HURTIN' UNITS KING OF THE CASTLE.

HURTIN' UNITS VS. DRAFT KINGS.

" Nothing matters, but the weekend, from a Tuesday point of view, like a kettle in the kitchen, I feel the steam begin to brew, I'm switchin' to glide, I'm switchin' to glide." 

These lyrics come from a song... do you know it? If not, scroll down to the bottom of the post to watch the video. 

The King drinking draft. 

Game # 10- June 22, 2015

Hurtin' Units win 19-7

Team Record 5-5-0 

Keogh Park- Up until this game, the Hurtin' Units have played more games at Coventry Park than at Keogh Park. This game marks only the 5th time at Keogh this season. We have 1 win at Keogh this season, 1 close game (loss to Beer Bros. 24-23) and 2 rough losses. This game against the Drafty Kings will be a real test of what the Hurtin' Units are made of. Last time I viewed the standings ( Monday June 22nd) the Draft Kings were sitting in 3rd place with a 6-2-2 record. 

The weather, at 5:00pm on game day was muggy, a temperature at 28 degrees (feeling like 30), a slight breeze and a forecast of thunderstorms starting around 9:00pm. We managed to barely get the game in before the heavy rain came down. 

ROMAN COULDN'T MAKE IT... he's umping a baseball game.  

At game time we had 10 players dressed in Navy and white, all of us eager to get the game going before the rain started. Missing from this game were Bill S. and Dave Mil.


I think this game was the Hurtin' Units crowning achievement, on the season, so far. I mentioned, on the blog, somewhere back in time, that there was going to be a night when the Units offense and defense were going to join forces on the same night. That night has arrived!!

DRAFT QUEEN

For the Henry the 8th time, we found ourselves as the visitors again. The game got off to a slow start for both teams. I put myself in the lead off position again and this time I did not fair as well as I did in our battle with the Gruesome Knights. Here's how my first at bat went: one pitch, one swing, one fly ball and one out. D'oh!! 

In the first inning, both teams would send only 4 batters to the plate, with not a run. In the second inning, the Units would send 5 batters to the plate, but would strand Todd and Al on base, with no runs scored. In the bottom of the second, the Kings would bat 6 players, score 3 runs and then be taken down 1,2,3 like 3 jugs of draft beer. 

"Dang it Dale, you're a hurtin' unit...nice" 

In the third inning, neither team would score, this game was starting to look like a low scoring, defensive game. I remember asking someone at our dugout " what happened to the bats from the last game"? I was assured that they would come, and they did, just later in the game. The Units sent 4 batters to the plate and the Kings only 3 in this inning.

The King's court jester.

Scott and Bo lead off the top of the fourth inning and both got out. Holy be-headings!! Units next batter, Mike, got on with a single, which brought Todd to the plate, Todd would catapult a ball over the left field fence. FOUL BALL, called the court jester (umpire Roman), and I swear I heard the voice of Hank Hill in the background say "Dang it Bobby! ya spilled my beer watchin' a foul ball ", but that might have just been the wind blowing. 

There were a few wide eyes in the Kings courtyard, after the foul ball. Was it just an anomalous hit, by this unknown stranger, or was he capable of doing it again? The King's hurler would pitch in another ball, this time the unknown stranger (Todd) would catapult the ball fair in to the Courts of Bocce, clearing the wall of chain link bringing home all that travel on his quest for runs. Todd of the Units, unknown in Draft Kingdom, had slayed his 5th dragon (hot) dot of the season. The Units of Hurtin' were now on ye ole score parchment. Too Much?? It was a turning point in the game. The Units would score one more run before the third out of the inning. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Kings would tack on another run as Sir Stike would come around to score. The score at the end of 4 innings was 4-3 for the Draft Kings. 

In the fifth inning, the Kings and the Units would both

score 3 runs each. In the top of the sixth inning, the Units of Hurtin' bats, magically came to life, and when the puff of smoke had cleared the score sheet showed 6 runs added to the Units column. In the bottom of the inning, the Kings bats went ice cold, or perhaps the gloves and the positioning of the Units were augmented, the Kings would not score in the bottom of the inning. The score after six complete innings was Hurtin' Units 12, Draft Kings 7.

In the top of the open inning (7th), the Units magic bats would again make an appearance, the Units of Hurtin' would score 7 runs in the inning. In the bottom, the Draft Kings would not score, thanks to the defense of the Units. Bo would make 2 fantastic catches in the outfield and Dave Mc., at short, made an excellent snag, with a throw to second for a force and the final out.  

There were a few other things that happened in this game worth a mention. First off, I had enough stuff going on with myself that I have to laugh. I arrived at the park and I was wearing my team shirt, but I also had a sleeveless t-shirt on underneath. After warming up and with the temperature and humidity, I was warm and sweaty, I was going to take off the t-shirt, but decided to wear just the shirt for one inning of pitching. Big mistake...I had to listen to Roman for the entire half inning, about my Hank Hill, uneven tan and other stuff with regards to the sleeveless shirt. 

Secondly, I guess there has been some issues with the gate on the diamond, to the point where someone took the time to make a sign to help with the direction the gate opens, in addition they included a Larson cartoon. I have used the same cartoon in the blog several times, with a slight change. 

So, the other thing that happened to me was I opened the gate the wrong way, when coming off the diamond and walked right in to the gate, giving myself a little gash and a bruise, this has never happened to me at this diamond before...Stupid sign!! On a positive note, I threw to first and home with decent throws. Cookie would have caught my throw at home, if the runner hadn't run in to him and knocked him down, knocking the change out of his pockets. (Who carries change in their pockets when playing baseball?) The runner was called out. 

King of beers. 

We played a really solid game both defensively and offensively. We turned a double play, the top of the order hit well again (except for me, 0 for 5), Cookie continues to hit the ball hard, our fielding was excellent and well positioned and I thought I pitched a good game. Todd hits well at Keogh and added to his homerun totals. We found a way to close the door again and I think we are getting better at finding a way to do this.  Units Unbelievable!!

Enjoy the video by the KINGS.