Wednesday 9:30PM July 24th, 2024

Wednesday's 9:30pm game at K1 saw the last place President's division Falcons (yikes! But our run differential is 3rd best!) trying to avenge their June 5th 25-24 upset loss to the 2nd place VP division Expos. Heavy rain earlier in the day saw the 8pm game players shoveling water from the batters boxes (thanks for the pre-game field condition scouting report Jerome!), and so much mud in front of the pitcher's rubber it was more treacherous than the quicksand in the fire swamp scene from the Princess Bride (more on this later, no I couldn't find a GIF from that scene).

via GIPHY

The visiting Falcons got right down to business in the top of the 1st, behind a Barry Guerrero Jr double in his best tan brown walmart T-shirt after forgetting his jersey at home, then four straight RBI doubles from Dunner, DC, Miner Leaguer who was able to join us after being sent home from the forest fires out west, and Flash. With an Expos 2 spot in the bottom of the 1st, Falcons were up 4-2.

Billy and the Taxman led off the 2nd with singles, before Cowboy broke his 0-for-whatever streak with an RBI double. No more playing R.E.M. "Everybody Hurts" on the way home! Barry and Grahambo each cashed one with a groundout and single respectively, Falcons plate 3 in the top of the 2nd. Unfortunately Falcons also gave up a max 6 in the bottom half of the inning. Expos up 8-7. We know all too well (hey that's an unintentional Taylor Swift reference!) this team can hit.

via GIPHY

Three straight singles in the 3rd loaded up the bases for the Taxman, who cashed two with an RBI single. Thankfully Ash and the Falcons D served up a delicious donut in the bottom half of the inning, to preserve the Falcons slim 9-8 lead.

The good guys put up 5 in the fourth, behind a DC RBI single, Chad's two RBI triple, RBI singles from Flash and the Taxman, and a Cowboy RBI double. Shohei came on in relief, and promptly walked I think the first two batters. Moving backwards and to one side of the pitchers box, he eventually found the strike zone and got lucky with some sharply hit liners to SS and 2B to escape the inning with a delicious donut, Falcons up 14-8.

A bat-around-and-then-some top of the 5th started with what should've been a Barry Guerrero triple but somehow the ball rolled out of play, ground rule double it is! That was followed by a Grahambo RBI double, a DC sac fly, a Dr J two RBI single, and a two RBI single from the Taxman. Ash showcased his warning track power with a two RBI double over the head of the right fielder. A Cowboy RBI double plated the 8th and final Falcons run of the inning. Expos put up 3 including a solo HR, so the Falcons led 22-11.

With the Falcons only scoring one run in the next two innings thanks to a Miner Leaguer RBI single, it was Shohei who provided the entertainment for the rest of the evening. The stupid mud made it impossible to pitch from either side of the rubber. Trying to step a couple feet back and completely losing the strike zone for four or five batters including walking home at least one run, had everyone wondering whether he should be yanked and have Ash come back in. Somehow the damage was only 3 Expos runs in the 6th, and a delicious Expos donut in the 7th. Falcons win 23-14.

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Friday 8:00PM July 12th, 2024

On a Friday makeup rain date where it rained pretty much the whole game, a short-handed Broadway won over a short-handed Falcons squad, 18-10.

Maybe because it was a Friday, or July, or Ribfest, or whatever multicultural party was blaring music all night, but both teams had to make some callups for this game to even happen. Broadway + two Crew (?) members put up a 5-spot in the 1st before limiting a Falcons + Triple Play squad to a delicious and patented early doughnut to start the game.

Broadway did the typical Broadway thing and continued to post runs for most of the night. Four runs in the 2nd staked them to an early 9-run lead and, after an early pitching change from Teets to Shohei, they were held to a couple of doughnuts of their own before tacking on some insurance when they needed it late in the game.

Curiously, the home squad loaded the bases in each of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings but could only muster 5 runs in that span. While we're thankful for callup Mike to get us to 9 players, there were multiple rally-killing double plays that snuffed out any hope of a Falcons comeback (cue Debbie Downer womp womp sound effect here). A late push in the 6th saw consecutive hits by New Jer, Dunner, Miner Leaguer, Dr. J and Shohei, and a sac fly by Million Dollar Bill plated 4 Falcons runs. Teets singled before callup Mike hit into DP #3 (!!) to effectively put this game to bed.

