Les posted the best pitching performance of the 2012 season to date, with a 3-hit shutout of the Ham Slams
Les was dominant on the mound, giving up only 3 hits as the Caucasians breezed past the Ham Slams 7-0.
One of the hits Les gave up came in the top of the first inning. After Craig grounded out to center for the first out, Evan doubled off the right-center field wall. It was the furthest a Ham Slams base runner would advance in the entire game. Les got the next batter, ALec, to ground out to the mound, stranding the runner at second and ending the inning.
The Slams sent their southpaw, Evan, to them mound, and aside from one inning, he was effective. He got Morrison to fly out to the mound for the first out of the inning, but the next batter, Guthrie, crushed a solo shot to straight-away center, putting the Caucasians up 1-0 early. The next batter, Les, singled with one out, but was held at first, as Evan got Ron to fly out to the mound to end the inning.
Les cruised through the top of the second, retiring Charlie and Craig in order for a scoreless inning.
Evan got back on track in the bottom of the second, as Morrison and Guthrie were retired consecutively to end the inning.
Alec and the Ham Slams fielded well, aside from the disastrous 6-run third inning
After Evan flew out to center for the first out in the top of the third, Alec singled, but Les got Charlie to ground out to the mound, stranding the runner at first and ending the inning.
The Caucasians provided all the run support they needed with a single run in the bottom of the first, but they added a few more in the bottom half of the third inning. Les led off the inning with a single, and moved to second with Ron followed with another single. With runners on first and second, Morrison doubled, scoring Les from second and pushing Ron to third. With the score 2-0 and runners on secnod and third, Guthrie blasted his second homer of the game, a 3-run shot that extended the Caucasians lead to 5-0. With no outs and no one on, Evan got Les to fly out to the mound for the first out of the inning. But the Caucasians weren’t finished. Ron singled, and the next batter, Morrison, hit a 2-run bomb to left-center, putting the Caucasians ahead 7-0. Guthrie flew out to Alec in left for the second out of the inning, but the Caucasians had a seven run lead through three innings.
Guthrie’s solo shot in the first was all Les needed, but his 3-run homer in the third put the game away for good
Craig led off the top of the fourth with a single, and moved to second when Evan grounded out to right for the first out of the inning. But with one out and a runner on second, Evan grounded out to center, ending the inning and stranding the runner.
Les flew out to left for the first out in the bottom of the fourth, and Ron followed with a one-out double. But the Caucasians couldn’t add to their lead, as Evan got Morrison to ground out to left, stranding Ron at second and ending the inning.
The Slams couldn’t rally in the top of the fifth, as Guthrie retired Charlie and Craig in order for a perfect inning.
Evan held the Caucasians lead at 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth, as Guthrie and Les both flew out to end the inning.
Down seven, the Slams couldn’t put a runner on base in their final at-bat in the top of the sixth. Evan and Alec each grounded out to Guthrie in center, as Les retired the final six batters he faced, completing a 3-hit shutout of the Ham Slams.
A game after scoring 13 runs, the Ham Slams were confused by Les’s pitching
The win moved the Caucasians to 7-4 on the year, a half-game back of the 7-3 Fish Sticks, and the Ham Slams fell to 4-7 on the year, a half-game ahead of 3-7 Bobby Brown.
W: Les (2-0)
L: Evan (0-3)
Game Notes:
– Les became the first pitcher in 2012 to throw a shutout. He was the last pitcher to do it, when he threw one on July 5th of last year, nearly a year ago. In 2011 there were 6 shutouts. Of the 7 shutouts in league history, Les has been a part of 3 of them.
– No Ham Slams baserunner advanced beyond second base.
– Guthrie led the Caucasians at the plate, going 2 for 5 with 2 homers and 4 RBI. Ron also went 3 for 4 with 2 singles and a double.
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