Wings Squeak by Knights

The Charlotte Knights had won only one game so far this season but had lost an unbelievable series of one-run or two-run  heartbreakers to the league's best. The perpetual not-quite David to the Goliaths of the National Division, the plucky Knights had to believe that maybe, just maybe, the Law of Averages would favor them this time around.

But Red Wings starting pitcher Micah didn't believe in any Law of Averages. All he believed in was throwing strikes. Which is exactly what he did to retire the first three batters he faced. He struck out the first two looking and got the third to pop up to short where Will made the catch to end the inning.

The Knights returned the favor in the bottom of the first, and we had a pitchers' duel on our hands.

In the top of the second, Micah got the first batter he faced to ground softly to the mound. He scooped it up and fired to first baseman Jack for the out. Micah got the next batter to do the same but took care of business himself and tagged the runner for the unassisted out. He closed out the inning with a four-pitch backwards K. All told, Micah struck out three, allowed only one baserunner, and zero runs, while throwing a grand total of 22 pitches over two innings of work. Not a bad day at the office.

Parker led off the second for the Wings. He'd been swinging a hot bat over the last three or four games and he was not about to cool off tonight. He sent the second pitch he saw into center field for a single. Jack went back-to-back with a single to right. Alejandro was hit by a pitch, and just like that the Wings had the bases loaded with nobody out. Josh was more than happy to cash the check, cranking the second pitch of his at-bat into center field for a single. Parker would score from third, and the Wings were on the board first. "JD" Drew was up next. He looked ready to crush one. And crush one he did! Right over the third base line and in the air to deep left field. It looked fair from the Red Wings dugout, but unfortunately the Red Wings dugout did not have the authority to make the call. "Foul ball!" was the call from the umpire. Had it been fair, it would have cleared the bases. No such luck this time. Noah's shot to right field did stay fair for a single and it brought in another run. Next, Ken shot one up the middle, but the Knights' pitcher made a great play to knock it down and fire to first to end the inning. 2-0, Wings after two.

Josh came out of the Red Wings bullpen in the third. He proceeded to strike out the side with great command of his fastball. His third K was most impressive--a four-pitch affair in which the batter looked at strike three buzzing flat, low in the zone, and straight over the plate. Just a beautiful pitch.

Micah lit the fuse in the third with a single to left. He knew he would not have a chance to hang out there at first base for long as he watched Sam step into the box. Watching Sam step in is like watching Big Papi step in. You just know something big's going to happen. Something big did happen: Sam launched an RBI triple to deep right center. An absolute bomb. 3-0, Wings. Still nobody out. Tom walked. Will singled to bring Tom into scoring position and Sam across the plate. 4-0, Wings. Tom would score from second on a productive ground ball off the bat of Parker and some gutsy baserunning. 5-0, Wings.

Jack took the hill in the fourth, and he struck out the side with 10 pitches. Dominant stuff from the flame-throwing righty.

The Wings went down in order, and the score remained 5-0 through four.

The Wings seemed to be cruising until the fifth when the Law of Averages reared its ugly head. The Knights are just too good a team to put up five 0s in a row. The Wings sent Alex out to pitch the fifth and contend with the top of the Knights' order. A combination of great hitting and several costly errors in the field put the Knights right back in the game, and then in command of the game with a 6-5 lead. Alex needed to find a way to stop the bleeding. The crafty right-hander got one batter to ground to short where Parker made a great throw for the out at first. Then, he ended the inning with a dramatic six-pitch strikeout. Alex did well to limit the damage to six runs and keep his team in it.

Bottom of the fifth and down by one, the Wings needed a run. Noah led off and was hit by the first pitch. Micah was also hit, and the Wings had two on with one out. And who would step to the plate next? None other than Sam, Sammy Whammy, King of the Clutch. Darn right he would deliver--a shot in the air to deep center field. He was thinking extra bases right out of the box and rounded first, but a great throw in to second from the center fielder forced him to retreat. That didn't matter, though. Noah scored from second, and Micah, with a phenomenal bit of hustle and excellent baserunning instincts, took off from first and never looked back. He beat the throw to the plate and the Red Wings' dugout erupted in cheers. Sam's 2-RBI single put the Wings back on top 7-6.

With a slim one-run lead, the Wings sent Parker to the mound to close it out. The hard-throwing righty took care of business, striking out two and getting one to ground to Jack at shortstop who executed a flawless 6-3 put-out. Three quick outs for the save.

After a tough fifth inning in the field, when a 5-0 vanished before their eyes, the Red Wings refused to give up. They believed in themselves, they were confident, they did not panic. Each player just went out and did his job the best he could. The rest took care of itself. A very exciting win for the Red Wings.

There were many heroes tonight. Sam, with his clutch hitting yet again. Parker with his dramatic save. But the winning run was all about Micah's speed and smarts on the bases. Micah also shut down a very good Knights lineup for two scoreless innings as our starting pitcher. Tonight's game ball went to Micah. The Habit Award was also his for his hustle and courage on the base paths.

With the win tonight, the Red Wings clinched the top seed in the playoff tournament. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, we have one more regular season game against an excellent Mudcats squad on Thursday at Greene's.

Possible Playoff Scenario

The Red Wings have two regular season games left to play, as does most of the rest of the league, so it's too early to be certain of our playoff schedule, but if the regular season were to end today with the National Division standings remaining as they are, the Red Wings would be the first seed in the playoff tournament. Here's how this scenario could play out:

National Division First Round
Knights at Red Wings
Sunday, June 5 2:00-4:00 PM
Eliot

If the Red Wings win...

Practice
Tuesday, June 7 6:00 PM
Eliot

National Division Semi-Finals
Hot Rods or Iron Pigs at Red Wings
Friday, June 10 6:00 PM
Eliot


If the Red Wings win...

Practice

Saturday, June 11 12:00-2:00 PM

Eliot

National Division Championship Game

??? at Red Wings

Monday, June 13 6:00 PM

Eliot

If the Red Wings win...

Practices

Two or three nights between Tuesday, June 14 and Friday, June 17  5:30-7:30 PM

Eliot

Little League AA Championship Game

??? at Red Wings

Saturday, June 18 6:00 PM

Greene's

If the Red Wings win...

March in 4th of July Parade

There will also be a AA All-Star Game Monday, June 20 6:00 PM at Greene's. 

Very important note: I am putting this scenario out there only to provide some advanced notice to help families with scheduling and planning. I do not want the boys to be talking or even thinking about the AA Championship Game, the 4th of July Parade or even our first round game right now. That would be getting way, way ahead of ourselves. The Red Wings are a good team and we've had a successful regular season, but there are lots of other good teams who have had successful regular seasons.  And there are always a few surprises in the playoffs--teams that did not seem very strong suddenly start to come together and play at a different level in the playoffs. We should take nothing for granted. We could very easily lose in the first round. If we do, I will be perfectly happy with the way this season has gone. We've had a lot of fun, learned a lot, made new friends--everything that Little League baseball is about. The playoffs, as far as I'm concerned, are icing on the cake. The games are more competitive in the playoffs, and the players get more intense--I won't pretend otherwise--but it still has to be about fun. That's the only reason we play this game. 

