Muckrakers get one nice win vs. One Bad Inning

CONCORD -- All those who wrote off the Muckrakers' postseason chances may have to re-evaluate the situation after the 'Rakers turned in a 14-4, must-have victory over One Bad Inning on Field 2.

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and put the Mucksters back over the .500 mark at 3-2. It also revived playoff talk in Muckrakerland, talk that had become muted after last week's defeat.

But the Mucksters did what they had to do, come out scoring early and often against OBI. They scored twice in the top of the first, the highlight being back-to-back triples by Dre Thorton and Mat Petersen.

After going fallow in the second stanza, the Mucksters erupted for four runs in the top of the third as they combined timely hitting with some shaky OBI fielding. The Mucksters singled four times in the frame and Petersen and Luke Abbott each delivered RBI blows.

Little did they know it at the time, but the Mucksters had sealed the win as they would limit OBI to a mere four runs. Petersen's pitching at OBI popping up, and the Mucksters turned in one of their better defensive efforts of the season. Nary a ball was dropped in the outfield, and the infield held up its end, especially at third base from the smooth-fielding Dave Alcorn.

So look out, D-league West: the Muckrakers are back in the playoff hunt.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME

Mike Gale: His death-defying sliding ways into third base paid off in a big, if knee-scaring, ways. He had three hits (including a double) and a walk and scored twice in a superior outing as leadoff man.

Dave Alcorn: A four-hit, three-run game at the plate and Brooks Robinson-esque play at third.

John Simerman: A 3-for-4 game and later, remorseful parking-lot revelations about having to write up a co-worker in the newspaper.