Satch was once again whiling away the days in the Eastern Sierras, catching fish, enjoying the fact that it wasn't snowing. It did rain here apparently, but that would not stop the MBC from having a game. And here to report on the game, is our own Jonathan "JT" Tiemann:
The day started rainy in the city, but Bob and Adam gave us the all-clear (well, the rain-has-stopped-and-the-field-is-playable, anyway) and it was game on as usual at Balboa. The rain kept the dust down, but the outfield grass was wet and slow.
We started out 8-on-8, thanks to a couple of bystanders who played about the first six. Greg took the bump for the homers, and Johnny matched him pitch-for-pitch on the visitors' side. Both hurlers went the distance for what turned out to be a one-run contest.
It looked at first like Greg might have a long afternoon of it, as Mike Lattig started the game with a line drive that went right through me in center (how it missed my head I'll never know), and another misplay and a couple of hits brought home two runs for the visitors in the first. That rally ended when I wrestled down another line drive, this time from Bob -- I think I juggled it most of the way to second base, but managed to hold on.
We homers finally got on the board in the second, as a couple of hits and a stolen base put runners on second and third with one out, and a grounder to second brought the run home. The rally ended when Greg, playing fill-in left field for his opponents, made a great diving catch on a sinking line drive for the last out. Somebody cracked that he would do anything to have a dry ball to pitch with, but really it was Greg being Greg, and showing the true spirit of Mission Baseball.
The visitors extended their lead on a rally that started with a long double to right center by Newest Guy John, but we caught them and jumped into the lead in the fourth, stringing together hits like we knew what we were doing.Both sides continued to get hits, but the two hurlers mostly scattered them, and the defense seemed to tighten up as the game rolled along. Good defense certainly killed a couple of our threats -- I tagged a two-on, two-out liner to center that felt like it might go for my annual double, but Lattig was there to make the play in center.
With the score 5-4 home team in the bottom of the eighth, Still-New-But-No-Longer-Newest Guy John bid for an insurance run by launching a drive into the Balboa Jet Stream in left for a lead-off triple, but two sterling plays by Newest Guy John on sharp grounders to third held him there, and Johnny got the final out to strand him.Greg climbed the hill with a one-run lead for a tense ninth. He dispatched the visitors, and preserved himself a well-earned win.
Highlights
A new home plate at the cop field. Unless you're on my team, try not to step on it too much,
it's a cheap one, but at least it's visible.
Greg and Johnny both pitched complete games, and both made good plays subbing in the field, too
Greg managed to put one pitch near Bob's head, but never actually hit him
Mike Gaspar and Adam nearly combined on a 2-3 foul popup. A long run and great effort by both.
Adam and Nick took turns making picks and digs at first base, including one by Adam that completed a nifty 6-3 double play that John (on the home side) started
A strong new addition, Newest Guy John, came with a big bat and a solid glove
Short of players, we had a few playing unaccustomed positions, and mostly doing pretty well
Next week we're at West Sunset, with its temptations for left-handed power hitters (some of us just dream...)
Same time, different place. You heard it here first folks, West Sunset, 3 pm, bring your left-handed power, or just be really late on your swings....
S. Paige
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