A Beautiful Thing: 29ers Play Harmonious, Symbiotic Baseball, Top Cleaners 14-0

LAST GAME RESULTS

29TH ST 29ERS

14

RICHMOND CLEANERS

0 (ZERO)

RECAP: Man, I'm still just *jazzed* on last Sunday's game.  I said it after we won, but it really did feel like a STATEMENT game.  It was such an impressive showing from everybody involved, and I'm not being dramatic when I say honestly that you guys really made me proud. From Mirriam-Webster (a dictionary that, in general, I detest, but one that, for whatever reason, is most easily accessible on the Internet): proud /proud/: a "feeling of pleasure from ... the achievements of those with whom one is associated. ..." Yep.  I'd say that covers it.  I felt pleasure, guys.  Real, unadulterated PLEASURE with your collective achievements.

For those who were at that game against The Cleaners in which their marquee pitcher Jeremy essentially shut us down, this was a version of revenge (a version without any of the negative connotations of that word).  

We got to him in the first, with Pat reaching on an error and Mike singling after Bobby popped out.  With two outs, Craig put out a good at-bat while waiting on an offspeed pitch and dunked it right into center.  Classic case of not trying to do too much when you've got two strikes.

We got to him again in the fourth, when Mike led off by getting hit by a pitch (his first of two HBPs that day), Craig reached on an error, Zack walked, and Brandon hit a 2-RBI single.  Just lovely.  I followed by trying to suicide Zack home from third, but couldn't handle it, the ball rolling foul off the first base side leaving me with two strikes. I chopped it past Jeremy, which allowed Zack to score, and reached on the errant throw.  Ryan singled Brandon home. 5-0.

It was at this point of the game I started feeling really good about chances.  Zack had already looked great through the first three innings.  You know what?  I mistyped.  I felt really good about our chances before the game even started.  Despite the fact that everyone was getting antsy while waiting for the Latin League game to finish, I noticed that everyone was in a great mood.  Everyone was cracking wise, giving each other just the right amount of crap, and generally just choppin' it up and feeling good.  When we scored that run in the first I knew we were gonna take it.  And that was before Zack even demonstrated he was ON.

I guess the real exciting inning came in the seventh.  I led off with a basehit to left and Dave followed it with a walk after taking the count full.  Ryan hit one to the right side into an out and I pulled a Lennen and turned it into a run with some balls-to-the-wall baserunning.  After Colin got on, Alex popped out.  With two outs, Ricky hit an RBI single back up the middle, and Pat and Bobby both followed with singles themselves.  All with two outs.  It was a hit parade.  All with two outs.  With the bases loaded, Craig came up to the plate and CRUSHED a 3-RBI double over the the centerfielder's head on a day where the ball wasn't exactly flying.  13-0.

We tacked on another run on Large Michael's (formerly known as "Big Mike") sac fly in the ninth, but the damage was done.

I want to point out quickly that it really impressed me that a couple of the guys who had so-so at-bats in the early innings were able to come back in their third turn at the plate and turn it around.  Bobby followed a frustrating pop-up with count leverage and a strike out with a booming double and two singles.  Pat followed a pop-up and a strikeout with two solid singles.  Ricky took three ABs with nothing to show for it and got an RBI hit and a walk and scored on Mike's sacrifice.  Things like that are big, guys.  These are the little sorts of things you look for in your players.  If you're having a bad day at the plate, all it ever takes is your next time up to turn it around.  I know that is cliché but believe it.  Look at those guys.  They were our 1-2-3 hitters and they turned it around.  Great job.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Now, this was kind of tough, because obviously you could make such an easy case for Zack "The Wizard" Farwell, but I have got to give it to the entire team.  Before I go into that, a moment for Zack: his first shutout, a complete game masterpiece.  5 hits, 5 Ks, against only 2 walks.  He had all three of his pitches working and it was just amazing to watch him go at it.  He is peaking at such a good time for this team, and I think we all are hoping he continues this streak he's on into the championships.

But the reason you all are player of the game is because we played probably the cleanest, most well-executed baseball of the season on Sunday.  It was an error-less game, with great defensive decisions made throughout.  Infielders took their time, didn't rush throws, threw accurately.  Everyone was calm and inside the game.  Everyone threw out great at-bats and was talking to each other as they went up with their respective glorious walk-up songs playing in the background.  

We play like that in the championships and you can count on bringing a title to the Rock Bar, guys, believe me.  Pleasure.  Real pleasure.

DRIVE OF THE GAME: Again, while there were enormous contributions up and down the lineup, Craig's double over the Cleaner's centerfielder has to take the cake.  The timing with two outs, the bases loaded, it all essentially capped the inning and really, and I mean really put the thing out of reach for The Cleaners the way Zack was throwing.  Three RBIs.  I don't often laud my managing (lie) but moving Craig into the 5-hole from leadoff or hitting second was one of the better things I've done this season.  He has given me no reason to move him from there either, because whereas his hits that used to just get him on base are now not only doing that, but also driving you guys in for runs.

PLAY OF THE GAME: The only time Zack ever got in trouble (I forget the inning) was a situation with the bases loaded and two outs.  Zack had pitched around the guy before to load the bases and create a force at every base (a move I agreed with).  With the shutout on the line, one of the Cleaners RIPPED a one-hop seed to Dave at third, who handled it cleanly to his left side before glancing over at third and then deciding to take the throw to first.  You saw him look, set, and make a perfect throw to Pat to end the inning and keep The Wiz's S/O intact.

Dave played an insane third base the entire game.  Expertly fielding something like seven different ground balls and making perfect throws every time.  If there were a question as to who has locked down third base, I'm pretty sure everybody there would agree that Dave has answered it and left little doubt in anyone's mind.

As is the case lately, I'll have all your stats posted up tomorrow.  I'm starting to run late for this Dealers/Nobles jam at Crocker.  Check back tomorrow afternoon for those, okay?