Sisyphus' fate, let's hope the 'rock' doesn't roll back

The Carney Pirates finished their third Jacob’s Cup Tournament contest squeezing out one more cliffhanger over the Fairfax Nationals  5 to 4. Now they can stick around for the 7PM game against the Cardinals.  Here are some highlights…

After one inning the score is 1 to 1. George Piccirilli drives a double down the left field line. Chad Morgan, who has been red hot this week, smacks a line drive bringing home Piccirilli.

The strong Pirate defense held the Nationals through the second and third innings. With two outs in the Pirates third, Rob Lamas hammers a line drive sending Piccirilli home, scoring for the second time in the game. After three, the Pirates go up 2 to 1.

No change in the score through the fourth inning. The Pirate defense is playing strong and crisp behind Matt Crouse. Tim McCormick fires a rocket from right field to nail a runner at third, slowing down the Nats momentum.  Going into the bottom of the fifth the score remains 2 to 1. With runners on the corners and no outs, Piccirilli does the job with a sacrifice fly sending Costello home. The Nats defense hanging tough, finish the inning with the score  Pirates 3, Nationals 1. The Nationals, having completing 14 innings last night at 11:30pm, still have a lot of competitive spirit left.

The sixth begins with the Nationals loading the bases and no outs. After a strike out, the Nats tie the score on a line drive through the right side. The meat of their lineup is having a terrific day at the plate, reducing superstar Crouse to mere mortal status. With the score tied, the Pirates defense steps up and Matt guts it out and finishes the threat with a job well done, only allowing two. Pirates can’t get across home plate and the sixth ends with the score tied at 3. Once again another white knuckler  for both teams.

Reed Bromley comes on in relief  for the Pirates to begin the seventh inning. The defense backs him up nicely as they leave the field with no change in the score. Chad Morgan once more  reaches base safely and advances to second on a passed ball. With two outs Matt Snyder, always a deep threat, powers a two-run homer over the center field fence. The Pirates appear to have generated some breathing room and go into the eighth up 5-3.

Nothing for either squad in the eighth. One more to go.

Pirates are up by 2 as the ninth inning begins, but no one’s claiming victory yet. The Nationals have been like zombies all week, they just won’t go away. Nationals put a runner at first who advances on a passed ball. Another base hit and they have runners on the corners and no outs. A fine catch by Matt Murakami at second records the first Fairfax out of the inning. A walk loads up the bases and Adam Young is called on to win it for the Pirates. Nationals’ Brig Tison smacks his 5th hit of the day on a hard drive to right field to score a run, but when league leading hitter and fine baserunner Johnny Bladel (3 hits) tries to score from second, once again Mr. Cannon in rightfield, Tim McCormick unleashes a bullet that nails him at the plate – talk about ‘money’.  Two outs with runners on second and third with the score  5 to 4, what’s new! Young falls quickly behind two balls, battles back to a 2-2 count, when Matt Snyder makes an unassisted putout on a grounder and touches first base for the final out of the game. Pirates keep hope alive with a 5 to 4 victory over the Fairfax Nationals.

What’s Next?

The Pirates now must promptly play the undefeated Cardinals at 7:00pm, a team that has given the Pirates headaches and heartbreaks all season long. The Pirates must sweep the Cardinals in a Saturday/Sunday doubleheader (season ends upon losing) a doable, but formidable challenge (yeah, yeah, we know, play it one game at a time – so cut our pay if you don’t like our writing). Any Pirate championship would be hard earned and well deserved because it would require going through Pirate killer, Austin Poretz (8-0 CGL, 4-0 vs. Pirates). Here’s hoping Jim Toman is watching pitch count!