JrBB Phillies

Phillies – Royals Play 2 Games on 1 Night-3 Apr 6:00

            Visiting Phillies opened their Fleet Park season in the same error-plagued fashion as they closed the season opener at Green Run.  In the 1^st, three ground outs and a single portended an anemic start.  In the bottom half, the defense recorded 3 errors and the Royals scored 3 runs on ZERO hits, errors and 2 run-scoring WP.  Sam threw 37 pitches, walked 3 with 2 Ks in the 1^st.

            The 2^nd wasn’t much better.  The Phillies went in order on 14 pitches.  The Royals sent 11 batters to the plate and scored 6 runs on 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 hit batterer, and 4 more errors.  Orion relieved Sam and retired the last batter on 2 pitches, catching the fly himself.  At the end of 2—Royals 9; Phillies 0.

             In the 3^rd, Kyle walked to lead-off.  He advanced to 3rd, but was out at home on a FC.   Orion & Sam singled before Jacob grounded out to end the half.  Substitutions were made defensively in the 3^rd and a resultant decrease in errors was accompanied by our first of two DPs.  Lead-off batter, Litsch, walked, advanced to 2^nd but was tagged by Marcus on the front-end of a U6/6-3 DP.  Orion recorded his first of 4 Ks to retire the side.  At the end of 3:  Royals 9; Phillies 0.

            In the 4^th, Marcus ROE, but was left at 3^rd as the Phillies batted only 4 players, 1 more than the Royals in their half.  In the 9-pitch 4^th, Host doubled to lead-off.  Attempting to steal 3^rd, he was out by an excellent 2-5 play, Peyton to George.  This was a key defensive play.  After a walk to Grimes, Zarro struck out to retire the Royals.  After 4:  Royals 9; Phillies 0.

            In the 5^th, the Phillies bats ignited.  George walked to lead-off, was replaced at 1^st by Chris.  Austin walked, but Chris was CS at 3^rd.  With 2 outs, Sam ROE and following walks to Jacob & Josh, Austin scored.  Marcus “Wheels” Hall stroked one “to the fence” in right-center and completed the inside-the-park Grand Slam to put the Phillies firmly on the scoreboard.  The Royals went in order in the 5^th..  Josh stabbed a sharp liner at 2^nd to rob Bashara of extra bases.  Orion pitched a 1-3 ground out and his fourth K.  After 5:  Royals 9; Phillies 5.

            In the 6^th, the Phillies took the lead.  Peyton singled to lead-off, followed by a 4-pitch walk issued to Kyle.  Chris struck out and Orion ROE.  Sam singled, scoring Peyton and leaving the bases loaded.  Jacob singled, scoring Kyle—bases still loaded.  Josh walked, scoring Orioin, and Marcus walked scoring Sam.  Dirk grounded out, scoring Jacob.  With 2 outs, Peyton powered a single to the outfield scoring 2 more runs.  With runners at the corners, the Phillies retired in the top of the 6^th with the lead, 12-9.  The Phillies defense stayed strong.  Following a single and walk to start the inning, Stratton ROE to load the bases.  Peyton saved several runs with a catch of a well-hit ball to center by Wyatt Brown.  In a truly exciting finish, Marcus started the second DP of the game, catching a L. Bashara liner at SS and relaying to Sam at 1^st to force Stratton.  With runners in scoring position, the game was over:  Phillies 12; Royals 9.

            Moral of this game is the “Rule of Holes”—When you’re in one, quit digging!  Play defense up front and you don’t have quite the hole to climb out of.

Green Run(s) By Phillies—1 Apr 9:00

            Our season began with a pleasant drive across town to Green Run Little League, where we played our District 8 mates.  Marcus led off, reached on HBP, and scored on a PB.  The next batters alternated walks and Ks before Austin grounded out with Orion and Peyton in scoring position.  In the bottom of the 1^st, Jacob Miller’s first pitch of the season was a strike. Then the game had a few highlights and some not-so-highlights.  Jacob worked up a lather throwing a 27-pitch first inning, allowing 4 earned runs, walked 1 and struck out 1.

