Dinger surrendered only one earned run on five hits as the Fish Sticks scored three runs in the fifth inning to defeat Pumice on Slow! 5-1 and pull even with 4 out of 5 Dentists in the standings heading into week 10.
Pumice! sent John to the hill in only his second start of the season. Blose led off the game with a single, and moved to second when Dinger singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Joey came to the plate with a big RBI chance, but was fanned by John for the first out of the inning. John worked his way out of the jam, getting Vassallo to fly out to the mound, and escaped the first without blemish.
Dinger had a routine bottom of the first, retiring both John and Luke with flyouts and keeping the game scoreless through one.
John kept the momentum rolling in the top of the second, when both Blose and Dinger were put out by Luke in left field.
Brad singled to start the bottom of the second, but Dinger held him at first as John and Luke were retired to end the second inning with the score 0-0.
Joey doubled to start the third inning, and the next batter, Vassallo, singled. But both Joey and Vassallo were caught off base, Joey trying to advance to third and Vassallo having rounded first, and Pumice! turned the double play to get out of the inning.
Dinger retired Brad for the first out of the bottom of the third, but the next batter, John, crushed a solo homer to put Pumice! on the board with a 1-0 lead. Luke followed with a one out single, but he was stranded at first when Brad flew out to center field to end the inning.
Down a run, Blose grounded out to lead off the top of the fourth. With one out, Dinger hit a solo homer to tie the game at 1-1 and help his own cause on the mound. Joey grounded out for the second out of the inning, and the game was even through three and a half innings.
John singled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, but was held at first when Dinger retired Luke and Brad consecutively.
With the score 1-1, Vassallo singled to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Blose followed with a single, and Vassallo hustled all the way to third on the hit, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Dinger came up with two men on and grounded out, but Vassallo scored from third on the play and the Sticks had manufactured a run, taking a 2-1 lead. Blose moved to second on the play and was in scoring position. With one out, Joey hit a two run home run to left-center field, pushing the Fish Sticks lead to 4-1. Vassallo doubled for his second hit of the inning, but was held at second when Blose grounded out to end the inning.
After giving up three runs in the top half of the inning, Pumice! was unable to muster any offense in the bottom of the fifth. Dinger retired John and Luke in order to keep the score 4-1.
John struck out Dinger for the first out of the inning, his second strikeout of the game. But the next batter, Joey, doubled with one out, and scored from second when Vassallo followed with a double. John retired Blose for the second out of the inning, stranding Vassallo at second.
Pumice! came to bat in the bottom of the sixth down four runs, and Brad led off the inning by grounding out to left field. John singled with one out, but Pumice! couldn’t rally as Luke grounded out for the second out of the inning. Dinger closed the door on a complete game win, giving the Fish Sticks the 5-1 victory.
Game Notes:
– the win pulled the Fish Sticks to 10-8 on the year, tied for second in the standings with 4 out of 5 Dentists with two games for each team remaining to be played
– Joey paced the Fish Sticks on offense, going 3-5 with two doubles, a homer, two runs scored, and 2 RBI
– John led Pumice! offensively, going 3-6 with two singles, a home run, and an RBI
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