This may be NSFW (not safe for work), but since most of us are retired, NEVER MIND!
Here's the secret formula for defeating the Cardinal juggernaut, who had two losses all year coming into this morning's game:
First and foremost, get Helen Kostoff on your team. After our inconsistent play the last few weeks, one great game followed by an egg, repeat and rinse, she determined that it was time for the secret formula. A shot before the game, followed by, in some cases, a second dose as required. She has a secret blend of Irish whiskey and some other stuff, which I will not divulge for obvious reasons, followed by a healthful cup of OJ and a Bacon kicker. It was delicious! Add to that a background medley of rock and roll from the seventies, and you are ready to go. Of course, I was late, and didn't get my shot until after my first AB. Let's just say, I flew out the first time, and then had three straight hits.
Next, leave behind your nominal best hitter (as well as your anchor at SS) and your head coach for a week; both of them missed the game. Then EVERYONE else steps up, and feels the vibe.
Have your assistant coach tell you to just score in every inning, and you will win (which we did, at least two runs per inning, and which we did, by a final score of 28-22). This was just a rumor that Rich Brown was spreading, but it sounds good.
Add in a dash of the curse of the first and you are all set. They started with a five run outburst top of the first.
After that remarkable things started happening. We had a walk inspired three run response in the bottom of the first, which Barry Gronenberg followed with the first of TWO three pitch innings. Cardinal failed to punch us in the gut. Dave Siegel came on in the third and repeated the insult, zero runs across. This was Vince Franceschi's inning in LF. He got handcuffed but caught one ball in the middle gut area, and turned and did a little pirouette, and got ready to juggle it, realized there was only one ball to juggle, and then dropped it trying to throw it back to the infield. Luckily we got the call, the right one, that he was in the act of throwing not catching when he dropped it.
In the second, the gift-walks continued, and we worked it into our first lead at 6-5. In the third, more of the same - a single and three walks, followed by the patented Heffe bloop double behind the third baseman for two runs, and Howard Davis and Gronenberg followed up with run scoring singles for five runs total.
In the third, there was a miracle for a double play. Davis overthrew me at first after a force at second trying for the double play, and despite my prematurely old and injured body, I managed to corral it near the dugout and muster everything I could to throw to second to nail the advancing runner by half a step. Just like we practiced!
It didn't stop the Cardinal from tying it, however, but this is where Paul Lisi stepped up. He drove in three runs each in his next two at bats. First on a double to take the lead again 14-11 in the fourth, and in the sixth with a triple to make it 20-17.
In between we had a two out rally that produced three runs. Davis was again the hero, with a two run bases loaded double as the highlight.
Cardinal kept after us - before Lisi's second 3-RBI hit, they tied it at 17. His hit and two more following his in the sixth caused them to play catch up the rest of the way, from down 22-17. We answered their two runs with two of our own in the seventh, and their three with four in the eighth. The big blow was Franceschi's two run double to right.
Along the way, Dave Partridge made the play of the game in the seventh. From SS, he ranged far up the middle to snag a hot one hop line drive ticketed to center field, and neatly flipped it to Clay Kallam covering second, who spun like a youngster to nail the double play. Kostoff shut off the rest of the inning with a good play on a grounder to her left.
In the ninth, I found myself on the bench with coach Dave Rose, and Kostoff. I mentioned that we had our best third baseman, our best right fielder, and best first baseman on the bench when you should put your best defense out there in the last inning of a game such as this. But it took me so long to say it, Gronenberg had already pitched his second three pitch inning and the game was over! He induced a fly to Brown in right center, a grounder to Kallam at rover, and a grounder on which Siegel made a nice play at second base. One-two-three, and hat's off to the coach who clearly knows more that I do!
Kostoff co-led the team with four straight hits against the shift. She is now 8-9 with a sac fly in three games since returning from vacation in Italy. Bellisima! And I believe her non-productive out was actually a grounder through the infield where a slow runner was put out at third.
Davis, the secret weapon, was also 4-4, with three RBIs.
Three hits were had by Brown, Lisi, Franceschi, Partridge, Rose, and Kravin. Lisi led the way with his six RBIs and Franceschi added five. Mike Guerrero, Kallam, Charlie Uhlman, and Siegel had a combination of hits and walks that added up to three times on base. That's twelve players with at least three times on. Of the other two, Gronenberg had two knocks and three RBIs, one on a sac fly, and Bruce Spencer had two hits and was robbed on a shot to the left field gap.
