Monday 8:00PM July 7th, 2025

In a not so noteworthy Monday nighter at K1, the Falcons lost 23-8 to Hanet Plastics.

Monday morning yours truly thought "Oh we only have 3 signouts tonight, it'll be nice to have two spares." Not so fast! As the Falcons do, three more signed out on game day, leaving Mike to call on Glorious Dan yet again, who pretty soon will have played more games for the Falcons than some actual Falcons players.

Shohei didn't realize when filling out the lineup card that spares have to play catcher, which with all the signouts resulted a modified defensive lineup of Ash at first, Barry in RF, Dunner at LCF.

Mike's girlfriend Kharis, and Paul's partner Lindsay, asked their men "Is that guy Labrecque playing tonight? He's not? Great I'll come watch then!".

As it was with some family in the stands, the Falcons went down 10-3 after two innings. It was never close, we never held a lead, ultimately losing 23-8. It's a stupid game anyways, right? Hey at least the beers were cold and the company was good.

GAME NOTES: Barry rolled his ankle tripping over first base, admiring his ball hit deep, to the warning track for an out, hope you're feeling better soon Barry!... Grahambo made a gorgeous diving play for an out at some point, score be damned he's still sacrificing his body... Kharis was wearing one of Shohei's old jerseys, and Lindsay asked "Where's my jersey!?", get an extra one for the fam next time, Paul!

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Steve, Grahambo, Dunner
3B: None
HR: None
HR OUTS: None
RBI: Jerome (3), Dunner (2), Grahambo, Shohei, Glorious Dan

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: None

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: ?

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K1 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 2 (10% FULL) - % is based on regular season capacity (Falcons' side only)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Sunday 9:30PM June 29th, 2025

In a very entertaining game, Storm squeaked out a 16-14 victory over the Falcons with a seventh inning Bob home run.

For the second Storm game in a row, the Falcons were forced to borrow a catcher from the opposing team. Last time, if you recall, the Falcons won that game even though they were supposed to lose. In this one, well, they lost. They were supposed to.

The Falcons did a lot of hitting, as did Glorious Dan, who redeemed his 0-for performance in game 1 with two hits in game two. After three innings, the home Falcons had put up 9 runs. Unfortunately, Storm had scored 13 in the same period, including a wager-ender from Duran as the second batter of the game. #IYKYK

Doughnuts for both teams in the fourth, and singletons for both in the fifth led to a four-run sixth for the Falcons to tie the game going into the last inning. A Rene double was scored by Bob's previously mentioned game winning home run. The Falcons ran out of gas and luck in the bottom of the seventh.

Game Notes: No video of this game, so did it really happen?... Dr J went 4-for-5 in this game to finish the doubleheader 6-for-8 with a walk in aggregate. Even the umpire was impressed... Handsome Jer recovered from his leg injury enough from the previous game to finish a homer shy of the cycle... Barry Guerrero Jr, 61, leads the Falcons in home runs afer hitting a three-run shot in the sixth in this one... League home run reports show Joey's Joey ahead of Senior Joey on the Storm leader board. Has a torched been passed?... That same leader board shows that on Greenthumb, Todd has hit a home run to put him in sole possession of second place on the team with one, only sixteen behind Slater.

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Dunner, Taxman, Handsome Jer
3B: Handsome Jer
HR: Barry Guerrero Jr
HR-OUTS: None
RBI: Barry Guerrero Jr (4), Dr J (3), Handsome Jer (3), Dunner (2), Cowboy, SLF

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: None

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: 45

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K2 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 4 (20% FULL)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Sunday 8:00PM June 29th, 2025

It was deja vu all over again for the Falcons as they kicked off their second Broadway/Storm combo Sunday doubleheader of the season with a loss, dropping the opener 21-11.

It began well for the home side Falcons. But before we get to what happened in the game, lets document that the Falcons were missing at least 7 rostered players for the day, for the third time this season. The gift basekets sent to Glorious Dan are becoming a subscription. But I digress...