So, whenever the opportunity arises, please try to manage the boys' hype and expectations around the playoffs. For example, when Tom says, "Dad, we're going to dominate the playoffs!" I usually say something like this: "There are lots of good teams just like us, some that have improved a lot since we played them, and some excellent teams we didn't play yet. We'll work hard, do our best, and have fun with it. If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. Who cares. I'm just glad we get to play some more baseball." Mostly, I want to avoid setting the guys up for a major disappointment if we lose and keep them focused on what's most important: work hard, do your best, have fun.

Wings Battle Back to Beat Express

The talented Rock Round Express, in third place with a 4-3 record, were looking to improve to 5-3 and gain a game on the second place Diamond Jaxx, who dropped a close one to the Mudcats earlier Monday morning.

But they would have to get past starting pitcher Eric and his red-hot Red Wings first. After a leadoff single, it was smooth sailing for Eric in the top of the first. He struck out the next two and got the third to fly out to center field, where Micah made a nice grab on the run to end the inning.

The Wings could not get anything going in the bottom half. No score after one.

In the second, Eric struck out one and got some excellent defensive support for the other two. The second batter of the inning hit a long single and tried to stretch it to two. The runner on second, however, did not move to third, so he had to retreat to first. Seeing this develop, Noah, the quick-thinking catcher, after backing up the throw to the mound, fired to first for the out. This was just smart baseball. The final out of the inning was a fly ball to Parker at shortstop. He was screened by the runner moving to third, so he had to move out of position and then back underneath to make the catch. Not an easy play, but Parker managed to haul it in. The Express got one in, though, and were up 1-0 after one and a half.

That lead would not last as the Wings put together a very productive second inning. Jack cranked a leadoff double. Parker knocked him in with a double of his own. Tie game. But the Wings were hungry for more. Alex would make it back-to-back-to-back doubles with a shot up the middle that scored Parker, and the Wings would take a 2-1 lead. Alejandro and Drew both worked two-out walks to keep the line moving and put runners on first and second. Alejandro's walk would prove costly for the Express when Noah launched a deep single to left. Showing some blazing speed on the basepaths, Alejandro scored from second to make it 3-1, Wings.

But the Express would claw their way back in it, putting up two runs in their half of the third. After three, it was all tied up at 3 runs apiece. Eric did his job well tonight, eating up innings and putting the Wings in a good position to win. The Wings' starter struck out five and scattered three hits over three innings.

The Wings would regain control of the game in the bottom of the third. Eric, Tom, and Will put together three consecutive walks to load the bases for Sam. Yes "Grand" Sam, Sammy Whammy, The Big Bang--whatever you want to call him. He hit a rocket to deep left, a 2-RBI double, and with one swing of the bat the Wings were back on top 5-3. Jack would join the party next and single in Sam. 6-3, Wings. Parker would send another bomb to deep left field for a double and bring in Jack. In all, this Wings' rally produced 4 runs and gave the Wings a 7-3 lead.

Noah came out to pitch the top of the fourth and he was throwing bullets. He struck out one and benefited from a play you'll see on Sports Center for weeks to come. Third baseman Eric ran down a shallow infield fly, made the catch, then immediately turned and sprinted for the bag. Great instincts. The runner had indeed left third but was only a few steps toward home. Eric turned on the jets and beat the runner back to third for the unassisted double play. It's impressive enough to have the presence of mind to look back to third after running down the shallow pop-up. But Eric also had the speed to cover the check his brain had written. Brilliant baseball!

Micah made some noise in the bottom of the fourth with an infield single and a great hustle up the line. Unfortunately he would be stranded there. Still 7-3, Wings after four.

Will would come out of the bullpen for the fifth. The Express are still wondering what hit them. He attacked the zone from the first pitch, striking out their clean-up hitter in dramatic fashion. After filling the count, he watched strike three, a blazing fastball about knee-high. Will got the next one looking and then fanned another to bring the Wings an inning closer to victory.

Sam launched a gargantuan triple to deep left center in the fifth. It was a beauty. But, unfortunately that was all the Red Wings could muster, and Sam was stranded at third.

Top of the sixth. 7-3, Wings. It was up to closer Jack to put this one in the books. It would take him only 12 pitches to retire the side--in order, three Ks, two backwards. This is the definition of "lights out." He was supported by some excellent work behind the plate by Josh who offered a steady target for two innings (catching for Will as well) and putting his glove on nearly every pitch.

7-3 was the final. This was classic Red Wings baseball: pitching, defense, and clutch hitting. Speaking of clutch hitting, tonight's game ball went to Sam, whose 2-RBI double in the third put the Wings on top for good. The Habit Award went to second baseman Tom for being down for every pitch.

Tomorrow night, the Knights come to Newman. Beware! They are a much better team than their 1-8 record indicates. These guys will be tough.

Wings Firing on All Cylinders

The Rockhounds' offensive juggernaut had put up more than their share of crooked numbers, and a peek at their lineup Friday night would indicate that they were not ready to slow down anytime soon. Their 2-4 record did not do justice to the hurt they have put on opposing pitchers. Just ask the Charlotte Knights, who two nights earlier were on the receiving end of 10 Rockhound runs.

After a rainout on Monday and a hard-fought loss on Wednesday, the Red Wings were eager to return to the diamond. Did they have an answer for the stacked Rockhound lineup? Were they ready to light some fireworks of their own?

Leadoff hitter Eric looked ready. The switch hitter, now batting righty, dug in, took ball one, and then was hit by a pitch. The look on his face was not one of pain but disappointment. He wanted to crush the ball, but instead he would have to settle for a free trip to first base. Once he found his familiar spot at the south corner, though, it was all good. He's all about helping the team any way he can.

With on one and nobody out, Tom worked a full count. The payoff pitch was a fastball right in his wheelhouse, and he got all of it, sending it clear back to the basketball court behind the left field stands. The two-run homer put the Wings on top 2-0.

The Wings sent Tom to the hill in the bottom of the first. He struck out the first batter but put himself in a jam with three consecutive walks. He was throwing fire but pitching into deep counts until he settled down, found his command, and struck out two in a row to end the inning and escape without damage. Two Ks in a row would become 8 Ks in a row as Tom would strike out the side in the second and third innings and keep the Hounds off the board through three.

The Red Wings put together a big inning in the second. Ken worked a leadoff walk. With one on and one out, Eric, batting righty again, turned on a fastball and hit a laser shot to left field that was good for a double. Runners on second and third for Tom. With a rip up the third base line, Tom brought in Ken. 3-0, Wings, with runners on the corners. Will rocketed a 2-run triple to deep left field, his team-leading third triple of the season. That brought Jack to the plate. Jack sent the 0-1 pitch up the middle for a single, scoring Will. Four runs in, two outs, and one on for the hot-hitting Parker. Parker looked at two strikes, took a big swing at the third, and hit the cover off it. It was a beauty, traveling all the way past the fans in left center and rolling across the pavement of the basketball court. A two-run dinger for Parker put the Wings up 8-0.

