July 11 PVOTB Allstar Game

This year's allstar game was a pitcher's duel that ended in 1-1 tie after 9 innings. I pitched 3 innings and gave up the lone run for my team. As far as I was concerned the real story of the game was not the pitchers duel but the way we scored our run.

"Nails" is the catcher for the Mustangs. If I were to choose a nail that "Nails" most resembles I think it would be a 1" roofing nail. He's a little vertically challenged but is as tough as they come. Like most catchers, Nails is not a particularly fast runner.

Miracle #1: Nails was the lead off batter in the 7th or 8th inning. We had had also no success at all against the other team's pitchers. Maybe 2 hits up to this point. Nails hits a dribbler down the 3rd base line that is just far enough away from the pitcher and the 3rd baseman that he's able to beat it out for a hit.

Miracle #2: The catcher for the other team is G-Rock. He's one of the best over 30 catchers I've seen. Nothing gets by him and he has an accurate cannon for an arm and a quick release that is virtually suicide to run on for all but the fastest runners. There's no way Nails can steal on him - impossible. One or two pitches into the next at bat Nails takes off for second - awful jump. Maybe a missed hit-and-run or a delayed steal? In any case, everyone is shocked including G-Rock who throws high and late. Nails is safe at second!

Miracle #3: A ball get past G-Rock (a wild pitch I think) and Nails moves up to 3rd.

Miracle #4: We make a couple of outs and a batter walks so we've got 1st and 3rd with two outs. The infielders huddle around the mound discussing what to do if the runner on first tries to steal. On the bench a few of us are discussing whether or not the runner on first should try to steal. I think he shouldn't. We've got a good hitter up (2nd or 3rd in the line up I think) and a hit ties the game. It's not worth risking getting thrown out at 2nd (especially with G-Rock catching). 1st or 2nd pitch the runner at first takes off. The pitch is outside a little so G-Rock has to go out to get it. He releases his usual quick, laser beam throw to second but it's off line to the right and gets by the second baseman. Nails scores from 3rd (and I'm off the hook for the loss)!

Nails gets my vote for MVP of the 2009 PVOTB Allstar game.