Dawg Days of August - Twin Oaks

Standing on the Twin Oaks Field tonight during BP you got the feeling that this one was going to be a grind. It has been a steady stream of Wiffle for a few months now and we were still fresh off the epic 11 inning pitching dual of Sunday morning. Arms were ragged and the air was like the inside of a Vaseline jar. LowBall fans - we have entered the Dawg Days of Summer.

My intuition proved true as LonIchiro and The Unit showed poise as Claudio struggled early to cut the thick air. The Unit has really become a patient batter this summer drawing 6 BB through 13 AB's tonight. That kind of patience paid off as this dangerous duo struck early for 8 runs.

However, The Unit also struggled early with the thick air but battled to limit the damage to 6 through 2.

After two frames the "West Coast" crew showed - much to our delight - Jonboy was shoeless, J-Mac was back and Trot was looking sharp in a wicked nice Dodgers jersey. It was 8-6 heading into the 3rd and we had a 4 on 4 ballgame!

LonIchiro and El Guapo were on to pitch the 3rd and 4th for each team. It was quickly apparent that each of these Wiffle Warriors were suffering from the 4 inings pitched just two days prior. LonIchiro didn't have his signature deception and El Guapo was clearly out of gas. The Unit greeted Guapo with a moonshot into the tomatoes well beyond the left field fence. After a few pitches both must have expected their RA's to take quite a hit. What unfolded was the subplot of the night. LonIchiro showed he is a true LowBall Samuria and El Guapo is just plain stubborn. Both pitchers used deception for K's and fielded their positions well to escape while only surrendering 1 run apiece. The game remained tight into the 5th.

The 5th and 6th featured two of the players I expect to have monster LowBall numbers by seasons end. Shoeless-Jonboy WestCoast-Wingman- Howard-Howell (is that on the back of his jersey?) has such a long, sweet swing. It is tailor made for stroking Wiffle's and that is exactly what he did - once in the 5th and again in the 6th. The Shoeless one had 4 ribbies and helped pull the Lagers ahead for good. The other monster was J-Rod.

This kid has a wicked riser that is all but unhittable when thrown in and around the strike zone. When he figures out how to compliment that with some type of offspeed pitch - watch out. Complimentary pitch or not he struck out the side in the 5th and two more in the 6th. When his night was through he had held the Loggers scoreless through two more frames.

Jonboy pitched the 7th and the Loggers made a valiant effort at a comeback with patient at-bats and J-Mac's ripping two bagger. In the end the twilight might have saved this one for the Lagers. Jonboy retired the side on a K just as I was beginning to have Preacher walk off grannie visions.

The ragged arms dragged and drifted off into the thick night air. Night fell over the Twin Oaks and another Dawg Day was over. Wiffles will fly and strike zones pounded again come Sunday - I can hardly wait.

Gordon Eadesy