August 17, 2006
By J. B. Lano
It looked bad for the Pepsi Ones in the bottom of the 4th, the Miller Highlifes had pounded the Pepsi Ones for 5 quick runs behind the HOT bats of Tony Mas, Ice and The Dentist, while the Ones had gone down meekly for 3 innings. With the daylight cutting the games short, the Pepsi's need a clutch hit. Manny did one better, he gave his team 2. Two absolutely huge clutch bases loaded bases-clearing doubles; one in the 4th and one in the 6th, as the light was fading.
The visiting Miller Highlifes wasted no time jumping on the Host Pepsi Ones. TNB offensive forces Tony Maspo, Ice and Mike martindell provided the firepower in the first.With wiley vet Kenny on the hill for the Pepsis, MM opened the game with a gap double, and after a Pepsi miscue, singles by Ice and Tony gave the 'Lifes a quick 2-zip lead after half an inning.
Ice took the hill for the Highlifes and pitched out of a mini jam in the bottom of the 1st. Ice seemed happy (I mean releived) with his performance and turned the ball over to MadDog for the 2nd.
The Highlifes upped their lead to 3-0 in the top of the 2nd with a clutch 2-out single off the Dentists bat, plating the speedy Mudder, who had singled and stolen second.
MadDog, with a scary wad of RedMan in his cheek, came right after the Pepsi One batters in the second, and retired them quickly.
MadDog handled the Pepsi 3rd easily, working around a harmless Fluffy single. In the bottom of the inning, Dog helped his own cause by doubling home Mark chap, who had singled. Mas plated MadDog with a FC, and the Highlifes claimed a 5-0 3 inning lead.
John Ski finally held the Miller team scorless in the fourth. It was important that he did. Time for the Pepsis to make a move if they wanted to make this game interesting. With Mark chap now hurling for the Highlifes, the Pepsis did get to work.
'Ole Reliable TigerBeast led off the Pepsi 4th with a single. Successive singles by Bullet and Billy De loaded 'em up for Manny.
Fluff took the hill for the Pepsi Ones in the top of the 5th, trying to hold the Millers at bay. The inning started promising for the erstwhile Red Sox and Cubs hurler, with 2 quick fly ball outs. It's Junk-O Rama for Fluff these days, low pitch counts are a must. (Bullet's tosses back to Fluff from the catchers squat were twice as hard as anything fluff was bringing); but that wasn't to be, as the next 4 Miller Highlife batters scratched a variety of singles to plate a run, with the based loaded, 2 outs and Hammer hitting, Hammer grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Fluffy to head to the Clubhouse and wrap his shoulder in Dry Ice.
In the bottom of the 5th, Mark chap, who had been roughed up in the 4th, retired Nails, TigerBeast and Bullet quickly. After 5, darkness looming, 6-5 Highlifes.
Fluff decided to twirl the Roullette Wheel one more time and took the mound for the 6th . Once again, the Fluffster had 2 outs and nobody on, but couldn't quite close the deal. Danny Williams worked a walk, and stole second. This brought up the Dentist, with a duck on the pond.
Bullet was calling for breaking pitches to the Dentist, since he was leaning way out over the plate.
After getting ahead with breaking balls and missing with "fastballs", Fluff broke off a beauty for strike 3!, inning over, Fluff out of trouble!.... wait a minute....Pesci called it Ball 3!...Maybe there was some dirt in his eyes! Should I call a Doctor? Maybe Pesci is blind!...But Pesci was OK, his eyes were "fine" and the Dentist doubled on a 3-2 pitch. After MM trippled in 2 runs, Fluff said "No Mas" and called in Nails to finish up. Nails almost made it out alive, giving up a single and a walk for one more run. But, the damage was done, going into the bottom of the 6th (and last) inning, 9-5 Miller Highlifes.
The Dentist is on the mound for the Miller Highlifes in the bottom of the 6th. Pesci broke out the yellow baseballs, so the Ones knew they had to get busy; this was the TNB bottom of the 9th.
The always clutch Billy De greeted Dentist with a single, and Ski did too. Newcomer Ryan Ski, fast wheels, worked a walk. Up strode Manny. Manny dropped a sweet swing on a Dentist fastball and knocked it into the gap, AGAIN!. Billy and Ski scored easily, but Ryan Ski, one of the 2 fastest guys playing on this night, scored all the way from first, 9-8, NO outs, man on second.
See you next week
