Shady Characters celebrate at the plate after one of Thomas’s three homers in the 14-8 victory
Despite playing with a reserve player, and only one game after losing in one of the most historically lopsided games in EWL history, Shady Characters scored nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to beat Cheap Goats 14-8. Thomas went 5-for-7 with three home runs and six RBI to lead Shady Characters, and Donut Man, filling in to complete the roster, hit for the cycle, as Shady Characters handed Cheap Goats one of the more disappointing losses in recent memory.
Christian started on the mound, and Shady Characters got to him early. Thomas led off the game with a double, and he scored when Nate followed with an RBI single that put Shady Characters in front 1-0. Two batters later, Donut Man, in his first at-bat of the 2024 season, hit a two-run homer, making the score 3-0. Christian retired Thomas to end the inning, and Cheap Goats trailed by three runs.
Cheap Goats cut into the lead in the bottom of the first. Joey led off with a double, and two batters later, Christian hit a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Shady Characters starter, Lucas, retired Dinger to end the inning, and the lead was one run.
Christian rolled through the top of the second, retiring Nate and Lucas in order.
Cheap Goats came to life in the bottom of the second, taking the lead. Kevin singled, but was called out trying to extend the hit into a double. Joey then singled, and Courtlen followed with a two-run bomb, putting Cheap Goats ahead 4-3. Christian followed with his second homer in as many at-bats, and the back-to-back jacks gave Cheap Goats a 5-3 lead. Dinger singled, and Kevin followed with a two-run homer, extending the Cheap Goats lead to 7-3. Joey then homered, and Cheap Goats second pair of back-to-back homers in the inning made the score 8-3. Lucas finally retired Courtlen to end the inning, and Cheap Goats had scored six runs to take a five-run lead.
Christian retired Donut Man to start the top of the third, and Thomas followed with a solo homer, narrowing the Cheap Goats lead to 8-4. Christian then retired Nate to end the inning.
Christian singled to lead off the bottom of the third, and Dinger followed with a single, putting runners on first and second with no outs. It looked as if Cheap Goats would rally again, but Lucas buckled down, retiring Kevin and Joey to strand both runners, escaping the inning unscathed.
Lucas led off the top of the fourth with a solo homer, and the score was 8-5. Donut Man followed with a double, but Christian retired Thomas and Nate to strand him at second, and the Cheap Goats lead was three runs.
Lucas retired Courtlen and Christian in order in the bottom of the fourth, and Shady Characters started a charge in the top of the fifth.
For the second consecutive inning, Lucas led off with a solo homer, cutting the score to 8-6. Donut Man tripled, and Thomas followed with a two-run homer, tying the game at 8-8. Nate hit a solo shot, and the back-to-back homers gave Shady Characters a 9-8 lead. Christian was pulled from the game, and Dinger came to the mound from the bullpen. He retired Lucas and Donut Man to end the inning.
Christian delivers a pitch to Nate, who completed a pair of back-to-back homers with Thomas in the Shady Characters win
Lucas once again cruised through the bottom of the fifth, retiring Dinger and Kevin in order.
Shady Characters opened up a big lead in the top of the sixth. Thomas singled, and two batters later, Lucas hit a one-out RBI single to make the score 10-8. Donut Man singled, giving him the cycle for the first time in his career, and putting runners on first and second with one out. Thomas emptied the bases with his third homer of the game, a three-run shot that put Shady Characters in front 13-8. Nate then homered, the second time he and Thomas hit back-to-back homers in the game, and Shady Characters led 14-8. Dinger struck out Lucas to end the sixth, and Cheap Goats trailed by six runs heading into their final at-bat.
Lucas had reached his innings limit for the week, so Thomas came to the mound to close things out. He made quick work of Cheap Goats, retiring Joey and Courtlen in order, ending the inning and the game, and giving Shady Characters a surprising 14-8 win.
The win moved Shady Characters to 10-6 on the season, and the loss dropped Cheap Goats to 6-10.
W: Lucas (4-3)
L: Christian (3-6)
Game Notes:
– Lucas earned the win for Shady Characters allowing eight runs on eleven hits in five innings.
– Thomas pitched one inning of flawless relief for Shady Characters.
– Christian took the loss for Cheap Goats, giving up nine runs on ten hits in four innings.
– Dinger pitched two innings of relief for Cheap Goats, surrendering five runs on five hits and striking out one.
– Thomas led Shady Characters on offense, going 5-for-7 with a single, a double, three home runs, five runs scored, and six RBI.
– Donut Man also went 4-for-6 for Shady Characters, hitting for the cycle, scoring three runs, and driving in two.
– Joey and Christian each had three hits in the Cheap Goats loss. Joey went 3-for-5 with a single, a double, a home run, three runs scored, and an RBI. Christian went 3-for-4 with a single, two home runs, two runs scored, and three RBI.
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