Cowboy started the game off with his highlight of the night, a triple that was immediately scored by Handsome Jer's RBI single. Then Barry Guerrero Jr, who qualifies for a senior's discount at the following places:

Carlton Cards (10%)
Michael's (10%)
Giant Tiger (varies per store)
Pet Valu (10%)
Global Pet Foods (15%)
Salvation Army (10%)
Value Village (30%)(!)
Rona (10%)
Home Hardware (10%)
Cloverdale Paints (25%)
Banana Republic (10%)

Ming Wo (20%, but only on the first Monday of the month, and only on regular priced items)

Northern Reflections (10%. Is the place still in business? I don't go to the mall much. Like, are sweaters with embroidered loons still popular enough to maintain a business?)

Safeway (10%, but only on the first Tuesday of the month, and you have to spend $35 on the Safeway Card, which, really, why not just kick seniors in the nuts on the way out the door?)

Golden Griddle (10%, and you only have to be 55, but it doesn't count towards alcoholic drinks. They serve alcohol at Golden Griddle? Isn't that a breakfast place? Do they offer whiskey shots at Stacked? Maybe only in their Oshawa and Hamilton locations?)

Nutters Everyday Naturals (10% on Senior Day, which is every Monday. I assume this place is some kind of online porn site? Poutine would know. Very nice of them to offer the seniors a bit of a break to start off the week)

A & W (the discount amount isn't specifically mentioned here, but seniors get a discount on coffee and tea, which is definitely why you're going to A & W)

The fast food places go on and on, but most offer free coffee or tea to seniors. I'm surprised by the number of fast food franchises (Burger King, Chruch's Chicken, Denny's, IHOP, Applebee's, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery and Wendy's) who offer the senior discount as early as 55 years old. Another, Imperial Buffet, offers 35% off Monday to Thursday (for lunch and dinner), and Friday for lunch only, but you have to produce government ID to get it. So I can picture some little old bitty in her walker just going full Karen on the daytime assistant manager of one of these places because she can't produce a driver's licence that literally disintegrated when the first Trudeau was PM to get her 35% discount at the regular second-Wednesday-of-the-month Bridge Club lunch.

What was I saying about digression? Oh yeah.

So Barry hits a home run to move him into a tie for the team lead at 61 years old. Urine tests are pending. After the first inning, the Falcons led 4-0.

Then the wheels fell off.

Broadway put up 3 in the second, a MAX6 in the third, seven in the fifth and five more in the sixth to cruise to an easy 21-11 victory.

The game meant little after Handsome Jer attempted a kick-save (and a beauty!) on a ground ball to short that went off his shin and sounded like a gunshot. He walked it off, dented bone and all.

Game Notes: Today is Thurday, and I'm writing a recap for a game that happened on Sunday. You think I can remember any notes?

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Handsome Jer (2)
3B: Cowboy
HR: Barry Guerrero Jr
HR-OUTS: None
RBI: Barry Guerrero Jr (3), Shohei (3), Handsome Jer (2), SLF (2), Dunner

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: None

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: 44

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K2 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 8 (40% FULL)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Monday 8:00PM June 23rd, 2025

Former Falcon Junior Tennant came out to watch, and didn't leave embarrassed as the Falcons edged out Greenthumb 18-16 on Monday evening.

Junior's regretted coming to watch in the past.

With a nearly barren sign out sheet, that meant the Falcons dugout was bursting at the seams with FOURTEEN players attending, and making it look like a Hanet playoff game. You'd have needed a program to identify who was playing where on defence, so that everyone got equal playing time in this one. Teets made his debut on the mound, and threw almost half his pitches for strikes. The biggest deal of all, especially if you're SLF, is that all 14 Falcons were in the new uniform. It was a beauty to behold, and definitely the reason we won.

Greenthumb, however, could only muster eight of their own, plus Scott Sonley, dressed in a Chris Bassitt camo giveaway shirt. They were surely trying to channel the Falcons from last Friday who, it must be repeated, beat Storm even though only 7 Falcons attended. I'm glad I won't be at next year's rule change meeting. Look at me, I digress...

