost had a passed ball, but he got it. Casley, Walks
17, Daniel Milne, short conference on the mound with Martin, - NICELY DONE! Eidt to Mayson to OB, nice out. 1b sould be out too but seems they think he was safe, Martin had some words with the blue on the strike zone too.
runners on 1 and 3
21, Makea, 2 out - - LEAD OFF, he is out! at 1b that is 3. Eddie is out to see the blue but 3 is 3
2-2
2:40pm
Battle of the "Martys" today, Marty Grant vs Todd "Marty" Martin
T5
12, OB out
19, Jeff Ellsworth, Walks and the crowd loves it
77, Ryan Wolfe, (Nice to see the whole Wolfe clan here this week) - wow, grounder to third, missed, runners keep going, ball thrown away, runners safe on 2 and 3 - one out
someone warming up for BS down the 3b side, cannot see who it is
pitching conference, thats over
51, Keith MacKintosh, caught looking - out
pitching conference - Fehrman coming up. a long one, here comes the blue with his hook - going to walk him?
14, Ian Fehrman, - no intentional walk - absolutely rips one down 1b side, scores two. single
20, Colin Abbott, pops to 2b for the out
4-2 lead for Canada
2:58pm
b5
Nukes home run off the score board
Jarrod Martin, home run, left cf bleachers
Rona walked
- damn half the Black Sox team were lined up in the men's room
Dean Holoien coming in to pitch
4-4 tie
3:05pm
Holien taking his warm up pitches
22, Donny Hale with a runner on 1b and a monster shot to deep cf, and the Black Sox are all out to meet the boys coming home
6-4 for NZ now
Not a nice welcome for Deano
14, Travis Wilson, rips one up the middle
pitching change, in comes Ethier
and Roman Gabriel is running for Wilson
3:10pm
1, Pat Shannon, sails one over 2b and scores Gabriel, a single
10, Casley with one on and one out, - called 3rd strike and Casley gives the blue the look
17, Daniel Milne, - steals second and the ball goes out to cf but the runner is down so that's all he gets, for now. - Milne - smacks one up against the cf fence and the bs have to get off the bench again to wecome home another runner - now its 8-4
21, Makea, with 2 out and a runner on 2b, skys one, ss has it. that inning is finally over
six runs on six hits, no errors, one lob
8-4 lead for New Zealand over Canada
3:19pm
note: I know there is a lot of email coming in but due to the glare I am sticking pretty much to keeping the game coverage going and may not see them until much later
apologies for the typos, I am literally typing blind due to the glare, first time this week and its overcast - temparatures are very comfortable and no rain at the moment
when I got here at high noon, it was raining more here in the media box than it was outside, it was drainage from the stands seeping in, we used up a giant roll of paper towels to get the tables dry enough for the lap tops
media centre is full today
T6
33, Mulalley, caught looking
9, Mayson, walks
22, Jody Eidt, smashes one to cf and scores Mayson, Jody is on 2b
12, c, Sean O'Brien (OB) - out
19, Jeff Ellsworth, - no time called andJody runs to 3b in spite of protests from the Black Sox - Elsy haveing a polite converstation with the blue about the strike zone. - walks - 2 out and runners on the corners
77, Ryan Wolfe, - and yet another pitching conference - high one, caught at cf fence
one run, two lob
8-5 lead for New Zealand over Canada
3:38pm
I have found out that in addition to the big TV camera at 1b and the two in the outfield, there is on on the 3b dugout and one in the scorers booth.
Should be a good game to view next week on Rogers Sportsnet.
B6
12, Nathan Nukunuku, strikes out
11, Jarrad Martin, deep to cf and out
15, Brad Rona, and we have our first DIP of the day, walk. (Dreaded Illegal Pitch)
22, Hake and Rona is nailed at 2b trying to steal, much to the delight of the pro Canadian crowd.
8-5 lead for New Zealand over Canada
3:45pm
T7
51, Keith MacKintosh, pops out to lf
14, Ian Fehrman, single up the middle
20, Colin Abbott, high fly to the fence right side and nice catch out
33, Mullaley, with two out - pops to right side and this time its missed - 2-2 - mile high and Rona has it to end the ball game.
FINAL: 3:53pm
New Zealand: 8
Canada: 5
New Zealand will Play Australia for the Championship
my prediction was right but wish I had been wrong - I call for Australia to win the big one
