Barb the cheerleader and 50/50 ticket seller at Mustang home games

The last got one out, a called third strike, and received credit for the win when new guy Smith, in the bottom of the 9th, walked, then took second on a wild pitch and was knocked in by Maddox with a ground ball through the middle. This makes it 6 in a row for the Mustangs. They now are in first place all by themselves. Maddox seems to be learning how to hit singles as well as home runs these days. His play at first base is getting more polished as well.

The earlier runs came on ground outs and fly balls just before either wild pitches or an odd pick-off play that went awry moved the runners up. The last was fairly funny when left-hander Parrent fooled his first baseman with his tricky pick-off move, so much so that the first baseman started moving toward the plate anticipating a bunt, leaving only the runner covering first, wherein the ball wound up in right field and the runners advanced to 2nd and 3rd, to the delight and  jeering cheers of the audience. This unsettled the pitcher enough that he was soon replaced.

Rhadames Quezada started and got the win with 5 scoreless innings, allowing just two scattered hits by the Great Falls Voyagers. He was followed by three guys from the bullpen, each getting 3, 4 or 5 outs and all looking good on the mound, replaced just for the hell of it because it could be done I guess: Pat Quinn, Matt Leonard, and Brooks Pinckard, the last getting a probable save.

Three hits and three runs were scored by the Mustangs in the 4th inning, after an opening triple by Dickinson, driven in by Silva’s single, and followed by a very high and long home run over the center field black screen by Sean Buckley for two runs. An 8th inning insurance run was added with a good bunt by Silva, a warning HBP to Buckley, and a sharp line drive to right by Maddox.

It would have been another run if HP umpire Marcoe had not made an ass of himself when he was in the wrong position to see whether the tag at 3rd base after a single by Waldrop was made before or after Buckley touched home plate. At least half the audience had a better view of the play than Marcoe did. They let him know that he had made an error.

Curious, because I was just thinking how much everybody was improving: the batters, the pitchers, the defense, even the umpires, particularly with the stability of the strike zone, a critical skill for umpires to master. By the way, we have a very sophisticated fan base when it comes to umpiring skills. They don’t bother them unless they have made an egregious error.

Waipahu, Hawaii has just won the Northwest Regional Legion Baseball Tournament in Billings MT

Bottom of 7th Brewers v Mustangs 3 July 09

It’s more than a little surprising to find the Mustangs having won only two games this far into the season. We didn’t get back early enough on 1 July to make it to the game. Listening to the last few innings on KBUL persuaded us that it was just as well. They lost 10-0. Apparently the defense is averaging about 4 errors per game, adding perhaps a few other disappointing plays that don’t get recorded as errors but neither are they good plays. I’m anxious to see this guy Corcino as he sounded pretty good on the radio.

I did get a chance to see the 2nd game of the three with Helena on 2 July. There were a few good things and many bad things.  Hitting was not one of the good things except for catcher Humberto Sosa. Infield errors,  one critical walk and wild pitches didn’t help matters, expecially in the top of the 9th when the aggressive-running Brewers took advantage of these to score a couple of runs without a hit.

I surprised myself and stayed for the whole game on Friday night, 3 July, the third in as many days with the Brewers. Our Mustangs started looking better with the bat in the middle innings after spotting the Brewers 2 runs in the 2nd and 2 more in the 3rd. The last had some odd things happen as a pop fly to the 2nd baseman doesn’t usually result in a run. I think the runner just surprised Pimental. All of the Brewers’ hits, mostly dinks over the infield, were given up by Astorga in the first 3 innings. The bullpen did well after that, no hits, except for the 6th when Serrano hit a guy and walked another, the catcher Sosa allowed a double steal by fumbling a fast ball strike, and then suffered a passed ball, though it may have been called a wild pitch by the official scorer, after which a sacrifice fly to left scored the ultimate winning run: another one of those 2 run innings without a hit.

The Brewers almost managed to throw the game the Mustangs’ way with errors of their own, a wild throw from the right fielder in the 5th; and very high pop fly the funny-looking 2nd baseman managed to muff in the bottom of the 9th, allowing a running Olivares to get to 2nd with no outs. He was sacrificed to 3rd and then, correctly, tried to score when a ball got past the catcher. It required quick action by the catcher, a perfect throw and a fearless pitcher covering home: all of these were present and a chance at a tie score slipped away, quieting the crowd quickly.

Even though it was a loss things are looking better. When our base-running gets more confident, and maybe the 3rd base coach gets more practice, and the batters get used to the wooden bats and continue to improve, and the pitchers learn how to pitch inside without hitting anyone, and the fielding starts to look like it should, then the Mustangs will start to win regularly.

Some notes from last summer, inspired by a recent Gazette article.

Or, if you go here and search on Dehler Field or maybe Dehler Park there will be a half dozen entries about the Field/Park.