            In the 2^nd, Justin ROE on a sharply hit ball to 3^rd and an errant throw to 1^st.  Kyle walked.  A K, fly-out, and ground out retired the Phillies stranding 2 more runners (4 total).  Bottom of the 2^nd had Josh written all over it.  He caught a lead-off fly, turned the front-end of a DP with an unassisted PO at 2^nd, throwing to Orion for the 3^rd out.

            Orion led-off the 3^rd with a single, but Jacob grounded out into a well executed 1-4-3 DP.  Peyton singled and Austin ROE before Justin flied out to center on another well hit ball.  We stranded 2 more (6 total).  Jacob had an 11-pitch 3^rd, helping himself on a 1-3 ground out and K.

            The newest Philly, George Murphy, walked to lead-off the 4^th.  Chris followed with another BB, but got caught napping and was picked off at 1^st.  Marcus christened his extra-bases season with a shot over the left field fence at about 285 feet, scoring 2.  Wedged between 2 ground outs was Orion’s second single of the game, but he was left stranded (7 total LOB).  In the bottom half of the 4^th, Jacob was particularly efficient, throwing 7 pitches garnering 2 ground outs and his third K.  Particularly impressive was the 3-1 play where Orion fielded the ball on the grass and flipped to Jacob, covering the bag.

            In our last 2 at-bats, the Phillies rested!  We sent 3 batters to the plate in the 5^th and 6^th, grounded out to pitcher, 1^st (unassisted), flied out to left and struck out 3 times.  All of this on 20 Green Run pitches.  Defensively, the 5^th and 6^th innings were disastrous!  Josh relieved Jacob on the mound.  Marcus moved from center to SS.  First batter doubled, 2^nd walked, before their #4 batter parked one outside the fence.  Green Run sent 9 batters to the plate and the bases were loaded when we got the last out in left field by Justin.  Nine more batters came up in the 6^th before Green Run had scored 6 more runs and we were sent home, 13-3. 

We sent 28 batters to the plate; Green Run sent 36.  Jacob threw 62 pitches; Josh threw 49.  We had 4 hits in 6 innings.

Visiting Phillies looked pretty anemic in the opening stanza, when Stratton got a 2-out singled and was left stranded on 1^st three pitches later.  Defense held in the bottom half, allowing only 1 run.  Lead-off ROE and Sam walked the next batter. Zack caught 2 flies at short and Sam struck out the 7^th batter to get out of a bases-loaded jam.

            Luke singled to right, leading off the 2^nd.  He scored on Zack’s ground-out.  Cameron hit a 2-out double to left, but was picked off.  Sam served up 3 straight ground-outs, and the score was tied at 1 after 2 innings.

            Phillies went in order in the 3rs.  Pirates also went in order when Marcus caught a pop-up at short and beat the runner back to second for an unassisted DP.

            Phillies went ahead in the 4^th on a 1-out, bunt single by Josh and a triple by Luke, who scored on the throwing error by the right fielder after he picked the ball up at the fence!  Zack singled with 2 outs, but was left stranded at 3^rd.  Pirates got 1 back in the 4^th on a lead-off walk and an error.  After 4—Phillies 3; Pirates 2.

            Ross drew a walk o lead off the 5^th, followed by a singles by Jordan and Sam.  Dirk, running for Ross, and Jordan scored on Stratton’s double.  A no-out squeeze bunt failed and also caught the runner going to 3^rd. Pirates led 5-2.  Marcus relieved Sam in the 5^th, but wasn’t as sharp as usual.  Zack replaced Marcus, but 4 runs scored before the side retired.

            In the 6^th, the middle of the Phillies line-up went in order. Pirates took a 2-run lead on an RBI FC.

