After two long weeks trying to get their spring legs under them, the Beat finally rediscovered the clutch hit and took advantage of every Pirate gift to roll to a sound 20-6 victory over this long time rival.

The Beat have been playing Dave Powell, Dez, Keeno and company for eleven years starting with a 25-2 bitch-slapping by Connecticut Yankee in the Beat’s 6^th C-League game back in spring of ’96. Coming off a perfect 8-0 DD division championship in summer ’95 and cocky moving up to C-League, the Beat were schooled to a 2-5-1 record that included a number of blowout losses.

CY did it again in the summer hammering the Beat 16-1, and then snuck in another 5-4 win in the spring of ’97. It wasn't until the summer of ’97 when the Beat went on a streak of 1-run last-inning wins that finally sealed the team's reputation in the league. The Beat notched it's first victory over the Yankees 9-8 and completed its first winning C-League season with a 5-2-1 record.

The Beat struggled again in ’98 going 3-5 in the spring and 2-6 in the summer including the team’s worst drubbing of the year, 22-3 at the hands of Dave, Dez, Keeno and Altered States.

For a few years after that, the team went by the name ‘Doom’ but never made it onto the Beat's schedule. It wasn’t until four years later that the Beat met Dave and Company again in the first round of the summer ’02 playoffs under the guise of 23^rd Hour. The Beat came in with a perfect 8-0 record but had yet to win a playoff game. This became one of the huge games of the Beat's 20 year history as they pulled away with a 13-12 win on homers by Jacque Wilson and Greg Lukoski for their first playoff win.

The teams’ next matchup came again in the summer ’04 playoffs with the rival’s current incarnation, Il Pirata. The Pirates knocked the Beat out of the playoffs in the first round in another close 14-12 game.   

Since then the teams’ are an even 3-3 following today’s win. Overall Dave and company lead the 13-game series 8-5. But game 13 was lucky for the Beat. This was the Beat’s first win over the Pirates in 2 years and the 20-6 score the greatest margin for a Beat victory in the series. Thirteen games in 11 years…this is truly one of the Beat’s great rivalries.

The Beat Get Healthy
Following last week’s terrible clutch hitting in which the team stranded 13 runners in 7 innings with zero clutch hits and six collars by the starters, Pete decided to mix up the lineup and light some fires. There was no trademark Jackson 1 wind blowing in from left and it looked like a good day to hit, but the Beat was missing leadoff/right fielder Jacq Wilson and shortstop D-Rey who is still on IR following last week's high hopper to the teeth.

Austin (1-2, 3 runs, 2BB) started the game with a sharp single down the third baseline then was replaced by Colletto (2-4, 3 runs) on a fielder’s choice. St.Georges (2-4, RBI) singled and with two outs rookie Tim Smith (4-4, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 2 triples) started his big day with a 2-out RBI single scoring Colletto to put the Beat up 1-0.

The Pirates were not going to take that sitting down as leadoff hitter Lazzetti took a flat 0-1 pitch over the outfield for a leadoff homer to tie the game. A couple solid hits, a triple to right center by Bryce and a sac fly put Il Pirata up 4-1 before a comebacker to the mound stopped the bleeding.

The Beat scratched back in the top of the second with a single by Brian Greenblatt (1-4, 2 runs) and a rare Powell walk to Mark Briscoe (1-2, 3 runs, RBI, BB). With two outs (again) Pete (1-3, RBI) grounded to second who not only booted the ball but then threw the ball away to third allowing two runs to score. That gift allowed the Beat back into the game down 4-3 and Il Pirata was held scoreless on two hits in the bottom of the inning as the teams entered the 3^rd.

The Beat started off the 3^rd with two quick outs and it looked like this game was going to be another offensive struggle; then the Beat got hot. Big Daddy (2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B) singled and then Tim (the Intimidator II?) scorched a rocket to right field that bounced off the row of trees by the fence. Ground rules for Jackson 1 say if the ball hits the tree above the fence it's a homer, below it's a base hit. To the Beat, the ball was clearly over, but the blue appeared to be too busy taking phone calls to notice and called the ball below the fence as Tim rolled into third with a stand-up triple. This tied the game at four but the Beat still had two outs.

Jacque (2-4, HR, 2 runs, 3 RBI) followed with an error by the shortstop that would have ended the inning, but instead scored Tim. Brian then grounded to the right side but the ball was bobbled by the first baseman for another error. Then the Beat went for the jugular. Mondo (2-3, run, RBI) singled driving in Q. Briscoe singled driving in Brian. Gunnar (1-3, RBI) singled driving in Mondo. Pete singled driving in Briscoe who came back into the game to run for Pete. Austin held out for a walk and Colletto drove a single that the left-center fielder booted into four bases. When the dust had settled, ten runs had scored (nine unearned) and the Beat went to the bottom of the third up 13-4.

Il Pirata tried to scratch back with hits by Dez, Lynn, and Keeno. With two runs in, a runner on first, and no outs Big Daddy turned in the defensive gem of the game scooping up a grounder at first, tagging Keeno and stepping over to the bag for an unassisted double play. An infield grounder quickly ended the threat and the Beat held a solid 13-6 lead.

The Beat started the fourth with a pop-up but the Rook came through again with another huge triple to left center. Q decided to join the hit parade driving a liner to the dirt on Jackson 2 for an easy 2-run knock (Q was booking the WHOLE way!). Beat 15, Pirates 6.

At this point Kev had zoned into to the blue's deep strikes and high ceiling and Il Pirata was shutout on three hits the remainder of the game. But the Beat wasn’t done just yet. Following two quick outs in the top of the 5^th, Kev drew his second walk against Powell and the floodgates opened again. Colletto and MSG singled, Mark driving in Kev who came back in to run for Mark. D doubled in Jim and Kev and rookie Tim drove in D. Q wrapped it up by driving in Tim for another five runs with two outs. Final score: Beat 20, Il Pirata 6.

The Beat made up for the 13 stranded in week two by scoring 18 of their 20 runs with two outs and stranding only five baserunners in five innings. The Beat also took advantage of every opportunity presented by Il Pirata capitalizing on 5 errors to the tune of 11 unearned runs which made a blowout of what could have been a close game. The team nearly doubled the pitiful .281 average from last week hitting .514 with 19 hits and surpassed the extra base hit total of the first two games combined with a homer, two triples, and a double and a team slugging percentage of .730.

Rookie Tim picked up the team’s first game ball of the year on a monster 4-4, 3 run, 3 RBI, 2 triple performance making Pete look like the most brilliant manager in the league right now. Brian Greenblatt flied into the last Beat out of the game in the 5th to give him beer bitch honors for the week.

Next week the team will attempt to return to .500 against Old Clamhouse. The Clams lost handily 20-3 to Monte Carlo today. "It's key for us to remember what we did to capitalize in the clutch and take that into the Old Clamhouse game" says Pete. "Let's use the rest of the spring to build character as a team and get our winning mojo back.  Beating a good pitcher Saturday was a great first step."