Sox Sweep Season Series from Phillies

The CV Red Sox won their 5th straight game Sunday, doubling up the Phillies 20-10 in toasty Highspire. David Strock and Tim Wendel (2 SB) led the way for the defending champs with 3 hits and 4 RBI each. Wendel also joined Curt LaCoe by hitting long home runs into the tree in deep left field. Kirk Strous drove in 3 runs on 3 hits and stole his third base of the season. Mike Craig gutted out 7 innings with a tired arm, taking the mound for the third time in 8 days. The Sox have scored 59 runs in their last three games.

The Red Sox will begin to wind down the regular season with a double header at Fisher Park next Sunday against the Dodgers and Astros.

Sox down Mets on rare Wednesday night battle

Keith Humes paced the Sox with 4 hits and 5 RBI as the Red Sox pulled away from the CV Mets late in their Wednesday night rain make-up game. The defending champs plated 6 runs in the 8th to ten run the Mets 18-8. Lance Strous added three hits and joined Gary Dubas and Gregg Williams with 2 RBI a piece. David Strock scored three runs and brought his team leading stolen base total to 6 with 2 swipes. Mike Craig and Humes combined to tame the Mets potent attack, allowing just 8 runs in 8 innings.

Phillies Suffer from High Humesmidity and Heat Strock

The defending champion Red Sox continued their recent winnings ways Sunday with a 21-3 victory over the visiting Phillies. The Sox were led by the sizzling bats of Keith Humes (3 hits, 2 runs, 5 RBI) and David Strock (3 hits, 4 runs, 4 RBI). In total, the Sox tallied 18 hits and 9 walks. The Gentleman Gary Dubas added three hits and Matt Right Guard LaBuda's batting average is barreling toward .400 after his two hits. Michael Craig, Humes and LaBuda combined to hold the division's most prolific offense to 3 runs.

Team Notes:

• Bill Miller stroked two doubles Sunday which again gives him the highest total on the team (6).
• Lance Strous still leads the team in just about every other offensive category.
• Contents of Curt LaCoe's baseball bag: batting gloves, first baseman's mitt, stickum, a phone with a missed call from Dick March, Fig Newtons, autographed picture of Wayne Newton, and an AARP card. (Correction: a phone with two missed calls from Dick March)
• Humes relinquished the team lead in fans when 26 Scrantonians poured out of Lauren Craig's minivan to cheer for Mike. "We were so happy to hear Mike was getting the start on the same day we were in town. What a lucky break," said some Craig relative.
• This author promises to lose the puns in next game's headline.

Humesmongous victory for the Sox

Keith Humes returned to the Sox lineup in style Sunday blasting two long home runs in the defending champs 10-1 victory over the Cardinals. Humes launched his homers as he led off the second and ninth innings. Matt LaBuda and Mike Craig starred as well both at the plate and on the mound. The two combined to scatter 7 hits and allow one lone run. LaBuda had three hits including two doubles and Craig continued his assault on .300 with two more hits.

Team notes:

• Lance Strous leads the team in hits (14), RBI (13), batting average (.538), OB% (.647), Slugging%(.846), OPS (1.493) and walks (8).
• The Gentleman Gary Dubas is quietly having a tremendous season at the plate hitting .367 and driving in 9 runs (2nd on the team).
• Craig leads the team in doubles with 5 and innings pitched.
• Humes lead the team in HR with 3.

Comebacks, comebacks, comebacks...

The Cumberland Valley Red Sox must have learned their lesson last week, or at least learned how to come back. Seven days after blowing an 8-0 lead in losing to the Astros 11-8, the Sox overcame a 6 run deficit and a 5 run deficit to shock the Cubs 12-11. Mike Craig sparked the first come back with two doubles and an RBI. Matt LaBuda had two hits (including a HR to left center field) and scored three runs. Trailing 11-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Lance Strous and David Strock led off the inning with singles. Then with one out, Bill Miller doubled to drive in Strous, and LaBuda walked to load the bases. Kirk Strous then singled to drive in Strock and a sliding Miller. Craig then reached after being hit in the thigh with a fastball to reload the bases. Gary Dubas followed with a walk to bring the Sox within one run. John Lindholm drove in the tying and winning runs with an excuse-me-cue-shot over the drawn in Cubbies infield.

The win brings the Red Sox record to 4-4-1. They will travel to the heart of Mechanicsburg Sunday for a high noon date with the Cardinals.

Sox Fall to .500 with Third Straight Loss

The Angels defeated their league rival and defending champion Red Sox for the second time in three weeks. The 6-1 final score was a bit misleading as the Angels pulled away with 4 late runs. Justin Stewart was at it again, limiting the Sox to 4 hits, striking out 12. John Lindholm led the Sox hitters with two hits and the lone RBI, which came on a double that drove in skipper David Strock.

