Volcanoes erupt for 5 runs in 8th to surge to 7-2 win over Greenwood Ridge Dragons

Volcano eruption from Mount Pinatubo in 1991 

The Portland  Volcanoes drew  the Greenwood Ridge Dragons for game 1 of the 6 game round robin. The Dragons are a solid team and are expected to compete for the division championship. But the Volcanoes are here in Arizona to compete as well.

Your faithful correspondent has the ball for Game 1. Charlie Zunda will be catching for me but the only other teammate  I know is  John McCormick, a first baseman from Long Island  with a sarcastic wit and solid bat. But I know that all baseball players are alike in they want good players to play with  and will welcome a player that helps them to win.

So I take the mound with a bright sunshine and a does of optimism even as I  know from prior tournament play the Dragons are likely to in the running for the title.

Dragons have been fun to have around for storytellers since the beginning of written records.It’s easy to see why we keep coming back to them. Regal yet terrifying, these mystical creatures create instant conflict, what with all their fire-breathing and treasure-hoarding. I check their bench as I take the field and assure myself there are no scally winged creatures breathing fire.

 A Tough Foe Indeed 

We open the game and Charlie calls for a fastball to start things off. We get a foul ball and the game is on. Charlie calls for the change-up and the ball is hit to our shortstop Doug Rosario who fields the ball cleanly and throws to first for an out. . The second hitter hits a 2 strike curve up in the zone,  up the middle for a base hit and the Dragons have a runner.  But a ground ball to second baseman Jack Thompson is fielded cleanly and tossed to Doug at second  and over to first for an inning ending double play. Wow ! A terrific play and a sign the team can make the plays. We go out quietly in the first but the game is on and both teams sense this will be tight game.

The Dragons draw first blood in the second when they lead off with pop fly towards left that no one can get to. A stolen base gets the runner in scoring position with no outs. A shallow pop up towards third is caught but the throw to catch the runner off second gets by and the Dragons lead 1-0 after 2.  They get a second run in the fourth on another pop fly that falls in and a stolen base. With the runner on second and 1 out I get ahead 0-2 on fastballs. Charlie calls for the fast ball up at the shoulders in effort to get a swinging strikeout . I was thinking curve down low a but reconsider Charlie's suggestion and throw the fastball. However,it is not shoulder high but more waist high middle of the plate  and has a sign on it "Hit Me Hard". The Dragon hitter generously accommodates me with a line drive to left field scoring the Dragons second run and we trail 2-0 after 4 innings as the Dragon pitcher Dennis Bradlin has 6 strikeouts already.


But the Volcanoes have heart and get a couple runners on base in the fifth inning. With two out center-fielder Russ Bicknell drives a single to center to tie the game at 2. The fans are jubilant and  WAVE  goes around the park in joyful celebration. 

The game moves along  quickly to the top of the 8th inning still tied at 2. Steve Heilman  leads off with a single and the Volcanoes have the go ahead run at first. Charlie Zunda follows with a one hop grounder that bounces over the head of the third baseman and we have runners at first and second with no outs. This brings up an obvious bunt situation but Rudy Ernst got the job done and advanced the runners. The baseball gods love the job Rudy did  and we  feel the baseball gods are with us.
 This bunt forces big changes as the defense has to play in now.  Russ Bicknell came to the plate with the infield drawn in trying to cut off the go ahead run. He responded in a big fashion blasting a bomb over the head of the right fielder for a two run triple and a 4-2 lead. Johnny Mac followed with a double to right center field scoring Russ  making the score 5-2.  Manager Dave Kenny doubled to right center scoring Johnny Mac. Craig Beatley rapped a single to make the score 7-2 . Your faithful correspondent finished  up the 8th and 9th and Volcanoes grab their first win in round robin play.