We fielded a slightly depleted roster
with Wingrove, Paz and Grace all MIA. In Grace's case, the absence was due to the birth of a baby girl. Not just any baby girl, his baby girl! Congrats to all the Graces.So it was an Indians roster of ten up against a Pirates roster of five hundred. The first half of the game, as usual, flew by. Our bats, as usual, struggled. While the Pirates were able to get two runners across the plate in the third inning on a deceptive double, we weren't able to get a single hit. Until the fifth that is, when Heatley's single spoiled the no-hit bid. In the fifth and sixth the Pirates tacked on another 4 runs, taking control of the game with a 6-0 lead. Seeing as how we hadn't scored more than 6 runs in a game this season and could barely get a hit this game, it looked bleak.
But then we came to bat in the top of the eighth. Knowing that we couldn't make up six runs with one swing of the bat, we went one base at a time, collecting singles and walks and rocks on the basepaths that were in the
shape of hearts. The lead had been narrowed to 6-4, and we had the bases loaded. In steps Piva who hammers a drive to left field which carries past the fielder and drops in for extra bases. All runners are running, some high-stepping. Six to five! Six to six! Six to seven! Bases clearing triple for Piva! Waaaaaaiiiiiit. It's only six to six. Why, you ask? Because the 6 runs/inning limit had been reached. D'OH! That's alright that's alright. We tied our season high of six runs in a game in just one inning. We'll continue this next inning, pick up our rally where we left off.In the bottom of the eighth, with Pirate runners on second and third and less than two out, a soft grounder is hit to the right side of the infield. Piva charges from second, scoops it up, and throws it home to nail the runner at the plate. The tie is maintained, and we get out of the inning unscathed.
.Getting ready to bat in the top of the ninth, we're told by the umps that this is the last inning. No duh. Actually what they are trying to say is that no extra innings. If it's tied after this inning, then the game ends in a tie. Ohhhh, gotcha.
Nothing doing for our at-bats, so now we need to hold them for the tie. The Pirates didn't pull the bandaid off slowly, they ripped it off lickety split. The first batter ripped a double to right-centre, got to third on a sacrifice, and scored on a pitch that got through to the backstop. Game over.
While it was a heartbreaking end after our comeback, at least we do have that comeback to hang our hats on. That and our sweet new hatstand; it's made of pure gold.
We must mention Brad's remarkable plate appearances. While his 0-for-0 day might seem dull, we see it as anything but. He was at the plate four times, and drew four walks! He swung once in his first at-bat, and did not swing again in any of his three subsequent at-bats! Again, remarkable.Today's iPod.
We take you back to Piva's pressure-filled plays. Tying the game in the eighth with his clutch double would have been enough to be iPod'd, but then he took to the field right after and promptly threw out a runner at home who had dared to break the tie that he had just created. Double Kudos.
No comments:
Post a Comment