After two days of wet weather, the Mets and Reds hoped to play a rematch of their one-run game from a week earlier. Mets player, PJ did a great job getting the "C" diamond into playable condition. With an abundance of Speedy Dry and a donation of five slightly used game balls from Mark Marshall, the players took the field.
The Mets were quick to take advantage of their teammate's efforts as Greg DeMarco walked then stole second. With one out Gary Bosko launched a moon shot to center that hit the fence on the bounce for an RBI triple. Reds pitcher Guy Prisciandaro got tough with a strikeout and a pop up behind the plate to limit the damage. The Reds answered in their half of the 1st with a single and stolen base by Prisciandaro and an RBI single by Derek Englin. The Reds took a two run lead in the bottom of the second on walks to Glendening and Paratore and a two-out single by Prisciandaro that ricocheted off second base allowing both runners to score.
As the drizzle turned to rain and the infield turned slick, it seemed as though the game would be decided by which team would commit the first costly error or which pitcher would lose the strike zone. Didn't happen. Both teams turned in solid defensive performances and Finke for the Mets matched Prisciandaro pitch for pitch. The Reds opened the bottom of the fourth with a single. Dan Keefe followed with a hard one-hopper to third. Gary Bosko snared the grounder and spun a perfectly executed 5 -4 - 3 double play. The Mets started the top of the 5th with a walk to Dan Longo who stole 2B. With Longo on 3B, DeMarco hit a slow roller to third that Rob Sicluna fielded and threw a bullet to first for the out. With two outs and a Mets runner on second, Sicluna fielded another hot shot and threw another bullet to first to end the inning with the score 3 - 2.
The Reds scored an important insurance run in the bottom of the 5th on an opposite field double by Eric Kohls that scored Prisciandaro. With one out and Sicluna on 3B and Kohls on 2B, the Mets came up with another defensive stop. With the drawn-in infield Mark Marshall fielded a grounder to SS and gunned down Sicluna at the plate (Rob at least got to dive into the quagmire for effect!). A ground out to Finke ended another threat.
In the top of the 6th it looked like the field conditions might finally cost the Reds. A wide throw from SS would have allowed the Mets runner extra bases. Reds first baseman, Dan Keefe extended his 6' 3" frame towards right field and caught the throw just as he flopped into the muck. Schweitzer then hit a long fly ball that hit off the chest of our right fielder. With one out and runners at second and third, Prisciandaro came through with a strike out. LaFountain then smoked a worm burner to first that Keefe smothered for the put out. The game ended in the 7th on a fly ball to center and two more to Dan Robbins in left. Reds win 4 - 2.
Special thanks to both umpires for enduring the weather and allowing the game to go the distance. Nobody would have argued if they had called it after five. I think that the umpires respected the effort that both teams were giving and the quality of baseball that was being played. It was best that the outcome be decided after seven full innings. We appreciate their hanging in with us.
So under the guidance of first year manager Eric Kohls, the young gun Reds roll into the second half of the season with some quality wins under our belts and some "C" diamond mud on our pants! With a record of 6 - 3 we have surpassed our win total from last season. Life is good! Now if I could just get a hit!
Happy Fathers Day!
-- Edited by Don Ball on Friday 13th of June 2014 09:44:45 AM
