Game 6: Windy City

We won again today.

That’s three in a row for us and puts our record at 4-2 for the season, good enough for a solid fourth place among the 10 teams in our league. For the record, we suffered our two losses to the top two teams – which are 6-0 and 5-1, respectively – and we have yet to see the third place team, which lost 28-6 today to that 6-0 team. Yikes!

Although, we did come frighteningly close to handing an 0-4 team its first win today …

The wind was whipping, straight out toward the right field corner. And where I was playing in right, it felt like I was standing in the path of a tornado. I couldn’t hear a thing because the wind was blowing through my ears like a freight train, and I could barely see a thing with all the dust kicking up in my eyes. … I didn’t pick up the only ball hit in my direction until it was over the first baseman and bouncing in front of me.

Our opponent crossed four runs in the top of the first inning, but luckily our bats were more potent today – and the windy conditions helped turn the game into a slugfest. We came right back with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and stayed ahead until the final inning.

In my first at-bat in the first inning, I hit a hot shot right at the second baseman. But he made a good play on it and tossed the ball to second base for a force-out and the final out of the frame … Then, in my second at-bat, I slapped a ground ball down the third base line for a single and an RBI. And later, I hit a line drive down the right field line for a single and two RBIs. A 2-for-3 day with three RBIs, two runs scored and no strikeouts – I’ll take it.

Heading into the final inning, we were ahead 14-11. Our shortstop moved to the pitcher’s mound, and I replaced him in the infield … We gave up a few solid hits, made a couple defensive miscues and pretty soon, we were tied at 14.

Still, heading back to the dugout for the bottom of the last inning, I don’t think there were any doubts we’d put the game away …

Sure enough, the opposing pitcher loaded the bases with no outs. They made a pitching change, and the first ball the reliever threw was in the dirt. Ball got past the catcher. Runner on third base scores standing up …

We win.