5 4 (8 inn.)
A tight game that needed extra innings to be decided. Julian got the start and pitched well for four innings. Daniel threw two solid innings in relief, allowing just a run. With the score tied at 4-4, Daniel suffered an injured knee trying to steal third. Brent, the third pitcher of the day held the tie, making short work of the heart of the Dodgers order. In the bottom of the eighth, the Dodgers managed to work Brent for a pair of walks, and squeak out the winning run on an errant throw to first base. Eric shone defensively in his first game with the Reds, making a fine play at shortstop to preserve the tie in the seventh. Brent also put in a rock-solid performance at short. The catching was very good, as Mike (#1) and Daniel each threw out a would be base stealer. The hitting wasn't sharp. Daniel hit the ball well, driving in 3 runs. Adrian, who a week ago had never played baseball in his life, did very well at the plate, lining back to the pitcher, and sending a sure hit just foul. Mike (#7) overcame some early jitters to hit a ball hard, but right at the first baseman. Too many players watched good pitches go by, and that proved to be the difference.

6 4
This game was The Brent and Julian Show, as our two most experienced players played outstanding games, and lifted the Reds to a win over the Cardinals. Julian pitched the first six innings, while Brent caught. They switched roles in the seventh inning, and Brent picked up his first save, polishing off the heart of the Cardinals batting order with the tying run on second base. Both players chipped in at the plate, driving in and scoring key runs in the middle of the order. As good as Brent and Julian were, they couldn't do it alone, and on a night when we were missing 4 of our top players, our many rookies really stepped up. Mitch had a good game in the leadoff spot, setting the table for the middle of the order. He also played a strong game at second base, making several key plays. Adam was the offensive star of the night, picking up two singles and driving home 3 runs, including a key 2-run hit that sparked a 4-run Reds third inning. Rakib played a solid, if at times nerve-racking game at first base, and was excellent on the basepaths. Mike (#7) was very good at short, and also picked up his first hit. Although she failed to connect, Chantal had two of the best at-bats of the night. Adrian did connect, as did Alex. Alas, in the excitement both players forgot to run to first base. We'll work on that for next game. All in all, a very good effort.

12 3
Our most complete effort to date. Eric started and pitched well, putting in 3 good innings. The defense behind him was solid. Mike (#1) threw out a runner trying to steal second. Adam stopped a ball with his neck at second base, and recovered in time to get the force at second (Had he looked up, he might have prevented the runner at third from scoring, but when you stop a ball with your neck, we'll forgive that). Daniel pitched the final four innings, showing good velocity and control. Offensively, the team was very sharp. Daniel, Eric and Mike (#1) returned to the lineup, and hit the ball hard, each driving in at least 1 run. Brent hit the ball hard all night, knocking in a pair. The surprising rookie duo of Mitch and Adam chipped in again, Mitch with 2 singles and 2 RBIS, and Adam with another base hit and a pair of walks. Julian and Mike (#7) also collected hits. Ishpal and Alex also showed improvement at the plate, Ishpal picking up a walk, and Alex fouling off several pitches. The late inning defense had a couple of ragged moments, namely Eric and Julian not being able to get out of each other's way: "I've got it. . . No, YOU'VE got it," but they held together to preserve a fairly impressive win.

11 7
A game in which we out hit the Pirates, but suffered one bad inning and took the loss. The game started out on a shaky note, as the Pirates plated 3 runs in the first inning on the strength of an infield hit, a couple walks and series of overthrows. The Reds struck back with a run in the bottom of the first, as Rakib walked and scored from first on a groundout by Cindy thanks to some creative baserunning. In the third, Daniel doubled home Adam and Mitch to tie the game, and then scored on Eric's first hit of the season. Up 5-4 in the sixth, the wheels fell off. Daniel, on in relief, walked a pair of batters and felt a twinge in his arm. Brent came on and, with the bases loaded, struck out the Pirates best hitter on three pitches. With two outs in the inning, we suddenly couldn't throw a strike. Brent lost his control, and then his composure. Cindy came on, making her 2000 debut and faced three batters, walking one and plunking two, meaning she had to be pulled. Eric relieved and was able to end inning, but not before the Pirates had scored their 7th run of the inning, all of which scored with two outs. We managed a run in each of the last two innings, thanks to another Daniel double, and a triple by Julian, but it wasn't enough. On a bright note, a nervous Mike (#7) made his pitching debut, hurling a perfect seventh on two K's and a nice play by Adam at second. One tough inning, but we have too many good pitchers for that to happen very often.

8 5
A fine effort by the Reds, led by Cindy, who did just about everything one could ask. She doubled in the first inning with the bases loaded, part of a 5-run inning that put us ahead 5-1. Then she put on a defensive show behind Eric, who pitched a very solid 3+ innings. Having made a pair of plays at first, Cindy turned in the defensive gem of the game at shortstop, ranging behind the pitcher to snag a hot grounder, then setting herself and delivering a strong throw to first. To top things off, Cindy relieved Eric in the 4th inning, snuffed out a Dodgers rally, then tacked on 3 more scoreless innings showing off devastating stuff. She received plenty of support from her teammates. Eric, in addition to pitching, enjoyed another good game in the leadoff spot, scoring a pair of runs. Daniel, though he was retired for the first time this season, CRUSHED an rbi double for a late insurance run, and caught the first half of the game. Adam played another fine game at second base. Alex picked his first RBI, while Chantal registered her first hit of the season. Mike (#1) played an outstanding defensive game behind the plate.

7 6
The first inning of this game was our best this season. Daniel started, striking out two and walking one, who was promptly thrown out stealing by Brent. Offensively, our first seven batters reached base, staking us to a 5-0 lead. Mike (#1) had the big hit in the inning, pounding a 2-run double to right field. The Mets slowly chipped away at the lead. Daniel ran into trouble in the third and was relieved by Cindy, who walked in one run and plunked in another before settling down. She received good defensive support from Eric and Julian. Brent was a bull terrier behind the plate, blocking balls, holding on to foul tips and making strong throws. He took one ball flush on the mask and, without skipping a beat, turned to the bench, said "Get an ice pack ready," then finished the inning. The hitting was very good, if not very timely. Twice we left the bases loaded. Cindy led off the 2nd with a triple, but was stranded. Eric and Mitch both hit the ball hard, but right at Met fielders. The hit of the night belonged to Daniel, who smoked a ball to the deepest part of the park, and scampered home for an inside-the-park homer, the first by a Red since 1997. We had just loaded the bases with none out in the sixth when the game was called due to curfew.

16 4
There was little not to like in this game. Four Reds pitchers, Mike (#1), Cindy, Mike (#7) and Rakib, held the Cardinals in check. Under proper baseball scoring, Mike (#7) would probably be awarded the win for his perfect inning of relief. The defense had its moments as well. 2B Adam snared a hot grounder in the first and made a fine play. Daniel showed good range at first base, Mike (#1) and Eric (in his catching debut) each threw out a runner trying to steal. The play of the night belonged to Rakib, who picked off a lined shot at first. The story of this game, as the score suggests, was the hitting. Rakib and Adam reached base at the top of the order and were promptly driven home by their teammates. The highlights: Daniel went 2-3 with a triple, another homer and 5 RBIs. Cindy doubled in two runs, Eric singled home two more. Both Mikes drove in a run, and Mitch had an RBI single. In her Reds debut, Ashley played an alert LF and went 1-1, with a walk, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Every Red in the lineup reached base, and we sent the maximum nine batters to the plate in each of the first three innings.

21 6
Another strong offensive night for the Reds. All 14 different Reds scored at least one run, which has to be a team record. Big hits went to Eric, Mike (#1), Julian and Cindy. Daniel went 2-2 with a booming bases-loaded double and 3 RBI. Mike (#7) smacked a pair of RBI doubles. Rakib and Ishpal also joined the hit parade, each collecting their first safety of the season. In fairness to the Mets, they were without a couple of key regulars and tried a few new pitchers who struggled to throw strikes. Eric started for the Reds, going two strong innings. Julian pitched a perfect fourth inning in relief, striking out the side. The only downside of the game occurred when Adam took a ball off the nose during a warmup and had to leave the game. Trying to build his reputation as the team's toughest player, Adam wanted back in the lineup, but both parents and coaches thought it wise he take the rest of the night off. Mike (#1) a Red since 1998, played his last game with the team, as he will be moving to the nation's capital. He led off, played 1B, 2B, 3B, C and pitched the final inning, retiring the side in order. Following the game, he received the game ball and the 2000 Coaches Choice Award.

14 10
The Reds coaches had the score 13-12, but who are we to argue with the official scorekeeper? For the first three innings, this game was one of the most painful we've ever witnessed. The Cardinals plated 9 runs in the first two innings (at least by our count) without the aid of a hit. Pitchers Julian and Daniel did struggle with their control, but didn't get any close calls. Umpires simply have to expand their strike zones at this level, or else players will be content to leave their bats on their shoulders, which is no way to learn how to hit. We responded with 9 runs in our first two trips, due largely to walks, but we did take our cuts as well. In the third inning, pitching changes for both sides helped to stem the tide. Brent threw a solid 3 innings of relief for the win, after catching the first two and throwing out a pair of runners. The Reds bats got going in the bottom of the fourth, as Ashley and Rakib had back-to-back hits with the bases loaded to score 4 runs. Rakib was outstanding at the plate, going 3-3 and driving in half a dozen runs. Adam, his nose fully recovered, played a fine game at 2B. The game ended with a defensive gem, as Brent, C Daniel and SS Julian combined for a strikeout-throw 'em out double play.

11 6
The Reds jumped on the Dodgers for 7 runs in the first inning, taking a 7-1 lead. This was mostly via the walk, although Mike (#7) and Cindy were each able to steal home. Rakib singled in a run, for his 5th straight hit in 5 plate appearances. Mitch singled home our final run of the inning. The Dodgers then went to their #1 starter, who shut us down for the next 3 innings. Brent got the start for the Reds, and pitched 4 strong innings for his second victory of the week. C Eric helped him out on defense, throwing out a pair of runners at third base. We also got some strong defensive play from Raja in CF, who alertly covered up on a couple of plays, preventing the Dodgers from taking extra bases. Rakib played a strong game at 1B, stopping one hot grounder, and later turning a line out into a near triple play. We were a bit sloppy defensively, throwing the ball when we didn't have to. With the score 7-5, the bats came alive again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mike (#7) and Rakib walked, Ashley singled, and Eric pounded his second hit of the night, driving in two runs. Cindy added an RBI, and pitched the final two innings for the save.

13 5
The Reds bats continue to boom in the month of July. The Reds assaulted Cardinal pitching for 14 hits, including a 4-hit day for Julian, Brent's first career triple and RBI hits from Mike (#7) and Rakib. Eric and Cindy also had multi-hit games, and Daniel launched a moonshot to the deepest park of the park that missed going out by about two feet. He ended up at third on a double and an overthrow. In a league in which walks often account for the bulk of the scoring, this was an impressive display. The pitching was also solid. Eric started and pitched the first two innings. Rakib relieved and threw well, striking out 2, but his control wasn't pinpoint. Mitch made his pitching debut in the 4th against, as luck would have it, the heart of the Cardinals order. He pitched well, and with some defensive support, escaped the inning without giving up a run and picking up his first ever strikeout. Adam made his mound debut in the 5th, but he overthrew warming up and didn't have much left when the inning began. He walked the bases loaded, but Julian stranded them in relief. In two innings, Julian walked one and struck out 6 for the victory, bouncing back nicely from his last appearance.

7 6
The most exciting game of the season, a seesaw battle between two very good teams. The Reds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, only to give it all back with some sloppy play in the second. The Pirates went up 4-3, before Julian squibbed a ball that scored a pair of runs. In the top of the sixth, the Pirates loaded the bases with none out, leading to perhaps the busiest play we've ever witnessed. The batter chopped a grounder to third. Several throws later, we had turned a 5-3-5-4 double play, the Pirates had scored 2 runs, and the bases were empty. The Pirates held a 6-5 lead until the bottom of the 7th, when the Reds top of the order came up with 3 straight hits for 2 runs and the win. Each of the 9 players in the lineup deserve special mention. RF Raja and CF Mitch each made good plays to hold Pirates to singles. After being hit by a pitch, LF Ashley stole a base and scored a run. 1B Eric played flawless defense and went 1-3 with a run and an RBI. 2B Rakib had a great game in the field, making several tough plays. He also drew a walk and scored. SS Julian went 3-3 with a walk, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs. He also sparked our 7th inning rally. 3B Mike (#7) started the key double play, going 2-4 with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs, including the winning run. P Cindy tossed our first complete game of the year, not easy against the Pirates. She also picked a hit and an RBI. Finally, C Brent was at his best. He played through injuries to both hands. He tossed out one runner to end the 6th inning, then decoyed another into an ill-fated attempt to steal home in the 7th. Fittingly, it was Brent who battled to a full count before delivering the game winning hit. For this tremendous effort, he received the game ball.

8 8
Another tight one against the Pirates. The Reds jumped out to a 4-run lead in the top of the first, only to see the Pirates bounce back with 3 of their own. Both teams scored a run in the second, but then the pitching settled down. Up 6-5 in the 4th, Julian ran into some trouble, walking in a run and loading the bases with just one out. Cindy relieved and got out of the jam, giving up just one more run. Trailing 7-6 in the top of the sixth, Julian singled with two down. Eric followed with a walk. Cindy then hammered a double to deep left field, scoring two. That lead held until the bottom of the seventh, when the Pirates managed the tying run. With the winning run on second, Cindy ended the game with a strikeout. Julian continued his torrid hitting, going 4-4. Mike (#7) played a mean third base and sparked our first inning rally with a base hit. Adam made a very alert play when he chased a ball to the warning track from second base, after seeing our outfielder trip. Ashley helped snuff out a rally by a snagging a high fly ball off the bat of the Pirates top hitter. Eric filled in at catcher for Brent, who was suspended for a bat toss at an all-star game, and he shone. Eric stopped the Pirates running game dead in its tracks, throwing out 6 runners, and going 2-2, with 2 doubles and 2 walks.

9 2
A good team effort, punctuated by oustanding games by Brent and Cindy. The game was tied 1-1 after an inning. The game stayed close until the Reds pushed 4 runs across in the top of the third inning, thanks to an RBI single by Cindy and consecutive steals of home by Cindy and Rakib. On the day, Cindy was 4-4 with 4 RBIs and played a full game behind the plate. Mitch had a great day in the leadoff spot, going 1-2 with a single, two walks, a truckload of steals and 3 runs scored. Mike (#7) chipped in with a single, and Rakib also drove in a run. Adam and Ishpal each had some good atbats, making some contact. The pitching was superb, as Brent threw his best game as a Red, and one of the best in team history. Brent's line: 7IP 4H 2R 1ER 4BB 18K. The 18 Ks establish a club record. The only blemish on Brent's day, and Cindy's, was their attempt to decoy a baserunner with a throw to the shortstop. The only problem was that they forgot to inform the shortstop, Mike (#7), of their plan. The short hopped throw surprised him and resulted in a fat lip. Happy Birthday Mike.

18 3
Fine pitching and timely hitting gave the Reds a 10-0 lead by the end of the 2nd inning. Eric pitched our second straight gem, a complete game effort. His control was outstanding, he walked only a handful of batters and struck out 15 in the shortened 6-inning game. The Reds bats gave him all the support a pitcher could want. Leadoff man Rakib sparked the team with a 4-4 performance. Julian just keeps rolling, as he picked up another pair of hits. Eric smashed a 3-run double, Mike (#7) chipped in with a 2-run double, while Daniel, returning from yet another vacation, went 1-2 with a two-run single and two walks. Ishpal continued his rapid improvement at the plate, with another base hit. Adam also broke out of a slump with a single and a few good atbats. Every Red reached base at least once, and all of them scored at least a run. One of the biggest bats in our lineup, Cindy, was called up by the Pee Wee White Sox, where she recorded 2 hits and played shortstop and first base.

6 4
Only six Dodgers showed up for this, while 10 Reds were in attendance. We could have taken the default, but defaults are no fun, so we agreed to an unorthodox 8-on-8 format, with Raja and Mike Turner serving as Dodgers for a day. Pitching and defense keyed the Reds victory. Daniel started and pitched well. When he did get into trouble, Cindy came in and slammed the door. Both Raja and Mike had noteworthy games. Raja hit the ball for the first time this season, off Cindy, while LF Mike booted a ball that contributed to a key Reds rally. He insists it wasn't on purpose.

11 8
A game which we almost started shorthanded. Fortunately, Ashley and Ishpal showed up to fill out our roster. Thanks to Mike T of the Cardinals, who played a half inning in our outfield before behind returned to his team. Brent started and logged 6 solid innings for the win. He got into a jam in the first, loading the bases with one out, but escaped with only 2 runs allowed. The offense got that right back on hits by Rakib, Julian, Cindy and Brent. 1B Rakib went 4-5 with a double in the leadoff spot, and played well in the field. 8 of the 9 Reds in the lineup made contact of some kind. Ishpal hit the ball 3 times, and while he didn't collect a hit, he did advance runners and force the Cardinals defence to make good plays. Mitch had a strong night at the plate and threw a Cardinal trying for a double out from CF. Cindy collected a pair of hits, including a double, and threw out two runners trying to steal. She also pitched the seventh inning for the save. The official score of the game was 9-8, but the scorekeeper (a former Red and league MVP) counted only 2 runs for us in the 9-batter 4th, which, as we all know, is mathematically impossible. Brent threw out the "tying" runner trying for second to end the game, and avoid a minor controversy.

9 8
If I may, I'd like to borrow from Charles Dickens for a moment, and since I'm the one writing this, I certainly may, so here it goes: This is the tale of two rallies. It was the best of teams, it was the worst of teams. For the first 3 1/2 innings, the Reds played the finest baseball they've played all season. The offense jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first as Daniel and Cindy each singled home two runs. The pitching was stellar, as Cindy shut the Pirates down for 3 innings, with some solid defence behind her. The Reds loaded the bases in the 3rd inning, and the Daniel quickly unloaded them with a blast over the right field fence, the first time a Red has hit a ball out of Smythe since 1997. The moonshot extended our lead to 8-0. Then something happened. I don't know if it was a team wide case of nerves, I don't know if it was fluoride in the water, or maybe some lingering after-effect of the latest Pokemon movie, but suddenly, the roof caved in. The Pirates are a good team, and we certainly didn't expect shut them out, but they simply shouldn't have scored 9 runs. Our defence started to boot the ball around, they forgot where to throw the ball, or to throw the ball at all. Outfielders missed their cutoff men and threw behind runners. At the same time, our offence dried up completely. The Pirates capitalized on every mistake and stole the game out from under us. This was certainly a tough one to lose, but we've more than proven that we can compete with this team, and if we're able to learn from out mistakes, we'll give them plenty to worry about in the playoffs.

6 4
A lacklustre effort on the heels of our disappointing collapse against the Pirates. Brent started and threw well, but was touched up for one bad inning early, in which the Dodgers scored 5 runs. The defense was better than our last game, with Mitch standing out at second base, and Brent making a great play at shortstop late in the game. Otherwise we weren't terribly sharp. C Cindy threw one ball off Brent's nose, as he wasn't looking when she threw it. This is the second time she's gotten Brent this year. Luckily, she lobbed it and Brent happens to be one of the toughest players in the world. Our hitting was off. The Dodgers' pitcher threw well, but we're capable of much more, and we're still not getting timely hits. An exception was Eric, who doubled and tripled, but didn't have much support around him. He also pitched two scoreless innings in relief. The base running was sloppy as well, as a number of runners were slow to react, or just not running that hard. We'll need some fine tuning before heading into the playoffs.

19 9
We had some fun in this one, mixing things up and trying some different faces in new places. Mike (#7) got the start, while Rakib made his catching debut. Mike threw strikes, but without the velocity he's capable of. The Mets hit him fairly hard, got some bounces and built up an early lead. He did get some defensive help, as LF Daniel forced a runner at third and, with the bases loaded, Mitch made a great stab at third base to end the inning. Nonetheless, the Mets held an 8-2 lead after two innings. The Mets pitcher was a soft tosser, which baffled some of our better hitters early. Then we woke up. Julian settled things down with an inning of solid relief. Then the bats came alive in a deep and meaningful way. We narrowed the lead to 8-6 before exploding in the fourth. Rakib was hit by a pitch, and scored on a chopper through the infield by Cindy, who then scored on an RBI single by Ishpal. Julian belted a pitch over the head of the right fielder, and scooted around the bases for an in-the-park homer. Two batters later, Daniel spanked a ball between two outfielders and had his own homer. After a walk to Eric, Brent hammered a ball and used the vast Bantam diamond outfield to pick up his first homer, and the third in the inning, a record that should stand for many years. Speaking of records, Brent set one by playing at least 1/3 of an inning at each of the nine fielding positions. (Shades of Bert Campaneris) Julian celebrated his birthday by adding two doubles to his homer and went 4-4.

13 10
This game was essentially over after the second inning. The first 15 Reds batters reached base, resulting in a 12-0 rout early on. Among the highlights, Cindy doubled and tripled, Rakib scorched a base hit to right field, Eric tripled with the bases loaded, and Julian, Daniel and Ashley all chipped in with base hits. Julian got the start and pitched pretty well. We lifted him in favour of Ashley with one down in the fifth, at which point we knew it was mathematically impossible for the Mets to catch us with the mercy rule still in effect. Thus, no pressure on Ashley in her pitching debut. She didn't fare terribly well, but she did record an out and certainly has the arm to be a pitcher next season. The Mets scored a handful of cosmetic runs, but we were never really threatened, and scored two more runs that were washed out when curfew ended the game. The offense did get a bit lazy after running up a big lead, and we still aren't hitting our cutoff men the way we'd like. Defensively, Mitch continues to impress at second base and Mike (#7) also played a strong game.

9 2
Our best overall game in a while. Cindy pitched a complete game gem, scattering a handful of hits, and showing outstanding control. The defense was razor sharp behind her. The outfielders were alert, got to the ball quickly and hit their cutoff men, preventing the Cardinals from racking up extra bases. Brent was a force behind the plate, throwing out 3 would-be base stealers, with the help of acrobatic tags from SS Daniel and 3B Mike (#7). He also made a fine barehanded play on a swinging bunt to end the game. Daniel played a strong game, and was in on what was nearly the play of the year. With a man on first, Cindy fielded a sharp, wheeled, fired to Daniel, who quickly unloaded to first for what appeared to be a 1-6-3 double play. The umpire however, called the runner at first safe (he wasn't). Offensively, everybody chipped in. Rakib and Brent showed great patience at the plate, spoiling good pitches and drawing walks. Eric was denied hits by the Cardinal defense, but advanced the runners. Cindy knocked home 4 runs, and knocked out the Cardinal starter with a wicked one-hopper back to the mound. Alex played well in RF and drew a clutch bases-loaded walk to extend a key Reds rally in the 6th.

League Championship

5 4 (10 inn.)
Perhaps the best game we've ever witnessed at this age level, and a fitting end to a fine season. Cindy got the start and pitched very well, quickly turning away the top of the Pirates order in the top of the first. Julian led off the bottom with a single and Mike (#7) walked. Eric followed with an RBI single. Two batters later, Cindy singled home 2 more runs and staked herself to an early 3-0 lead. We gave one run right back in the 2nd on a pair of ill-advised throws. After the inning, the coaches reminded everyone how we threw away our last lead against the Pirates. The defense responded with the best game it's played all year. 1B Eric was flawless, snagging a hot shot to end the first inning, ranging into foul territory for a fly ball and catching everything the infielders had to throw. The infield was stellar. Julian played 2B, 3B and SS, all of them well. 2B Rakib and 3B Mike each made plays on tough grounders. SS Daniel made the play of the game, ranging far to his left, preventing a base hit, and firing a laser to first to end a Pirate threat. Cindy helped herself out, snagging a comebacker off the bat of the Pirates most dangerous hitter. C Brent was excellent, catching all 10 innings. He shrugged off a foul tip that winded him, and was able to contain the Pirates vaunted running game. Only a handful of runners attempted a steal of him, and he gunned two of those down, both times ending rallies. The outfield was also sharp. LF Ashley made a running catch of a shallow fly ball, and everyone kept the ball in front of them and hit their cutoff men. No Pirate managed more than a single. The Reds tacked on a 4th run when Rakib walked, stole second and third and scored on an overthrow. The Pirates got 2 back on a base hit and a 2-out bases loaded HBP. In the 7th, with runners on 1st and 3rd and 1 out, the Pirate hitter chopped a ball back to the mound. Cindy fired to first for one out, but the Pirate runner barely beat the relay home under Brent's tag. At that point, Cindy had pitched her 7 innings and had to be replaced. Daniel, who had a rough day at the plate and was obviously pressing, relieved and held the Pirates in check, including their toughest hitters. We had a great chance to end the game in the 7th, when Eric singled. A great throw by the Pirates catcher just caught him stealing second. Had he made it, he could have scored on Cindy's single two batters later. Finally, in the 10th, Raja drew a leadoff walk. He attempted a steal of second and went to third when the throw went into centre field. Julian followed with a walk. Mike (#7) then chopped a ball back to the pitcher. Raja held his ground, and Mike beat the throw to first to load the bases. Eric followed, and lined a pitch just foul for a full count. He watched as the next pitch sailed low and inside, Raja trotted home with the championship-winning run, and the Reds claimed our second league title. Afterward Daniel received the game ball, while Eric was presented with the official score sheet.

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