Redemption
Eschewing suspense: On Saturday, I had the first "walkoff" baseball hit that I can remember.
Bottom of the 7th (in our league, the last inning), score tied at 7, two out, bases loaded.
First pitch, I took an inside fastball for a strike.
Second pitch, ball one.
Third pitch, mild curve inside. I ripped a ground ball down the line past the first baseman. "Foul ball!" ... So close! Maybe just an inch foul, but the right call.
I took two pitches, filling the count.
Then (heh, to build suspense), I fouled off two pitches. This is a skill I seem to have just picked up. In my "first baseball career" (through high school), I rarely hit foul balls.
One of the pitches was a high curve, but I wasn't going to let the umpire make the decision.
Eight pitch: fastball down the middle. I roped a liner straight up the middle. Their centerfielder made a diving attempt, but it got past him and we won the game.
Earlier in the game, I had been caught stealing, and also thrown out in a rundown after trying to score from first on a double. I was also very weak from a strange illness -- almost no other symptoms except mild chest congestion -- that began just before my previous game, and I failed to catch a couple of balls that I could have caught if I wasn't so sluggish.
It was my second 4 for 4 game of the season. My on base percentage now climbed to .721 (31 for 43). I'm back on the leaderboard (top 10) in every offensive category, leading the league in hits, runs, and stolen bases. And still tied for the lead league in homeruns ... with zero.
Bottom of the 7th (in our league, the last inning), score tied at 7, two out, bases loaded.
First pitch, I took an inside fastball for a strike.
Second pitch, ball one.
Third pitch, mild curve inside. I ripped a ground ball down the line past the first baseman. "Foul ball!" ... So close! Maybe just an inch foul, but the right call.
I took two pitches, filling the count.
Then (heh, to build suspense), I fouled off two pitches. This is a skill I seem to have just picked up. In my "first baseball career" (through high school), I rarely hit foul balls.
One of the pitches was a high curve, but I wasn't going to let the umpire make the decision.
Eight pitch: fastball down the middle. I roped a liner straight up the middle. Their centerfielder made a diving attempt, but it got past him and we won the game.
Earlier in the game, I had been caught stealing, and also thrown out in a rundown after trying to score from first on a double. I was also very weak from a strange illness -- almost no other symptoms except mild chest congestion -- that began just before my previous game, and I failed to catch a couple of balls that I could have caught if I wasn't so sluggish.
It was my second 4 for 4 game of the season. My on base percentage now climbed to .721 (31 for 43). I'm back on the leaderboard (top 10) in every offensive category, leading the league in hits, runs, and stolen bases. And still tied for the lead league in homeruns ... with zero.