Strat-o-matic is a baseball simulation that began as a cards and dice game in the early 1960s before entering the computer age.
These featured games on Shoestring Catches are part of season replays or tournaments played with cards and dice.
Today’s game matches the 2008 Chicago White Sox at the 1996 Toronto Blue Jays.
New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra recently celebrated his 90th birthday. In Berra’s honor, today’s contest is from the “It ain’t over, ‘til it’s over” category.
WHITE SOX COME BACK TO BEAT BLUE JAYS
TORONTO – A furious rally by Chicago gave the White Sox a 9-7 victory in 16 innings over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Trailing 7-1 heading into the top of the ninth inning, the White Sox appeared to be on their way to a big loss to Toronto‘s starting pitcher Pat Hentgen.
Ken Griffey, Jr. walked to begin the ninth. Joe Crede singled and then Orlando Cabrera struck out.
A.J Pierzynski followed with a single to score Griffey, which cut the deficit to five runs. Alexei Ramirez singled to load the bases.
In search of an answer to stop the rally, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston went to the bullpen for Mike Timlin.
Unfortunately for Gaston, Paul Konerko responded with a grand slam for the White Sox, but the Blue Jays were holding on with a 7-6 advantage. A rattled Timlin walked the next two batters he faced before giving way to Tim Crabtree.
Crabtree surrendered a RBI double to Carlos Quentin to tie the game at 7-7.
After Crabtree got the final two outs of the top of the ninth, the Blue Jays couldn’t score and the game entered extra innings.
The affair would remain tied until the top of the 16th when Crede blasted a two-run triple to put the White Sox on top. In their half of the final frame, the Blue Jays got a two-out double from Carlos Delgado. He was left at second when Cabrera grounded out.
Bobby Jenks (1-0) picked up the win for the White Sox as he worked the final three innings. He gave up a hit, while striking out two.
Gavin Floyd started on the mound for the White Sox and was lifted after four innings as he surrendered all seven runs on eight hits. Joe Carter highlighted a four-run second inning for the Blue Jays as he hit a three-run homer off Floyd.
After Jim Thome hit a home run for the White Sox in the top of the fourth to make it 4-1, Robert Perez hit a solo shot as Toronto scored three times in the fourth to set the stage for the Chicago comeback.
Matt Thornton was the second Chicago hurler of the day as he worked nine innings from the fifth to the 13th. Thornton gave up six hits and didn’t allow a run as he fanned seven.
Hentgen left with one out in the ninth. He allowed six hits and five runs with six walks and five strikeouts. Timlin only pitched the three batters. After blowing the save opportunity in the ninth, Crabtree (0-1) finished the game and got the loss.
IN REAL LIFE: Joe Crede played nine of his 10 major league seasons for the White Sox from 2000-2008. In 2009, he ended his career with the Minnesota Twins.
A member of the 2005 world champion White Sox, Crede picked up a Silver Slugger the next season as he hit 30 homers with 94 RBI. In his career, the third baseman had five triples and he did have one in 2008 with the White Sox when he earned an all-star selection.
Although the proverbial wheels fell off for Pat Hentgen in this game, he was outstanding in 1996 to win the American League Cy Young Award. A three-time all-star, Hentgen was 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA as he led the league with 10 complete games.