IT WAS A DARK AND GRUESOME NIGHT...

HURTIN' UNITS VS. GRUESOME DEVILS -ii

Game # 11 - June 24, 2015

Hurtin' Units win 30-4 

Team Record- 6-5-0

Keogh Park- Following our game on Monday night, 8 of the 10 Hurtin' Units players went back to the Legion. Outside the rain was falling heavily and the lightening lit up the sky. We barely got this game in. Inside the Legion there was a quiet confidence, at the Units table, as the frosty jugs of draft were poured in to the chilled mugs for celebratory consumption. This was a very good win for the Hurtin' Units against the Draft Kings. 

Kings and Devils... 2 powerful wins. 

In the win vs. the Kings, I was lead off in the batting order, for the second straight game, and in this game I went 0 for 5. Not great for the lead off position. In our first game against the Gruesome, I went 3-6, but hit the ball hard the entire game. In the game against the Draft Kings, I went 0 for 5!! I remember saying to myself it's time to change my position in the order. I mentioned this at the Legion, post game with the Kings, and I was really surprised at how many guys said do not to change a thing. I guess if you're winning you can go 0 for 5 and still stay at the top.  

Stewie, do you like the 2015 Hurtin' Units?

Let's be a little realistic here, once the game is underway, it really doesn't matter where we bat. What matters is the order in which we are batting, I was at the bottom most of the season and really, isn't that like being at the top?Given there was resistance when I was going to change the order (mostly changing just myself in the order), I will leave the order for this game against the Gruesome and see what happens. I believe Dave Mc. is the ultimate lead off guy on this team, but I was also thinking about moving Vinny up to the top. 

In our last 3 games (including this game against the Gruesome Devils), Vince is hitting 14-15 at the plate. He has quietly (Vince and quietly sounds like a bit of an oxymoron to me) has been batting extremely well, better than the guy who has been batting lead off for the last 3 games. But let's not go there, I say...

This game was our only scheduled 9:30pm game this season. The weather for this game was in the 20s, humid and I think the sky was partially cloudy, but who really knows, it was dark...late game don't ya know. 

This devil is not on the team, not gruesome either. 

At game time the Units had 10 players warming up, preparing to do battle with the Gruesome Devils for the second time in a week. Dave Mil and Bill S. were the missing bodies on the night. Dave Mc. and Bo shared the vacant outfield position. I went with almost the exact lineup from Monday's game. The umpire for this game was Roman. 

For only the 3rd time this season the Units were the home team. 

In the top of the first inning the Gruesome would score 2 runs highlighted by a Peter H. homerun, a line drive, on a rope, over the left field fence. In the bottom of the inning, I was the lead off and I hit a long, fly ball out to Peter H. playing in left field. Crap!! 0-6 in my last 6 at bats. The Units would rally around my quick out and before the inning was over I found myself at bat again for the second time, this time I would hit the ball up the middle bringing in the seventh run to end the inning. 

In the top of the second inning, the Gruesome Devils would score another run. In the bottom of the inning, the Units would again go through the batting order, and I found myself in the same situation as the first inning. I would again drive in the 7th run of the inning. After 2 complete innings, the score was Hurtin' Units 14, Gruesome Devils 3.

In the the third inning, the Gruesome would score another single run. In the home half of the inning, the Units would score 3 more runs. In the top of the fourth inning is when the Units defense really started to tighten up (not that is wasn't pretty tight already, only 4 runs over 3 innings) and would shut out the Devils for the next 4 innings. The Units offense would continue to hit well. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Units would score 6 more runs. Of the 6 runs, 2 of them were scored on a towering homerun by Hicks (6th of the season) over the LCF fence, banging off the top of the metal shed beside the Boccie courts. 

Archie Graham, rookie in Field of Dreams, was told not to wink at
the pitcher. I couldn't find any video, I will keep looking. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Units would tack on another 6 runs. I got up to bat twice in the first inning (once flying out and the second driving in 7th run) and in the fifth I would also get up to bat twice. My first at bat in the inning, I would get on and come around to score. My second at bat, I had an opportunity to drive in the 7th run for a third time in the game. With Vinny on second base, I drove the ball to RCF and was caught out, end of inning. I have never had a chance to drive in the 7th run, 3 times in a game, guess it just wasn't  meant to be. It would have been cool though. 

In the sixth inning the Units would score a single run. The Units were the home team and would not bat in the bottom of the 7th inning. Nice game boys!!

Jimmer's left shoulder...stupid gate and sign. 

I mentioned in the last posting, that I was the last out in one of the innings, vs the Draft Kings and I walked/crashed in to the gate at Keogh. I have never done that before, until somebody puts a sign on the fence. Stupid Gate!!!

The Units played another solid game both offensively and defensively (really liked the defense in this game) and I hope we can keep this going. There were a handful of Unit players hobbling around the bases against the Gruesome Devils and I hope everyone is feeling a little better going in to the game against the Dusty Cleats on Tuesday night. Units Untamed!!