JrBB Phillies

Back to Dahlia once again for another match against the Cubs, who 10-runned us on the opening day of the season. We played a good game of baseball on this last Saturday in April! We sent 32 batters to the plate, Green Run sent up 28, recorded 6 hits, allowed 4; committed only 2 errors, and had more than a handful of key plays & highlights. Jacob, uncharacteristically went 0-4 at the plate, but pitched a superb game—9 Ks, 3 runs on 4 hits, with only 2 walks. In the first, Sam hit a 1-out single, his first of 3, and scored on a PB. Orion singled, but was left stranded at 3rd. In the bottom half, Josh covered a lot of ground to catch the lead-off shot to center. The second GR batter doubled to right center and scored on the only run we gave up on a PB. Jacob retired the side on 2 Ks. After 1: Green Run 1; Phillies 1. In the 2nd the Phillies and GR went in order. Jacob efficiently struck out the side on 13 pitches. The 3rd looked much the same, as both sides went in order, Jacob getting his 6th and 7th K, Dirk covering a lot of ground to catch his first of two fly balls to left. After 3: Green Run 1; Phillies 1. In the 4th, Orion was, but was out 6-4 on a FC by Peyton, who advanced to 3rd on GR passed balls. Peyton scored on another PB, to give the Phillies the lead. George reached after being hit by the pitcher, and was stranded at 3rd. The lead didn’t last as the home team lead off with back-to-back doubles, both scoring before the side retired on GO to Orion and Josh and Jacob’s 8th K. After 4: Green Run 3; Phillies 2. In the 5th, Jacob drew a 2-out walk and Sam singled to left. Both were left stranded in scoring position. The 5th inning was a key defense set for the Phillies. Jacob struck out the first batter and then walked hitters number 8 and 9—a Phillies tradition!! Dirk caught a deep fly to left, and the runners were left at 2nd and 3rd. The #2 batter for Green Run hit a pop-up foul down the 1st base side which Sam caught, diving in front of the home team dug out to retire the side with 2 runners on. (Jacob gave up his Coach Hall-candy bar for the save!) After 5: Green Run 3; Phillies 2. In the top of the 6th, “Wheels” Vaughan drew a lead off walk. He flat stole 2nd and 3rd. Although going on the pitch, Peyton scored on a PB, to tie the score. Dirk singled with 2 outs, but was left stranded on base. In the bottom on the 6th, Orion snagged a bullet line-drive at short off the first batter. The second batter singled nad advanced to 2nd on PB. GO to Jacob and George retired Green Run with the score still tied at 3. In our half of the 7th, we started batting with the 9th position. Chris and ajcob both struck out. Sam singled and Orion followed with another single. Both runner advanced so that Peyton came up with runners at 2nd and 3rd. A towering shot to left was pushed NEARLY foul, before dropping for a 2-run double. Josh’s shot to SS could have been caught only by a top-notch player, but the Phillies retired with a 2-run lead. Sam relieved Jacob on the mound. Jacob had thrown 87 pitches in a solid outing, and could have finished the game, except the for the pitch count. In keeping with the Phillies tradition, Sam walked the #7 batter, thaen struck out #8. The lead off walk had advanced to 3rd before Sam walked the #9 batter! Green Runs lead off hitter lined a shot to Orion at SS, who relayed to Jacob playing 1st for the game ending/saving double play. After 7 innings, and 1 hour 45 minutes: Green Run 3; Phillies 5. A lot of good things and trends were seen in this game. Probably most obvious was another Phillies double play—we’ve had at least 1 in 6 of our 7 games. Jacob pitched a superb game; Joseph caught another superb game. The bottom of our batting order put the ball in play better than in any of our previous games. The catches by Josh and Dirk in the outfield were key—Josh’s catch of the GR game lead-ff sent a message. Dirk’s catch to end the 3rd stranded runners at 2nd & 3rd. Sam’s catch of the foul ball in the 5th also ended an inning with runners at 2nd and 3rd. The team’s 2-out rally in the 7th was undoubtedly the most significant. Singles by Sam & Orion followed by Peyton’s 2-run double were the difference on the scoreboard. The double play to end the game kept it that way!