9/26/10- West Sunset

What a day for a ballgame! What a day just to be outside! We had 22 guys show up, including some new guys from the game that almost wasn't a few weeks ago and some league fall outs. In any case, to mix things up, and because it seemed like a good match up, we went uniforms versus non-uniforms. Chris being the exception as he had his Dirtbag uni on, but it looked close. I liked it cuz I got to be on the same team as Sean for the first time in a long while. Sean and Greg started out on the bump, with Greg going the distance, an amazing feat considering how hot and sunny it was.

The visitors sprung to a early lead, but right about the time that the homers started pissing and moaning about the teams being unfair, this 15 year old nephew of new guy John, comes up and launches a home run to deep center. He was rounding third around the time the first of the two cut off men got the ball. Suddenly it was 4-3, and the game got lively.

We traded scores for a while, and the runs kept coming. Sean threw two, 3 K innings, and must have had a few more mingled in, and he bowed out in the 6th to give the ball to Satch. Between the sweat in the eyes and the shadows and sun, it was a tough 4 innings. And I know I wasn't the only one having trouble withe the sun, although I was very impressed with the percentage of catches in the outfield considering.

Another new guy, Loren, hit a couple of the harder hit balls I have seen in a while, one that came back at me, and made me drop to the ground for safety. It was probably well over my head, but I lost sight of it the second he hit it. Greg batted a come backer and it bounced off his glove, and right into the shortstops path. Another line drive came right at me, I got just enough glove on to slow it down for the 2nd baseman.

Going into the 8th, the score was decided as 10-6, then the homers squared off for 2, making it 10-8 and a real tight game. But we rumbled right back with two more of our own and so did they, but in the end, 12-10 was the final. I was surprised no one wanted to play extra, but I imagine that while everyone felt warmed up and good, they were also a bit sun drenched and dragged. Hand shakes abounded, and we left the field for another week.

Highlights:

* Lots of new guys, Loren, Jonathan, Juan, John, and the new kid and his buddy.

* I threw a nasty knuckleball to Adam, who somehow got ahold of it and it took the weirdest hop in the infield for a hit.

* Greg hit me in the leg (see picture below) I was trying to be bad ass by standing in. Stupid.

* Sean kicked it into a new gear when he needed to, after the home run, he struck out three in row.

* Greg pitched a great game, and it wouldn't be MBC if Greg didn't have a complete game loss

* Elvin laid down a perfect bunt for a single

* Juan made a much needed catch in the outfield, in the sun, on his 2nd time out!

* John, who brought out the kid, also hit a home run, once again age manages to match youth, always seemingly for the last time....

* James strapped on the gear for the first time in a long while, due to his recent acquisition of his old catchers glove. He did great!

* Except for when I struck out Tim with a knuckleball, but James couldn't hold on to it either and Tim made it to first. Oh well, it was a win-win, I got someone to swing at the knuckle, he got on base.

* Noah had a great shot to the gap

* The ball was jumping off some of the bats

* I got my strike out of Lattig for 2010. The key was to only throw fastballs, because what kind of fool would do that? A cagey fool.

* Loren also made a great catch in left field, in addition to his hitting display.

* We could have had the ugliest game in history, it was a great day to be outside.

Same time, same place. Take the long way around next week to avoid the Hardly StrictlyBluegrass....and bring a friend!


S. Paige