With its lawn mowed, infield groomed, diamond sharply lined, and backstop decked patriotically in red, white, and blue bunting, Restaino Field was the perfect backdrop for some good old fashioned small-town summer baseball.
Unlike the Rockets' first game, against the crosstown rival Needham Blue Sox, the second game of this young season would feature a completely unfamiliar opponent. Nobody in the dugout knew what to expect of Walpole National. Their ballpark was certainly impressive, but what about their pitching? What sort of lineup would they be rolling out? Would they be able to keep the speedy Rockets at bay on the basepaths?
Rockets leadoff hitter Roman would seek to answer some of these questions right off the bat. He worked a full count and then took a walk. Once on, he was given the green light to steal, but never had the opportunity as number two hitter Tom connected with the first pitch and ripped a single up the third base line. With two on and nobody out, Alex stepped in. He took a big cut at the first pitch and got all of it, sending it to deep center field for a double. Roman would score to put the Rockets on the board first, 1-0. Patrick W., also first pitch swinging, drove Tom in with a single up the middle. 2-0, Rockets. Patrick B. would continue the show, driving in Alex with a shot up the middle. The National's pitcher was somehow able to put leather on it, though, and get the out at first. He would strike out the next two to get out of the inning, but not before the Rockets took an early 3-0 lead.
Harry would take the hill in the bottom of the first. He got the leadoff man to pop up to the mound for out number one, walked one, and then struck out two to wrap up an efficient first. He looked comfortable commanding a searing fastball. Something tells me we'll be seeing more of this young flamethrower on the mound in the weeks to come.
A 3-0 lead in the top of the second was not enough for Jonah, who took two big swings and then connected with the third, launching it all the way back near the fence in center field. It was good for a double. The speedster then promptly stole third on the first pitch to Calvin. Calvin crushed the next one and sent it screaming up the middle, but the second baseman was there and threw to first for the out. Jonah scored, though, and put the Rockets up 4-0.
Patrick W. came out to pitch the bottom of the second. He got the first batter to ground to second where Timmy scooped and flipped to Tom for the out at first. But the Nationals would come roaring back to load the bases. Unfazed, Patrick knew all he had to do was focus on the batter and make each pitch. He found his rhythm and struck out the next two in a row, each looking, to put a scoreless inning in the books.
With one out in the top of the third, Tom worked a walk and then stole second. Alex would bring him in with a long single to center. 5-0, Rockets. Patrick W. hit his first of two doubles on the night, a line drive to center field. Timmy sent one hard up the first base line, but the first baseman made a good play to get to it and step on the bag. A great hustle up the line for Timmy, though.
5-0, Rockets after two and a half.
But it was not long before the National's bats started to wake up and put up some crooked numbers of their own. They would produce three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to take a 6-5 lead after four.
The Rockets were not panicking. They had confidence in their lineup and in their approach: just get on base, don't strike out swinging for the fences. That's exactly what Calvin did to get things going in the top of the fifth. After taking two balls, he saw one he liked and hit it hard up the middle for a single. With one on and nobody out, Harry got the sign and laid down a beautiful bunt, right up the first base line. He moved the tying run into scoring position and hustled to beat the throw himself. No need to sacrifice. Two on and nobody out for Noah. He looked at one and then absolutely crushed the next, but the National's pitcher made an unbelievable play to get his glove on it. Roman then rocketed a line drive up the middle, and this one got past the pitcher... and everyone else, clear back towards the fence in center field. A two-run double for Roman and a 7-6 lead for the Rockets. Alex would add one more with a single up the middle that would score Roman. 8-6, Rockets. But they were not finished yet. Patrick W. would make it 9-6 with an RBI double to the gap in left center.
Calvin found his groove and held the lead in the bottom of the fifth, retiring three of four batters faced, two on Ks and one on a fly ball to first baseman Alex.
Top of the sixth, Matt M. worked a walk. Steven, who had been making great contact all night, hit a hard liner that found grass in center field for a single. Jonah singled in Matt to put the Rockets up by four. With Jonah's wheels at third, the Rockets elected to try a squeeze. Harry put down another masterpiece bunt, a roller up the first base line, and Jonah took off. The pitcher fielded it, spun, and fired home. It was close, but Jonah slid under the tag. Safe! 11-6, Rockets. Tom singled in another run, and Alex doubled in two more.
After five and a half, the Rockets sat comfortably in the driver's seat with a 9-run lead. Still, there was the business of closing out the game. Calvin stayed in for the sixth and was lights-out. With ten pitches, he struck out the side to seal the first win of the season for the Rockets.
This one featured a little bit of everything: some excellent pitching, great production at the plate, a crime spree on the bases, and consistent play in the field. The game ball went to Alex, who was 4-4 with 2 doubles and 5 RBI on the night. Not a bad day at the office for the young slugger. The Hustle Award went to Noah, who joined the team just prior to first pitch tonight. There is no statistic that captures this, but Noah, at right field and then at third base, was there to back up every throw. This is the sort of effort that will win us a close game at some important point in the season.
The Rockets take on another Walpole team, Walpole Central, next Tuesday evening at Greene's. See you there!
