[dubb93]

Special Report
--American Baseball Digest May 11, 1871

On a sunny afternoon at Jefferson Street Grounds, the Philadelphia Athletics (3-2) faced off against the Fort Wayne Kekiongas (3-4) in a closely contested matchup. The Kekiongas got off to a hot start, scoring 1 run in the first inning and 2 in the third to take an early 3-0 lead.

But the Athletics responded in the bottom of the fourth, scoring 6 runs to take a 6-3 lead. The Kekiongas fought back, scoring 1 in the fifth and 4 in the sixth to regain the lead, 8-6. The Athletics narrowed the deficit with a single run in the sixth, but it wasn't until the bottom of the ninth that they truly made their comeback.

With two outs and the score 11-10 in favor of the Kekiongas, Philadelphia third baseman Bryan Bailey stepped up to the plate. On the first pitch, Bailey smacked a fastball from Gregg Ajello into the left field gap, driving in two runs and securing a thrilling 12-11 victory for the Athletics.

But one aspect of the game that caught the attention of fans and media alike was the surprising decision by Athletics' manager Dick McBride to start pitcher Ross Polon instead of Mike Mack. When asked about the decision, McBride stated, "We wanted to see what Ross' arm had to offer. I can't comment on whether this is a permanent change or not, but Mike knows he can play better than he has so far this season."

Polon pitched 5.1 innings, allowing 8 hits and 3 earned runs, and ultimately allowing the Athletics to pick up the victory. It remains to be seen whether this is a temporary move or a permanent change, but one thing is certain: the Philadelphia Athletics are a team to watch as they continue to battle for victory on the diamond.

[OOC: There goes my AL Most Outstanding Pitcher prediction. Go me.]