Bristol White Sox

You would think after a game that we won easily 2 nights ago...we would come out tonight hot, but that was not the case.  The first game of the series, we won 10-6, but the score doesn't indicate how much of a blow out it was.  They put a 5 spot up in the top of the ninth to make it respectable.  Our offense exploded for a couple big innings, blowing it open in the fifth inning with six runs.  Our pitching staff dominated their hitters with the exception of the ninth inning, but we still made it hard on ourselves.  We walked too many hitters, giving them a chance.  

Tonight, however, the pitching was subpar.  Everybody has those nights where they just aren't on their game, and tonight was one of those nights.  We dug a hole early for ourselves, giving Bristol a 6-0 lead after the first inning.  Once again, our offense chipped away at the lead and made it a one run ball game going into the 8th inning.  The score was 8-7 going into the 8th.  Jonathan Lucas produced an outstanding relief performance, giving us 4 perfect innings!  He did his job, keeping us in the ball game and giving us a chance to win.  In the 8th inning, we had runners at second and third with nobody out.  Our number 3 hitter (typically the best hitter on the team) was up and hit a fly ball to the outfield.  Most of the time, it would be perfect for a sacrifice fly to score the run, but luck was not on our side tonight.  The left fielder timed it perfectly, ran through the ball, and came up with an absolutely perfect throw, nailing the runner from third.  That play in itself was an absolute buzz kill!  We went from having two guys in scoring position with no outs to one guy in scoring position with two outs!  The next guy grounded out to second to end the inning.  

The following inning, the bottom of the 9th, we lead the inning off with a double.  We were unable to capitalize on it and we came up short once again.  One of the hitters actually hit a long fly to the warning track that I thought was gone off the bat...

Tomorrow we close out the series with Bristol before starting a long lasting rivalry with the Princeton Rays.  Everybody around here says the series vs. Princeton is the most meaningful one of the season...it should be very exciting and intense.  I cant wait, but first things first...we need to win the series vs. Bristol...