by Pete

Exhibition Season Begins Beat comeback snuffed!

Down by just a run with rookie Gunnar Rosequist batting and the bases loaded, two out in the bottom of the 7th and final frame of regulation, the momentum appeared to have a Beat feel to it. You could hear the buzz on the bench. But the ghosts of April 1998 reared up and dealt the home team a 7-6 near miss as Hammertime retired Gunnar-man on a sharply-hit fielder's choice grounder at short. Game, set, match. But fortunately, this one doesn't count in the standings.

Those of us who care to look back will remember that the Beat fell just short of Hammertime 8-6 in the second game of the '98 Spring season by leaving the bases loaded in each of their final at-bats. That time, the Black Hats came back from an early 8-2 deficit marked by an error-enabled 8-run Hammertime third. In the latest installment of Hammer's year-long ownership of the Beatniks, including Summertime thrashings of 13-6 and 9-5 in a season in which Joe Williams’ team went 12-4 overall, the Beat gamely scratched back from a 7-1 5th inning hole. In this exhibition matchup, in which Kevin Austin was masterful on the mound, it was not one, but two shaky defensive innings that cost the Grays.

Hammer broke out with two runs in the top of the first on solid hits by the first four hitters. A throwing error on a double-play grounder back to the mound led to the third run and loaded the bases before Austin shut down any further threat with a pop fly to Brian Arcuri at short, a fly to Greg Lukoski to medium-left, and a liner back to the mound. The second out was key as Greg unleashed a perfect strike to cut-off man Donnell Moody ranging over from first to hold the runner at third.

The crafty Austin, who threw 50% knuckleballs over the course of the game, proceeded to handcuff Hammertime over the next two innings. With two out in the top of the second inning, Kevin was aided by a perfect throw from "Pizza Man" Mike Weiss in left-center to MSG at third to nail the pesky Hammer 2nd Baseman trying to leg a double into a triple.

However, the visitors scored three unearned runs in the top of the fourth for a demoralizing 6-0 lead over the Beatniks. Despite the new faces and the renewed chemistry, the Beat looked surprisingly like last year's model.

Then the slumbering Beat bats awakened. After having been no-hit for 3 and 1/3 innings by Hammer's Rasputin-lookalike pitcher, the Beat broke through with a run in the bottom of the 4th to make it 6-1 on a triple by Gunnar and RBI single by Brian. Following a Donnell Moody fly out to lead off the fifth, BJ Bateman singled and Steve Harper homered to deep center to make it 7-3. Buttsy popped out and Kevin flied to left center to end the inning. Then the defense settled down.

Big Daddy dropped a sharply hit grounder for an error leading off the Hammertime 6th, then cleanly handled a line drive off the bat of that suspect little right fielder for the first out. The Big Hurt drew laughs from the confused Hammers when, with adroit comic timing, he dropped the ball and threw to second baseman MSG for what looked like the start of a DP. Loosened up, the lanky 2nd baseman laced his third hit of the game. With one on and one down though, MSG snared a high, tailing line drive to his left side at second, then silenced the Hammertime partisans as he doubled off the hot dog on a strong pickoff throw to Butts at first for the final out.

Big out. The Beat scratched back with an unearned run in their half of the sixth to cut it to 7-4. Then Austin shut down the middle of Hammertime's order in the top of the seventh.

That set the stage for a dramatic bottom of the seventh. The clean-up slugger Moody led off with a sharp single down the third base line. The freshly tatooed BJ then laced a scorching liner to right that eluded the overmatched and pint-sized right-fielder, and rolled to the wall. The speedster streaked to third looking like he’d be in for a 2-run homer standing up. That was the problem. The relay throw was high, but catcher Williams snagged it and brought it down on the vertical Bateman. However, the ball squirted out of Williams glove and rolled away. As his teammates pushed Beej back to touch home plate for the Beat's 6th run, it suddenly became clear to the stunned Beatniks that they could win this thing.

Harper was next coming off a homer in his previous at bat. Steve got under it and flied high to center for the first out. Mikey Butts reached on an error. Following a fly-out by the pitcher Austin, a previously-hitless Pete Wenner dumped a signature Texas-leaguer in for a hit. Runners at first and second. Pizza Man followed with a clutch line single to right-center to load the bases. The chatter picked up intensity. Then fell quiet as Gunnar bounced to short. Hammertime had escaped once again. But the Beat looked impressive in refusing to go down without a fight. This time Manager Wenner had some things to smile about.

View The BEAT's 1999 Final Batting Statistics

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