BANSHEES SCARE UNIT'S BATS IN TO HYDING.

HURTIN' UNITS VS. THE BANSHEES.

A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step- chinese adage.

Game # 19 - August 9, 2012

Hurtin' Units lose 5-3

Team Record 7-11-1

Keogh Park- Yes, you read that right, this game was at Keogh Park. This was the first game we have played at Keogh Park since July 5, 2012 when we beat the Dislocated Joints by a score of 16-10 for our forth win of the season. Our team record back then was 4-7-1, our record now is 7-11-1. If I were to poll most players as to where they would rather play, I'd be willing to bet the bulk of the answers would be in favor of Keogh, it would be my first choice. The schedule was not our friend over the last month, but we only have one more game at Coventry. Hooray!!

Since Gord and Clayton and Mark (this week) have been gone; we have lost 3 games in a row; we have scored a total of 16 runs over three games, slightly over 5 runs per game; our defense is still playing stellar (by slo-pitch standards) allowing only 29 runs over the last 3 games, slightly under 10 runs per game. On most nights, keeping your opponent under 10 runs per game, there is a pretty good chance that the game will be close, but our batting has been in Hyding and we need to do some seeking. 

The weather for this game was awful, it had been raining almost all day and at game time there was a chance that the game would not be played. There were some soft and slippery spots on the infield, mostly around first base and a little around third, but I think we have played in worse. There was a discussion as to whether or not to play the game, I was in favor, but there was a bit of resistance from Chris N. (umpire) and I think Frank might have been leaning toward canceling also. Doug Dwyer wanted the games to go on, I agreed, the field wasn't all that bad considering the amount of rain that had fallen during the day. Doug even went  and picked up some bags of sand and put it around first and third bases. 


Jimmer uses the same glove.

The batter's boxes were brutal, but that is usually the case after any rain showers, we have definitely played in worse. 

At game we had 9 Unit players dressed (let's hope they were dressed, with this type of weather you could easily catch a cold) We signed little Timmy Sullivan to a one game tryout contract (update: good in the field, didn't help our batting). Missing on this night was Gord (Birdman), Clayton and Mark.

I had a rough night on the mound; the ball was constantly wet and I couldn't get a good grip, Gord Robert... kept trying to dry it on every throw around, but it would get wet from the batter's boxes on each throw. I also had some trouble with the rubber on the mound, it was in the place my foot lands on my follow through, as a result I walked several batters on the night. The defense saved my ass on several occasions on this night.

This game was our first meeting with the Banshees and it wasn't our finest moment.

I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, I have been approaching this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing from the wrong angle. Let's say Dr. Jekyll has been here all along, our defense has been scary good in the last while, maybe that's the Jekyll of this team, after all the Dr. Jekyll is prevalent  most of the time. Mr. Hyde only comes about from time to time, (mostly in the bad weather I've noticed)we just have to learn to keep Hyde in hiding, control his evil offensive (or in the Hurtin' Units case, non existent offense) side. And if we can't control the Hyde side, perhaps we can expose it to gamma rays so it becomes the Incredible Hulk and can hit the ball out of the park for some runs. I know this last sentence is really silly, where are we going to find gamma rays. Steroids would be a lot easier to find, but the season is coming to an end quickly and it would not really help us at this point. I guess we'll just have to start getting some hits. Mr. Hyde it's time for you to sleep now, we no longer wish to see your hideous face until the season is finished.

Boxscore:      1      2       3      4      5      6     7       Total   

Hurtin' Units   0     2       0      0      0      1      X          3       

Banshees       0     0       3      0       2      0     X          5             

The Hurtin' Units were the home team for this game. In the first inning both teams went down quickly, 3 up, 3 down, the Banshees on three ground balls, the Units two ground balls and a fly ball. In the top of the second inning, the Banshees went down stranding runners at third and second. In the bottom of the inning, the Units sent 7 batters to the plate, Cam and Craig would come around to score. In the top of the third inning, I would walk the lead off batter and 7 batters later the Banshees would take a 3 run inning to the dugout. In the bottom of the inning, Al and Jamie would be stranded on bases, as 3 fly ball out put us out of the inning. At the end of 3 innings, the Banshees 3, Hurtin' Units 2.

The forth inning saw the Banshees send 6 batters to the plate, but the Units defense would get outs and leave runners on third and second bases. In the bottom of the inning, the Units went down 1,2,3. In the top of the fifth inning, the Banshees would send 8 batters to the plate, I would walk a batter, there were 5 base hits, 2 runs would come around to score and the Hurtin' Units would get out of the inning with the bases loaded on a third out fly ball. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jimmer would lead off and get out on a ground ball, little Timmy S. would single, Al would fly out , Timmy would advance to third on a double by Anicete and Jamie would fly out for the final out of the inning, stranding Anicete and little Timmy.

The sixth inning became the open inning. In the top of the sixth inning, the Banshees lead off (Kevin a.k.a Radar, subbing on the night)  would start with a single, next batter Paul would hit a single, Radar came around to third. With runners on first and third, the Banshees would hit 3 consecutive fly ball outs and not score the runner from third. In the bottom of the open inning, Hurtin' Units down by 2 runs, Rob (I'll tumble for ya) was the lead off batter, Rob would hit a fly ball out (there's a surprise twist to the end of the story) for the first out of the inning. Cam, Craig and Gord would all hit singles, Cam would be forced out at second for the 2nd out of the inning.  Davey would hit a double, scoring Craig from third and with runners at third and second (the tying run at second) I (Jimmer) came up to bat, I passed on the first pitch, on the second I made solid contact sending the ball toward left field, Jerry M. came sprinting up and made the catch to end the game. Hurtin' Units lose 5-3.