Still 8-0 in the top of the third, Alex led off smashing a single up the third base line. He would reach third on a  single off the bat of Tom but would be stranded there.

Parker and Josh would both single to put two on with one out in the fourth, but the Hounds' pitcher would work out of the jam. Still 8-0.

Josh took the mound in the bottom of the fourth. He was sharp in his first inning of work this season two days earlier. Today, he looked even better. He got one to ground to second, where Will made a nice backhanded stop and fired to first for the out. He struck out another, and got another to ground to second again where Will threw to Parker covering the bag for the force. These guys were putting on an infield clinic, and Josh took care of business on the mound to preserve the comfortable 8-1 lead.

The Wings went down in order in the top of the fifth. Josh returned for the bottom half, and struck out the first batter he faced with three pitches. Jack came in to relieve Josh and closed out the inning with two consecutive Ks on a grand total of 7 pitches.

After five, it was 8-3, Wings. But the Wings wanted more in the sixth. Tom walked, Will singled, and Jack walked to load the bases with nobody out for Parker, who singled in two runs to put the Wings up by 7. Josh would bring in another run with a hot ground ball to the second baseman, who made a good play to put a glove on it. Josh nearly beat the throw with a great hustle up the line. Alejandro then worked the count full and fouled two off. He laid off ball four and worked another walk to keep the inning alive. Alejandro has been beating pitchers with his eye--swinging only a good pitches--but by the looks of his swing, he will soon be beating pitchers with his bat, too. Alex stepped in next and hit a hard shot up the middle for a single, his second of the night. This kid's making great contact. Alex would score on a long single that Ken absolutely crushed. This ball traveled to deep left center, but the center fielder made a great throw to get it in, and Ken was forced to hold up at first. Can't argue with an RBI single, though. Drew was poised to add another when he came out swinging at the first pitch. He hit it hard, a line drive right up the middle. With a ball hit this hard, you're thinking extra bases right out of the box. Unfortunately, the Hounds' second baseman made a great play to get to it and knock it down. He made a good throw to first, barely beating a good hustle by Drew. Robbed.

But the Wings put 4 up in the sixth, and found themselves with a healthy 12-3 lead.

The Wings sent Eric, the lefty, to close the game. This was not a save opportunity, but Eric had not had much work of late due to the rain and schedule conflicts, so it was good to get him throwing some. He grew sharper as the inning progressed, and struck out the last two batters he faced with seven pitches. Dominant stuff there at the end.

Final score: Wings 12, Hounds 4.

Everything seemed to be working well for the Wings tonight. The pitching was effective across the board, the bats were producing, and the fielding was superb. An excellent all-around team effort.

The game ball went to Josh, who has made great strides as a pitcher in just a few short days. He ate up the middle innings for us tonight and improved his mechanics and velocity considerably as the game went on. He also contributed at the plate going 1-2, with two walks and an RBI. Drew earned the Habit Award for being down for every pitch in the infield.

The Red Wings take on the Express next, 6:00 on Monday with an optional batting beginning at 5:00.

Optional Batting Practice Added Before Monday Night's Make-up v. Express

The Red Wings have reserved Eliot Field for the two hours prior to our showdown v. the Express on Monday night.

We will hold an optional batting practice from 5:00 to 5:30 and then at 5:30 we will continue with our regular warm-up routine.

The field belongs to the Red Wings for the entire 4:00-6:00 time slot on Monday, so if you want to arrive even earlier and work in some infield, batting, or pitching reps, feel free. I will arrive at 5:00 to lead the batting practice.

With the rain and all the make-up games, we have not been able to take advantage of our originally scheduled weekend practice times. I figured it might make sense to squeeze in some extra batting practice for those who want to take some swings with a coach around. If you can't make it, no worries at all.

Pigs End Wings' Streak

On paper, the Iron Pigs at 0-4 seemed an unlikely candidate to spoil the Red Wings' bid for a perfect regular season. But baseball games aren't played on paper. What counts is how you swing the bat, throw the ball, catch the ball, and run the bases. The Iron Pigs showed up at Newman ready to do all of that--and do it well.

The Red Wings would have to begin the game with only eight players. Four more were expected to arrive after they finished up a soccer tryout. They would eventually trot down the hill at Newman with an inning and a half left to play, but for most of this one, the Wings would have to play a man down.

Top of the first, the Iron Pigs came out swinging and loaded the bases with three consecutive singles. A fourth single brought in a run, but Wings starting pitcher Parker would settle in to retire the next three batters, two with a backwards K and one at the plate to end the inning and save a second run. Catcher Noah was alert and in position to make the catch and get the force. Parker did well to limit the damage to one run.

Alex led off for the Wings and ripped one up the third base line. It was a hard shot, but the third baseman made a nice grab and threw across the diamond to get Alex by half a step at first. Two batters later Parker singled up the middle. One on and two out for Sam. The slugger was swinging for the Newman Woods and got a good chunk of one, but the Pigs' pitcher got a glove on it to end the inning. 1-0, Pigs.

The Pigs put two on in the top of the second, but once again Parker battled, retiring the next three batters to nail the inning shut. He had some good infield support from Alex at second base, who scooped and stepped on the bag to get the force at second for out number two.

Alejandro worked a full-count walk in the bottom of the second with two outs. Ken showed good patience and  battled to a full count as well but went down swinging at a tough shoulder-high fastball. Still 1-0, Pigs.

Parker pitched to two batters in the third, the last one going down looking at a searing fastball. That would be the end of Parker's outing. It was a good night for the young hurler: 4 Ks while allowing only one run to cross the plate. His mechanics were consistent through more than 60 pitches and he had great velocity.

Josh came out of the bullpen (first base, actually) to relieve Parker and quickly went to work on the middle of the Iron Pigs' order. He got one to ground softly to short and another to ground softly to the mound. Josh charged it. Noah called for the throw home, which was right on target, and Noah was able to lay down the tag. Inning over.

The Pigs did manage to get one in, though. 2-0, Pigs after two and a half.

The Wings were back to the top of the order in the third. Alex led off and was hit by a pitch. He would score on a double launched by Sam to deep right field. 2-1, Pigs.

Josh returned to the hill for the fourth to face one batter, who he promptly retired on a ground ball to short. Noah came in from second base to relieve Josh and proceeded to pound the zone. He helped his own cause, securing the second out of the inning by tagging a runner half way between third and home. A heads-up play.

The Wings sent Alex in to get the last out of the inning, which he recorded striking out the second batter he faced with three pitches. The Pigs scored twice in the inning before Alex shut the lights out. 4-1, Pigs.

The Wings went down in order in their half of the fourth. Alex took the hill again in the fifth and struck out one before he would give the ball and the game over to Will. It was a solid inning-plus of relief for Alex who struck out two, killed the Iron Pigs rally, and kept the game within reach. The Pigs were up 4-1 when he exited, but it could easily have become a much larger deficit.