So, getting on with it: With almost everyone in attendance, ABs were going to be scarce, so you had to make the most of the ones you got. This memo was not sent to Barry Guerrero Jr, who went 0-for-3, ending his 95-game on-base streak. Pour one out for that streak! Cowboy led off the game with a triple, and was scored two batters later by a Grahambo "rarity" (a home run with runners on base). Beatty, who hit four balls over the fence on the night, hit his first of only two that actually counted right after. The Falcons scored 3, and shut down Greenthumb in the bottom of one.

In the second, the bottom half of the dictionary made themselves known, with six hits, including a Miner Leaguer two-bagger, to score four. Greenthumb came right back with four of their own in response. After two, Falcons led 7-4.

Greenthumb narrowed the lead in the third, holding that Falcons scoreless but putting up a singleton of their own. In the fifth, the visitors scored five on five hits including two on Bill's fielder's choice (something I wouldn't typically believe, but here it is on the scorecard). Greenthumb, angry, came right back with five of their own to keep it to within two runs. After four, it was 12-10 Falcons.

The Falcons offence didn't quit. In the fifth, Beatty highlighted a 3 run effort with his second homer of the game that actually counted. Greenthumb answered with two. Going into the sixth inning with the clock ticking, the Falcons were up three, 15-12.

Three more for the uniformly-dressed visitors in the sixth on three hits. Greenthumb closed the gap, again, winning the inning and scoring four to bring it back to a two run margin. In the top of the seventh, the Falcons went Cowboy triple, Barry Guerrero Jr single, Grahambo single, and Beatty's fourth ball over the fence to start the inning. The clock struck midnight (well, 9:25), so none of that counted. Not the triple that would have given Cowboy the team lead by himself, not Barry's single to keep his on-base streak alive, and not what would have been Beatty's third home run of the game. It's as if we dreamed it all.

Falcons win, 18-16 in a great game by both sides.

Game Notes: Miner Leaguer scored once for Shohei... Teets' pitching line, in his season debut: 2.0 IP, 7R, 6H, 4BB, but he did eventually find that magic release point... Taxman quietly had a great game in his return, with two doubles and 4 RBI... It was hot.

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Taxman (2), Poutine (2), Shohei, Miner Leaguer
3B: Cowboy, Grahambo
HR: Beatty (4, but really 2), Grahambo
HR-OUTS: Beatty
RBI: Taxman (4), Beatty (3), Shohei (2), Grahambo (2), Million Dollar Bill (2), Miner Leaguer, Poutine, Teets

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: None

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: 43

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K1 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 3 (15% FULL) - % is based on regular season capacity (Falcons' side only)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Friday 8:00PM June 20th, 2025

A depleted Falcons squad held off a late Storm comeback attempt to secure an 18-16 victory on Friday night.

The story of the night differed, depending on who you asked. For everyone except Joey, the game result was secondary to the main event: Would Duran be able to go yard off of his buddy Shohei, the Falcons ace? Both beers AND pride were on the line. In the end, Duran hit 3 balls out of the infield. Two went for doubles, and he flew out to right-centre once. But to finish off his night, he popped up to Shohei to seal Shohei's pair of cold post game beers. What of Joey, you ask? Well, without having actually spoken to him, I can only imagine his internal monologue: You're not supposed to win if you're short! Dr J takes personal offence to this mantra, but that's PROBABLY not what Joey means. If, in this league, you can't get at least HALF of your 15-man roster to come out to a game, you probably have no business winning the game. This, of course, is why we play the games.

Only seven Falcons were able to attend this one, so just slightly over 50% of the roster was signed out. Thankfully, Mike and Darren from Triple Play were able to step up to fill out the batting order, and Mike made the most of it going 3-for-4 with two doesn't-count-in-the-league-totals home runs.

