Rockets' leadoff man Jonah was ready to find out. He worked a full count walk, and once on, the speedster stole second on the first pitch to Tom. No surprise there. Tom walked and then advanced on a passed ball to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Matt G then rocketed a single to right that scored Jonah and put the Rockets on the board 1-0. Alex would bring in Tom with a ground ball up the first base line. The Medfield first baseman was there, but the run scored, making it 2-0, Rockets. Patrick W and Roman both singled in two more. 4-0, Rockets. Timmy drove in another two with a shot to center field, but only one would be recorded as it was the fifth run and by league rules would end the inning.
5-0, Rockets, with Medfield due up in the first. Matt M took the mound for the Rockets. He had a blazing fastball working for him and struck out the side to work out of a bases-loaded jam. Another scoreless inning for Matt.
Steven led off for the Rockets in the top of the second. He launched a fastball up the first base line, but the first baseman made a good play to stab it and then step on the bag. One away. Noah connected with a 0-1 fastball and sent it past the shortstop for a single. But with one on, the Medfield pitcher was able to bear down and get the next two to ground to first. Some good contact, but Medfield was able to escape without damage.
Matt M returned to the hill for the second and picked up right where he left off. He struck out the first two quite comfortably and got a little help with the third. One on with two out, the runner at first broke for second. Catcher Alex was up and throwing--a bullet to second, and right on-target. Roman, the shortstop was there in perfect position to make the tag. Out! End of inning.
5-0, Rockets after two.
Matt G hit is second of four singles on the night to get things going for the Rockets in the third. Patrick W, also with four singles on the night, put himself on with a shot up the middle. Had Medfield called on Curt Schilling himself, I don't think they would have been able to get these two guys out. Not with the way they've been swinging the bat recently. Roman walked to load the bases with one out and set the table for Calvin. He took a quick, tight swing at the first pitch and got all of it--a two-run double to the gap in left center. 8-0, Rockets. The show would go on. With the bases loaded again, Timmy walked in another, and Steven sent one into left field for an RBI single to cap a second five-run inning for the Rockets.
10-0 after two and a half.
The Rockets sent Calvin to the mound for the third, and he was superb. He struck out the side in dominant fashion--the only base runner reached on error--and recorded another clean frame for the Rockets. Still 10-0.
In the top of the fourth, Tom walked and then stole second. Matt G got on with a single and moved Tom to third. Alex sent one hot up the middle for a single and scored Tom. A pair of throwing errors brought in two more and when the dust cleared, Alex found himself standing safe at third. Roman would bring him in with a rocket to center field and increase the lead to 14.
Calvin spun another beauty in the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order all on Ks. He was pounding the zone with his usual heat, and the top of Medfield's order could not touch him. Six strikeouts for Calvin in two scoreless innings pitched.
Ryan hit what may have been the shot of the night in the fifth--an absolute bomb to the gap in right center all the way back near the fence. It was good for a double. But solid Medfield pitching shut the door on the inning, and the Rockets stranded Ryan at second.
Alex took the hill in the bottom of the fifth. The hard-throwing righty struck out two and got one to ground softly to the mound. Another clean inning in the books for the Rockets.
Top of the last. Jonah worked a walk to put speed on at first. In a closer game, he'd be running of course, but tonight the skipper chose not to give the sign. Tom ripped one up the third base line for the first of five singles in a row for Rockets batters in the sixth. Jonah did get to exhibit his electrifying speed on the base paths after all, as he was thinking third all the way on Tom's single. The third baseman fielded the ball, saw he had no chance to get Tom at first, and made a play to get Jonah at third. But he was too late! First to third on an infield single hit to third base--you don't see that often. Matt G, Alex, Patrick W, and Roman finished up five singles in a row, each one bringing in a run to max out the inning at five. 19-0, Rockets, heading into the final frame.
Alex returned to close it out for the Rockets. Medfield was able to put one on with a walk and bring him in to make it 19-1, but beyond that Alex was lights-out. He got one to ground to first and then struck out two more to put this one in the books.
A great win for the Rockets tonight and an excellent team effort with important contributions from every player. The game ball could have gone to a number of guys, but one in particular stood out for his work on the mound, at the plate, and at first base late in the game. The game ball went to Clavin, who was a perfect 2-2 with a double and two RBI, was excellent on the mound with 6 Ks and only one base runner allowed on an error over two scoreless innings, and was solid at first base to help Alex close in the bottom of the sixth. An outstanding effort for Calvin. The Hustle Award went to Timmy, who backed up every throw in the field, ran hard on and off the diamond every inning, and hustled on the base paths.