Game Notes: In a gentlemen’s agreement, both squads opted not to recognize the league’s dumbest new rule and provided each other an actual working catcher. Broadway caught 3 of their own outs from behind the plate (thanks guys!), while Million Dollar Bill caught one fateful pop out that contributed to… Cowboy’s 78 game hit streak coming to an end. Bad luck cursed Cowboy’s bat all night, and when these things happen, yes, you do get to play R.E.M.’s Everybody Hurts as you drive off into the night. We still love you Cowboy… Despite the score, the Falcons D was cooking: the infield almost turned a legit 5-4-3 triple play, Miner Leaguer made a TSN highlight of the night diving catch in RCF, and new Jer picked a one hopper in deep SS before dislocating his groin and throwing a no-look dart to nail the runner at 1st... tinfoil hat time: has there ever been a documented case of deliberate callup sabotage? Would a team actually conspire to send a rogue player in to make a shorthanded team worse? Let's hope folks have better things to do on a Friday night than conspire against the goodwill that is WMSPL, and chalk it up to a tough night at the dish... on a lighter note, hanging above the baseball section at Team Town Sports on Victoria St is a spiffy WMSPL banner. Go get your softball gear from them!

BOXSCORE

BATTING:
2B: Miner Leaguer (2)
3B: None
HR: None
HR-OUTS: None
RBI: Shohei (3), Million Dollar Bill (2), Dr J (2), Miner Leaguer, Teets, Mike (spare)

FIELDING:
DOUBLE PLAYS: Million Dollar Bill-Dr J

PITCHING:
BATTERS FACED: ?

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

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Sunday 6:30PM July 7th, 2024

The Falcons Sunday 6:30pm nightcap saw the Isotopes visit K1, with the home team hoping to come away from this Sunday with at least a 1-1 split.

The Isotopes plated 3 in the 1st behind a few doubles and a single. The Falcons would not exactly answer back with Flash and Beatty RBI singles. Isotopes 3-2 after one.

After a delicious donut top 2, the Falcons capitalized and put up... a not so delicious donut. Shit. Well at least we put up a max 6 the next inning, after an Isotopes 4 spot top of 3. Bottom 3 saw a Grahambo two RBI double, a DC RBI triple, a Beatty RBI single, and a Dr. J two RBI single. Falcons up 8-7 after three.

The next three innings saw Isotopes put up 13, and the Falcons only 1 run in the next two, down 20-9 entering the bottom of the 6th. What time is it? Time for a big late inning Falcons rally! Two-RBI singles from Grahambo and Beatty, and RBI singles from Flash, Dr. J and Grandpa Jr. would plate 7. That was all the offense the Falcons could muster. Good guys lose 20-16.

NOTES:
- Is it just me or is Mitch annoyingly good? He went 5 for 5 with three doubles and four runs.

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights

Sunday 5:00PM July 7th, 2024

Sunday's 5pm K1 matchup pitted the 1st place hated Storm against the 4th place beloved Falcons. Would the Falcons hand Storm their 2nd loss of the season? Would the Falcons match their 30 run offensive output from their last game? Would Labrecque behave with Duran and Jerome's kids in attendance? No, no and no.

Perhaps it was an omen of things to come when Flash realized 20 minutes before gametime that he didn't have his jersey or baseball pants. Oh well, his Sunday best bbq outfit will have to do.

What's the deal with the new Storm jerseys, am I right? These old ones were definitely much nicer.

The top of the first inning saw the visiting Storm put up a 3 spot. The Falcons did not exactly match with Beatty, Cowboy and Grahambo singles and a DC RBI sac fly. 3-1 bad guys after 1.

After holding Storm to a delicious donut in the 2nd, the Falcons got to work. Singles from Beatty, Flash and Jerome, RBI doubles from New Grandpa, The Taxman, and Barry Guerrero Jr, and a Grahambo RBI single would plate 5. DC stepped up to the plate with a runner on, and cranked one over the outfield fence for a 2 run HR that only scored one. Nice "Scotty", DC! Max 6 from the good guys, Falcons up 7-3.

Was that another delicious donut top of 3? Oops no that's a max-6 for Storm, that 6 on the scoresheet really looked like a 0. The Falcons answered with... shit a not so delicious donut of their own. 9-7 Storm after three.

Storm put up a 3 spot in the fourth, with the Falcons plating two behind a Cowboy RBI triple (it's about time, Steve!) and a Barry RBI single.

After a Storm 2 run 5th inning, the Falcons put up another not so delicious donuts. What happened to our bats, boys? I have no idea.

Who cares what happened the rest of the way? It's a dumb game anyways, right Grahambo? Storm would total another 5 in the 5th and 6th. Falcons would plate another 2 runs in both innings, behind a Barry RBI single in the 5th, and a Beatty RBI double in the 7th.

Storm win 19-11.

NOTES:
- Refresher: a "Scotty" is a HR where all the runs don't count of the max 6 limit; a "Grahambo" is a HR out since we're already at plus 3 HRs.
- I was going to lament how Beatty got on base four times and we couldn't send him home, but if I recall correctly did Mills throw him out at second after a Flash single to right center field? Don't feel bad Beatty, Mills has done that to me too!

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights