CONCORD -- Dave Taxier was struggling. The (R)aging right-hander had been staked to a four-run lead in the top of the first, but, partly because of his ineptitude and maleficence, was in the process of giving it all back in the bottom half of the frame. Indeed, 9 Mugs And a Pitcher came out of the first inning tied 4-4.
That's about when 'Raker first baseman Chris White told Taxier, "that's OK, we'll get those runs back."
Perhaps not even White realized just how right he was.
In the most fabulous frame in Muckrakers history, the Mighty Mucksters piled up an incredible 18 runs in the top of the second inning, powered along by five home runs, on their way to overwhelming 9 Mugs (and so forth and so on) 27-15 for their second victory of the season, snapping a four-game losing streak.
The 'Rakers rewrote the record books partly because they recognized the prevailing meteorological conditions on rarely played-on Field 5. Dave Alcorn led off the soon-to-be-famous frame by lofting what looked to be a routine flyball to right. Except the ball kept sailing, sailing, sailing over the outfielder's head, and the drive went for a home run by the trailblazing Alcorn.
Thus informed, the 'Rakers launching drive after drive to the right side, the result being four more homers and a whole passel of runs. Before the top of the second was done, 22 'Rakers had batted and Chris Wagnon, Luke Abbott and White had blasted round-trippers. Alcorn also tripled in the frame, and darned near hit for the cycle in the second inning alone.
The lead was so huge not even a struggling Taxier could give it back. Thus, the Muckrakers emphatically got into the win column, thanks to what turned out to be a 32-hit offense, perhaps another stat for the 'Raker record book.
After a series of close-but-no-cigar defeats, it had to feel good for the Mucksters to enjoy a rare laugher victory. Any kind of win would have felt good at this point, but to put up 27 runs on a day in which everybody hit well, well ... oh my.
Reed Johnson blasted the ball all five times up and went 5 for 5. Abbott, about to embark on an Australian walk-about, said farewell by going 4 for 5 with a career-high seven RBIs. White hit with might (4 for 5, five RBIs). Ben Enos made his '11 'Rakers debut a memorable one, taking ownership of the leadoff role and going 4 for 4 with three runs scored. Alcorn finished 4 for 5 with five driven in, and Chace Bryson and Rich Browning each contributed three hits. Jose Gomez had a two-hit game and stood out again at second base. And Taxier even struck out a guy -- and didn't strike out himself, fortunately.
The take-away from this one is, with six games left in the regular season, Los Muckeros still have time to cause great upheaval in the standings. Let those 27 runs signal a warning shot to the rest of the trembling D-League South.
Showing posts with label 9 Mugs and A Pitcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9 Mugs and A Pitcher. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
'Rakers pour it on, tip 9 Mugs and a Pitcher
CONCORD -- Now that was worth waiting for, wasn't it?
Denied a game for two weeks thanks to the schedule-maker and Mother Nature, the Muckrakers rained a whole lotta offense on 9 Mugs and a Pitcher, taking the opening night tilt 17-8 Thursday on Field 3.
The victorious 'Rakers played like a team that was desperate to get the darned league under way. All 12 Mucksters contributed to the fun, with each 'Raker getting at least one hit and eight having multi-hit games. The Men of Muck amassed 26 hits and batted .577 against hapless 9MAAP, and surely sent shock waves through the rest of Thursday Night D-League.
This was a new-look 'Raker outfit doing all this damage. In addition to the old reliables, sprinkled about the lineup were a trio of 'Rakers making their Muckraker debut: Reed Johnson, Jose Gomez and Chris White. Under the able guidance of Manager Chris Wagnon, the newbies and the vets meshed as though they've been one happy family for years and years.
It's not unlike Fearless Leader Wagnon to have some managerial trickery up his shirt sleeve, and boy oh boy, did he pull one out of the hat on Thursday. Wagnon employed the rarely seen "Volleyball Defense," where each player rotated left after each inning.
Whimsical, perhaps, but effective, yes. Yer Mucksters played stellar defense in Game 1, with the infield and outfield each turning in highlight-worthy plays.
Bob Brindley, making one of his cameo appearances, popped 9MAAP's bubble with his spectacular catches in left field. Matt Knauff was his usual solid self in center and almost turned in a remarkable play on a deep drive. At shortstop, Randy Striegel put a nice bow on the game with his nice flip from the hole to third baseman Dave Alcorn, good for the forceout and the final out of the contest.
Your Heroes were just as dominant on offense. In fact, in the third inning, Brindley and Striegel each bashed home runs, which served as a noisy prologue to the eight-run fourth inning that blew this puppy wide open. Fourteen 'Rakers batted in the fateful frame, with 11 bashing hits and six driving in runs. Alcorn tripled in the inning, and the plucky infielder and leadoff man enjoyed a 3 for 4 opening night.
Rick Browning also got off to a hot start, going 3 for 4 as well, and Knauff and Striegel were positively torrid with their 4 for 4 game, Striegel also driving in four runs.
So D-League, you've been warned: You can only hold off the relentless Muckrakers for so long.
Denied a game for two weeks thanks to the schedule-maker and Mother Nature, the Muckrakers rained a whole lotta offense on 9 Mugs and a Pitcher, taking the opening night tilt 17-8 Thursday on Field 3.
The victorious 'Rakers played like a team that was desperate to get the darned league under way. All 12 Mucksters contributed to the fun, with each 'Raker getting at least one hit and eight having multi-hit games. The Men of Muck amassed 26 hits and batted .577 against hapless 9MAAP, and surely sent shock waves through the rest of Thursday Night D-League.
This was a new-look 'Raker outfit doing all this damage. In addition to the old reliables, sprinkled about the lineup were a trio of 'Rakers making their Muckraker debut: Reed Johnson, Jose Gomez and Chris White. Under the able guidance of Manager Chris Wagnon, the newbies and the vets meshed as though they've been one happy family for years and years.
It's not unlike Fearless Leader Wagnon to have some managerial trickery up his shirt sleeve, and boy oh boy, did he pull one out of the hat on Thursday. Wagnon employed the rarely seen "Volleyball Defense," where each player rotated left after each inning.
Whimsical, perhaps, but effective, yes. Yer Mucksters played stellar defense in Game 1, with the infield and outfield each turning in highlight-worthy plays.
Bob Brindley, making one of his cameo appearances, popped 9MAAP's bubble with his spectacular catches in left field. Matt Knauff was his usual solid self in center and almost turned in a remarkable play on a deep drive. At shortstop, Randy Striegel put a nice bow on the game with his nice flip from the hole to third baseman Dave Alcorn, good for the forceout and the final out of the contest.
Your Heroes were just as dominant on offense. In fact, in the third inning, Brindley and Striegel each bashed home runs, which served as a noisy prologue to the eight-run fourth inning that blew this puppy wide open. Fourteen 'Rakers batted in the fateful frame, with 11 bashing hits and six driving in runs. Alcorn tripled in the inning, and the plucky infielder and leadoff man enjoyed a 3 for 4 opening night.
Rick Browning also got off to a hot start, going 3 for 4 as well, and Knauff and Striegel were positively torrid with their 4 for 4 game, Striegel also driving in four runs.
So D-League, you've been warned: You can only hold off the relentless Muckrakers for so long.
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