The game wasn't decided until the bottom of the ninth, when with runners on second and third and one out and a 10-8 lead, Jimmy Konstantakis got a pop out to first and a strike out to extinguish a furious rally by the DC Express. There were clutch hits, big defensive plays, aggressive base running, and pressure packed pitching performances in this one.
The Express took the lead 1-0 in the bottom of the first on a two out bloop single, but that just seemed to ignite the Bombers offense. The Bombers answered with two in the top of the fourth, when Pete Geanellis reached on a hit-by-pitch. Ted Martin advanced Pete to second by hitting a ball to short that was misplayed for an error. Mike Girard followed with a RBI single to left, moving Martin to third. After Girard stole second, Ted Poleto picked up the go ahead run with a rbi ground out.
Ted Martin settled in and set the Express down in order in the 4th and 5th innings.
The Express pitcher was not so fortunate. The Bombers struck for two runs in the top of the fifth inning on a walk by Billy Smith, a single by Tom Maney, and a 2-rbi single by Tim Brown.
The Bombers padded their lead to 8-1 with 4 runs in the top of the 6th, on a walk by Ted Martin, a long double by Mike Girard, a 2-rbi single by Ted Poleto, a rbi single by Skip Treece, and a rbi fielder's choice by Paul Celantano.
With a 8-1 lead, management decided to pull Ted Martin and save him for the upcoming games, and on came Ted Poleto in relief. Ted's job was to throw strikes and let his defense do the work. Ted did his part, but the defense let him down by comitting three errors in the bottom of the 6th to allow the Express to close the gap to 8-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Express closed to 8-5 on a couple of walks, a steal and a wild pitch. The rally was cut short, when Mike Labarge threw out a runner trying to steal his way into scoring position. HUGE PLAY.
With a three run lead going into the top of the 8th, the Bombers knew they had to get more runs. The mission was accomplished when Ted Martin led off with a ground ball to short that was misplayed for an error. Mike Girard followed with a single. Mike Labarge laid down a perfect sacrafice bunt to move the runners into scoring position, with one out. Matt Kelly's rbi groundout scored Martin and moved Girard to third. The Express pitcher then bounced a ball in the dirt that got away from the catcher just enough to allow Girard to score and make the score 10-5.
On came Pete Geanellis to pitch for the Bombers. Pete had trouble locating the strike zone, as he allowed three runs on 5 walks and three wild pitches. Jimmy K came on with one out and a runner on first. He got the first batter to pop up behind second base, where the ball dropped in, but the runner was forced at second on a throw from left fielder, Tom Maney. With two outs, the Express tried their luck at stealing second base one more time, but Mike Labarge made another perfect throw to nail the runner and end the inning with the score 10-8. Another huge play!
With just a two-run lead, Jimmy K gave up two solid singles to start out the bottom of the ninth. The Express then bunted the tying runs into scoring position, with one out. That is when our pitchers heart grew four times (like the Grinch), as he got the second out on a pop up to first, and struck out the last batter to preserve the victory.
So the Bombers start the round robin at 1-0, and have a double header tomorrow at the Roger Dean complex.
Stay tuned for results.