Finnegan's 13, the Beat 11
I had such a good feeling about this game. I was really looking forward to writing the first positive article in a month, but as goes this odd spring season, yet another game slipped away. So when was the last time the Beat lost 4 games in a row? Try 1998.

It’s hard to fault the team for this one. Sure Finnegan’s was in the cellar at 0-3, but they brought their ‘A’ game and played the best I’ve seen them play in years. They weren’t just good…they were lucky and I’ve often said that hitting is 50% skill and 50% luck. This was the luckiest fucking team I’ve ever seen today.

Finnegan’s relentlessly grounded through holes in the infield, and when they were handcuffed and could do no better than swat at a pitch, well those fell too, mostly into short left center. Everything went Finnegan’s way this day.

A perfect example came on a key play in the top of the 6^th. The Beat was up 11-10. Finnegan’s had runners on 2^nd and 3^rd and their big lefty #3 hitter Murai at the plate. Clearly the play was to walk the man. Austin threw 4 consecutive pitches high, deep, and outside. With a 3-0 count, Murai lunged after the last shoulder-high, outside pitch and drove it for a 2-run single putting Finnegan’s up 12-11. That was the game in a nutshell…Finnegan’s consistently pulling a key hit out of a hat.

The Beat batted a season high .500 as a team with 19 hits. Unfortunately Finnegan’s dinked and squibbed 21 of their own.

It wasn’t a good sign that Finnegan’s started the game with 5 singles and 4 runs in the top of the 1st. It seemed like every hit was just out of the reach of an infielder. And it didn’t matter that Beat pitcher Austin was ahead of the count all day…even with 0-2 counts, Finnegan’s seemed to somehow squeak out a hit.

The Beat was not about to take this lying down. Jacq Wilson (3-4, 2B, run) led off the bottom of the first with an easy single that he legged into a double when the Finnegan’s outfielders got too lackadaisical about the play. Austin (2-3, 2RBI, SF, Run) followed with an RBI single in the right center gap. Jim Colletto (2-4, RBI, Run)  singled and advanced to second when the throw followed Austin to third and Mondo Lopez (1-4, 2RBI) hit a clutch single for 2 ribbies. Brian Greenblatt (2-3, 2 runs), Mark St. Georges (2-3, 2RBI 2 runs), and Alex Briscoe (1-2, 3 RBI, SF) hit back to back singles with MSG picking up an RBI and Alex two. The Beat was up 6-4 heading into the second inning.

Finnegan’s struck back with one in the second when left fielder Fabbro singled and then advanced to second on an infield out. Outfielder Penabos then blooped a ball into short left field; Mondo raced out looking like Mays in the ’54 series but dropped the ball when he hit the ground giving Finnegan’s their fifth run.

The Beat answered back with consecutive singles by Gunnar Rosenquist (1-3, run)–yet another fucking lawyer on the team–Greg Lukoski (1-3 run), and Jacq Wilson. Austin followed with a sac fly and Colletto hit an RBI single to make the score 8-5 Beat. Finnegan’s eeked out 3 more runs in the top of the third to tie the score at 8.

In the bottom of the third the Beat responded with consecutive singles by Mark Briscoe (1-3, 2 runs), Brian, and MSG with an RBI. Alex followed with a sac fly and “Shoeless” Derek Rey (2-3) hit a single with Finnegan’s wild throw allowing MSG to score making it 11-8 Beat.

At this point the game was looking pretty damn good. Yeah, Finnegan’s were getting their hits and scoring runs, but every time they did the Beat answered with enough to keep the lead. After three innings, it was looking like the Beat would finally notch their second win. Finnegan’s hit only one ball hard all day, it was Murai again who drove a ball all the way to the fence in right center to lead off the fourth inning, but Jacq managed to run it down for the first out of the inning. So far, so good. A couple infield errors allowed a Finnegan’s run to score in the 4^th, but they were held scoreless in the 5^th. In the 6^th Finnegan’s worked 4 singles into 3 runs and a 12-11 lead before the inning ended on a bizarre 6-3-5 double play with Mondo making the first assist and Colletto on first gunning down another runner attempting to go corner to corner with Mark B. putting on the tag at third for the final out.

Finnegan’s came back for 1 more in the 7^th. Following a couple singles, right fielder Deluco was gunned down at third base and tagged by Briscoe, but both Blues missed the play and called the runner safe. He scored run number 13 when the next batter singled.

So, it probably sounds like something was missing from this recap? Yeah, that would be the Beat offense after the 3^rd inning. The Beat managed only 4 hits in the last 4 innings and while Jacque Wilson (1-3) led off the 5^th with a single and advanced to third on consecutive fly balls, he got no further. That was the biggest threat the Beat could manage for the rest of the game.

The Beat left 8 runners on base and 4 in scoring position and the defensive woes continued allowing 3 unearned runs to score on 5 errors. Finnegan's committed only one error, that was in the last inning. But in the end, it was all about Finnegan’s ability to hit (and a hell of a lot of luck).