The Beat picked up right where they left off from last week's 25-3 drubbing of Old Clamhouse by shutting down Il Pirata with pitching and defense and scoring in every inning to the tune of a 20-1 mercy ruling. That's 45-4 over the last two games. Add the 22-1 win over Ronin in the season opener and we're talking a 67-5 margin for three of the six games this summer.

The Beat blasted 6 homeruns today (two each by Tim Smith and Jacque Wilson), once back-to-back and two innings later back-to-back-to-back. The 6 home runs set team marks for a game, season (11 this summer), and year (21)—this is a team that has averaged only 10 homers per year since 2000. The 20 runs over Il Pirata gave the team 231 for the year, a new record with two games yet to play. The Summer '07 Beat is currently hitting a team record .544 with .720 slugging and six players are hitting over .600. In sight and very likely to be broken are all team records for hits, runs, and RBI in a season and in a year. The team is firing on all cylinders right now and its not just team records that are falling.

Beat players have their sights on records that have held up since the John Palmer era ('87 to '95) and not to knock John and the early Beat but most of those records were set in 'D' and 'DD' before the Beat took up residency in 'C' league in 1996. Rookie Smith has already raised the bar with 37 hits this year and Mondo with 6 triples; the individual records for runs, RBI, home runs, and average are all being challenged. This 20th anniversary version of the Beat will rewrite the record books.

Picture Perfect
It was a beautiful morning in the City with just enough breeze blowing into Jackson 2 to make the knuckle balls dance. The Beat took a minute before the game to remind everyone that despite their record, Il Pirata is not a team to take lightly. They beat us in two heartbreaking 1-run games just last year. Dave, Dez, Keno, Bryce are all veteran guys that can lay down the big hurt.

The Beat played visitors in this matchup. Jacq Wilson (1-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, .636 this summer) led off the game and reached on an error at short. Special K (2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, .652 this summer) hit a can of corn to deep right center that bounced off the fielder's glove allowing the Rock to advance to third. Jacque (3-4, 2 HR, 3 runs, 4 RBI, .667 this summer) singled in his brother and Big Tim (4-4, 2 HR, 2 runs, 3 RBI, .760 this summer) singled in Kev. Dave induced the next two batters to pop out to Keno at first, then MSG (2-4, 5 run) drove a grounder by third for another error. Not the clean hitting performance we'd hoped for but the Beat picked up 3 unearned runs to start the game, a little gift that would set the tone for what was to come. Kev then proceeded to tear through the Pirates top three with a one-hop comebacker, a foul strike out, and popup to the outfield setting them down 1-2-3.

Pete Wenner (3-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, .714 this summer) started his big game with a 1-out single in the second then was replaced on the paths with the blazing Big Daddy Moody (1-4, 2 runs) who was nursing a nasty hangover for his birthday game. Gunnar (2-3, 2 runs) reached on another error at short followed by singles from Jacq and Kev with another error in right advancing Kev to third. Q followed by driving a liner through the outfield for a 2-run dinger to put the Beat up 8-0. Up comes Tim, grumbling that Q didn't leave anyone on base for him. He then proceeded to launch a moon shot over the outfield that looked like it would land in the playground next to the other diamond, which is a hell of a jack for a back-to-back. With the score at 9-0, two comebackers ended the threat and for the second straight inning Dave had halted rallies with consecutive outs, but the Beat was pulling away. Bryce led off the bottom of the second with a liner back up the middle (Bryce, if you're reading this, I'm still feeling the shot off my foot in the playoffs a few years back bud...how about pointing that thing somewhere else for a change). Kev deflected the ball toward short and Mondo scooped it up for a fancy 1-6-3 putout. Outfielder Miles, behind the count 1-2, squibbed a swinging bunt off the handle that dribbled up the third base line for the Pirates' first hit of the day but two quick pop ups ended the inning with Miles still stranded on first.

The Beat tacked on a couple more in the third starting with a leadoff double by Jim Colletto (2-4, 2 doubles, run, RBI). Pete and Gunnar singled and Jacq sacrificed Pete in from third but the inning ended with the Beat up 11-0 and runners at the corners. The bottom of the Pirates order went down quickly and quietly on two popups and yet another comebacker to the mound. 

When we came into the dugout I ran into Ellery from the Van Ness Monsters who were there playing the Nine Inch Snails after us. El and the Monsters have been around even longer than the Beat and with the help of Jim Harvey's brother Dennis (the Monsters' second baseman at the time) and ex-Monsters Dennis O'Brien and Dave Hamner, they were instrumental in getting the Beat off the ground 20 years ago providing insight and a friendly rivalry as we were weaned into the league. So El and I are chatting about how our teams were doing and up steps Tim to lead off the 4th. I mentioned to El that this kid is already threatening some of John Palmer's records that have held up for over a decade and just as the sentence left my mouth Tim launched another monster shot over the outfield for his second homer of the day. I wish I had a photo of ol' Ellery with his jaw down around his knees; a picture's worth a thousand words. So with a back-to-back already in the books today and a 12-0 lead, everyone started razzing Brian (2-4, HR, 2 runs, RBI) that it was his turn and wondering if we had ever had two back-to-backs in one game. Brian took the challenge, drove a liner through the outfield and was off to the races intent on his second homer of the year; and he got it. Next it was Mondo's turn. Mondo (1-4, HR, run, RBI) came into the game after setting a new team record in triples (6) last week and HE launched one; for the first time in the 20 year Beat history, back-to-back-to-back home runs and the Beat was now up 14-0. MSG, D, Pete, and Gunnar all singled with G's practically cutting down D in the baseline at second, but that ball was ultimately booted by the outfield again allowing a couple more to score. Jacq and Kev choked on consecutive 1-hoppers to Dez to end the inning but the Beat had added another seven expanding their lead to 18-0.

