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The Savannah Cardinals were 48-65, just six games ahead of us in the standings. They were another really bad offense, the team with the worst batting average in the SALL.
My turn to pitch was the middle game of the series.
I had Jason Porter behind the plate again.
Nelson Liriano got a single in the first but that was all the Cardinals got in that frame.
They did get a run on two hits in the second.
Figures.
Liriano doubled in the third but didn't get to third base.
But we had just one hit through three and still trailed 1-0.
I was not feeling it still with this goop on my fingers. But I finally got a perfect innning in the fourth.
In the fifth, I walked Liriano on a full count pitch with two out. Bolar booted a grounder and I walked another one on a full count pitch.
Bases were loaded without a hit.
Fortunately, the next hitter swung at the first pitch and grounded out to short.
I was not happy in the dugout.
"I can't throw with this crap on my fingers!"
"You've given up one run in five innnings," Porter said. "You're doing just fine."
That changed when I gave up a lead off home run in the sixth.
The game changed even more in the bottom of the sixth when Kevin Wiggins tied it with a two run homer.
I wiped my hands as dry as I could with a towel and headed to the mound for the seventh innning.
Liriano was first. I got ahead 0-2 and then he grounded out to first.
I knew it!
Three up three down.
"I am done with the Vaseline stuff," I said as I sat to watch our team bat. "It's not how I pitch!"
Bill Wrona singled to lead off but got caught stealing second.
Headed to the eighth, still 2-2.
The Cardinals got a pair of hits and went back up 3-2.
But we tied the game when Rigo Rodriguez scored on a passed ball.
Mike Henneman was brought out to pitch in the ninth. My night was done.
8.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
And the last time I would put that stuff on my fingers.
The Cardinals went on to score a run in the tenth and beat us 4-3.
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