Chanhassen hosted the Chaska in a "Border Battle" for the first time in over 40 years, and the Cubs beat the Red Birds 11 - 4 in 11 innings.   More than 500 fans at Chanhassen Stadium saw a great baseball game on Friday night, June 18th, as the visiting Chaska Cubs got a victory over the Red Birds in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate.

Line Score

Chaska         001  001  002  07  -  11  11  1

Chanhassen   202  000  000  00  -   4  15  2 

LOB -- Chaska - 12; Chanhassen - 11

Chaska scored twice in the top of the 9th inning to tie the score at 4 - 4 and then heaped 7 runs in the top of the 11th inning for a final score of 11 - 4 to send the Red Birds away with just a sniff at victory and bitter taste of their second extra inning loss this season.

Chaska led off the top of the first inning with a lead off walk and two hits to load the bases with 1 out and it looked like the Cubs would score early.  But pitcher, Casey Malmgren got the next batter to line out to first and Zach Swenson quickly stepped on first to double off the runner stopping the threat.

Chanhassen scored in the bottom of the 1st with a single to right by catcher, Adam Heitz, followed by a double to left by Center Fielder Jeff Pavlovich.  With runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs, Right Fielder, Cary McLaughlin laced a single to right center to drive in the first 2 runs for the home team.  A single by Luke Penovich gave hopes for more scoring, but Cubs left hander, Griff Kilber, got Zach Swenson on a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Chaska got another lead off walk from Red Birds pitcher Casey Malmgren, but Malmgren struck out Cubs 1st baseman, Ryan Siefert, and Eric Oscarson hit into a 5-4-3 (John Gulden-T.J. Gulden-Zach Swenson) double play to end the inning.

Chaska broke into the scoring column in the 3rd inning with another lead off walk to Greg Lane, followed by a single by his brother, Tony Lane that placed Greg on 3rd base.  Left Fielder Cory Glieden hit a sacrifice fly ball to deep right field that scored Greg Lane for the Cubs.

Chanhassen got two more runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning.  Centerfielder Jeff Pavlovich smashed a liner down the right field line for a single open the inning, but was caught stealing second for the first out.  With two outs, Cary McLaughlin hit a single to right center, and Luke Penovich followed with another single to center.  Zach Swenson then drove a double to deep right center that plated both runners for a 4 - 1 lead.

The Red Birds threatened again in the bottom of the 5th inning.  DH Nick Brenner opened with a walk and Cary McLaughlin got his 3rd of 4 singles for the night.  Cubs Manager, John Siefert lifted the starter Kilber for right hander Pete Ohnsorg, the eventual winning pitcher for the Cubs.

Penovich dropped a sacrifice bunt down the 1st base line to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd. With 2 outs, Tony Marengo hit a slow grounder to short for a single, but it wasn't a sure scoring play so Brenner couldn't score from third.  That proved costly as John Gulden grounded out to short to end the inning with the bases loaded.  For the game, the Red Birds left 11 men on base, 7 in scoring position.

For Chaska in the 6th inning, after 3^rd baseman Kyle Geason grounded out, Poppitz lined a single to right field and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. DH Josh Korth worked Malmgren for a walk.  Ryan Siefert then drilled a double to left center that easily scored Poppitz from 2nd, but a perfect throw to the cutoff man from CF Pavlovich, and the on target relay from Penovich to Heitz nailed Korth at the plate just a stride before he was to score.  Oscarson flied to center for the final out and left the Cubs trailing the home team, 4 - 2. 

In the 7^th inning, Malmgren issued the 5^th leadoff walk to Greg Lane. A single to left by Johnson moved Lane to second, and it looked like the Cubs were going to score again.  Tony Lane then hit into a fielder’s choice putting his brother Greg at 3^rd.  Glieden popped out to short, and Poppitz flied out to left field leaving Greg Lane stranded at 3^rd.

Penovich relieved Malmgren to start the 8^th inning and easily retired the Cubs in order with two Ks and grounder to short.

In the top of the 9^th inning, Pinch Hitter Erik Duzan walked on four pitches.  Greg Lane worked a walk that moved pinch runner, Andy Dauwalter to second.  Penovich then stuck out Johnson and got Tony Lane on a pop fly to 3^rd baseman.  Cory Glieden then let an inside pitch hit him to load the bases with two out. 

As the Red Birds were one strike away from victory, Kyle Geason lifted a looping fly ball toward the right field foul line.   With a long run to reach the fly ball, RF McLaughlin had the ball in his glove, but it popped out and landed on the ground, plating both Dauwalter and Lane to knot the score at 4-4.  Poppitz popped out to Penovich to finish the frame for the Cubs.

In the 10^th inning, for the Cubs, Josh Korth led off with a single, moved to 2^nd on a sacrifice bunt, but Penovich retired the next two on flies to left field.  For the Red Birds, they went down in order with a grounder back to the pitcher and the 4^th and 5^th strikeouts by WP Pete Ohnsorg.

The 11^th inning spelled the demise for the home team.  Johnson walked to open the inning, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a pass ball.  Tony Lane worked Penovich for a walk.  Glieden popped out to 2^nd and then Geason dropped a fly ball between the 2^nd baseman and the right fielder that scored Johnson with the winning run.  Poppitz then doubled to drive home Lane and Geason.  Korth singled to score Poppitz from 2^nd.  Pinch hitter Tyler Polster walked and then Greg Lane capped the scoring with a 3-run homerun over the left field fence. John Skubic relieved Penovich and got the last out in the top of the 11^th.

Korth relieved Ohnsorg in the bottom of the 11^th, getting a line out and two strike outs to leave the Red Birds on the short end of the 11 – 4 loss.

For Chaska, Cory Poppitz went 2 for 5, with a double and two RBI’s and scored two runs. Josh Korth was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored, but the difference maker was Greg Lane, who scored two of the three times that he walked, and was 1 – 3 with the 3 run dinger in the top of the 11^th.   Chaska pitchers allowed 15 hits, got 14 strikeouts and issued just 2 BB and stranded 11 Red Bird runners, 7 left in scoring position.

For Chanhassen, McLaughlin was 4 for 6 with 2 RBIs and scored a run. Penovich was 3 for 5 with a double and two singles and 1 run scored.  Swenson was 2 for 5 with a double and 2 RBIs.  Marengo went 2 for 5; Pavlovich was 2 for 5 with a run scored. Adam Heitz was 1 for 6 and 1 run scored.  John Gulden had a single in 4 AB.  Red Bird pitchers got 7 Ks, but allowed 12 BBs, and 6 of those BBs scored for the Cubs, including the winning run in the top of the 11^th inning.

Chanhassen’s next game is Sunday, June 20^th.  The Red Birds travel to St. Peter to play the Saints at Veteran’s Park for a 2:00 PM start.   Then Tuesday evening, June 22^nd, the Red Birds play at Veteran’s Field at Memorial Park in Prior Lake to face the Jays in a 7:30 PM start.

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