Storm good enough

The A’s had just finished defeating Broadway as Storm was getting ready for their game against Coulas, which meant that Storm would have to win to stay a game and a half behind. Coulas had defeated Storm earlier in the season, so Storm knew it would not be a walk in the park.

Storm got a pair of runs in the top of the first, and in the bottom of the first, Coulas got their first two runners on. This could have been a breakout inning, but the play of the game came on the next batter. A hard line drive was hit and Dave made a diving grab at first for the first out. Storm then held on and Coulas didn’t score a run in the inning.

Stom’s defense would be good for most of the game (especially Greg in right field), which was good, because the batting was not. Aside from a pair of home runs from Joey, Storm had trouble scoring in the first six innings. After six, the score was a too-close-for-comfort 6-5.

In the top of the seventh, Storm finally remembered how to hit.  Bob walked, then Duran smacked a two-run homer. Joey then walked, and Storm used a courtesy runner for him since he was hobbled by a hamstring injury. This turned out to be a very effective use of a courtesy runner, as the next batter grounded to third, but the courtesy runner was able to go quickly enough to put pressure on the defense and force a bobble on the play at 2^nd. Storm put up five more hits and scored four more runs that inning to increase their lead to 12-5.

The extended lead was a good thing, as the defense started to break down in the bottom of the 7^th. Coulas was able to get three runs in to make the score 12-8 before Storm was finally able to close the door.

Streak Watch:

Bob came in to the game with a 100 game hit streak. He walked twice in his first four plate appearances, hit a fielder’s choice and a fly ball out to the fence. His 2^nd walk of the game actually came to lead of the 7^th inning. With a hit streak on the line, he did what was best for the team and took a walk in what would likely be his last plate appearance. Luckily for him, Storm bats got hot. He watched as Storm batted right back around to the top of the order. Jeff came up with two outs, fully aware of the hit streak, and feeling a lot of pressure to get Bob to the plate again, and was able to deliver a single. Bob, ever the dramatic one, in a plate appearance he could not have expected to get, worked the count full before hitting a single to centre and keeping his hit streak alive.

HR's: Joey (2), Duran

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Storm	2	1	1	0	2	0	6	12
Coulas	0	1	0	0	3	1	3	8