Beaver Times 2010 - Edition VIII

It was time for a little help with the line-up. Quick on the draw was Mobilly to take his stab at the best combination of Beavers to put a victory on the board. It went a little something like this:
Sabo (3B)
Kid (SS)
Deuce (LC)
Tanner (RC)
Mobilly (P)
Big John
Dupper (LF)
Gee (1B)
Santo (RF)
Rake (2B)
Belle
Jimmy-D (C)

Immediately the peanut gallery questioned the three lefties hitting 2-3-4, but since there was no lefty on the Ivey-Selkirk roster, it didn't seem like a totally bad idea (even if Tony LaRussa wouldn't have been caught dead lining up so many lefties). Sabo fell victim to the leadoff curse immediately and was retired. Kid then followed with one of the ugliest, slowest swings of his fabled Beaver career. When he did make contact it was a slow roller to 2B - two outs. Deuce coaxed a walk and Tanner doubled him to third, but both were stranded.

The 2nd inning was equally flat. The lone hit was Dupper's single. After 2 innings Mobilly had allowed 1 run, and the Beavers had offered no support of their own. In the 3rd Ivey-Selkirk went down without a run and the Beavers started hitting. Rake led off with a single, Belle and Jimmy-D quietly flew out, then came the top of the order.

Sabo walked, Kid singled (scoring Rake), Deuce singled (scoring Sabo), Tanner singled (scoring Kid), Mobilly singled (scoring Deuce). The hitting continued in the 4th. Gee singled, Santo singled, Rake walked, Belle singled (scoring Gee), Jimmy-D became clutch again with another single (scoring Santo and Rake). Beavers score 7 runs in 2 innings. Things were looking good.

Ivey-Selkirk then started their comeback. Scoring 2 in the 5th. As the Beavers took the field in the top of the 7th Mobilly offered the ball to Gee to take over on the mound. Gee told him to finish it out. I think Gee should have listened to Mobilly. Five more runs scored and eventually Gee did come in to stop the bleeding. Beavers were down 1 going into the bottom of the 7th.

Before the game Kid had predicted a tie. It was looking all too possible.

Santo singled with one out, Rake did the same. With two outs Jimmy singled in Santo and Sabo stepped to the plate with the winning run at 2nd. Another single - breaking the tie and the leadoff curse. Beavers win 9-8.

Beaver of the game goes to Jimmy-D with a 2-3 night and 3 clutch RBI.

Impressive stat lines:
Tanner 2-3, 1 RBI, 2B (batting 4th for the first time)
Santo 2-3, 2 runs
Rake 2-2, 3 runs, 1 BB

The Beavs started off hot in the 2nd game. Scoring an early 4 runs on another new lineup, this one compliments of Gee:
Kid
Mobilly
Sabo
Tanner
Dupper
Big John
Deuce
Rake
Belle
Santo
Gee
Jimmy-D

Mobilly singled in the first and Sabo reached on an E-6, then Tanner doubled in Mobilly. Dupper, up to his old tricks, hit a Sac fly for an RBI. Big John then tried to restart the rally with a walk, Deuce reached on an E-7 on a routine play, Rake then reached on an E-6 to score Big John (or should I say, his runner, Dupper). Beavers had exposed some shoddy D and jumped out to a quick lead.

Big John was pitching game two and tried his best to give up the lead in the first. Ivey-Selkirk scored 3 of their own. The Beavers responded with 1 more in the 2nd. Santo led off with a single and Gee belted a deep drive over the left fielder's head. This is no easy feat as the OF was playing very deep all night. Gee rounded the bases and was going for the HR. The ball beat him home and to confuse the catcher Gee went into his head first dive about 12 feet shy of home. Somehow the momentum of his speed carried his slide to home plate. Unfortunately the catcher was able to get the tag down foe the 1st out of the inning. The slide looked something like this:


Ivey came back with 2 of their own. It was 5-5 going into the bottom of the 4th. Ivey then started hitting again. Scoring 4 runs, then plating another 2 in the 5th. Beavers were in a hole.

The Beavs began chipping away at the 6-run deficit in the 6th. Sabo, Tanner and Dupper all reached and scored. It was a 3 run game going into the 7th. There wasn't much quit in the Beavers on this night. They had tasted the tie and were not real happy with the taste. It was time for wins. The first two Beavers went down quickly, then Jimmy-D got his 3rd hit of the night. Kid singled Jimmy-D to 2nd. Mobilly walked. Bases were loaded, two outs, tying run on 1st, winning run at the plate.

Sabo lined a single to right center and Jimmy-D scored easily. Kid, running full steam (for him) chased Jimmy-D home and side stepped the catcher's tag and touched home.

However, the ump completely missed the call. The call that was about 5 feet in front of him. Unobstructed. He simply missed it. Kid was called out on the tag (which never happened, or even came close). Jimmy-D blew up at the ump. Clenching his fists, yelling, stomping. An all-out tantrum. Too bad umps never reverse their call, because if anyone deserved to have it reversed, it was Jimmy-D and his antics.

Beavers were left as losers. 11-9. The 10th runner wrongly called out at home and the tying run standing at 3rd. Tanner was up next and Tanner was 5-6 for the night. As we like to say. "He was due for an out".

What a shame. Definitely chalk that one up to the umpire.

Impressive stat lines:
Tanner 3-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2B
Rake 2-3, 1 RBI and reached on an error
Gee 2-3, 1 RBI, 3B

Next games are the end of the regular season. 6pm against Cousin Hugos. BE THERE!