The Rockets face the third Walpole team, Walpole American, on Tuesday at Greene's. See you there!
5-0, Rockets, with Medfield due up in the first. Matt M took the mound for the Rockets. He had a blazing fastball working for him and struck out the side to work out of a bases-loaded jam. Another scoreless inning for Matt.
Steven led off for the Rockets in the top of the second. He launched a fastball up the first base line, but the first baseman made a good play to stab it and then step on the bag. One away. Noah connected with a 0-1 fastball and sent it past the shortstop for a single. But with one on, the Medfield pitcher was able to bear down and get the next two to ground to first. Some good contact, but Medfield was able to escape without damage.
Matt M returned to the hill for the second and picked up right where he left off. He struck out the first two quite comfortably and got a little help with the third. One on with two out, the runner at first broke for second. Catcher Alex was up and throwing--a bullet to second, and right on-target. Roman, the shortstop was there in perfect position to make the tag. Out! End of inning.
5-0, Rockets after two.
Matt G hit is second of four singles on the night to get things going for the Rockets in the third. Patrick W, also with four singles on the night, put himself on with a shot up the middle. Had Medfield called on Curt Schilling himself, I don't think they would have been able to get these two guys out. Not with the way they've been swinging the bat recently. Roman walked to load the bases with one out and set the table for Calvin. He took a quick, tight swing at the first pitch and got all of it--a two-run double to the gap in left center. 8-0, Rockets. The show would go on. With the bases loaded again, Timmy walked in another, and Steven sent one into left field for an RBI single to cap a second five-run inning for the Rockets.
10-0 after two and a half.
The Rockets sent Calvin to the mound for the third, and he was superb. He struck out the side in dominant fashion--the only base runner reached on error--and recorded another clean frame for the Rockets. Still 10-0.
In the top of the fourth, Tom walked and then stole second. Matt G got on with a single and moved Tom to third. Alex sent one hot up the middle for a single and scored Tom. A pair of throwing errors brought in two more and when the dust cleared, Alex found himself standing safe at third. Roman would bring him in with a rocket to center field and increase the lead to 14.
Calvin spun another beauty in the bottom of the fourth, retiring the side in order all on Ks. He was pounding the zone with his usual heat, and the top of Medfield's order could not touch him. Six strikeouts for Calvin in two scoreless innings pitched.
Ryan hit what may have been the shot of the night in the fifth--an absolute bomb to the gap in right center all the way back near the fence. It was good for a double. But solid Medfield pitching shut the door on the inning, and the Rockets stranded Ryan at second.
Alex took the hill in the bottom of the fifth. The hard-throwing righty struck out two and got one to ground softly to the mound. Another clean inning in the books for the Rockets.
Top of the last. Jonah worked a walk to put speed on at first. In a closer game, he'd be running of course, but tonight the skipper chose not to give the sign. Tom ripped one up the third base line for the first of five singles in a row for Rockets batters in the sixth. Jonah did get to exhibit his electrifying speed on the base paths after all, as he was thinking third all the way on Tom's single. The third baseman fielded the ball, saw he had no chance to get Tom at first, and made a play to get Jonah at third. But he was too late! First to third on an infield single hit to third base--you don't see that often. Matt G, Alex, Patrick W, and Roman finished up five singles in a row, each one bringing in a run to max out the inning at five. 19-0, Rockets, heading into the final frame.
Alex returned to close it out for the Rockets. Medfield was able to put one on with a walk and bring him in to make it 19-1, but beyond that Alex was lights-out. He got one to ground to first and then struck out two more to put this one in the books.
A great win for the Rockets tonight and an excellent team effort with important contributions from every player. The game ball could have gone to a number of guys, but one in particular stood out for his work on the mound, at the plate, and at first base late in the game. The game ball went to Clavin, who was a perfect 2-2 with a double and two RBI, was excellent on the mound with 6 Ks and only one base runner allowed on an error over two scoreless innings, and was solid at first base to help Alex close in the bottom of the sixth. An outstanding effort for Calvin. The Hustle Award went to Timmy, who backed up every throw in the field, ran hard on and off the diamond every inning, and hustled on the base paths.
The Rockets face the third Walpole team, Walpole American, on Tuesday at Greene's. See you there!
