In their historic 20th anniversary season, this chilly May contest will rank among The Beat’s greatest games for a number of reasons.

First, the boys in gray finally broke through for their first win against the latest incarnation of Flor de Cana, the franchise that has dominated the league since it moved up from DD in summer 2004 and has roots going back to one-time powerhouses Cool Dudes, Nicoya, SF Ballers, Granada, and to a lesser extent, the Dukes from the Hood. These teams all blend together as they do with the current Monte Carlo that is now tied for first place with La Libertad at 5-1.

Second, for posterity. The presence of fabled Beatniks Jim (Leather) Harvey, the team’s first manager and living inspiration for all generations along with his brother Michael (Bam Bam) Harvey, who celebrated his first appearance at a Beat game since 1988. One of the most vivid Beat memories for many old-timers is the sight of Bam Bam Harvey—who legend has it rode with the Merry Pranksters—on his last day with the Beat tomahawking a chin-high pitch then huffing and puffing his way around the bases for an inside the park homer against Bubba’s Outlaws in an 11-6 Beat win at Jackson #2.

Like a proud parent on the day before Mother’s Day, Jim coached third base the whole game and instilled his championship teaching vibe into his progeny.

A third reason for this game’s greatness was the fact it stood as a crossroads win for the Boys in Gray in the spring season of 2007. After a crushing 0-2 start that included blowing a 10-1 lead against Ronin and nine straight innings of offensive futility, the Beat now stands at 3-2 with three games left and a game and a half difference between them and the two league leaders. The team has scored 70 runs in the last three games—a team record for three games—and has made a statement to the league that it is back as a contender with the gut-check cliffhanger win over the division leaders.

The Beat came in at 0-5-1 against La Libertad-Flor, including a 19-8 rout by Flor in the 2005 Summer playoffs. That humiliation notwithstanding, The Beat had lost a number of close games following a come-from-behind 9-9 tie in the first meeting back in summer 2004. The Beat were short-handed that day and staked Flor to a 9-4 lead on a 4-base bases loaded error, but OB shut them down for 3 innings as we clawed back.

The final reason? This was just an incredibly intense, roller-coaster ride of a game. One that these players won’t forget for sometime and even replaying the game gets the heart pounding and adrenaline rushing. So let’s do that!

On to the Game!
Today’s game started at 10am under cold yet sunny skies with the wind galing from left to right across the Jackson #1 outfield. La Libertad’s leadoff hitter Seguira hammered the second pitch of the game into right center for a leadoff triple; a bad omen for the team’s effort to shake the Flor monkey and upset the division’s only undefeated team.

Pitcher Kevin Austin bounced back mixing four pitches including a double-backspin designed just for Flor de Cana following the drubbing in the summer ’05 playoffs. With a 1-1 count, Vargas fouled the next two double-spins into the screen for a strike out.

Then it was time for Jacq Wilson’s one-man web-gem show. With the wind blowing everything into his territory, Jacq blanketed right field in a way that rekindled memories of when the Other Guys used to call him Rod Woodson. The Rock ran down two tough fly balls to get out of the inning with only one run allowed.

In the Beat half of the 1st, Jacq (1-4, 5 runs, RBI) singled and Mark St.Georges (3-3, run, RBI) walked to lead it off. With a hobbled MSG, the managerial strategy was to bring in the #12 hitter Gunnar if the cotton mouth king were to reach. With the speedsters on base, the Beat scored three on a sac fly by Donnell (1-3, run, 2 RBI), a scorched triple by Mondo the Flor killer (4-4, triple, 2 runs, 2RBI) and a base hit legged into a double by Jacque (2-4, double, run, 2 RBI).

The Rock continued his defensive show in the top of the 2nd as he went well into foul territory to reel in the first out of the inning and Austin worked the double-spin/knuckler combo into a quick 3-up 3-down inning. The Beat scored two more runs in the bottom of the inning as Jim Colletto (1-4, 2 runs, RBI) reached and advanced on an E1/E4 combo. Birthday boy Mark Briscoe (3-3, double, 3 runs, RBI) used heads up baserunning to “steal” a double on a slow-footed outfield and later scored on Gunnar’s (2-3, 2 RBI) single.

The top of the 3rd started with another fly out to Jacq in right. About this time La Libertad declared right field closed and started working up the middle with back to back singles. But as quickly as their rally started, it was shut down with a liner to Gunnar at second who made a quick throw to first to double off Thompson and end the threat. The Beat tacked on another in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single by MSG. Jacq came in to run for MSG, advancing on an error and scoring on Mondo’s RBI single.

La Libertad’s first pitcher (of three) Chamberlan started the 4th with a comebacker to the mound. Special K made the play at first but took the hop off his fingertips and struggled to throw strikes for some time after. “I couldn’t feel my fingertips to grip the ball” noted K. La Libertad took advantage as the top of the order turned a single, walk, single, and double into 3 quick runs to tighten the score to 6-4.

