Friday, July 19, 2013

Bullets Win Scorcher over Paris Review

Sure, it was a zillion degrees Thursday evening, but that's not going to stop the DC Bullets. Armed with gallons of fluid, the comic book makers made their way to North Meadow #2 to square off against the literary magazine Paris Review. The Review took an early lead, then DC went on top, only to lose their advantage, regain it, lose it and regain one final time to walk away, tired and quite dehydrated, with a 14-10 win.

Highlighted by a two-run home run to right field, Paris Review struck for four runs in the first, immediately putting the Bullets back on their heels. However, as they've done all summer long, the top of DC's order went to work, digging the team out of the early hole. Christine Napolitano led off with a line single to left, and after Bill McLaughlin flew out to center, Andrew Arnold crushed a long home run to left center. Mike Lorah nearly mirrored Andrew's feat, smashing a long drive to right center, but unable to match Andrew's speed, Mike had to settle for a triple. The Captain, Sal Cipriano, drove Mike home with a groundout to short, cutting the Paris Review's lead to one. Joel Press and Emily Winter picked up two-out hits, but David "Impulse" Pina rolled over a fielder's choice to close out the first.

Paris Review added an insurance run in the second, but it wasn't enough to hold the lead. With one out, Taylor Esposito, CNap and Bill each singled to load the bases. Andrew continued to punish Paris Review pitching, smoking a two-run double and tying the game. For the afternoon, Andrew missed hitting for the cycle by only a triple. Then Mike's seven-mile high sacrifice fly to right center put DC ahead.

Holding Paris Review scoreless in the third, the Bullets pushed their lead to three runs. Again, three one-out singles loaded the bases. This time, Emily, Impulse and Andrew 2 were aboard, and it was Taylor socking a two-run double. DC, however, missed a chance to score even more when CNap popped up on the infield and Bill flew out to center.

Paris Review responded to the three run Bullet lead decisively, tallying three runs of their own and knotting the game at eight runs apiece, but the comic book makers still had the home field advantage. In the last of thee fourth, they used a little two-out magic to retake the lead. After Andrew's single, Mike popped up and Sal grounded into a fielder's choice. Joel, however, picked up his mates with a bomb to deep left. Joel wound up at third, barely, and Sal scored to put DC back on top. Emily drove Joel home, lining a single into left center. Impulse and Andrew 2 also singled to reload the bases, but this time Taylor went down swinging.

Paris Review's centerfielder, who'd clubbed a two-run homer in the first, got into another of Emily's pitches in the top of the fifth, tying the game with another long two-run blast. In the last of the fifth, with time running out on the permit, DC had one more chance to put the game away.

CNap grounded to short, Bill singled and Andrew popped up. With two outs and chances running dry, Mike scalded a single off Paris Review's second baseman and the Captain laced a bullet to left, plating Bill with the go-ahead run. The game continued, on the off chance that we might, however unlikely, be able to squeeze in another frame of softball, but the long delay that followed Joel's booming two-run double - which led to a considerable fair/foul debate (DC's ground rules: base coaches make fair/foul and safe/out calls, so I'll stand behind CNap on this one.) - made the effort moot. Singles from Emily and David scored Joel as well, before Andrew 2 bounced into a game-ending fielder's choice.

7-5 (3-4 NYMSL), the Bullets rematch Institutional Investor next Thursday on North Meadow #2 in NYMSL action.

Bullet Box:
2B/RF Christine Napolitano - 2-4, 2 R
CF Bill McLaughlin - 2-4, 2 R
LF Andrew Arnold - 3-4, R, 4 RBI, double, home run
3B Mike Lorah - 2-3, 2 R, RBI, triple
1B Sal Cipriano - 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
SS Joel Press - 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, double, triple
P Emily Winter - 4-4, R, RBI
C/2B/RF David Pina - 3-4, R, RBI
C/2B/RF Andrew Marino - 2-4
C Taylor Esposito - 2-3, R, 2 RBI, double

DC Player of the Game: Andrew Arnold

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