Anthony led the Slams with 2 homers and 5 RBI in their big first inning.
After falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first, the Ham Slams scored 6 runs in the bottom of the first, and despite only scoring one more run the rest of the game, held on to beat the Caucasians 7-5.
The Caucasians headed into the first game of week 4 shorthanded, as they would play without their leader Morrison, and Frosty and Les would also sit the game out. The Ham Slams made some changes as well, displaying new uniforms and becoming the first team in EWL history to don officially matching unis.
The Slams put Quinn on the mound for the first time since week 1, and he got into trouble early. Guthrie, fresh off his enormous week 3, led off the game with a single. Ron followed with a single, and with no outs and runners on first and second, Pat A blasted a three-run bomb, putting the Caucasians up 3-0. It looked as if they would continue to dominate at the plate, like they did in week 3. The Caucasians signed Pat P off the free-agent wire to replace their missing veterans, and Quinn got him to fly out to the mound in his first career at bat. With one out, Guthrie singled for the second time in the inning. Ron followed with a single, also his second of the inning, but Guthrie was retired by Anthony when he tried to advance from first to third, and the inning was over.
Pat’s three-run blast in the top of the first put the Caucasians up 3-0 early
Guthrie started for the Caucasians, and he struggled to start the bottom of the first. Steve led off the inning for the Ham Slams with a single, and the next batter, Anthony, hit a two-run homer. The Slams had cut the deficit to a single run after only two batters. Evan followed with a single, and was held at first when Guthrie got Quinn to fly out to the mound for the first out of the inning. The next batter, Derek, singled, and Evan raced home from first to tie the game at 3-3. The Slams rally would continue, as Steve singled for the second time in the inning, putting runners at first and second with one out. Anthony hit a laser to left off the fence, and after a series of fielding and throwing errors, he raced home for an inside-the-park homer, scoring both runners. The 3-0 deficit the Slams faced heading into the inning quickly became a 3-run lead, as the score was 6-3. The next batter, Evan, tripled, and it looked as if the nightmare inning would continue for Guthrie. But he got the next batter, Quinn, to ground out to left, ending the bottom of the first.
Pat A continued to swing a hot bat in the top of the second, as he led off the inning with a solo homer, and the score was 6-4. It appeared as if this would be another offensive onslaught, with ten runs scored before an out was recorded in the second inning. But following Pat A’s second bomb of the game, the pitcher’s gained control of the game. Pat P followed the homer with a single, his first career hit. Guthrie then singled, but Pat P was retired trying to advance to second on the play for the first out of the inning. Quinn then got Ron to fly out to Anthony in left, ending the inning.
The Slams were up two runs at 6-4, but they couldn’t add to their lead in the bottom of the second. Derek and Steve were retired in order, and Guthrie followed the disastrous first with a solid second inning.
Quinn got things together in the top of the third, as he retired Pat A and Pat P in order, maintaining the 2-run lead.
Quinn retired six consecutive batters in the second, third, and fourth innings
Guthrie pitched another scoreless inning in the bottom of the third, as Anthony and Evan both flew out consecutively.
Quinn matched Guthrie in the top of the fourth, sending down Guthrie and Ron for a scoreless inning.
Guthrie retired Quinn to start the bottom of the fourth, and following Derek’s single, his second of the game, Steve flew out to the mound to end the inning, stranding the runner at first.
Pat A singled to lead off the top of the fifth, his third hit of the game. But Quinn held the runner at first, as Pat P flew out to the mound and Guthrie flew out to left to end the inning.
The Slams added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, starting when Anthony doubled to start the inning. Guthrie got Evan to fly out to the mound for the first out of the inning, but Quinn followed with a single, his first hit of the game, and Anthony scored from second to push the score to 7-4. Guthrie minimized the damage, retiring Derek to end the inning.
Up three runs, the Slams kept Quinn on the mound to finish things out in the top of the sixth. Ron led off the inning with a triple, and the Caucasians were poised to rally. Pat A singled with no outs driving in Ron from third and cutting the score to 7-5. But the next batter, Pat P, flew out to right, and doubled up Pat A at first, ending the inning and the game with a double play.
The Ham Slams moved to 4-3 on the season, and the Caucasians fell to 4-3 with the loss.
W: Quinn (2-0)
L: Guthrie (2-2)
Game Notes:
– Anthony’s inside-the-park home run was the 7th in league history.
– Anthony led the Slams offensively, going 3 for 4 with a double, two homers, 3 runs scored, and 5 RBI.
– Pat A led the Caucasians at the plate, going 4 for 5 with 2 singles, 2 homers, 2 runs scored, and 5 RBI. He drove in all of the Caucasians runs.
– Quinn pitched the complete game win for the Ham Slams, giving up only 5 runs on 11 hits.
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