Pitchers Deny Da Firm

In a Saturday doubleheader for the ages, the Pitchers faced off against No.2-ranked Da Firm, dropping Game 1 by the score of 15-6, but coming back in the sixth inning of Game 2, to score 10 runs and win by the final of 11-9.

After hanging around within striking distance for the first half of Game 1, the Pitchers gave up 6 runs in the fourth, watching the game slowly slip out of reach. Brian and Damian both had multiple hit games in the effort and Damian contributed stellar defense in left field throughout the game. David's third home run of the season and a triple from Felix provided enough complimentary offense to keep things interesting.

In Game 2, the Pitchers quickly found themselves down 8-0 through two innings. And through five innings, the team had managed only five hits (two of those belonging to hard-swinging Lauren), and manufactured just a single run on a lead-off triple from Damian.

It wasn't until the home half of the sixth that the rest of the Pitchers found their batting groove. With a couple of outs mixed in along the way, singles from Damian, Danny and Jason, plus back-to-back doubles from David and Alex B., brought in 4 runs. The stunning rally kept going with the key walks of Eric + Lauren sandwiched between singles from Alicia and Brian.

With the bases now loaded and two outs (and the Pitchers down by just two runs), the inning's lead-off hitter Damian came up to bat again and responded to the moment by hitting a vicious fly ball down the line beyond the rightfielder's grasp. The ball kept rolling, in the process turning itself into a grand slam, completing a 3-for-3 game for Damian and making him damn near impossible to live with for the rest of the weekend.

The comeback nearly complete, and with his proud mother and grandmother watching from the stands, pitcher David kept the game exciting for the Da Firm's final at-bats, allowing the winning run to come to da plate before recording the last outs with some nifty assists from his outfield.

The Empty Pitchers now have a chance to get within sniffing distance of .500 on the season with next week's games against La Familia, the team just ahead of them in the ADW League standings.

Week 8 - Empty Pitchers vs. Da Firm

Game 16 Box Score
6/20/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
DF    5  3  0  0  1   0  0    9
EP    0  0  1  0  0  10  X   11

PLAYER      AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG  'On the Day'
SS  Felix    2  0  0   1   0   .500  (1-5, walk)
3B  Jason    3  1  1   1   0   .452  (2-6)
LF  Brian    3  1  2   1   0   .571  (4-6)
     Matt F. 2  0  0   0   0   .391  (1-4, walk)
P   David    3  1  1   2   0   .467  (2-5)
EH  Alex B.  3  1  1   1   0   .417  (2-6)
1B  Alicia   3  1  1   0   0   .381  (1-3)
CF  Eric     2  1  1   1   1   .654  (1-3, walk)
C   Lauren   2  1  2   0   1   .400  (3-5, walk)
2B  Danny    2  1  1   0   0   .364  (2-5)
RCF Damian   3  3  3   4   0   .412  (5-6)
RF  Debbie   3  0  0   0   0   .125  (0-6)

2B - David (3), Alex B. (5), Eric (3)
3B - Damian (1); HR - Damian (1)

Game 15 Box Score (5 innings)
6/20/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP     2  0  1  2  0  1  0   6
DF     1  2  3  6  1  2  X   15

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
SS  Felix     3  1  1   0   1   .533
3B  Jason     3  1  1   1   0   .464
CF  David     2  1  1   2   0   .481
     Eric     1  0  0   0   0   .667
EH  Alex B.   3  0  1   0   0   .424
2B  Lauren    3  1  1   0   0   .308
RF  Brian     3  0  2   0   0   .556
1B  Danny     3  1  1   0   0   .355
LF  Damian    3  1  2   1   0   .286
C   Debbie    3  0  0   0   0   .154
P   Matt F.   2  0  1   1   1   .429
SF  Lisa      2  0  0   1   1   .111

2B - Lauren (1); 3B - Felix (2); HR - David (3)

Keko Jones Regrets Naming Team After Herself

The Empty Pitchers took two from Keko Jones last weekend, by scores of 21-4, and 10-7, giving a boost to both the Pitchers' confidence and batting averages.

In Game 1, the Pitchers scored 11 runs in the top of the first, tacked on another 8 in the second, and never looked back, even giving up their 'ups' in the fifth inning and allow the rout to come to its merciful conclusion. Felix was on fire, providing rock-solid defense at shortstop and lighting up Keko's pitcher for 3 hits (including a triple), and 6 RBIs. Brian and Alex B. saw their averages climb above .500, with Alex contributing a pair of doubles, and Eric dealt a death-blow to Keko with his team-leading fourth home run of the season.