            Phillies tied the game with 2 runs in the top of the 7^th.  Orion singled to lead-off.  Jordan walked, and Sam singled, scoring Orion and Jordan.  Pirates went in order in the 7^th to force extra innings.  Ross & Zack both battled hard hits to make the plays at 1^st base.
     Phillies had chances in the 8th.  Marcus & Zack hit 1-out singles to left.  ross walked with 2 outs after Orion's FC to left.  A squeeze at the plate retired the side.  Jordan can in to close in the 8th and struck out the first batter, walked the second, hit the third.  A ground-out to 1st brought everyone to the edge of their seats.  Pirates scored on a well hit ball to left, but not before everyone on and around Field #1 was treated to a fine baseball game.
     Hightlihgts--Tolerable number of defensive errors, although all 3 errors led to Pirate runs.  Key, timely hits scored runs--left only 2 runners on base.  Sam, Zack & Jordan pitched very well.  Josh got hit first hit of the season.  Cameron captialized on his height and power with a stand-up double.   Luke hit a triple to right that got there so quickly no one in this divisin would have had a play on it.
     Although we lost this game, we played better baseball-more aggressive baseball--than we did in our error-free, no-hit game against Chesapeake.

Wedged into the Memorial Day weekend was a Phillies error-free, no hitter against visiting Chesapeake.  We led from the bottom of the 1^st until the first game of a double header was called at 2 hrs, after 4.5 innings.  Sam started on the mound, striking out the lead-off batter and walking the next 4 before Orion started his no-hit closing effort with 2 outs in the first.  He walked the 1^st batter and it didn’t bode well for the hosting Phillies.  But—the Phillies didn’t take long to respond. Marcus walked and scored on Jordan’s triple.  Jordan scored on a PB to Sam, who was HBP.  Luke stroked a bases-loaded, 0-outs single to score Sam.  After sending 8 batters to the plate, Phillies led 3-2.

            Orion faced 9 batters over the next 3 innings, striking out 3, serving up pop-ups to Marcus, Ross & himself.  Phillies scored 1 run in the 3rs when Stratton walked and scored on Orion’s single.  In the 4^th, the Phillies sent 9 batters to the late.  Matt & Ross drew back-to-back walks.  Matt scored on Marcus’ double. Jordan walked, but Ross scored on a PB. Sam doubled, scoring “Wheels” and “Smarty Jones.”  With 2 outs, Luke ROE to right, scored Sam.

            Orion finished what he started in the 1^st, retiring the side with 2 walks and an excellent defense.

     Seven runs on 10 hits weren’t enough for the Phillies on Saturday, as the fell to the Pirates 9-7.  the Pirates scored first, plating 2 runs in the 1^st.  Phillies got 1 back when Sam doubled with 2 outs and scored on Stratton’s single to left.  Neither team scored in the 2^nd.  Errors continued to plague the Phillies as they committed 3 in the 3^rd and the Pirates scored 2 runs on 2 singles.  Phillies tied the game in their half of the 3^rd.  Jordan singled, stole 2^nd & 3^rd and went home on a busted pick-off play.  Marcus walked, stole 2^nd, was balked to 3^rd and scored on Sam’s groundout.  Stratton hit his second single of the game, advanced to 2^nd and scored on Dan’s single to right center.

     Dan relieved Marcus on the mound in the 4^th, and neither team scored in the 4^th.  Pirates scored 3 in the top of the 5^th.  In the bottom half, Marcus got a 1-out single and scored on Sam’s ground out.  Dirk and Dan both singled but were left stranded.  Pirates scored 2 more in the 6^th on 1 hit and help from another Phillies error.  Phillies avoided a big inning by Dirk catching a line drive at short and catching the runner getting back to first.  Despite benefiting from 2 Pirate errors, the Phillies failed to score.  Ross hit a hard liner to center and matt ROE, but both runners were left on base.