In the bottom of the inning the Beat threw down that hammer starting with five straight hits. Derek Rey (1-3, double, run, RBI) led off with a double. Colletto singled him in followed by singles from Briscoe, Austin, and G-man to score Jim. Jacq plated Briscoe with a fielder’s choice. MSG drove in Austin with another single booted into extra bases by the right fielder and Tim Smith (1-4, triple, 2 runs, 2 RBI) reached on an error at third. Not to be outdone, the middle of the order responded with four consecutive singles by Big Daddy, Mondo, Jacque, and Brian Greenblatt (1-4, RBI). Mondo motored second to home and a good throw would have had him, but the Gods of Baseball were shining on the Beat this day and Mondo slid in safely while Q and Brian advanced on the throw. D-Rey capped the scoring with a sac fly to left and the Beat was suddenly up 16-4.

The team took the field in the top of the 5th with a bit a swagger in their walk and a juicy 12-run lead. However, LL is a team you can never count out of a game. Leadoff man Lopez walked followed by Lopez #2 who drove a ball to right center. Brian misplayed it in the wind but made a huge recovery and forced Lopez #1 at second for the first out. Liomas then scorched a liner to the left side but Mondo turned in the uncontested web-gem of the day going horizontal and snagging the ball out of the air for out number two. Thompson then grounded sharply to short but D-Rey bobbled the ball and G missed the coverage at second allowing the inning to continue. Lopez #3 extended the inning with a single scoring Lopez 1. Kev, still battling numb fingers and wind lost the strike zone serving up back to back walks to Chamberlan and Sequira and a 2-RBI single to Vargas. By the time Vado grounded to second for the third out, LL had posted 6 runs and worked their way back into a 16-10 game.

The Beat tacked a few more on the lead in the bottom of the 5th with a single by Briscoe and walk by Austin (giving the former leadoff man 100 career walks for the Beat). Jacq hit a grounder to second to force Kev but the shortstop’s attempt to double off Wilson rolled to the fence scoring Briscoe from second. Tim then drove a 2-run triple over left field (becoming his trademark as Tim now has 4 triples in the last 3 games) to extend the Beat’s lead to 19-10.

Special K settled back into a groove in the 6th as La Libertad added only one run on two singles and a sac fly to right-center. The Beat entered the bottom of the 6th with a 19-11 lead and only 5 minutes left in regulation. Running out five minutes of clock seemed like a simple task the way the Beat had been rounding the bases in the previous five innings. Mondo led off the inning with a single then Q drilled a screaming liner that seemed headed for the infield on Jackson 2 before the wall of wind knocked it down for a long, loud out. Meanwhile, LL’s pitcher had sped up the tempo of the game and the Beat was lured. D-Rey singled with two outs and when Big Jim stepped up to the plate and the blue called out to LL “Get this guy out or the game is over.” Jim sliced a ball to left but the speedy Lopez (one of them) caught up with it and the game went into the 7th.

The Beat turned a quick 6-3 first out, but LL came back with a triple and single to score one. Suddenly up came the top of the order and it was looking like déjà vu all over again…Flor has made a habit of tagging the Beat with big late-inning rallies. Seguira popped out to left-center, but with two outs LL rolled off two singles and a triple bringing the score to 19-15 and Pete brought in the hook. Mondo came in and soon discovered how nasty the crosswind was, walking the first two batters he faced to load the bases. Up came Lopez #1 who hadn’t scored a hit all day as the tying run. Lopez launched a liner into the trees in right that looked like a game-tying grand slam but very luckily for the Beat, the blue called it a ground rule double sending two runners back to base. The Beat was breathing heavy, still up 19-17, but with the tying run on second; at the plate was the big lefty Carl. Carl drilled a liner to right that would have easily tied the game but Big Daddy threw all of his mass in the air and grabbed that ball to end the game adding yet another web gem to this great game and Big D’s career. In the words of G-Man “If we score 20 a game, nobody in this league can beat us.” The Beat scored 19 and it almost wasn’t enough. Damn… my heart is pounding just from going over it again.

This was an incredible game. It was a game the Beat should have put away when they had the chance, but unlike week one, they did everything they needed to stay one step ahead of LL. The Beat answered every LL score over the first five innings and rolled off a very impressive 19 runs against the undefeated first place team. But foremost, the team played lights-out defense turning in great play after great play.

With that win, the Beat shook a big, ugly, hairy monkey off their back and solidified the fourth position in the standings just half a game behind Ronin and one and a half behind the leaders LL and Monte Carlo. While the leaders have fairly easy schedules for the remainder, the Beat’s looks the easiest with three games left to play against Finnegans and Spread the Glove, two teams with a combined 2-9 record. Never to be taken lightly though, both of these teams have played the Beat hard in the past. If the Beat can maintain the momentum and record breaking offense of the last three weeks, these games are gimme’s and the team will go from an 0-2 start to a solid 6-2 finish and possible wild card slot. If the team reverts to its offensive woes of the first two games, well stranger things have happened.

Mondo the Flor killer took home the much deserved game ball for this classic win with an awe-inspiring 4 for 4 performance including a triple, two runs, two ribbies, and an unbelievable horizontal web gem at third. Big Daddy takes home beer bitch honors and promises something special to drink next week. Jacq Wilson managed a unique line for the game… 1 for 4 with 5 runs scored while running twice for the hobbled MSG.

Next up…May 19th, Finnegan’s at 12:30 on Jackson #2. Join us there for the Beat’s annual family day and another awesome Beat win!