Il Pirata finally made it back to the top of their order in the bottom of the 4th. Leadoff man, Ramirez ropped the first pitch he saw up the middle that caught some glove and a little of Kev's ear but not enough to slow it down (damn...I wanted that one). Keno grounded to Jim behind first who ran to the bag for the force but allowed Ramirez to advance to second. Spruhnbull (Spruhnbull?) then singled Ramirez over to third and Bryce drove a fly to left to manufacture the Pirates' first and only run. (damn I want that liner back) Another pop to left and the inning was over but the Pirates had made the most of two hits to break up the shutout and 1-hitter.

With an 18-1 lead, the Beat knew that all they had to do was get through the 5th to score a mercy rule victory. Q Wilson led off the inning with a hopper right through an outfielder that rolled for Q's second (and more controversial) home run of the game. Brian reached on a fielder's choice and with two outs MSG singled and Jim doubled in Brian to make it an even 20.

With the shutout broken, Pete made a number of defensive changes for the bottom of the fifth (Kev P to 3rd, Mondo SS to P, Q LF to SS, D 3rd to 1st, and Jim 1st to OF...did I miss any?) Dez led off for the Pirates and Mondo got ahead of the count but dropped in a strike and Dez jumped all over it for the Pirates fourth hit. Dave came up next and roped a ball down the first base line but Big Daddy turned in the web gem of the day knocking it down, stepping on first, then rifling over to Q who put the tag on Dez five feet from the bag at second. Boom, boom...two down and no one on. Mondo, still glowing from the pitcher's best friend, got a grounder back to the mound for good measure and this one was in the books. A 20-1 drubbing in which the Beat excelled in all areas; hitting, pitching, defense, base running... you name it.

Beat hurler Special K (4 inn, 3 hits, K, 1.75 era) mixed an assortment of backspins, curves and knucklers and seems to have hit his stride again allowing only 4 runs on 11 hits over the last two games. With Mondo (1 inn, 1 hit, 0.00 era) closing the game in the 5th, the two pitchers combined for a 1-run 4-hitter and faced only 18 batters in 5 innings. The Beat defense has also kicked it up a notch and excluding one bad game in August, they've committed only 3 errors over 5 games this summer.

Tim "The Intimidator" Smith took home his third game ball of the year for an outstanding 4-4, 2 home run, 3 RBI performance. Tim has been a one-man wrecking crew against the Pirates this year going 8 for 8 with 2 triples, 2 homers, 5 runs and 6 RBI. Web Gem again goes to Big Daddy who never ceases to amaze us with his outstanding quick-reflex plays on the infield. D also takes home beer beatch honors for the week and promises 32oz jugs of Mississippi Mud for our breakfast at Jackson next week.

Fall of the Mighty
"We were dominant, but those guys were a shadow of the proud champions and they know it." said Beat Manager Pete Wenner. "They're depleted by injuries, moves and summer vacations in a way we haven't seen in a while."  With veteran shortstop Freddie on IR, they've been forced to move Dez from third to short and they are sporting an outfield taped together from pickups and league boards. Don't expect Dave & Co. to stay down though...they'll be back challenging for a division title next spring. The Pirates still own an 8-6 lead in the 14 game series, but the Beat dropped a bomb on them this year with two 20 run games to avenge the Pirates winning the series last year.

The Beat have owned the Pirates this year hitting .538 as a team with 40 runs on 42 hits and 7 home runs in two games. But it's been the Pirates uncharacteristically poor defense committing 12 errors for 18 unearned runs that has allowed the Beat to run and score at will. In contrast, the Beat defense has played excellent ball committing only one error against Il Pirata in the spring with no unearned runs allowed.

The Pennant Race
The team has now racked up 106 runs in six games this summer while allowing only 40 against. This win and Monte Carlo's 13-7 victory over Ronin puts the Beat, MC, and Flor in a 3-way tie for first at 5-1 each. The remaining seven teams are all under .500 and are now mathematically eliminated from the pennant race. So what does that mean for the top three with only two playoff spots up for grabs? Well, Flor has two games left against teams with a combined record of 3-9 so it's not likely we'll get any help there. Next week Monte Carlo has the 1-4 Onsters, so we can't hope for much help there either. So ultimately, the second playoff spot will go to the winner of the season finale between the Beat and Slick Vic's Monte Carlo on September 29th...winner take all.

But first, the Beat needs to get past Sledgehammer next week. 10am at Jackson #1!

On The BEAT News Archive