HICKS PUTS ON A REALLY BIG SHOE...

HURTIN' UNITS VS. THE DUSTY CLEATS.

This was a makeup game, for rain out in June. 

Game # 21- August 12, 2015

Hurtin' Units lose 11-10

Team Record- 11-9-1

Keogh Park-Last season it took until game # 12 before Hurtin' Units recorded their first win. That first win came against the Dusty Cleats.

On July 16, 2014, game # 12, the Hurtin' Units finally broke through and won a game. It was like we had won the Stanley Cup, the stink was off our monkey and there was a chicken dinner.

Last season, following the Units first win of the season. 

In that game, it really didn't look very good for the Units. In the first inning, the Units got down 7-2 and with our confidence so low, it was looking like loss #12. The Units found a way to come back against the Cleats, we would not go the entire season looking for a win. 

This is an excerpt of the blog following our 1st win on July 16th, 2014 vs. the Dusty Cleats. 
  
"It would not surprise anyone if I was to say that Kevin C. lead the Units to this victory. Kevin hit 2 homeruns, went 5 for 5 at the plate, made numerous great catches in the field and scored 4 runs in this game. Kevin lead the way, but everyone on the team made contributions. Dave scored 4 runs and went 4 for 5,  Clayton went 4 for 5 and Mike went 4 for 4 and both scored 3 runs each, Dwayne, Esau and Rick all scored runs in the game. Every player on the Units had at least one hit"

Even with the efforts of all these guys, we barely managed to squeak out a 20-16 win. It really goes to show how much parity is in this league. 

That was then, but this is now... I looked at the standings on Monday morning and the Units were sitting in 5th position with a record of 11-8-1. The Dusty Cleats were sitting in 14th position with a record of 3-13-2. 

This was a makeup game.

The Dusty Cleats are the only team that the Hurtin' Units have not played this season. The Cleats and Units were scheduled to play on June 30th, 2015, but heavy rains and thunderstorms postponed our game. The Hurtin' Units game on the past Monday vs. the Rusty Rebels was also rained out , I'm assuming that it will be rescheduled shortly. 

The weather for this game was quite good, the temperature was hovering around 19 degrees (it was a 9:30pm game), there was some humidity. The ball was really carrying deep all night long. No breeze.  

At game time we had 11 players from the BIG BLUE MACHINE warming up to take on the Dusty Cleats. Scotty P. was the only missing body on the night. The Hurtin' Units were the visitors in this game. Roman was the umpire of record. 

The 7 run inning, without an out, was the difference in this game. 

In the top of the first inning, the Units would strike first with 2 runs, but also stranding 2 runners on base. In the home half of the inning, the Dusty Cleats went down 1,2,3. 

In the top of the 2nd inning, the Units went down quickly, 4 batters, 3 outs. In the bottom of the inning, the Cleats would send 6 batters to the plate and only the lead off guy would come around to score.

Stewie shoes, I want a pair. 

In the top of the 3rd inning, the Units would send 8 batters to the plate, Todd (HR 12), Bill, Dave and Darrell would all come around to score. In the bottom of the inning, the Cleats would send 8 batters to the plate and the first 7 would come around to score to end the inning without an out. OUCH!!! This inning, for the Cleats, really decided the game. The score at the end of 3 innings, 8-6 for the Dusty Cleats.

Get those Dusty Cleats outta here. 

In the top of the 4th inning, the Units would go down painfully quick, 1,2,3, "get off the field" Roman would shout. In the home half, the Cleats would send 9 batters to the plate and fortunately, for the Units, they would only score 2 runs. Bob and Jon were the runners to score.

In the top of the 5th inning, the Units would get the first 2 batters on base (Todd and Bill) and Dave and Mike would bring them home on singles. 2 more runs for the Units. In the bottom of the inning, the Cleats sent 4 batters to the plate and only one would get on before the Units shut the door.  The score after 5 complete innings, 10-8 for the Cleats.

In the top of the 6th inning, the Units first 2 batters would get out, Dave Mill. would hit a double, Cookie would ground out to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, the Units would get the first 2 batters out, Doris would get on with a single, Vic would hit a triple and score Doris, Rob Mc. would ground out to end the inning. 

Yankees? Really?

In the top of the 7th inning, Todd led off with a homerun (13th), Bill and Dave would get out (Dave on a hard hit ball to Paul K at 3rd...bugger!!), Darrell would hit a single, Mike O. would also single, Bo would hit a single bringing Darrell home, advancing Mike to 2nd base. Al F. would hit a hard hit ground ball up the middle, the ball would tip off Brad (Cleat's pitcher) and hit Mike O. in the ass, the ball stayed in the infield, the runners froze (force plays at 2nd and 3rd) Bo was tagged out running to 2nd to end the inning. The Cleats would not bat in the bottom. Cleats win 11-10.

The Really Big Shoe: 

Over the last 3 games I have had Hicks in the lead off position and he has not disappointed. Most experienced baseball people will tell you that your best batter or power hitter are to be in the 3rd or 4th position in the batting order, and originally I had Hicks there. I thought I would lead him off to take some pressure off and he certainly has hit well. The down side is that all that hitting power is up when nobody is on base. In actual fact, the only time this is a given is in the first inning, after that the bases could be loaded with bottom of the order guys. 

In this game, Hicks was a batting machine, some people may not have noticed (they were probably looking at their phones), and he got away with 2,(up there with the meteor shower) pop ups in the infield for 2nd lives. The line on Mr. Hicks, in this game, looks like this, a double, a homerun, a single and another homerun. What? No hit for the cycle, your cut!!..LOL. 4 at bats, 4 runs scored, 2 homeruns, with the second hitting the top of the garden shed in LCF. Mr. Hicks defense was awesome also. Should I move him back to 3 or 4???

I was thinking early in the week about ratings. Most of the guys on our team are rated about where they should be, with one exception. I asked at the Legion, following this game, where most would rate Hicks? There was a discussion it was a positive one. Good game Mr. Hicks. 

Good Game Units!! UNITS UNBELIEVEABLE!!