PLAYING CHESS WITH DEATH

And the dude has some nasty breath.
That's where we are, folks. Every game is a playoff game. We came into this week trailing (I mean, trailing) the Zoo for the fourth and final spot in the playoffs.
How did we respond?
We knocked off the first place team in the league, Bishop's Collar, by a 14-9 score.
What does that tell us, class? We can play with anyone and the season is just beginning.
Of course, that might be just one thing it tells us. But we simply can't know that yet. Hmmm. (I meant the whole chess thing to be a play off of Bishop's Collar, get it, Bishop's? But I couldn't figure out how to make it work. Sorry.)
Anyway, we win, 14-9, the first win for our Daily News/Pen & Pencil Club franchise since 2005 over the Philadelphia Business Journal/Bishop's Collar franchise.
The book was kept by Danny, so I'm a little light on stats. I do know that we trailed, 7-6, after two and, 9-7, after four. They don't score again and we add four in the fifth and three in the sixth to take control.
We beat the most fundamental team in the league by playing their game. We hit line drives for singles, mostly, and we played smart, efficient defense. That is how BC got into first, and it is the way to win in this league. There was not a single ball that gapped us or was hit over our heads. They played small-ball and we played it better.
Now, it must be admitted that the Collar seemed to be reaching some
sort of genetic wall during the game. Spence went out with a pulled something and then Money made his elbow the size of street lamp and, well, like we don't have complaints? Freaking Donlen schedules this frivolous thing during the season? Is that possible? And Clark doesn't schedule anything during the season?
Anyway, the book. What do I know? I know Mike Galan was 4-for-4, scored three runs, knocked in a bunch, and hit a double and a half in one at-bat. I know that Jon Snyder had a pair of hits and scored twice. I know that George Miller smoked a three-run home run to right in the sixth that probably won the game. T-o-r-i-g-h-t. You heard me. And, uh, they weren't expecting it.
I know that Nevins got aboard each time, but I can't tell if it was his fault. Dan Rubin and John Hall came off the bench for two hits each, and more toward the end of this sentence.
Beginning the new sentence, a shoutout to Julie Dugan for doing the 1st base thing, one thing you know is that lacrosse players can catch. Also, to Hickey/Yasiejko for splitting SS which was something like a quicksand. And, MVP, to Ellen Kenney for her foul pop catch in the sixth. Huge play.
What else? The book has few answers. The focus now is on "ART." Yes, Art. We have to beat them on Tuesday. If we don't, it will be very disappointing.
Go To Manager's Corner.