When it's over, I'll remember nights like this one, too.
My Dodgers played a doubleheader - 5 and 7 p.m. - against the Commodores and their coach, Keith Moore. Keith and I have coached against each other in the WNSL for years. Great guy coaching a team of great boys, most of whom go to Christ Presbyterian Academy.
They're a good team of almost all 14 year olds (8th graders). My boys are all 13 years old (7th graders). It was a matchup we needed because we've been smoking the other 13 year old teams that we've played.
In game 1, I started Wes Taylor at pitcher. He struggled with his control in the first inning and gave up 2 runs. The Commodores pitched a tall, rangy left-hander who threw harder than any boy we've ever faced. Good control for the most part and he could flat out bring it.
In the bottom of the first inning, however, Benton Wright - batting in the three hole - absolutely crushed a fastball to dead center with Winn Hughes on second base. Standing outside the third base dugout, I thought it was gone. The ball flew about 300 feet in the air and hit the bottom of the fence, which is 302 feet from home plate. He turned the lefty's fastball around and hit the ball harder - and longer - than any player I've ever coached. Winn scored easily and the inning ended with the Commodores up 2-1.
And, believe it or not, that was the final. A 2-1 Commodore victory. Wes was lights out. He pitched, by far, the best I've ever seen him pitch. He changed speeds and, really, kept their entire team off balance are the first inning. I think this was a real turning point game for him as a pitcher. I brought Benton in to pitch the top of the sixth inning. He struggled with his control but worked out of a jam.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Wes was thrown out at home to end the game.
Great, great baseball game. Our boys made no errors! Such a well played game by both teams. As the Commodores' coach, Keith Moore, and I said afterwards, "it was real baseball." Plain and simple.
Game 2. Damn, game 2.
What can I say? J.P. pitched a 106 pitch, five inning complete game. Unbelievable, particularly since one of my players bailed on me at 3 p.m., two hours before game time. As a result, I had few options at pitcher for game 2.
I think the coolest thing was when my Dodger batted in the top of the fifth inning, J.P. pulled me aside, and said "I want to finish the game." That, I think, is what every father want his son to say in that situation. J.P. was tired but he wanted the ball, win or lose, so I sent him back out there to face the 1 - 2 - 3 hitters in the Commodores' lineup, up 6 - 4.
The leadoff hitter - their catcher - great kid, great player - hit a line drive single to left center field. J.P. struck the next batter out, looking. One down. J.P. walked the number 3 hitter, who promptly stole second. Runner on second and third, one out. I brought the infield in and the cleanup hitter hit a ground ball to Wes at first base. Easy out?!? The Big Cat, Wes, kicked the ground ball and one run scored. 6 - 5, Dodgers, with the tying run on third base. J.P. walked the next batter to put runner on first and third, with one out.
I walked out to the mound to talk with him, to buy him some time, to calm him down. I waved Winn (shortstop) and Nico (catcher) off so I could talk to J.P. alone.
"Well," I said, "we've got a little trouble now. How do you feel?"
"I'm good," J.P. replied.
"All right," I said. "Let's finish it." Then, I walked slowly back to our dugout on the third base side of the infield.
J.P. threw a ball, then the runner on first stole second base. I called time out and told the umpires I wanted to intentionally walk the 5th hitter to load the bases. My assistant coaches looked at me like I was crazy. I brought the infield in and reminded them that we had a forced at home.
First pitch, the 6th hitter in their lineup hits a ground ball back to J.P. at pitcher. He calmly fielded the ball and threw it home to Nico for the second out of the inning.
Two outs, bases loaded, Dodgers up 6 - 5. I backed the infield up and brought the outfield in because a flare or a line drive wins it for the Commodores.
I could hear our fans cheering for J.P. Encouraging him.
What does J.P. do? Pitches 104, 105, and 106 are strikes, swinging, and the game is over. J.P. walks off the mound to out dugout, as his teammates rush toward him, pounding him on the back and tapping him on the head.
All these years and all the games where I've put J.P. in tough situations on the mound and he comes through, again. Amazing.
As I sit here in my office at home with everyone else in bed, sipping my bourbon - Short Mountain - I'm shaking my head and smiling.
Call it guts. Call it having a pair of brass balls. Call it heart. J.P. had it all tonight. I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of him on a baseball field.
I'll remember it forever.
What I'll also remember, though, is midway through game 2, when Benton, in the dugout, said, "what is Joe doing?"
I look up and I see a kid in a bright neon yellow hoodie - Joe - running all the way around the outfield on the outside of the fence. Why? Because, well, that's what Joe does. The boys in the dugout started cheering. Will Wright looked up and said, "oh, he looks like the 'Mini Freeze.'" And he did.
Dodger baseball on a Saturday night. Northing better.
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