GAME OF GROANS...

HURTIN' UNITS VS. THE BEER BROS. 

Game # 3- May 14, 2015

Hurtin' Units lose 24-23

Team Record- 2-1-0

Keogh Park- We are still on the road for two more games, the clothes in our suitcases are starting to get a little ripe. It's a good thing we have only worn the new shirts once and the night we wore them, it was cold and we didn't really work up a sweat. 

The weather for this game was quite good, at least much better than our previous two games. The temperature, at 7:00pm was 19 degrees with a light (15km/h) south wind and mainly sunny skies.  

At game time we had 11 players dressed in navy blue, warming up for the battle with the Beer Bros. The only missing player was Al F. 

The Brothers of Beer are one of the teams that the Units played twice last season... Unbalanced schedule don't ya know. On May 26th, 2014 the Units playing game # 3, would lose to the Bros. by a score of 19-14. On July 30th, 2014, game #17, the Hurtin' Units would defeat the Beer Bros. by a score of 23-20 for their 3rd (and final) win of the season.

Fast forward to May 14th, 2015 and our first of 2 games scheduled against the 2015 edition of the Brothers de Beer. 

1st Inning: In the top of the first inning, Scotty started off the game with a solid lead off triple. Dave Mill. hit a single and scored Scotty. It looked the Units were going to continue where they left off on Tuesday night when we scored 26 runs. The run production came to an abrupt end when Dave Mc. was forced out at second on a double play getting Darrell at first, Bo flied out to end the Units half of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, I started the game off walking Stef, I followed with a strike out of Anicete, Gary R. hit a single and Neil P. brought the 2 base runners around to score. The next two batters would fly out and the inning was over...it looked like it was going to be a tight, low scoring game. 

2nd Inning: In the top of the 2nd inning, the Units would send 5 batters to the plate. No runs would come in to score. Todd and Bill would be left on base. In the bottom of the inning, the defense struggled and we came off the rails. Scotty counted 6 errors and I would agree that was probably close to right. I do remember balls hitting off and out of gloves the entire inning, this was very usual considering how well we have played in our previous 2 games. The one positive, in the inning, was Bo caught Stef in a run down at second. The Brothers would score 7 runs on only 1 out. 

3rd Inning: In the third inning, the Units would send 6 batters to the plate, but nobody would score. I would be left stranded at 3rd base. In the bottom of the inning, the Brothers of Beer would put up another 5 runs, but this time they were all earned on well hit balls sprayed all over the Keogh diamond. No errors, just good ole fashion put it where they ain't hits. Nutin' ya can do about these ones boys. The score after 3 complete innings of play. 14-1 for the Brothers. 

4th Inning: 14-1 after 3 innings, we might as well pack up the tents and head to the Legion. 
Right?? Bo would lead off the the 4th inning, and when the diamond dust settled, at the end of the inning, the Units would score 5 huge runs. In the bottom of the inning, the Units defense started to come around, Darrell pitching, we slowed down the Brothers, only allowing 2 runs.

5th Inning: The Units would score another 4 runs in the top of the inning, it could have been more, but the Beer Brothers left fielder made a spectacular catch on a well hit ball by me (Jimmer), that looked like it was going to go over the fielder's head.  In the bottom of the inning, that defense thing was a little wobbly again and the Beer Bros. would tack on 6 more runs, leaving the seventh stranded on 3rd. The score at the end of 5 innings was Beer Bros. 22 and Hurtin' Units 10. It was at this point that I inquired about the score, I thought Paul had told me it was 22-12, this is what I said when I went back to the bench... my bad!! It was actually 22-10.

6th Inning: In the top of the inning the Units, would start off with the top of the order (remember I flied out to end the 5th), the top 6 batters would come around to score highlighted by a towering homerun, by Todd, over the left field fence. Bill would also come around to score, on an RBI by Cookie. The Units would score a impressive 7 runs. 
In the bottom of the inning, the Brothers would send 5 batters to the plate, but the Units defense would shut the door and leave a runner stranded at third base. The score at the end of six innings was Beer Brothers 22, Hurtin' Units 17.

7th Inning: In the top of the seventh inning (open inning) the Units would send 10 batters to the plate and score 6 runs. The Units would take the lead, for the first time, in the game. 23-22. 

In the bottom of the inning, the first batter flied out, Stef and Anicete would get on base, Gary R. would pop out to Mikey Boy at first, Neil would hit a single and score Stef and advance Anicete to third base. The game was tied, the winning run was on 3rd, Mike Douglas was the next batter. Mike D.

would hit a hard ground ball toward Hags at second base, the ball would take a huge bounce, Darrell had to catch it over has head (tough bounce for sure), Darrell would throw to first, the ball and runner would arrive at the same time...Roman made a safe call, the runner at third came in to score, the game was over. The call at first could have gone either way, it was that close, it was disappointing to lose this game, but it was a great comeback by the Units. Close but no cigar this time boys. 

The Hurtin' Units next game is Wednesday May 20th at Keogh Park at 8:15pm.