The Red Sox have 9 games remaining to improve upon their 3-3-1 record. They are hoping for a rematch with the Angels come September. The Sox will start their playoff push by hosting the Astros on July 12th.

Game Notes:

• Gregg Williams caught for the traveling Lance Strous. Gregg prepared for his rare catching appearance by squatting for thirty minute time segments while watching TV. He also watched TV Sunday night the same way because he was unable to get out of the catcher's crouch.
• Nick Wilson recorded his first hit as a Red Sock.
• Mike Craig recorded his 12th hit as a Red Sock.

Sox Continue June Swoon

The defending champs failed to win their third straight game, falling to the rival Yankees 6-3. Casey Kazakavich led the pinstripers scoring three runs, one on a solo blast in the first inning. The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead in the top of the second on consecutive RBI by Matt LaBuda, Kirk Strous, and Joe Rogers. But that was all the scoring for the Sox, with the Yankees plating the final five runs. The Red Sox are out of the frying pan and into the fire next week facing Justin Stewart and the Lawnton Angels.

Click the link for the stats. It ain't pretty, but you should be able to access total stats and individual games.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rwIomuQIONHTx-MIILqnhng

It's a Wonderful Life for Stewart; Angels win 4-0.

Well, certainly a wonderful day. Angels' ace Justin Stewart went the distance Sunday shutting out the defending champs striking out 14. The victors turned 7 timely hits into four runs and also flashed the leather at key moments to quell any hopes the homestanding Sox had of starting a rally. The teams will meet again on June 28th in Lawnton.

Game Note:

• Mike Craig became the first starting pitcher in CV Red Sox history to pitch in relief in the same game by pitching the first inning, then spelling MattLaBuda in the 6th. Thankfully, this is also the first instance of a Red Sox player relieving himself on the field.
  

Game 5

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Sox-DBacks

Here's all I have on this one...

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=56717282

No Dodging the Sox

The defending champs did it again Sunday, burying the visiting Dodgers beneath nine early runs and coasting to a 15-2 victory in 7 innings. Lance Strous led the Sox with 6 RBI and was joined by Boomin' Keith Humes in the HR column. Mike Craig picked up the complete game victory notching 9 strikeouts. Gary Dubas remained en fuego with two more hits and another ribbie.

Other game notes:

• John Lindholm came out of hibernation to record three hits, score three runs, and drive in two. But his most impressive number was 91, the number of chewy sprees he ate during the game after having sworn off sugar Saturday afternoon.
• Craig's 9 strike outs was his most since 1998 when he struck out his brother Pat 21 times in the wiffle ball game at the family picnic. Mike still brags about this despite that fact that Pat had the bat in his left hand and a whiskey sour in his right.
• Bill Miller stroked his second and third doubles of the season. That's one short of his total from last season, a three short of his total from happy hour last Friday.
• Timmae! Wendell raised his OPS to an astronomical 2.067 with another walk and double.
• Joe Rogers walked twice and swung the bat once on his way to raising is OBP to .600.
• Skipper David Strock (2-3, 3 rbi) was overheard telling Jerry McKeon (2 R, 1 SB) that he could "drive him in better than Lance can." McKeon had no immediate reaction to this, but did take his son and leave the game early.
• Matt LaBuda led the team with three day dreams and nine blank stares.
• Kirk Strous reached a milestone in his illustrious Red Sox career uttering his 100th "you've got to be kidding me" to a home plate umpire.
  

Click below to view season stats through Sunday's victory
http://www.scribd.com/full/15983042?access_key=key-dqjl2cw9rikc223sh0e

Sox rock the Orioles

After trailing the Orioles 2-0 early, the home standing Red Sox rallied for 16 unanswered runs, highlighted by an 8-run 5th inning. Mike Craig pitched six strong innings and drove in two runs. Gary Dubas led the Sox attack with 2 hits and 4 RBI. Bill Miller strengthened his comeback-player-of-the-year bid with two more hits and two RBI. Matt LaBuda picked up where he left off last season with two hits, including a ringing double in the second frame.

Other Game Notes:

• Lance Strous was criticized by team skipper David Strock for "swinging half-assed."
• Jerry McKeon guaranteed a bunt for a hit in the 4th inning. It was really quite a prediction considering he was called safe even though he was out by at least half a step.
• Off season optometrist visits continued to pay off for Kirk Strous and Joe Rogers. The pair have tallied a total of 6 free passes on the season.
• John Lindholm played CF next to Keith Humes in RF.
• Keith Humes played RF next to John Lindholm in CF.
  

Welcome to the new Cumberland Valley Red Sox Blogspace

Welcome to the new home of the CV Red Sox on the web. I will definitely post our stats here on a weekly basis, and as I get better with this, add more things.