Sunday, October 26, 2008

'Rakers clocked by The Guys

CONCORD -- Time was not on their side.

The Muckrakers' side, that is, in a 14-12 shading by The Guys on Thursday night on Field 1, dropping the Home Twelve to a 4-2 mark in the penultimate game of the regular loop.

The Mucksters were looking for one final at-bat against the undefeated first-place team, but the umpires declared nope, sorry, no can do. The time limit was invoked, even though the Muckies provided chronological proof that the time limit had not been reached. The arbiters could not have cared less, however, and the 'Rakers were saddled with the defeat.

It was a sad and unfitting way to end such a thrilling, back-and-forth affair that saw The Guys break out with a six-run fifth, only to have Your 'Rakers get back in the hunt with a six-runner of their own in the sixth.

Randy Striegel got things going nicely for the Mucksters with his first-inning home run. He also doubled in the two-run third and added a single in the all-hell-breaks-loose sixth. It was the memorable frame when Luke (The Housewarmer, Kinda) Abbott singled with the bases loaded, then wheeled around the bases on Guys' errant throws .... don't ask how, your humble reporter saw it all and scored it and still can't make sense of it, much less recall the gory details. Take it from us -- Luke scored.

Mike Yurkus, hitting in the six hole, had a productive evening (2-for-3, two runs scored, an RBI) and Chace Bryson upped his average big-time, going 3-for-3 (two runs, a ribbie). Mike Gale batted leadoff and was a whirlwind on the basepaths. Bob Brindley and Rick Hurd also had two-hit outs in a game that had some promise but ended up with Your Faves taking a back seat.

One more game Thursday completes the regular season. Then: playoffs. Can the Muckrakers wait? They can't, but they will.

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