Playing the miniscule Walker Park proved a tonic for the DC Bullets' embattled offense. Per New York Magazine's rules, the game went nine innings, only three outfielders patrolled the abbreviated expanse of turf, and both teams were limited to three over-the-fence homeruns on a field whose fence is only 200 ft from home plate. It is a fairly high fence, but damn, it's a short one. Thirty hits, including eight for extra bases, paved the way for an 18-5 Bullet win.
DC, however, played rare game without benefit of any Y chromosomes. Where were you, ladies?
Anyway, after Neil Hiremath's popup, the Bullets struck quickly in the top of the first. Mike Lorah lined a single off the pitcher's glove, and Pat Brosseau doubled off the base of the fence. Jay Kogan wasted no time claiming the first home run, crushing a three-run jack over the left field wall (and the street beyond that). NY Mag's clean-up hitter returned the favor in the bottom half, but with one less runner aboard.
The comic book makers put the game away early, scoring nine times in the second, sending fourteen hitters to the plate. After Sal Cipriano's groundout, six straight reached: John Choi singled, Vince Letterio doubled, and Brian Walters drove them both home with a rocket off the right field fence. Larry Ganem legged out an infield single, and Neil lined a base hit to center to load the bases. Mike took advantage of the traffic jam on the bases, homering to center field. After Pat grounded out for the second out, Jay couldn't resist - lining a solo (and the team's last) home run over the fence in right center. Travis Hastback singled, Nel Yomtov doubled, Sal drove in a run with a shot to left, and John did the same before Vince flew out to end the rally.
With the home runs used up, the bats started to look tentative in the middle innings. Neil's two-out single was the only base runner in the third; Jay's base hit the only in the fourth; and DC mustered only singles by John and Vince in the fifth.
Larry Ganem, however, never let NY Mag get any closer, inducing routine popups and groundouts through the middle innings.
DC got back on the board in the sixth. Mike legged out a one-out infield single, moved to second on Pat's hit, to third on Jay's fielder's choice, and then scored on Travis's line single to left.
Travis's first RBI of the year!
Seventh: Sal singled, went first to third on John's single, and John took second on the throw. Vince cashed them both in with a base hit. After Brian grounded out, Larry singled, Neil did the same, driving in Vince, and Mike singled to right to load the bases. Pat popped out, and Jay came up with the bases loaded. Too bad he used the last home run on a solo job! Never the less, Jay lined a two-run single to center to cap a five-run inning and the Bullets' scoring. (Nel did pop one over the fence in the eighth, but that one counted as an out.)
NY Mag tacked on single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth. Along the way, Larry got their clean-up hitter, who'd homered in the first, to ground into an easy force play with two aboard and two out, and Mike made a nice play on a popup in shallow left.
6-5 (1-1 NYMSL), the Bullets face NYMSL newcomer Forbes tonight (weather pending).
Bullet Box:
OF Neil Hiremath - 3-6, 2 R, RBI
3B Mike Lorah - 4-6, 3 R, 4 RBI, home run
C/2B Pat Brosseau - 2-5, R, double
OF Jay Kogan - 4-5, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 home runs
OF Travis Hastback - 2-5, R, RBI
SS Nel Yomtov - 1-5, R, double
1B Sal Cipriano - 2-5, R, RBI, double
OF John Choi - 4-5, 2 R, RBI, double
OF Vince Letterio - 4-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, double
C/2B Brian Walters - 2-5, R, 2 RBI, double
P Larry Ganem - 2-5, 2 R
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