2021 Giants Sweep Cubs in Championship Series, Claim 45+ Trophy in Capital District (NY) MSBL
Capital District MSBL, 45+ Division
Giants 12, Cubs 0 (Game two in best of three series sweep)
‘Moore Shuts Out Cubs in Big Game’
Submitted by Joe DeMarco, Giants manager
The Giants swept the Cubs this past Saturday to take home their second title in the last three years. In 2019 the Giants swept the Bombers, in 2020 the Giants did not play due to COVID, the 2021 Giants went 19 – 4 with a run differential of over 150 runs in the regular season and post-season. Dominant pitching, great defense, excellent hitting, and the most athletic team in the league was a formula for success.
Saturday started with Mick Novak on the hill for the Giants. Novak set the tone striking out the first two batters he faced en route to a 1-2-3 first inning. The Giants got on the board early when Joe DeMarco singled, stole second base, and was driven in by a two-out Doug Reisinger single to take the lead. Novak cruised until a rocky fourth inning when the Cubs put four runs on the board and the Giants were down 4 to 1.
Cubs starter Darrell Duncan appeared to be settling in. The fifth inning changed the entire series when Jay Day and Warren Zeiser laced consecutive singles. Novak helped his own cause and singled in a run, DeMarco was hit by a pitch and then Reisinger again came up with a key hit, his third of the game, a bases-clearing double giving the Giants a lead they would not relinquish. Jim Hicks finished off the scoring with a two-run double as the Giants batted around! Novak then locked things down and the Giants took the first game 7 to 4.
Game two was a marquee pitching match-up of veteran Ron Massaroni on the hill for the Cubs and “rookie” Paul Moore getting the ball for the Giants. Moore simply dominated as he shut out the Cubs. Massaroni matched him for the first few innings however in the third inning the Giants bats re-awakened, Hall of Famer Joe Burns got things started as he has his whole CDMSBL career, with a single to left. He then stole second and advanced to third on another Mick Novak single. Novak promptly stole second and Joe DeMarco laced a two-run double inside the third-base line to put the Giants on the board and then another ‘rookie’ Jim Shook blasted an RBI double driving in DeMarco and giving the Giants a lead Moore would not give up!
Moore allowed no runs, allowing six hits, and walked no Cubs in a tremendously clutch performance. Shook, DeMarco, and Novak all had multiple hits in game two leading the offensive explosion. The Giants took the title and the celebration began!
Congrats to Mike Kane, Joe Burns, and Gene Hallenbeck who won titles in both the 55+ and 45+ age groups. Rookies Erik Miller, Paul Moore, and Will Brouwer won either their first CDMSBL title in Moore’s case or in Miller and Brouwer’s case the first title in a while!
Also of note was Jimmy Johnson’s gutty pitching performance last weekend in the semi’s against a tough Mets team in which Johnson was called on to pitch and basically on one leg he pitched a complete game beating the Mets propelling the Giants to the Finals and eventual title!