The umpire asked Will how many warm-up pitches he needed. "I don't need any," he replied. He was ready, fresh off the soccer pitch where, just moments before, he had been baffling defenders with his crafty footwork. Now, he would try to baffle the Iron Pigs with his humming four-seamer. Will got right down to business and closed out the fifth, retiring the only two batters he faced with impressive efficiency.

The Wings added a run in the bottom of the fifth. Tom walked. Will singled up the middle moving Tom to third. Tom saw the ball had not returned to the pitcher and he took advantage, making a sudden break for home. The throw was not in time and Tom was safe. Very alert baserunning. 4-2, Pigs.

 Will retired the side in order in the sixth and brought the Wings to their final at-bat.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Drew dug in. He had been taking beautiful swings all evening--now, he just needed something to drive. After taking a couple of monster swings, he settled down and took three balls in a row. The game was down to the last strike. The Wings' dugout was chanting "J.D! J.D!" Drew looked over and gave a confident smile.

The 3-2 pitch was a good one--good velocity and about chest-high. It was a must-swing situation and Drew took a good swipe at it. Unfortunately, he did not manage to connect this time. Soon, though, this guy's going to knock the cover off of a pitch like that. Just a matter of time.

Final: Iron Pigs 5, Red Wings 2.

Perfect seasons don't happen in baseball. It's just not that kind of game. On any given Wednesday evening, an 8th place team can beat a 1st place team. That's what's great about it.

The eight players who started this game fought hard, stayed focused, and played some very good baseball. As a team, we played better tonight than we have during some of our rather lopsided victories. We didn't end up on top this time, but that's the way it goes. There's still a whole lot of baseball to play this season.

The game ball went to Alex, who recorded some critical outs during the fourth and fifth innings to keep the game close. He also made key contributions at the plate with a single and a run scored.

Our Habit Award went to Josh and Noah. Josh for stepping towards the target on his throw to the plate, and Noah for calling for the ball. They combined to get the out at home, saving a run and getting the Wings out of a difficult third inning.

The Red Wings take on the Rockhounds next, this Friday at Eliot. See you there!

Wings Prevail in Pitcher's Duel

The Bulls and the Red Wings both arrived at Eliot Field last night with a perfect 5-0 record through the first three weeks of the season. The Bulls were atop the American Division by a game, and the Wings were leading the National Division by two. Both teams featured an arsenal of hard-throwing pitchers, exceptional defense, and an impressive group of hitters who had done more than their share of damage to both divisions.

The Bulls were coming off an astounding 20-0 victory the night before. The Red Wings had won their Saturday afternoon game with pitching and defense. This one promised to be a battle for the ages.

One complete inning was already in the books. Back on May 7, our game was interrupted by a thunderstorm at the top of the second inning. Both starting pitchers looked razor-sharp before the rain delay. In the Red Wings' half of the first, Sam and Tom managed to threaten, each rocketing singles up the middle, but the Bulls starter was able to get out of the inning unscathed. The Wings sent Jack to the hill. He displayed a dominant fastball, striking out one and getting two to ground to first where Will recorded the unassisted outs.

Flash forward two weeks, and we were ready to pick up where the Bulls and Wings had left off. Top of the second, no score. Parker led off with a single. The Bulls had their ace on the mound, and he was firing bullets, yet Ken showed great poise and managed to put himself on base with a full-count walk. Two on and two out for Micah. Micah put good wood on the first pitch and smashed a screamer in the general vicinity of the Bulls' shortstop, who amazingly got some leather on it and flipped to third for the force that ended the inning. A lot of excitement, but no runs. Scoreless through one and a half.

Jack would remain the starter for the Wings. He took the hill and promptly got right back to the business of scorching batters with his smoking fastball. He struck out the side with impressive efficiency. Three up, three down. No score through two.

The Bulls retired the Wings in order in the top of the third. Jack struck out the side in the bottom half. No score through three.

Tom stepped in to lead off the top of the fourth. He connected on the first pitch and sent a shot up the middle into center field. It was good for a single. One on, nobody out. Jack worked a walk and Will was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out for Parker. Parker sent a pitch on the outside corner to right, and Tom scored from third. Jack made a good effort to follow Tom but was tagged out on a close play at the plate.

The Wings were on the board, 1-0.

A pair of crack plays at shortstop helped the Red Wings out of the fourth inning. Parker ranged into shallow left field to haul in a fly ball and then lunged for a hard line drive by the next batter. Jack struck out the third looking.

The Red Wings threatened again in the fifth. Alejandro, who seems to be developing a knack for getting on base, worked a leadoff walk. Ken kept the line moving with a full count walk of his own to put two on with nobody out. Micah made very solid contact again, launching a line drive up the middle, but fell victim to some excellent glove work by the Bulls' pitcher. One down. Drew showed great discipline at the plate, laying off three balls and making the pitcher work. With the count full, he took a strike on the outside corner. Two down. It was up to Alex to produce some insurance for the Red Wings. He worked the count full and then hit a laser to the shortstop who made a spectacular backhanded stop and flipped to third to get the force. Inning over. Good at-bats throughout, but the Red Wings could not get anyone across the plate in the fifth, and the score would remain 1-0, Wings.

Three innings of work under his belt (plus the one back on May 7), and Jack was showing so signs of slowing down. In fact his velocity and command seemed to be improving with each inning. Throwing only 13 pitches in the fifth inning, he struck out the heart of the Bulls order and delivered the game into the final inning.

Eric led off the sixth a rocket up the middle, but the pitcher stabbed it and fired to first for the out. The next two batters would go down in order, dashing any hopes of insurance for the Red Wings as they enter the bottom of the sixth.

There was only one question circulating in the Bulls' dugout: who would come out to pitch the sixth? That same question was on the mind of Red Wings managers. There was a slim one-run cushion and no margin for error against the Bulls' powerhouse lineup. Yet, the Wings remained confident. They had reason to be.  Will was warming in the Wings' bullpen with a fastball sharp as a Samurai's blade. Eric, the flame-throwing lefty, was also available. And Jack, who had only thrown 57 pitches, was well under his limit and still exhibiting dominant stuff.  This was every manager's dream: three of the league's best pitchers at your disposal and only one inning left to survive.

It was Jack who got the ball. He had been in a zone all evening--why mess with that? If he ran into trouble or if he reached his pitch count, then we could send Will or Eric to finish the job.

Jack took the mound and promptly threw two strikes by the Bulls' leadoff hitter. The third strike, though, met solid wood and bounded towards Parker at shortstop. Parker scooped it and fired to Sam at first. Well-executed, but the runner was safe by half a step. A leadoff single for the Bulls, and an ominous silence fell over the Wings' dugout.  With the top of the Bulls lineup just three batters away, the tying run at first and nobody out, Jack knew what he had to do: lock in and throw strikes. He did just that. With nine pitches he retired the next three batters--three Ks for the save, the win, and the first complete game shutout by any AA pitcher this season.

