We moved on to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, a homer haven, for the final series of the first half.
The first inning started us off well as we parlayed a single and three walks into a 3-0 lead. Piazza Blues rallied to tie it, however, and through 8 it was still 3-3.
Bill Freehan put us ahead with a pinch-hit double, and another pinch hitter, Butch Davis, singled him in for a 5-3 margin. Bob Woodward nailed down the win with a perfect 9th for his 17th save.
Fulton County lived up to its reputation in the next game, as the hosts hit four homers against Mike Cuellar and another against Rod Beck. All were solo shots, however, and Jack Bauer Squared was able to tie it in the 9th inning with a two-run rally.
Alas, the hosts didn’t need a homer or even a hit to create a walkoff rally. They combined two walks and a sacrifice fly to win it 6-5.
That set up the rubber game of the series and a chance to end the first half on a positive note. It didn’t happen. Piazza Blues chased Bert Blyleven in the 6th after scoring 7 runs and hitting three homers. We were never in it and lost 7-2.
So the first half ends with a 36-45 record, now 7 games out of first place and in third in the division. We are “only” 5 games behind the wild card leaders, but it’s a pack we’ll have to move through first. There are two teams tied 41-40, two more 40-41, another 39-42, then us and one other team at 36-45.
The second half will begin with our third straight road series, at Tigers of the Ontario Peninsula at, of course, Detroit’s old Tiger Stadium.
