The Beat started off strong holding Flor to no runs on 3 hits and a strikeout in the first two innings. The Beat followed a scoreless first with two quick runs in the second to take a 2-0 after two. Derek Rey (2-4, run) singled with one out and Brian Greenblatt (2-3, 2 runs) followed with another single that skipped off the right-center fielder's glove scoring D-Ray and moving Brian to third. Jacque Wilson (1-3, double, run, 2 RBI) grounded to the infield scoring Brian.

Flor turned 2 singles and a walk into 2 runs to tie the game in the top of the third, but the Beat bounced right back with 3 more in the bottom. With 1 out, Austin (1-4, run) singled up the middle. Mark St. Georges (1-3, 2 runs, BB) reached on an error by the first baseman and Mondo Lopez (3-4, 3 runs) singled driving in Austin. Jim Colletto (1-3, run, RBI) sacrificed in MSG and D-Rey singled scoring Mondo. The Beat 5, Flor 2.  Then the wheels fell off the wagon.

Flor ripped three singles that were bobbled into doubles to start the fourth. Seven hits and a walk were posted before Flor made their first out. By the time the dust settled, Flor had sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 12 to take a commanding 14-5 lead. Shell shocked, the Beat responded with a big 1-2-3 goose egg and within minutes, the Beat was back on the field.

After the travesty of the prior inning, Austin tried to show a different look in the top of the 5th with more spin and more knuckleball. While that produced two quick infield outs, it also put two runners on with walks for #3 hitter Elmer to drive a liner all the way to Arkansas for a 3-run homer to put Flor up 17-5. The Beat tried to answer with singles by Gunnar Rosenquist (1-3) and Jacq Wilson (1-4), but a double play and a comebacker ended the threat as soon as it had begun.

Flor pounded away some more in the sixth with a 2-run homer, a couple singles, and a sac fly to put Flor up 20-5 in the sixth. With a possible 15-run mercy-ruling looming, the blue warned the Beat bench "You have now to score or go home to your mommies." Damn, that hurt.

The Beat finally responded with singles by Mondo and Brian and an RBI double by Q. Fill-in Jonathan Firestein singled scoring Brian and Q to continue the game with the Beat down 20-8. 

Flor bounced out again in the 7th with 2 singles and another 3-run homer by Elmer as Flor posted their third consecutive 3-run inning before 3 infield outs set down the side with the score Flor 23, Beat 8. The Beat made one last effort with singles by MSG, Mondo, and Colletto. Jim's hit was booted to the tune of a 3-base error and the Beat had answered Flor's 3 with 3 of their own again, but in the end lost 23-11.

What is unusual about this summer, or this year for that matter, is the uncharacteristic team-wide veteran slump, with half a dozen veteran leaders averaging roughly 100 points less than last year. For the summer, the team batting average is up slightly over the spring but the summer hits have been less productive with the team averaging nearly 2 runs per game less than in the spring. After 7 games this summer, the team has only two players in double digits for runs scored and RBI. The brightest spot for the team is the play this summer of sophomore Brian Greenblatt who is leading the team with a solid .667 average and 12 runs scored. But to put the team woes in perspective, leadoff hitter Jacq Wilson leads the team with 11 RBI this summer; a stat you never want your leadoff hitter to hold. 

Notes . . .
Of course there was no game ball to hand out today, but beer bitch honors go to MSG again (how many times is that Marky Mark?)

Austin singled up the middle in the third inning extending his team-record hit streak to 37 games.