This was a classic pitcher's duel, but no pitcher's duel is really a duel between pitchers only. In this case, Jack was supported by an outstanding performance behind the plate by catchers Ken and Josh. Both offered steady targets all evening and stopped just about every pitch. Consistently solid play in the field kept Jack's pitch count down. And, of course, no matter how good the pitching is, you can't score a single run from the mound. Tom's single and Parker's RBI double in the fourth combined to produce the Wing's only run. It was enough.

The game ball went to Jack, who pitched the complete game, recording a team-record 14 Ks. Parker earned the Habit Award for being down for every pitch at shortstop.

Today's Game v. Diamond Jaxx is Cancelled

The rain wins this one. The Town has closed all AA diamonds. I'll let you know as soon as we reschedule.

Enjoy your evening off!

Wings Cool Hot Rods

The Hot Rods came to Greene's with ambitions to move up from their third-place spot in the National Division. Powered by an explosive lineup, the Hot Rods had been swinging hot bats through the first two weeks of the season. The Red Wings entered the contest with some of the league's best pitching. It was a classic matchup between power on the hill and power at the plate.

Both teams were eager to resume play after a week's hiatus due to rain. Greene's Field was dry, and the sun was trying to poke through dense cloud cover as first pitch approached. No additional rain in the forecast threatened this game. The stars seemed to be aligned for some baseball.

In the top of the first, Eric worked a leadoff walk. Tom walked as well, and the Wings had two on with nobody out. Josh knocked a single to right to load the bases. Early production was exactly what the Wings needed to get out ahead of the Hot Rods, and Josh set us up to do just that. Unfortunately, the Hot Rods' pitcher found his rhythm with the next three batters and retired them in order.

Parker got the start for the Wings this afternoon, his first of the season. As expected, the hard-throwing righty came out pounding the zone. He got the first batter to ground softly to first. Eric scooped it and stepped on the bag for the unassisted out. The Hot Rods, though, would not go down without a fight. They loaded the bases with one out and looked poised to take an early lead.

Parker, however, had something in store for the next two batters. He struck them both out--one looking and the other swinging. No contact, no damage. That's how to work out of a jam. Red Wings 0, Hot Rods 0.

Alex led off the second for the Wings and worked a walk. Alejandro worked a walk of his own, and Micah did the same. Excellent patience at the plate by all three to load the bases with nobody out. With the table set, Eric ripped one up the third baseline, and Alex came in from third to score. An RBI single for Eric, and the Wings were on the board, 1-0. Tom followed with a 2-RBI double to put the Wings up by three.

Parker struck out the side in the second to keep the Hot Rods scoreless through two frames. His fastball had good zip today and the Hot Rods were having trouble putting any wood on it. Ken once again put in two solid innings behind the plate stopping just about everything and making Parker's strikes look like strikes.

Sam clocked a single to left to get things started for the Red Wings in the third. With two on, Alex made good contact, but the Hot Rods' pitcher made a nice grab and threw him out at first. Alejandro kept the line moving with his second walk of the game. He put himself on base every time up this afternoon. With the bases loaded, Micah stepped in and sent a screamer up the first baseline that somehow ended up in the first baseman's glove. Solid contact but he wouldn't be rewarded with the base or an RBI.

The Red Wings went to the bullpen in the third sending Tom to the hill. He settled in right away, striking out the first two batters with six straight strikes. He struck out three of five batters faced with a blazing fastball that  he commanded well. Wings 3, Hot Rods 0.

Drew sparked a fourth-inning rally that would add some insurance to the Wings' lead. He showed some good patience against a tough Hot Rods pitcher and put himself on base with a walk. He would come around and score the first of two Red Wings runs in the inning.

Because Greene's Field would only be available until 4:00, the managers of both teams agreed to limit the game to four innings. The bottom of the fourth would be the last chance for the Hot Rods. Eric and Micah combined to close out the game and save the 5-0 victory. To keep Eric available in case we would need him Sunday against the Bulls, the managers limited Eric to 20 pitches and then sent Micah to the mound. Eric got the first out and put Micah in good position to earn the save. Micah struck out the only two batters he faced to seal up the Wing's fifth win of the season.

Every player made an important contribution to this win. Our pitchers combined for our first no-hitter of the season, we made plays in the field look routine, and we showed excellent patience and productivity at the plate.

The game ball went to Parker, our starting pitcher, who threw two innings of no-hit ball. He struck out five and displayed consistent mechanics throughout. Sam earned the Habit Award for being down for every pitch on both sides of the infield--at shortstop and then at first base.

The Red Wings will take on the Bulls tomorrow at Eliot in the much-anticipated continuation of their rainout two weeks ago.

Saturday's Optional Practice at Newman Now Cancelled

I thought we might have a chance to play tonight given the relatively dry morning we had. That is, until I visited Newman around 1:30 this afternoon and saw that the infield was more sea than land. Sure enough, the Town closed Newman as well as all the other diamonds. We're due for more rain tomorrow and possibly Saturday. I just don't see Newman drying out anytime soon.

Our 12:00-1:00 optional practice Saturday is the only item on the Red Wings' weekend agenda that would be affected by the flooding at Newman. Rather than deal with the speculation and the last-minute notification, I'm thinking we should just keep it simple and cancel Saturday's optional practice. It's highly likely the field won't be playable, and we have the game v. Hot Rods an hour later at Greene's.

I am much more confident that Greene's will be dry enough to play on Saturday. We will make every effort to get this game in. I will arrive at Greene's at 1:30 on Saturday in hopes of finding some space there to warm-up. Please join me if you can. We will start the game promptly at 2:00 since we only have the diamond until 4:00.

So, the Red Wings' weekend schedule will be:

• Saturday 2:00 game v. Hot Rods at Greene's (1:30 warm-up).
• Sunday 6:00 game v. Bulls at Eliot (5:30 warm-up).

Hot Rods Rain Date Scheduled for Saturday

It's settled. Finally. We will make up Tuesday's rainout v. the Hot Rods this Saturday 2:00 at Greene's. We won't have a full squad for this one, but it looks like we will have enough to field a team. The Hot Rods currently occupy third place in the National Division and have put up impressive numbers offensively so far this season.

Saturday's game against the Hot Rods begins a stretch of three games in three days for the Red Wings. On Sunday, we face the Durham Bulls, the league's other unbeaten team. The Bulls are an excellent ball club, very well-coached with some of the league's best pitchers and a lineup that can do some serious damage. Sunday's game promises to be our toughest challenge yet.

On Monday, it doesn't get any easier. We face the Diamond Jaxx, who at 3-1 currently sit in second place, one game behind the Red Wings in the National Division standings. This is not the same Diamond Jaxx team we scrimmaged at the end of spring training. They will have their ace pitcher and their two hottest hitters--all three of whom were absent for our last meeting in April. Do not be fooled. This is a very, very good team.

Three games, three days, three tough opponents. This will be a challenge, but we're ready for it. Now all we need is some sun.

Tonight's Game Cancelled

The Town has closed all fields this afternoon. I will let you know when we reschedule our date with the Hot Rods.

Hopefully, we will have better luck for Thursday's match-up with the Express. I will keep you posted.

If you haven't already, please let me know if your son is interested in tomorrow's session at Frozen Ropes. So far, it looks like we have:

     Tom
     Alejandro
     Ken
     Noah
     and maybe Parker

I still have room if anyone needs a ride.

Showdown v. Undefeated Bulls to Resume Sunday May 22

We were rained out in Week One. Then, we were interrupted by thunder and lightning an inning into our rain date.

Now, we have settled on a second rain date: this coming Sunday evening, May 22 at Eliot. 5:30 warm-up, 6:00 first pitch. Hopefully, the third time's a charm and we finally get this one in.

The Durham Bulls sit atop the American Division with a perfect 4-0 record. The Rochester Red Wings lead the National Division, also undefeated at 4-0. A scoreless inning is already in the books. We will resume this battle at the top of the second, nobody on, nobody out, everybody at the edge of their seats...

Optional Wet Weather Practice Added

There's quite a bit of rain expected this week, especially Tuesday, when we are slated to take on the Hot Rods at Greene's. Thursday's game v. The Express at Newman is no guarantee either. We may get lucky and get both games in--we're due for some luck with the weather--but odds are at least one of these games will be rained out.

So, in an effort to beat the weather, I have scheduled another optional session at Frozen Ropes. I figure if we can't play outside, we might as well get some good reps inside. We have a lane reserved from 5:00-6:00 on Wednesday, May 18. We'll work on some hitting and fielding.

This is completely optional. If your son is available and interested, email me.

Wings Tame Mets' Bats

The Mets' lineup was responsible for 32 runs during the first week of the season, and they looked poised to add to that impressive total when they strolled down the hill to the Newman diamond.

But Wings starter Will showed some swagger of his own in the first inning, retiring three of five batters faced--two on three-pitch Ks and the third on a fly ball to first base, which Jack hauled in to put a quick end to the inning.

Leading off the Wings' half of the first, Eric worked a walk. He would move to third on a single by Jack, and Sam drove him in on a monster double to right. Will cleared the bases with a rocket to deep center for a triple, and the Wings found themselves on top 3-0 with one out. Josh drove in Will with a single, and Noah moved Josh to third with another single. The Mets got out of the inning with a double play, though, and the Wings would be held at 4.

Will continued to throw heat and command well in the second. He struck out one, stabbed a chopper up the middle and gunned the runner down at first for another, and got the third to fly out to first baseman Jack.

The Wings were unable to get much going in the bottom of the second and the score would stay 4-0, Wings, after two.

Will retired three of four batters in the third, capping a gem of a start: 3 innings pitched, 0 runs, 4 K, 0 BB. He displayed good consistent mechanics, got himself into a nice groove, and put the Wings in good position to come out with a win. Noah, as usual, was rock-solid behind the plate, offering a steady target and stopping just about everything.

The Wings added three more in the bottom of the third. Tom led off with a double to left and scored on Jack's single to right. 5-0, Wings. Will, Josh, and Noah then hit consecutive singles that brought in two more runs. 7-0, Wings.

Micah took the mound in the fourth and commanded his fastball. He struck out one, and got two to ground out--one to first unassisted and one to Eric at second base who made a nice play to scoop it and fire over to Will at first. Every pitcher appreciates a reliable infield, and the Wings were making everything on the ground look routine.

The Wings would enjoy another big inning in the bottom half of the fourth. "J.D." Drew got things going with a full-count leadoff walk. This kid has a great feel for the strike zone. He just doesn't swing at bad pitches. Period. Parker worked a walk next, and then Alex would load the bases with the third straight walk. Tom singled and drove in two. Will launched one into right field for a double and drove in another two. Josh hit the third of his three singles on the night and brought Will in. Josh has a a bit of a hitting streak brewing, having hit safely in every game we have played so far.

The Wings entered the fifth up 13-0 and sent Tom to the hill. Tom had a smokin' fastball and commanded it, striking out two and benefiting from some excellent defensive support at second by Eric, who put his glove on a screamer and threw to first for the out.

Micah smashed a single to right center in the fifth, but the Wings were unable build on that and the score would remain 13-0.

Wings closer Parker took the mound to nail it down in the sixth. It would not be easy. He had to contend with a Mets' rally that produced two runs and loaded up the bases for more. He was cool as ice, though, and just focused on making his pitches. He got the next batter to ground softly to the mound. Parker scooped it and flipped it to Ken who got the force at home. A heads-up play by both Parker and Ken to save the run.

From there, Parker got the next batter to ground softly to first and then struck out another to close out the game. Final score: Wings 13, Mets 2.

The game ball went to Will, who pitched three scoreless frames and nearly hit for the cycle. He finished with a single, double, and triple in three at-bats. Not a bad day's work for the young slugger. Alex earned the Habit Award for being down and ready for every pitch during his two innings at third base.

Another phenomenal team effort for the Red Wings. We were productive at the plate, putting up 13 runs on 14 hits, we made some excellent plays in the field, and we pitched effectively through all six innings. Good baseball all around!

Wings over Dogs in Nail-Biter

Two undefeated teams entered Eliot Field tonight, and only one would leave. The Sea Dogs brought their bruising lineup and gold glove defense. The Red Wings countered with lights-out pitching and a stacked lineup of their own.

In the top of the first, Tom managed a single to center, but the Red Wings were unable to bring him home. Starting pitcher Eric took care of business in the bottom half, retiring 3 of 4 batters faced.

The Wings could not get anything going in their half of the second. Josh and Parker both made good contact but excellent defensive play kept them off the bases.

In the second, Eric retired the side in order. He had a good fastball tonight and he was hitting his spots. Through two innings, he had only allowed one baserunner.

With no score to start the third inning, Alejandro came to the plate. He worked a walk and then moved into scoring position when Alex took ball four on a full count. Two on for Eric. Batting lefty now, the switch-hitter took three balls and then launched the 3-0 pitch into right center for a single. With the table set, Tom stepped in and clocked a line drive that rolled up the rock and under the bush in deep center field. He thought he'd gone yard, but the call was a ground rule double. Two runs scored, and the Wings were on the board first. They were not finished yet. Next up was Jack, who smashed a hard single up the middle, scoring Eric and Tom. Wings 4, Sea Dogs 0.

Eric put the finishing touches on his masterful start in the third, striking out the side and keeping the Sea Dogs off the scoreboard. Eric had to battle the elements as well as the menacing Sea Dogs bats. It began to drizzle sometime during the second inning and cold air was moving in. By the end of the third inning, it was all out raining. But Eric kept his cool and made efficient work of a very good Sea Dogs lineup.

Three straight singles in the top of the fourth would produce another run for the Red Wings. Will hit the first up the first baseline and beat the first baseman to the bag. Great hustle. Josh hit the second up the middle and hustled to beat the throw.  Noah hit the third and also hustled to beat the throw. Noah's shot brought Will in from third, scoring what would be the winning run. Wings 5, Sea Dogs 0.

When you look back at any close game, you see many different plays that could have won it or lost it for you. In tonight's game, the three singles hit by Will, Josh, and Noah in the fourth inning were three at-bats that won the game for us. Each player had to sprint to beat the play at first. If any one of these three guys ran a half step slower, he would have been out. Will would not have scored. The Red Wings would finish with 4 runs instead of 5, and the game would end in a tie. This is why, no matter where you hit the ball, you always, always run hard up the line to first base.

With the Wings still alive in the top of the fourth, "J.D." Drew stepped in. He worked a full count and then took ball four. With Drew on at first, Micah did what he could to keep the rally alive. He worked a full count, fouled off a few, and laid off a pitch that could have gone either way. Strike was the call. But what a battle!

We knew the Sea Dogs' bats would get going at some point, and that point came in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one on, the Sea Dogs clean-up hitter connected with a fastball and sent it across the basketball court in left field--a two-run homer. But Red Wings reliever Will would limit the damage at two with some crafty pitching. He would get one batter looking, get another to ground softly to first, and strike out the next batter to get out of the inning. A good pitcher stays tough no matter what happens, and that's exactly what Will did.

Alex got things going for the Red Wings in the fifth with a single up the middle. He was perfect at the plate tonight, going 1-1 with a walk. A ground ball to first base by Eric and a walk by Tom would move Alex to third, but he would be stranded there and the score would remain 5-2, Wings.

The Dogs would continue to chip away at the Wings' lead, adding two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Wings were able to get out of the inning without any further damage because of Jack's overpowering fastball and some nifty glovework at first base by Sam who made a nice stop on a throw from Jack to get out number two. Red Wings 5, Sea Dogs 4.

In a close game, doing the little things right can make the difference between winning and losing.  When the second Sea Dogs run crossed the plate in the fifth, the ball was thrown to third base to hold the runner there. The throw was a bit off target and Alejandro had to stretch to make the catch. It was an important catch and not an easy one. If the ball got by him, the runner at third would have scored, and we would have a tie game. Alejandro saved the run with that catch--and the Red Wings' lead.

The Red Wings carried their one-run lead into the bottom of the sixth. Jack took the mound, and with rain falling hard at times and night rolling in, he stared face-to-face at the heart of the Sea Dogs' lineup. None of this seemed to faze Jack, though, who managed to grip the muddy ball well enough to strike out three of five batters faced and pick up the spectacular save. Parker helped the cause with some excellent work behind the plate. He held a steady target in the wind and rain and managed to stop almost every pitch.

This was truly a whole-team effort, and there were many outstanding contributions, so it was difficult to settle on only one player who deserved the game ball. Eric, our starting pitcher, gave us three scoreless innings in the wind and rain, displayed an absolutely dominant fastball, and produced at the plate with a single and a run scored. Tonight's game ball belongs to Eric.

A very exciting win for us against one of the best teams in the league. I have a feeling we will face these guys again in the playoffs. I can't wait!

T-Storm Puts This One on Hold

Thunder started to rumble right around first pitch and grew more menacing as the first inning came to a close. The managers of both teams gathered at home plate and decided to try to wait out the storm sheltered in cars. After 30 minutes in the Newman parking lot, we decided to give up the fight.

We were wise to surrender to the weather this afternoon, but the Red Wings will not surrender to the Durham Bulls. We will play this one sometime over the next couple of weeks. I will let you know as soon as we get it scheduled.

Whenever we do play this one, it's going to be quite a battle. Top notch pitching on both sides, two stacked lineups, and both teams are solid defensively. Should be a lot of fun!

Wings Continue to Soar

Dry skies with partial sun and a warm breeze made for real baseball weather tonight, but the Thunder rolled in with designs to spoil it all. The Thunder had put up big offensive numbers earlier this week in their 14-9 victory over the Knights. Would the Wings' pitching staff be able to tame the Thunder bats? This was the question on everybody's mind tonight at Newman.

Starting pitcher Tom took the mound in the first inning and quickly settled in to strike out the side. Thunder bats were silent through one.

In the bottom half of the first, leadoff hitter Eric worked a walk. Parker hit a shot to center for a single, moving Eric to second. Tom launched a double to left to drive in Eric, and the Wings were on the board with nobody down in the first. Three batters later, Josh got a hold of a fastball and smashed it up the middle scoring Tom and Parker, a 2-RBI double. 3-0, Wings.

Tom returned to the hill for the second and struck out 3 of 5 batters faced. The Wings were in command through an inning and a half.

Alex led off the Wings' second with a single. He showed good speed and hustle as he beat a good throw to first by half a step. Ken would then work a walk and move Alex into scoring position. Tom loaded the bases with a single to left, setting the table for Sam who drove in Alex with a single to right--the first of Sam's 5 RBIs on the night. The score was 4-0, Wings after two.

Tom came out for the third, stuck out two, and benefited from some excellent fielding at second base by Parker who scooped a ground ball up the middle and threw out the lead runner. No damage in the third, and the score would remain 4-0, Wings. Tom would finish his outing with 8 Ks over three innings pitched. Much credit goes to Noah who caught three flawless innings for Tom. He framed several key pitches near the edge of the zone and stopped almost everything. Every pitcher appreciates a reliable catcher, and the Wings have certainly found one in Noah.

In the bottom of the third "J.D." Drew got things going when he worked a full count walk. Alex hit a hard shot up the middle, but somehow the pitcher got a glove on it and threw him out at first.

Parker came out for the fourth inning and threw serious heat. He struck out the side and kept the Thunder off the board through four innings.

Ken led off the bottom of the fourth working a full count walk. Parker then hit his second of three singles on the night and brought Tom to the plate. Tom hit an absolute bomb to deep center, way back, way back... Gone! The first Red Wings' homerun of the regular season, a two-run dinger to put the Wings up by 6.

The first homerun of the season was followed immediately by the second. Sam came to the plate after Tom and hit a colossal shot to right center nearly all the way back to the Newman thicket--a no-doubt-about-it four bagger. Back-to-back homeruns for Tom and Sam put the Wings up 7-0.

Parker returned for the fifth and continued to pound the zone with a scorching fastball. He would strike out one, benefit from a baserunning error for another out, and get some solid defensive support at first base from Eric. Five scoreless innings for Wings pitchers.

Josh sparked a big fifth inning for the Wings with a single up the middle. Alejandro would keep the line moving with a full count walk. He has a great feel for the strike zone and knows how to get on base. Parker and Tom would both single in runs and keep the bases loaded for Sam. Yes, the same Sam who homered in the fourth. With three on, "Grand" Sam launched a 3-1 fastball to deep, deep center... Gone again! A grand slam this time. This is not something you see often in baseball at any level. Unbelievable!

Wings closer Eric took the mound in the sixth and put on a pitching clinic. He had absolutely dominant stuff and shut the lights out, retiring three of four batters faced with only 12 pitches. Ken was brilliant behind the plate, offering a steady target for each pitch and stopping nearly everything.

The final score was 13-0, Wings. Another solid team effort. Consistently effective pitching, reliable fielding, and phenomenal production at the plate.

The game ball went to starting pitcher Tom, who pitched three scoreless innings, went 4-4 at the plate with a double, homerun, 4 RBI, and 3 runs scored.

Tomorrow at Newman, we face another difficult match-up. The Bulls are undefeated so far, with some of the league's best pitching and a stacked lineup. 12:00 to warm up, first pitch at 12:30.

Clear Skies but Thunder in the Forecast Tonight

Fresh off a victory in their season opener, the Thunder bring their stacked lineup to Newman this evening. The Red Wings will counter with a pitching staff that's throwing some of the best stuff in the league and a well-oiled defensive machine behind it. Not to mention a lineup that produced seven runs on Monday against the hard-throwing River Cats. This will be a fun matchup to watch and an exciting challenge for the Red Wings.

See you at Newman. 5:15 to warm up, first pitch at 5:45.

Game Is Cancelled

The field is just too wet. Standing water covering much of the infield.

We will reschedule the game for 12:30 on Saturday at Newman, during our originally scheduled practice time. Warm up at 12:00.

Fields Are Open, Rain Is Falling

Park and Rec has kept Newman open for this evening's battle with the Durham Bulls. It is currently raining a bit, though, so we'll have to wait and see as we get close to gametime.

As always, assume we are playing until you hear otherwise. 5:15 to warm up, 5:45 first pitch. I'll keep you posted here and via email.

Wings Take Opener

The Red Wings put their spring training preparation to the test Monday night against a very tough River Cats squad. The Cats, with their punishing lineup, gold glove defense, and shut-down pitching, pose a formidable challenge for any AA ball club and probably even a few AAA clubs.

Red Wings starting pitcher Jack was equal to the challenge, though. Taking the hill in the first inning, he quickly got down to business, and retired the side in order. The Red Wings were able to patch together a run in their half of the first. Eric worked a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position when Tom worked the count full, fouled two off, and then took ball four. Three batters later, Will smashed a single into left field that brought Eric in. Wings 1, Cats 0.

Jack retired the side in order again in the second, this time striking out two and inducing a third to pop up to the mound. Jack had a blazing fastball working for him and he was able to command it well all evening.

Josh and Micah both worked full-count walks to start the second inning. Next up was Drew, fresh off a two-hit performance two days earlier during the Wings final spring training game. Drew worked a 2-2 count and then fouled off the next pitch to stay alive. It was a hard-fought battle, but Drew just missed a fastball low in the zone for strike three. Alejandro then hit a hard shot up the middle that somehow ended up in the pitcher's glove. With two outs in the bottom of the second, Parker launched a fastball into left field to load the bases, but despite all the fireworks, the Wings were not quite able to capitalize, and the score would remain 1-0, Wings.

Jack returned to the hill for the third inning and once again retired the side in order, culminating three perfect innings for the Red Wings and putting them in good position to build on their lead in the bottom of the third. He had good defensive support from first baseman Sam who handled a screamer up the first base line and stepped on the bag for the unassisted out.

The third inning would prove decisive for the Red Wings. With two outs, Tom rocketed a line drive into right center that was good for a double. Jack drove Tom in with a single to left. Wings 2, Cats 0. Sam then singled to right. With Sam at first and Jack at third, Will hit an absolute bomb to deep left center that was good for a bases-clearing triple. 4-0, Wings. Up next was Noah, who had just put in three solid innings behind the plate catching Jack. Noah took two strikes and then launched the third into left field for a single, driving in Will and putting the Wings up by 5. Josh then hit a shot to left field and advanced to third with some heads-up baserunning on a single by Micah, who had been swinging a hot bat during all of April and who appears ready for more of the same in May. The Wings would produce 5 runs during the inning, all with two outs, to put them up 6-1.

With three stellar innings under his belt, Jack would hand the game over to Eric in the fourth. Eric picked up exactly where Jack left off, retiring three of the next four batters with consistently dominant stuff. Kenneth helped the cause with some nifty glovework at second base when a shot up the middle bounced off of Eric's glove. Kenneth charged it, scooped it, turned, and was able to make the throw on target to get the runner out at first.

We all knew it was only a matter of time, and sure enough the River Cats came roaring back in the fifth. The top of their order produced 3 runs before the Wings could record an out. Thankfully, Wings closer Will settled in and took control before the damage got any worse, and he was able to hold them to 3.

It was 6-3 Wings to start the bottom of the fifth inning, and tension was mounting in the Red Wings' dugout. An insurance run would certainly provide some peace of mind, and that insurance run came in the person of Alex, who had just put on a clinic at shortstop the previous inning with a laser throw from deep in the hole to beat the runner at first by half a step. Kenneth led off the inning and was hit by a fastball up and in. He was able to make the trip to first base but was unsure if he could run. The manager called into the dugout for Alex, who had demonstrated very good speed throughout spring training. Alex would eventually come around to score with two outs and provide the Wings with a 4-run cushion to carry into the final inning.

Will took the mound in the top of the sixth. Cool and efficient, he struck out three of five batters he faced and sealed the Red Wings' first victory of the season.

Tonight's game ball went to Jack, who pitched three perfect innings for us, contributed an RBI single, and scored a run.

It was an impressive team effort on all fronts, with consistently effective pitching, very productive work at the plate, and solid defense from from the first pitch to the final out. The coaches have been very pleased with the team's hard work throughout spring training, and we are glad to see it start to pay off with good quality baseball during this first week of the regular season.

We look forward to our next challenge, the Bulls, who we will face on Wednesday evening at Newman.

Red Wings Opener Tomorrow

The Red Wings have enjoyed a productive spring training with significant team-wide improvement in every aspect of the game. Yesterday's scrimmage v. the Diamond Jaxx showcased a Red Wings squad that seems to be firing on all cylinders. Wings' pitching and defense did not allow a single run to cross the plate during the six-inning contest, while offensively the Red Wings more than took care of business, producing double-digit runs and thrilling a large crowd of onlookers at Greene's Field.

The Wings look to ride this wave into the regular season tomorrow with their long awaited showdown v. the mighty River Cats. We last saw the Cats two weeks ago under arctic conditions at High Rock. That scrimmage ended with the score tied at four (or thereabouts), and both teams hungry for more. Tomorrow's Home Opener promises to be an exciting matchup. The Cats are an offensive juggernaut, with fearsome hitters from top to bottom of the order. Their pitching staff features some of the best arms in the league. But, as we saw yesterday, we've got some bats of our own. We can string together six innings of lights-out pitching. And we know how to flash the leather when we need to. Who knows which team will end up on top when we leave Newman tomorrow evening. One thing is certain, though: it will be a lot of fun!

Play ball!