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.
