strike him out, pop him out, throw him OUT!

That's my standard cheer when the game is getting tight and the Gnats need to rally.
You know my predisposition toward triplets, right?
They do keep popping up here and there. I'm sure psychologists have a name for that, but they are welcome to keep it.
(smile)
For the past two days, I have been treated to baseball games with my lovely boys of summer - and friends. Well, "treated" may be the incorrect word choice, as I am a Season Ticket Holder, so my attendance is already paid for every home game. But you know what I mean - I had the time in my social schedule to actually be there. The boys are in town through Thursday, so I hope to hit some more games betwixt now and then.
Anywho...
Let's start with Saturday night's game. Fairly standard game it seemed to be, when I arrived at the top of the 4th.
What?
I was late, you see. I had forgotten that start time was 6:05 PM for the fiReWOrKs Saturday games. So, when I arrived at 6:45, I found no parking in the STH lot and had to park in the boondocks.
Ah, well, I needed the exercise - especially as I had already decided to have the Chicken Tenders Basket for dinner. The best deal out there, I tell you! You get at least three crispy fried chicken tenderloins atop a bed of fries. I load up the chicken with dill pickle chips - scrumptious!
Ahem - as I was sayin'.
I arrived late and the score was 2-0, visitors' favor.
Willie was there, as were Bruce and Jack, and I settled in between them.
Just a regular game, as I said.
The "Sweet Caroline" back-up girls were late, too - traffic jam from the beach. But they were in plenty of time for their 8th inning antics.
So, regular game, on-going.
Then, in the 5th inning, the Gnats scored three runs!!! Woohoo!!!
But the Rome Braves, after three scoreless innings in a row, managed to score a run at the top of the 9th. Oh, no!!! A tied game!!! In spite of my chanting!!!
No worries! My boys came to PLAY and that's what they did!
First at bat was centerfielder Champ Stuart. He was walked.
Dominic Smith, our first baseman, bunted. Say what??? That threw the Braves' infield for a loop! Not only did Champ advance to second, but Dominic made it to first!!!
You have to understand. Dominic is a big guy and not the fastest man on the team. For him to bunt, and actually get on base, is quite wondrous!
Willie had called the bunt, and he said the next man should bunt, too, to advance our runner to third.
He must have telepathed that play to Matt Oberste, because that is exactly what happened. Our designated hitter laid out a pretty little sacrifice bunt! So he didn't make it to base, but both of the men on bags advanced. Woohoo!!! A man in scoring position and only one out!!!
Very exciting!

Cole Frenzel,
our third baseman,
was deliberately walked to first.








You know that term?
"Deliberately walked"?
It means the pitcher threw balls far outside of the batting box, to where the waiting catcher was standing. The play is generally employed to get a potentially strong batter out of the way so a potentially weak batter can be struck out. It's also to better enable the team afield to make a double-play and garner two outs simultaneously.
Their mistake.
Understandable, if they are only looking at the stats. After all, Cole has a .333 RBI, compared to the .196 RBI of the next at-bat. Cole gets a hit and bats someone in every third time he is at-bat, essentially.
Like I said, their mistake. Numbers don't lie, but they can mislead.

Our second baseman, Jorge Rivero, stepped up to the plate.

The first pitch was a ball.

Rivero met the second pitch with a swing, for a line drive into left field!

Champ sails on in and the Gnats win!
The Gnats win!!!

I tell you, the fireworks are that much brighter when the boys win!!!
What an exciting finish!!!

But doesn't this display look like a face sticking its tongue out and saying 'got you!'?
Sure, serendipity at work here,
just a coincidence... right?
(smile!)