Sweet 16 - Dreams Edge Anderson in Extra Inning Classic

31 runs
25 SD hits
8 grueling innings
1 true team prevailing


Anderson Kill may as well have been wearing name tags. These guys were hardly the 0-2 squad that the standings showed. Some even strolled over to the SD dugout before the game thinking they were playing on our team. Regardless- they could hit and they could field and - no matter who they were - they were going to give us one of the toughest battles we have had in a long time.

"In the end, we are a team, and they were not. That was the difference." - BP

It was a long game and this writeup is long overdue. In case you have forgotten the highlights of this instant classic, let me refresh your memory.

"I suck. Maybe you should take me out of the cleanup spot." - Jon

Not so fast, buddy. The Dreams jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, highlighted by a towering round-tripper by Mr. Seltzer, who drove home a team leading 4 runs. Shades of Kirk Gibson, but the lead would not last long as early floodgates opened with a 5 run frame for our opponents in the bottom half of the inning. SD would not recapture the lead until the 7th, when Jon capped a rally with a huge 2RBI double. Throughout the evening, Jon also played some proper D at short.

In the 3rd inning, Robbie followed a Rohin RBI by placing a clutch 2 run single to tie the game. While this was an epic match, that was a huge hit - shifting back the momentum and setting the tone for the night of punch, counterpunch.

"These guys are ALL huge!" - Anderson pitcher

That's right, my friend. Our own Murderers Row of Hans, Craig, Jeff, Jon and Ian combined for 16 hits, 11 runs and 13 RBI. Wow. Hans filled the scorebook with a gaudy line of 5 hits, 4 runs and 3 RBI and had a key 2RBI controversial triple off the fence in centerfield. Was it trapped? Was it a hit? Was it a catch? Depends who you ask, but it doesn't really matter. SD finally got a crucial call and we were in the thick of it, clawing our way back and closing the deficit to one run. Hans would later get the game tying RBI in our half of the 7th.

Shout out to call up Rathan, who had 3 hits to open his SD career and may have been the most productive sub since Vidoni.

"6 pounds, 6 ounces" - Old Man River

No - Duff was not at the game nor was he talking about how much weight Jerry lost in his first day of P90X. Ellis- Welcome to the SD family. Congrats to Mike and the entire OMR clan!

As BP reached down deep to summon up extra strength on the mound, he worked the opposing hurler into 3 walks, turning the lineup over and scoring twice in the late innings. Those late innings were about redemption.

- With runners on base and our opponents threatening to widen their lead, a hot shot was hit to the hot corner. More than making amends for an early mis-play, our veteran 3B, Flat, flashed leather with one of the slickest plays I have seen him make. Gliding towards the line, snagging the ball and throwing off-balance for a strike to first base and a highlight reel out - Jeff rescued us from a potentially disastrous inning. Awesome.

- Jerry arrived late but came through even later. After racing to the field, Jerry went hitless in his first 3 ABs. However, in the 7th, he singled to key our comeback rally and scored the go-ahead run. As we know, that run and our 3 run lead did not hold up as Anderson somehow plated 3 tying runs with 2 out and nobody on in their last licks. A dejected SD, came back to the dugout for the extra frame, but quickly had 2 dead and were grabbing their gloves. Enter Jerry who kept the inning alive with a line shot to the outfield that skipped past the center fielder. Jerry would go on to score the winning run.

- Speaking of skipping past the OF....After popping out with men on base in the top of the inning, our leftfielder, let a ball scoot past him in the bottom of the 7th.
"It was a big point, Focker"
However, with Jerry keeping the inning alive, a solid 2 out, line drive single yielded redemption and the deciding 16th run.

Whew!
Huge win with contributions from everyone.

What a battle. What a game.
Gritty win by a team that is poised for greatness. That was the wake up call we needed.
I feel sorry for the rest of this league.
SD4L