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"It's an interesting twist to life, James," Coach Les told me before the game. "National baseball experts know all about you but the local fans are oblivious. You're just another Rainbow."
It was a partly cloudy night in Asheville, NC. The Tourists, at 59-39, held a one game lead over Gastonia in the North Division.
The Tourists had won four in a row.
They were the highest scoring team in the SALL.
"You aren't ready for this yet, James," Coach Les said. " But, hopefully, we can get that control improved enough so that I can teach you a few tricks."
He chuckled and sent me out to the mound to warm up.
Jason Porter had been moved to DH. John DiGioia would be catching for me. He had actually played in eight games in 84 for the St Louis Cardinals.
Hard worker is how I would describe him during warm ups.
My pitches were low early but I got them down in order in the first inning.
My fast ball was all over the place. I kept the slider low and had a perfect second innning as well.
The Tourists were good contact hitters and got a couple men on base in the third but the innning ended and it was still a scoreless tie.
They broke through with a run in the bottom of the fourth while we were still looking for our first hit of the game.
We answered in the top of the fifth. We got a couple hits as well as a couple of runs to take a 2-1 lead.
I felt a surge of energy like a second wind and got them down in order with two strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Randy Byers hit a solo home run to give us a 3-1 lead. I like Randy. The kind of guy who likes to get along with everyone. We were all happy for him every time he had something good happen.
Bottom of the sixth. Coming up were their 3-4-5 hitters.
To my surprise, DiGioia called for the fastball on every pitch to the first man up.
And I struck him out on four pitches!
Two more fastballs resulted in a ground out to third.
One more fastball and a fly ball out and the innning was over.
"That's the way to pitch, James!"
"Way to bring the heat that innning!"
We suddenly had a lively dugout.
But we still had three innnings to go.
Steven Johnson added to our lead in the seventh with an RBI double.
Up 4-1, I ran out to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and out of nowhere I saw Beth's face in my mind's eye.
What the....
No!
Get!
Out!
Of!
My!
Head!
I struck out the next batter on four pitches. After an innning of nothing but fastballs, I threw four different pitches in that at bat.
DiGioia knew how to call a game.
The Tourists did get a run in the seventh to cut our lead to 4-2.
Then, in the eighth, once again the heart of the order was coming up.
And they got a lead off single.
And nothing more.
I was three outs away from my first win in the SALL.
But I wouldn't be the one to get them.
Mike Henneman was brought out to pitch the ninth. All I could do was watch.
The first hitter reached on an error.
The next hitter reached on an error.
You can't be serious!
A sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third.
A walk and the bases were loaded.
A full count strike three!
The next batter. 1-0 count.
Popped up!
Three away!
Whew!
We win 4-2!
And I got Player of the Game!
8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Against the highest scoring team in the SALL!
That felt good.
Real good.
Then why did Beth's face come into my head again?
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