Josh went 4-for-5 with 2 homers and 5 RBI to lead the Ham Slams to an 8-6 win
The Ham Slams hammered Helal in one of their best offensive showings of the season, and then barely held off a late Eastbound & Dahn rally to pick up an 8-6 win.
Helal, who had pitched a complete game shutout in his last start against Ham Slams, got off to a disastrous start in this outing. Kyle led off the game with a deep solo homer to right field, making the score 1-0. Steve then followed with a solo shot of his own, extending the lead to 2-0. The next batter, Josh, crushed a monster solo bomb to left-center, and the back-to-back-to-back homers put the Ham Slams ahead 3-0. Helal finally regained control, retiring Charlie and Kyle to end the inning.
Things got worse for Helal in the top of the first, when Charlie struck him out to start the game for the first out of the inning. Mark, however, followed with a solo bomb to deep right-center, cutting the score to 3-1. Eastbound & Dahn couldn’t rally though, as Charlie retired Trevar to end the inning.
The top of the second went better for Helal, as he retired Steve to start the inning. Josh singled, but was stranded at first when Charlie grounded out to the mound for the second out.
Charlie struck out Jason to start the bottom of the second, but got into some trouble with one out. Helal doubled, and the next batter, Mark, ripped a two-run homer to right, his second of the game. The home run tied the game at 3-3. Charlie then retired Trevar for the second out, ending the inning.
Mark watches one of his two homers sail over the right field wall
The Ham Slams bounced right back in the top of the third. Kyle led off the inning with a solo homer, his second of the game, putting the Slams ahead 4-3. Steve followed with a triple, and scored when Josh grounded out to left for the first out of the inning. Helal struck out Charlie for the second out of the inning, but the Hams had regained a two-run lead. Charlie then breezed through the bottom of the third, retiring the side in order.
Up two, the Ham Slams got back to work in the top of the fourth. Kyle singled, and moved to second when Steve followed with a single. The next batter, Josh, hit a three-run homer through the tree in left, putting the Ham Slams ahead 8-3. Helal retired the next two batters to end the inning, but the deficit was now five runs.
Charlie had reached his innings limit for the week, so the Ham Slams turned to their bullpen, placing Josh on the mound. He pitched a perfect frame in the bottom of the fourth, maintaining the Ham Slams lead.
Steve flew out to the mound for the first out of the inning in the top of the fifth, but Josh followed with a one-out triple. The Ham Slams couldn’t add to their lead, however, as Helal struck out Charlie to end the inning, stranding the runner at third.
Eastbound & Dahn rallied in the bottom of the fifth, pulling closer to the Ham Slams. Jason led off the inning with a single, and Helal followed with a monster home run to deep center, making the score 8-5. After Mark flew out for the first out of the inning, Trevar hit a triple off the fence. The next batter, Jason, singled, scoring Trevar from third and cutting the deficit to 8-6. But the rally would end there, as Helal flew out to left for the second out, stranding the runner on first.
Trevar tripled and scored as Eastbound & Dahn rallied in the bottom of the fifth
Helal retired the side consecutively in the top of the sixth, and Eastbound would need two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game. Mark led off the game with a single, and moved from first to third when Trevar followed with a single. The tying run was on first, and Jason came to the plate with no outs. He hit a ground ball to center, fielded by Steve for the first out. Steve then pegged Trevar, trying to advance to second, for the second out, ending the game and giving the Ham Slams an 8-6 win.
The win moved the Ham Slams to 6-13 on the year, while the loss dropped Eastbound & Dahn to 8-12. They will head into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak.
W: Charlie (4-8)
L: Helal (4-2)
Game Notes:
– Charlie pitched three innings for the Ham Slams, picking up the win. He 3 runs on 3 hits while striking out 2. Josh also pitched three innings for the Slams, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits.
– Helal took the loss for Eastbound & Dahn. He surrendered 8 runs on 10 hits and struck out 2 batters.
– Josh led the Ham Slams at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a single, a triple, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 5 RBI.
– Steve and Kyle also each had 3 hits for the Ham Slams.
– Mark led Eastbound & Dahn offensive, going 3-for-5 with a single, 2 homers, 2 runs scored, and 3 RBI.
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