Falcons-Storm is always must see TV, and this game was really no different. The teams each scored three in the first inning to break the ice, and you could taste the tension. The Falcons put up another three in the top of the second inning, with the third run scoring during Chad's 10-4-1-3-9 rundown when he tried to take second on a throw from the outfield. Storm answered with a deuce and after three the Falcons led by one.

After doughnuts by both sides in the third, the visitors squeaked across another couple in the fourth. Storm tied the game up in their half, scoring three. Triple Play Mike (the third Mike in the batting order for the Falcons. The late 20th century was wild, man. Everywhere you looked, it was either Mike or Jenn, but I digress) led off the top of the fifth with a Duncan to re-take the lead, and Poutine Mike's single scored Cowboy's double to round out the scoring. The WMSPL's #1 defence held off Storm in the fifth and sixth, while the offence tacked on a run in the sixth, and four more in the seventh (highlighted by Triple Play Mike's second dinger of the game).

Going into the bottom of the seventh up by seven, previous versions of this team would have been nervous. Not in this #WIFB season though. Joey led off with a single, but Bob and Sam (how is he not "Joey's Joey" on the Storm website? Inquiring minds want to know, and I digress yet again) each flied out. With two down and Joey standing on first, it looked like the Falcons might actually end the game comfortably. A couple hits and a 3-run double later Storm was only down three. Brian's liner found it's way into a glove, however, to end both the threat and the game.

Game Notes: Miner Leaguer did not score for Shohei in this game... Miner Leaguer DID, however, hit a legit inside-the-park home run, though the league totals don't reflect such feats... Miner Leaguer was a triple short of the cycle, while SLF only missed the dinger... Big thanks again to Triple Play's Mike and Darren for coming out and helping us not only avoid the default loss, but actually win... A diving snag by Handsome Jer would be great to watch again on replay, right Storm?

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Cowboy, Miner Leaguer, SLF
3B: SLF
HR: Miner Leaguer
HR-OUTS: None
RBI: SLF (5), Miner Leaguer (3), Shohei (2), Million Dollar Bill, Poutine

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: None

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: 44

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K1 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 4 (20% FULL)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Tuesday 8:00PM June 17th, 2025

With the first, second, and third string shortstops all signed out, Dunner stepped up and blew right past his goal of "not terrible" making play after play and cementing his status as Certified Fourth String Shortstop in an 18-6 weekday night win over Glorious Dan and the Inglorious Batters.

At least we didn't need to borrow a catcher.

Coming off a pretty good offensive performance to close out the Sunday doubleheader, the Falcons hoped that momentum carried into Tuesday. Because the line up was crafted by SLF, it didn't. It never does. Every time. It's the fifth bloody inning AT LEAST before anything happens.

And so it was: the Batters and Falcons exchanged deuces for the first couple innings with neither team really able to get anything going. No one came within a sniff of a dinger all game. The balls are anti-juiced. Are these the ones that sat in Joey's trunk all winter? Investigate?

The story of the night was Dunner at short, gobbling up anything that came close and only showing off the outfield arm once, and even Greg "Bird" Elcich wouldn't have been able to grab that one. He even turned a double play by himself, corralling a ground ball before stepping on the bag at two and firing to first for the twin killing. The future is bright at short, if the unfathomably unlikely carpool of Handsome Jer, Grahambo and Poutine drove off a bridge at some point.

Game Notes: Dr J is batting .706 over the last six Falcons games, and will bat leadoff for the Falcons on Friday against Storm... Shohei, batting .640 over that same period, will bat second...

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Miner Leaguer (2), Million Dollar Bill, SLF
3B: Cowboy
HR: None
HR-OUTS: None
RBI: Cowboy (4), Dunner (3), SLF (3), Goliath (2), Million Dollar Bill (2), Miner Leaguer, Teets, Barry Guerrero Jr, Dr J

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: Dunner-Barry Guerrero Jr

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: 40

GAME INFORMATION:
STADIUM: K2 FIELD
ATTENDANCE: 2 (10% FULL) - % is based on regular season capacity (Falcons' side only)

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights