As the visitors, TRx batted first. Steve quickly got on base and showed aggression on the base paths, easily swiping second. Demps advanced the runner and GLG and Ed followed with bases hits before a sac fly by KB. Aaron knocked in the third run, and provided one of the few TRx highlights on the bases, as after his single, he slowly began walking towards second. Was his ankle reinjured? No, he was just taking his time, before finally realizing that he should probably run as the ball was already on his way in. However, that running must have taken a lot out of him, as he decided to stop at third after the ensuing base hit, instead of trying to score. Maybe he was just getting ready to play defense, as with Brian out, the A-Train knew he was being stationed at third in the field. Regardless, the top half of the inning ended with Aaron stranded at third, but once again well rested, and TRx up 3-0.
With Terry missing in action, TRx was in a bind with regard to pitching. Mike started the game on the hill, on the basis of him throwing three out of twenty practice pitches for strikes back in the preseason, a clear 50% improvement over Brian's two out of twenty. After two quick outs, including a strong throw by well-rested Aaron to get the runner at first, things appeared to be going smoothly. However, much like GLG's Continuously Ridiculous Accounting Practices (CRAP as opposed to GAAP) in the Finance department, things quickly went downhill (as CRAP always rolls downhill). PBC realized their best chance at winning the game was to not swing the bat, and not swing they did, as three consecutive batters proceeded to walk.
GLG then made the executive decision to swap Mike and KB, which based on KB's two practice pitches, seemed like it could be a positive move. However, as soon as a real batter stepped in, KB proceeded to throw six straight balls for yet another walk, this time to his nemesis, the girl with braces. After a bit more trouble, including a hard line drive that nearly broke Gabriela's arm, TRx finally escaped the inning, yet now trailed 5-3, as their seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead was easily surmounted...
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| Does KB have a thing for girls in braces? |
As the game wore on, the TRx offense began to stall, thanks to some questionable calls by the umpire, and some quality plays by PBC. First, Gabriela hit a dribbler towards third base. Despite the fact that the ball was still obviously fair when the pitcher attempted to field it, the umpire called it foul, and Gabriela was robbed of what would have been an easy base hit. Later, Mento hit a bomb down the left field line. Somehow, their left fielder made a diving catch, robbing Mento of what would have been an easy homerun, given the distance the ball travelled and Bob's gazelle-like speed, but at least it added to Bob's runners left on base stats, which is nice.
After the early trouble led to 7 runs for PBC in the first two innings, TRx settled down in the field, despite KB's best efforts to make things interesting. Despite allowing multiple runners each inning, and walking his nemesis two more times, as well as multiple other players who refused to swing the bat, TRx only gave up one more run. When asked why he walks females so often, all KB could say was "It's my duty, to walk that booty."
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| It's my duty... to walk that booty |
Other defensive highlights included Mike making a great scoop at first on a throw from GLG, KB fielding the mound well, including doing his GLG impression with an over the shoulder catch, and Aaron managing to snag a rocket from KB from 6 feet away on a grounder to the right side, saving the ball from reaching WT's house deep in the woods. Ed, MC Gold, and Steve also all locked down the outfield.
But perhaps the defensive play of the game (at least during the first 6 innings) came on another line drive towards second. After nearly getting concussed earlier in the game, this time Gabriella merely cussed, letting out a string of profanities as she shimmied out of the way. Scouts in the stands later approached her about joining the next season of Dancing With the Stars, which would make her the biggest star on that show... Later, on the bench Gabriela was inundated with requests to "teach me how to Gaby."
In the sixth inning, TRx tried to make their move. With multiple runners on base, Old Demps hit a ball hard towards the hole. Somehow, PBC got a glove on it and got a throw off to third. Despite clearly beating the throw by multiple normal-sized feet (as opposed to minuscule little Dempsey-sized feet), Demps was called out to end the inning, costing TRx valuable runs. An irate GLG threw the bat down in anger, as he was preparing for an Oppo Boppo. He would have hit himself in his bulbous dome with the bat, but given the damage that would have done, said bat would have never been able to be used again...
Back in the field, to save Gabriela from any more potential bodily harm, TRx pulled out the Bob-Gabriela switch. Despite PBC still not swinging at anything and again putting multiple people on base, TRx held them in the 6th, as KB finally got the better of his nemesis, getting her to strike out. KB then did the reverse Bryce Harper, and blew her a kiss while telling her to sit down.
Meanwhile, throughout that inning, the PBC players, who had barely swung the bat ALL GAME, were incredulous that the team they were playing would do the exact same thing. As Gabriela and Christin took their walks, the PBC centerfielder even started crying for his mommy. He probably needed a feeding, much like Robin Arryn in Game of Thrones. But that's PBC for you... Pussies, Bitches, and Crybabies...
In the bottom of the 7th, TRx was looking to play for the tie. However, a walk by KB and an error by GLG, things looked grim. The next batter hit a line drive up the middle. Bob got a glove on it, but it was clear that PBC was going to try to win it, as the runner rounded third. MC Gold fielded the ball cleanly and fired home. As time slowed down, KB fielded the ball and went for the tag. A collective hush fell over the TRx field, as given the ump's previous calls, they expected an indignity like the one that befell the Pirates on 7/26 to occur. However, the ump made the right call, as despite the runner's attempt to jump over him, KB clearly swiped him, as the runner was almost thrown over the fence by the force of the blow.
MC Gold's amazing play saved the tie for now, yet there was still one more out to get, and it was a familiar face- KB's nemesis- the girl with braces. In a hard faught battle, KB overcame his nemesis once again, getting her to strike out to end the game, as tears of joy overcame TRx. While looking for more than a tie, given the early misfortunes, and late inning heroics, the tie almost felt like a win. As Old Demps so elequently put it in his post game speech, "If a tie is like kissing your sister, I just stuck my tongue down her throat... AND LIKED IT!" which is probably what WT was doing at that very time. The tie moved TRx to 7-3-1 on the season with only one regular season game left.
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