Beat News!

Vol.XXII. No. 7

May 10, 2008

First Place Slugfest!
The Beat Move into Sole Possession of First with a 21-11 Victory over Flor de Cana

The Beat gained sole possession of first place Saturday with a 21-11 slugfest victory over the reigning City Champs Flor de Cana de la Libertad. The Beat took advantage of the late afternoon Jackson 2 jet stream to left by hitting a season high .568 with two triples and four homers for an outstanding 1.000 slugging percentage. That's the second highest slugging total in Beat history (first being the 6-homer, 20-1 thumping of Il Pirata last September).

Flor de Cana may be the surprise of the spring falling from last summer's City Championship to reside in the cellar currently at 1-6. The Beat came into this season with an ominous 1-7-1 record against Flor following last summer's humiliation in the division playoff. Despite the fact that the team did beat them 19-17 as La Libertad last spring, the Flor victories had been dramatically more lopsided in recent years. But it is apparently a different Flor team this spring and I can't put my finger on the difference, but the 1-6 record is very telling for a team that just a few years ago went three straight seasons without a loss in the regular season. And this spring the Beat has not only won the season series 2-0, but followed up the 3-run victory in the season opener with a definitive 10-run blowout that featured tight, solid defense and hitting reminiscent of last summer's record-setting Beat team.

Flor jumped out to a quick 4-run lead in the first. Kev struggled with the wind early and was behind in the count most of the inning while Flor teed off on the backspin as usual for a 4-run, 6-hit barrage that left them one shy of batting around (I'll have to rename that pitch "batting practice"...it was a Zito-esque experience to say the least). Kev (2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR, SF) got one back in the bottom of the inning driving a 2-strike pitch to left-center that caught the jet stream and just past the outstretched glove of the left-center fielder Carlos for Kev's first homer in eight years. Big Daddy (3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3B) started up some 2-out lightning with a high blooper behind third for a single. Tim (2-4, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR) reached on an error in right, Brett (2-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR) and MSG (4-4, 2 runs, RBI) both singled driving in runs and a throwing error by Carlos from the outfield made it an even four; the game was tied heading into the second.

Special K found better control with the knuckler in the second; ten hitter Yoey led off with a grounder to Bryan Williams at short; Bryan launched a fastball to Pete at first that was 'just a little outside' and hard enough to put the Durham Bull out for the night. Two hits and a second throwing error upped Flor's lead to 6-4 but the Beat took it back in the bottom in the bottom of the second. Bryan (2-4, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR) led off with a single and Gunnar (2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3B) tripled passed the diving glove of Carl Jr. in right scoring Bryan. Kev sacrified G in and Jacque (3-4, 2 runs, RBI) singled in his brother who had reached on a fielder's choice to put the Beat up 7-6 and they wouldn't look back. Flor managed only two hits in the third and the Beat came back to punctuate their lead with a big 5-spot. Tim led the inning off with a single then Brett drove a rocket into the gap in center for a 2-run dinger, his second for the team this spring. With one down MSG singled followed by three Flor errors in just two ABs scoring two as Gunnar racked up an RBI and landed at third. Pete (3-3, RBI, BB) started his 3 for 3 day with an RBI single driving in G to put the Beat up 12-6.

Back at the top of the order, Flor strung 3 hits and a sac fly together for two runs but with two outs Carlito hit a comebacker to the mound and Kev turned his third consecutive inning-ender; Beat 12, Flor 8. Jacque led off the Beat 4th with a single advancing to second when the ball bounced through Carlito's legs in left. Moody launched a bomb to right that nicked the glove of the outstretched fielder in right for an RBI triple. Tim tied into one with a monster shot to center for his team-high fourth homer of the spring. With one down MSG singled and one out later Bryan tied into one for another 2-run bomb to center; Bryan's first for the Beat. The team had dropped another 5-spot and after four innings was resting comfortably with a 17-8 lead.

Flor started the fifth with two straight singles, then the Bryan Williams show started. Carl Jr. grounded to MSG at second who fed the ball to Bryan for the force; Bryan touched the bag and threw a bullet to first to beat the speedy Thompson for a 4-6-3 double play. With one in and the bases empty, Yoey grounded to short. Bryan nonchalantly picked the grounder, double clutched, then the ex-USF pitcher threw a 90mph fastball to D at first nailing Yoey by half a step to end the inning . We'll call that the play of the day just for the awe inspiring nature of it (I swear you could hang your laundry on this guy's throws). The Beat tacked on three more on singles by Pete, Kev, Jacque and Big Daddy. Q and D logged ribbies while Carlos made his third error of the game in left center upping the Beat lead to 20-9. Brett flew out to Carlos in left center to end the 5th giving Mr. Goldstein Beer Beatch honors for the week.

Top of the Flor order again in the 6th and Ulises and Carlos open with a single and double. Sac flies by Vic and Carl Sr. bring the score to 20-11, but Flor is just nipping at the lead at this point unable to score more than two runs in an inning since the first. MSG led off the Beat 6th with a single capping a 4 for 4 day. Brian Greenblatt (1-4, 2 runs) joined the hit parade with a single and with one out Gunnar grounded to short driving in MSG. Next Pete and Jacq (1-5, run) showed some 2-out lightning with singles to load the bases but the threat would end there on a deep fly to left center pulled down by Carlos. This game would head into the 7th; Beat 21, Flor 11.

Carlito led off the second with a Texas league blooper behind short; as the outfield raced in, Williams drifted back and casually pulled it down for out number one. Flor followed with two singles but Kev got young stud Carl Jr. to pop up in front of the plate on a steady diet of knucklers. With two down and two on, Yoey flew out to Jacque in left and this game was history.

For the second consecutive game the Beat had the hammer but didn't need to take it out of the box. A sweet-smelling 21-11 Beat victory over their nemesis of the last four years. Both teams made good use of their hits with each team leaving only three runners in scoring position. But the Beat outplayed Flor on both sides of the ball. The boys in gray played tight defense while Flor committed seven errors leading to six unearned runs. But ultimately, the Beat just flat outhit Flor with 25 hits, 2 triples and 4 homers to Flor's 19 hits and 2 doubles.

This season presents a golden opportunity for the Beat. This is the first time since 2004 that Flor de Cana will not challenge the Beat for the Division title nor will they be waiting in the wings to destroy the boys in gray in the playoffs. The Beat owned Saturday 'C' for years winning four consecutive division championships from the summer of 2002 through the spring of 2004. Then came Flor de Cana. Since then the Beat has only one division championship in seven seasons, a season in which Flor was not in the division, but still managed to pound the Beat 19-8 in the first round of the playoffs.

With Flor mathematically eliminated the Beat currently controls it's own destiny; that's not to say that the road will be easy. Three games remain; three big games. Old Clamhouse, Monte Carlo, and Ronin reside just one game back; all will be gunning for the Beat and the chance to move into first. The Beat enters those last three games with a combined 1-2 record against these teams this year. Clearly in this very tight division, the team that runs the table for the rest of the season will come out on top. Every game from here on out is huge; every game a must win. The Beat will seek revenge on Old Clamhouse next Saturday at 10 am on Jackson 1.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Flor de Cana de la Libertad	4	2	0	2	1	2	0	11	19	7
The Beat	4	3	5	5	3	1	x	21	25	2

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