JrBB Phillies

Game 5  Green Run Nationals  Apr 22^nd

            The Phillies traveled, once again, to Green Run on Saturday to play the GR Nationals.  We finally played Phillies-baseball against our cross-town rivals and won 12-5 behind another solid outing by Jacob & Sam.  They combined for 4 hits, 2 ER, 5 Ks, 6 BB.  We sent 32 batters to the plate, GR sent 28.  Most significant stat is that we committed only 1 error, which did not result in a run.  11 of 13 players reached bse,; 9 of them scored.

            Our 1^st at-bat was ominous—2 GO to 1^st, a single by Jacob to center was left on base with clean-up struck out.  IN turn, we allowed 2 runs to score off 2 singles.  After 1:  GR 2; Phillies 0.

            We got on the board in the 2^nd when we sent 10 batter up and scored 4 runs.  Josh led off with a 7 pitch walk.  After Dirk lined out to 2^nd on a self-defense shot, Justin & Kyle walked.  Josh scored on George’s sacrifice to center.  Sam walked to lad the bases again and a balk scored Justin.  Marcus, running for Kyle, scored on a PB.  Sam scored on Orion’s 2-out single, before Jacob ROE and Peyton was HBP to re-load the bases.  Tenth batter of the K’d but 4 runs scored.  IN the bottom of the 2^nd, a lead-off walk resulted in a run on a PB, as the next 3 batter went down in order.  After 2:  GR 3; Phillies 4.

            In the top of the 3^rd, the Phillies scored 4 more on a lead-off single by Dirk.  With 2 outs, George singled to left, scoring Dirk.  Sam and Orion walked to load the bases and Jacob cleared them with a deep shot before trying to claw his way from 2^nd to 3^rd being tagged out in the process!  We held GR scoreless in their half of the third when Joe & Jacob combined for a 2-1 PO on a runner attempting to score on a PB.  After a GO to SS and single to center, Jacob recorded his 3^rd K to retire the side.  After 3:  GR 3; Phillies 8.

            Phillies added 2 in the 4^th on a lead-off, Peyton walk, followed by Marcus’ HR to the softball field in right-center.  The bottom half of the order went quietly after that—3 Ks, & a walk.  Sam relieved Jacob on the mound in the 4^th.  He struck out the first 2 batters on 7 pitches.  Then, keeping with the tradition of Philly-ball, walked the #8 & #9 batter before hitting the lead-off to load the bases!  A single to left scored 2 runs.  Not wanting to make the littlest GR player feel left out, Sam hit him to re-load the bases, before getting their clean-up hitter to GO to the mound.  After 4:  GR 5; Phillies 10.

            Phillies added an additional 2 runs in the 5^th on a lead-off walk (Sam’s 3^rd of the game), and RBI single by Orion and a FC by Jacob.  Orion was CS on Jacob’s hit, and Marcus doubled with 2 outs, scoring Jacob.  He was CS to retire the Phillies in the 5^th.  Time expired on the game in the bottom of the 5^th, and GR retired with the bases loaded.  Phillies very nearly completed a rare 3-6-4 double play when Orion threw to Marcus to force the runner at 2^nd.  Marcus then relayed to Justin, covering 1^st.  After 5 complete and time limit reached:  GR 5; Phillies 12.

            Defensive highlight was the near 3-6-4 DP.  However, the 5 GR hits to the outfield were ALL kept to singles—huge!!  Milner again kept nearly everything in front of him behind the plate, keeping runners from freely advancing.  Sam tagged the batter when the throw from SS pulled him off 1^st—a rally-breaker in the 1^st that also stranded a runner at 3^rd.

            Two games—One defensive error—big league, leads-up baseball that is made possible by hard work at practice and self-confidence in each other’s ability.  Our next game is our first against the Fleet Park Pirates, Wednesday, April 26^th.  Saturday’s game is on the road, again versus Green Run Cubs, to whom we lost the season opener.