Comeback Black!

Team Black cheated.

I say that but it made no difference. The scoreboard read 23-17 at the end of the game but according to the book it was only 22-17. We took an extra run in the ninth. So it goes.

But who could tell, because we hammered home seven (or eight) runs in the top of the open inning, amidst a flurry of runners rounding and rounding the bases.

We came back in the game twice. We started slow and spotted Team Green an 8-2 lead after four innings. Then we plated the max ten runs in the next two innings, the biggest blow a knock to deep right center off of Alan's bat to clear the jammed bases. That gave us the initial tie at 12-12. Green responded with three in the bottom of the sixth, and even though we tied it again with three in the seventh, Green poured in five in the eighth to take their last lead at 17-15.

The top of our order was up, and the top of the order was hot - Brian, Dan, and Greg were all 4-5. They set the table and after a Mike SF, there were three more hits, and after a second out, three more with two outs. The seven (or eight) runs were too much for the Greenies to overcome, and even though they got a couple of baserunners on, Greg started throwing knuckle balls for strikes and they were unable to get a single run. A couple of popups later it was over.

Cap'n Dave led the way with a perfect 5-5 day. In addition to the three at the top, Steve R and Alan also had four hits. Alan led the team with five RBIs. Besides his two extra base hits, Brian also had two doubles.

Defensive highlight of the game was another wayward runner thrown out from the outfield - this time it was Brian in left to SS Russo to Mike at 3B in the first inning. Later, Johnny and the outfielders were playing the bottom two hitters in the order at the cones. Each one came up in the third inning and put it over his head - and he managed to get back and catch them both! Sandy made a great stop on a ball hit by Green's big lefty, knocking it down and then outracing him to the bag. Chuck had a couple of snags in the sixth at the mound on balls ticketed up the middle to green lands.

We are on a roll - four in a row around all the rainouts. There's good chemistry - we are doing it without the big bats of Mary and Kenji. But don't say it too loud, we know who put together these teams. Shhh!

Howlin' Wolf

The Wolf in all of us was finally unleashed today, as we devoured the hapless Hornets today 20-16. It was only that close because we started to repeat past behavior - after taking a 19-7 lead through 5 1/2 innings, we only scored one more run. We let the Hornets back in the game with a six run eighth to close to 20-16, and then failed to get a run in the top of the open ninth. The Hornets had the top of their lineup up, and were all set up to do what they do to us. But after a couple of batters got on base, Chris coaxed a couple of popups and an easy grounder and it was over, a sweet 20-16 win to double our win total for the YEAR in two weeks. And we climbed out of the cellar in the standings.

A true team win, there were plenty of heroics. JP played a great game at rover. He caught a smash in what was an act of self preservation. He turned numerous grounders into outs and ranged far to his left to catch a popup in shallow right.

Dave may have tied or set a record and certainly a career high with three putouts at catcher. Two of them were foul ball popups that not many 65+ year-olds would snag. And we had a stellar Jimmy to Marc (I think?) to Dave putout on the speedy Rich Brown.

Wilbur made a diving stop and toss to first to get an out - but we are used to that.

Howlin' Wolf

The hitting was hot and spread around. All but two of the Pack had THREE or more hits.

Ladd had four of them, and six RBIs from the leadoff spot, including a two run blast to deep left field.

Marc led the way with five hits, including a triple - he was huffing and puffing all the way to third.

Reymundo joined Ladd with four hits and Jim, Paul, Chris, Dave, Heffe and Wilbur each had three. Dave had a right center gapper for a double, and Heffe rounded out the extra base hits with a line painting oppo line drive to left that scored Dave all the way from first.

If we can just put it together every week like we have the last two games, we can be contenders in this league. Look out Little Red Riding Hood:

Hey There Little Red Riding Hood