Good day at the office. This was one to savor and we did. Neil who? Saindon who?
Here's the secret formula for defeating the Cardinal juggernaut, who had two losses all year coming into this morning's game:
First and foremost, get Helen Kostoff on your team. After our inconsistent play the last few weeks, one great game followed by an egg, repeat and rinse, she determined that it was time for the secret formula. A shot before the game, followed by, in some cases, a second dose as required. She has a secret blend of Irish whiskey and some other stuff, which I will not divulge for obvious reasons, followed by a healthful cup of OJ and a Bacon kicker. It was delicious! Add to that a background medley of rock and roll from the seventies, and you are ready to go. Of course, I was late, and didn't get my shot until after my first AB. Let's just say, I flew out the first time, and then had three straight hits.
Next, leave behind your nominal best hitter (as well as your anchor at SS) and your head coach for a week; both of them missed the game. Then EVERYONE else steps up, and feels the vibe.
Have your assistant coach tell you to just score in every inning, and you will win (which we did, at least two runs per inning, and which we did, by a final score of 28-22). This was just a rumor that Rich Brown was spreading, but it sounds good.
Add in a dash of the curse of the first and you are all set. They started with a five run outburst top of the first.
After that remarkable things started happening. We had a walk inspired three run response in the bottom of the first, which Barry Gronenberg followed with the first of TWO three pitch innings. Cardinal failed to punch us in the gut. Dave Siegel came on in the third and repeated the insult, zero runs across. This was Vince Franceschi's inning in LF. He got handcuffed but caught one ball in the middle gut area, and turned and did a little pirouette, and got ready to juggle it, realized there was only one ball to juggle, and then dropped it trying to throw it back to the infield. Luckily we got the call, the right one, that he was in the act of throwing not catching when he dropped it.
In the second, the gift-walks continued, and we worked it into our first lead at 6-5. In the third, more of the same - a single and three walks, followed by the patented Heffe bloop double behind the third baseman for two runs, and Howard Davis and Gronenberg followed up with run scoring singles for five runs total.
In the third, there was a miracle for a double play. Davis overthrew me at first after a force at second trying for the double play, and despite my prematurely old and injured body, I managed to corral it near the dugout and muster everything I could to throw to second to nail the advancing runner by half a step. Just like we practiced!
It didn't stop the Cardinal from tying it, however, but this is where Paul Lisi stepped up. He drove in three runs each in his next two at bats. First on a double to take the lead again 14-11 in the fourth, and in the sixth with a triple to make it 20-17.
In between we had a two out rally that produced three runs. Davis was again the hero, with a two run bases loaded double as the highlight.
Cardinal kept after us - before Lisi's second 3-RBI hit, they tied it at 17. His hit and two more following his in the sixth caused them to play catch up the rest of the way, from down 22-17. We answered their two runs with two of our own in the seventh, and their three with four in the eighth. The big blow was Franceschi's two run double to right.
Along the way, Dave Partridge made the play of the game in the seventh. From SS, he ranged far up the middle to snag a hot one hop line drive ticketed to center field, and neatly flipped it to Clay Kallam covering second, who spun like a youngster to nail the double play. Kostoff shut off the rest of the inning with a good play on a grounder to her left.
In the ninth, I found myself on the bench with coach Dave Rose, and Kostoff. I mentioned that we had our best third baseman, our best right fielder, and best first baseman on the bench when you should put your best defense out there in the last inning of a game such as this. But it took me so long to say it, Gronenberg had already pitched his second three pitch inning and the game was over! He induced a fly to Brown in right center, a grounder to Kallam at rover, and a grounder on which Siegel made a nice play at second base. One-two-three, and hat's off to the coach who clearly knows more that I do!
Kostoff co-led the team with four straight hits against the shift. She is now 8-9 with a sac fly in three games since returning from vacation in Italy. Bellisima! And I believe her non-productive out was actually a grounder through the infield where a slow runner was put out at third.
Davis, the secret weapon, was also 4-4, with three RBIs.
Three hits were had by Brown, Lisi, Franceschi, Partridge, Rose, and Kravin. Lisi led the way with his six RBIs and Franceschi added five. Mike Guerrero, Kallam, Charlie Uhlman, and Siegel had a combination of hits and walks that added up to three times on base. That's twelve players with at least three times on. Of the other two, Gronenberg had two knocks and three RBIs, one on a sac fly, and Bruce Spencer had two hits and was robbed on a shot to the left field gap.
Good day at the office. This was one to savor and we did. Neil who? Saindon who?
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