Game 2 featured a lady-heavy Pitchers' lineup, that kept the game interesting (and close), until the time arrived to pull away. Alicia went 2-for-2 with a couple of walks and Debbie continued to focus on raising her OBP by drawing a trio of walks. David helped his own case with another multiple-hit game and a home run of his own in the sixth that put the game out of Keko's reach for good.

With the pair of wins, and a somewhat respectable record of 6-10, the Pitchers find themselves in the middle of the ADW pack, but have a tough test ahead of them with a game against the No.2 team, Da Firm, next week.

ADW League Standings through June 13:

      Gorillas (15-1)
      Da Firm (14-2)
      Designated Drinkers (14-2)
      No Fear (10-6)
      Titans (9-7)
      Empty Pitchers (6-10)
      La Familia (6-10)
      Salute All Stars (3-13)
      Keko Jones (1-13)
      The Mavericks (0-14)

Week 7 - Empty Pitchers vs. Keko Jones

Game 14 Box Score
6/13/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
KJ     3  0  1  2  0  1  0   7
EP     0  1  2  0  5  3  X   10

PLAYER      AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG  'On the Day'
LF  Damian   4  1  0   0   0   .182  (1-5)
3B  Alicia   2  2  2   1   2   .389  (2-2, 2 walks)
P   David    4  1  2   3   0   .480  (4-6)
EH  Alex B.  4  1  0   0   0   .433  (2-7)
CF  Brian    1  1  1   0   0   .533  (3-4)
     Matt F. 2  1  1   0   1   .421  (2-5, walk) 
RF  Matt J.  2  1  1   3   1   .476  (2-4, walk)
2B  Tara     2  0  1   1   1   .375  (3-4, walk) 
1B  Danny    2  0  1   2   1   .357  (2-4, 2 walks)
C   Debbie   0  0  0   0   3   .200  (1-1, 5 walks)
SS  Felix    3  0  0   0   0   .556  (3-6)
RF  Rachel   0  1  0   0   1   .222  (2-2, 2 walks)
     Eric    1  1  1   0   1   .696  (3-5, walk)

3B - Eric (2); HR - David (2)

Game 13 Box Score (5 innings)
6/13/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP    11  8  2  0  -  X  X   21
KJ     0  4  0  0  0  X  X   4

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
SS  Felix    3  3  3   6   1   .556
CF  Eric     4  2  2   4   0   .696
CF  David    2  1  2   0   0   .476
     Damian  1  1  1   1   0   .286
3B  Alex B.  3  1  2   2   0   .500
C   Rachel   2  2  2   0   1   .222
LF  Brian    3  1  2   0   0   .500
P   Matt F.  3  1  1   2   0   .389
2B  Tara     2  2  2   0   1   .333
EH  Danny    2  3  1   2   1   .346
1B  Matt J.  2  2  1   2   1   .474
RF  Debbie   1  2  1   2   2   .200

2B - Alex B. (3,4) , Matt F. (2)
3B - Felix (1), David (1); HR - Eric (4)

Week 6 - Empty Pitchers vs. No Fear

Playing shorthanded and without the benefit of the extra male hitter in the lineup, the Empty Pitchers still made the first of their games competitive, and put enough of a scare into No Fear that the team felt the need to appeal slight Pitcher base-running miscues (*cough* Jason *cough*) in order to ensure a Game 2 win. Big thanks to Matt J. and Rachel for running the team in Koach K's absence.

Game 12 Box Score (4 innings)
6/6/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP     1  0  0  0  X  X  X   1
NF     9  3  5  X  X  X  X   17

PLAYER      AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG  'On the Day'
SS  Jason    2  0  1   0   0   .480  (2-4, walk)
3B  Felix    1  1  1   0   1   .500  (2-4, walk)
CF  Eric     2  0  1   0   0   .737  (2-5)
RF  Matt J.  2  0  0   1   0   .471  (2-5)
P   Matt F.  2  0  0   0   0   .400  (0-5)
C   Rachel   2  0  0   0   0   .000  (0-5)
LF  Brian    1  0  1   0   0   .455  (1-3)
2B  Lauren   1  0  0   0   0   .300  (1-3)
1B  Danny    1  0  1   0   0   .333  (1-3)

2B - Felix (6), Eric (2)

Game 11 Box Score
6/6/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
NF     0  2  4  0  1  0  0   7
EP     0  0  0  1  0  0  0   1

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
SS  Jason    2  1  1   0   1   .478
3B  Felix    3  0  1   1   0   .478
CF  Eric     3  0  1   0   0   .765
RF  Matt J.  3  0  2   0   0   .533
P   Matt F.  3  0  1   0   0   .462
C   Rachel   3  0  0   0   0   .000
LF  Brian    2  0  0   0   0   .400
2B  Lauren   2  0  1   0   0   .333
1B  Danny    2  0  0   0   0   .304

2B - Felix (5)