DUSTY CLEATS BEAT UNITS...

HURTIN' UNITS vs. DUSTY CLEATS...

Game # 9 - June 15, 2011

Hurtin' Units lose 20-19

Team Record -5-4-0

Keogh Park- It was the bottom of the seventh inning, the score tied at 19-19, the Units defense was ready to stop the Dusty Cleats from winning another and adding to the undefeated season. Scott B. was the lead-off batter, Units pitcher Bill J. threw a beautiful pitch and Scott B. made solid contact...

There are probably not a lot of guys who like the 9:30pm game, I know I'm not a fan and will do my best to avoid one if possible. This game was on our schedule and who knew it would fall on the eve of the 7th game of the NHL finals, which the Boston Bruins would win the Stanley Cup by a score of 4-0.

At game time we had 11 players ready to play, Cal R. was the only missing player, in fact he was subbing in the game before ours, but he doesn't like to play the 9:30pm games. We were the visitors on this night.

The Dusty Cleats are the only undefeated team in the league this season with a 7-0-0 record...

The weather was really great for this game. The warm temperature, less the humidity meant that there would probably be a few well hit balls on the evening...

The Hurtin' Units looked solid offensively in the first 3 innings, scoring 16 runs (including two 7 run innings), but the Dusty Cleats powerful offense also scored runs in the first 3 innings, in fact they scored runs in every inning in the game. The score at the end of 3 innings was Hurtin' Units 16, Dusty Cleats 7.

Over the next three innings the Hurtin' Units offensive magic would disappear, while the Dusty Cleats hit parade was just gettin' started. The Units scored only 3 runs and the Cleats scored 12 runs. The score after 6 innings was tied at 19-19.

This was the first time, this season, I had seen the Dusty Cleats play. I had heard that they were kickin' ass and takin' names, but having experienced their game first hand, I know why they are undefeated and piling up the statistical numbers that they are. The Cleat batters hit hard and hit far and their defense isn't too shabby either...

I started the first inning as catcher, the first Cleat batter was this average sized, new guy, not even wearing a team shirt yet (maybe it was laundry day), Bill J. threw him a pitch and he swung hard fouling it off, the next pitch Bill threw, this guy named Gord crushed the ball in to the lawn bowling courts, foul again, but this time it had a “ holy crap” feel to it... Yikes!!!

Gord got a hit and with the assistance of the other power hitters behind him came around to score.

In the second inning, Gord (new guy) crushed another ball over the left center field fence and I remember Roman asking “ would you like the chicken or the steak?”, as we all watched the ball sail easily over the fence. Fortunately there was only one runner on base and the damage was minimal...

In third inning Bob M pitched for the Units only allowing a single run to score...

In the forth inning, Gordy (as I like to call him now) hit another homerun to the opposite field, down the first base line and then Robin (Dick) hit another homerun to straight away center field. In total, the Dusty Cleats hit four, out of the park, homeruns against us in this game...I don't recall ever seeing four homeruns in a single game, I'm sure it has happened, but I've never seen it...

In the fifth inning, Gordy was up again, this time the bases were loaded (what do you do here? In the playoffs you walk him, but then you still have Robin, Rob, Scott, etc. coming up behind him), Bill threw a pitch right down the middle and Gordy just watched it, next pitch he fortunately hit a hard line drive double and only scored 2 more runs, but the rest of the order helped to cap off a six run inning... Gord must have had 7 RBIs in this game...

The Dusty Cleats team record is no fluke, this is a solid team, top to bottom, defensively and offensively...

Meanwhile back to the bottom of the Seventh Inning...

Bill threw a beautiful pitch and Scott B. got all of it, sending it over the left center field fence for another Dusty Cleat homerun and another victory... The Cleats win 20-19.

Boxscore:        1     2    3    4     5    6     7        Total

Hurtin' Units   7     7    2     0    2    1     0         19   

Dusty Cleats    4     2    1     4    6    2     1          20  

Despite losing this game, I would think that most of the Hurtin' Unit players would agree that this was a fun game, going toe to toe with the no. 1 team in the league and having them on the ropes early in the game. I think the Cleats have to be the early favorite for the league championship. Can anyone beat these guys??? I look forward to a rematch,which is on August 15, 2011... Could they still be undefeated on this date???

We have a doubleheader on Tuesday June 21, 2011 at Coventry Park against 2 other tough teams, the Lucky Stiffs and the Brew Jays... Let's see if we're up to the challenge...