SLB: 16, Party Down: 18

It was a tough night for your Sirs of Baltimore, in spite of a 9-run first inning in which SLB had only one out before the slaughter rule was effected. Things were beginning to look like Game One of the new season, when the Sirs dismantled Patient First with a 19-0 drudging.

Michael K was in good form on the mound, striking out a record-tying five or six batters--and this did not include one obvious strikeout foul ball that was egregiously put in play by the umpire. He admitted that he lost the ball in the lights, but Party Down still claimed the two runs which would prove to be the difference in the game. "Of course it was foul," said LF Emery P, "I had already stopped chasing it."

Michael K said it was clear as soon as the ball came off the bat that it was out of play. "I pitched him to hit that ball," he said.

SLB rookies hit well -- Jay drove three liners into the drink and Brad knocked a homer that traveled to the batters box of Swann Park's second field. SS Kevin D also had several extra base hits and, defensively, made a great cutoff throw to notch an out at second base. Barbara D's tag was placed perfectly on the big runner.

And even with his sore leg, Michael K managed to knock a ball deep enough to amble home. 1B Joan S had a clutch double as well, and 3B James J drove a beauty to deep center. All in all, the Sirs played a solid game of offense, with only the second inning in which they scored no runs.

Defensively, things went about as well as they could, considering the conditions of the field. "That outfield is like a parking lot," Emery P observed after scooping up a couple of base hits. He also registered some great turns at the plate, taking advantage of the rocky ground with his solid liners. Balls landing in the outfield had a tendency to either bounce ten feet or roll speedily down the hill. Playing short a woman, the Sirs had only three fielders out there, increasing the challenge.

Worst of all, the Sirs were themselves slaughtered in the third inning, when the infield couldn't come up with a play. After the game, James J said, "I have to say that was frustrating." Several hard knocks were sent to the hot corner, just out of reach. At SS Adam R fielded a grounder but his throw pulled 1B Joan off the bag. Michael K fielded a comebacker but his throw to first ended up rolling out of play. At 2B, Barbara D put her glove on a ball that ended up thirty feet behind her in right field.

In a post game interview Adam R said, "While the bad call on that foul was the difference-maker, things would have gone differently if we could have made a couple easy plays in that inning."

It was a tough night for your Sirs of Baltimore.