Games 5 and 6 : vs. Tri Valley Giants and Tucson Toros

Teddy discusses strategy with Eddie Steve and Paul

We head into game 5 against the Tri Valley Giants in a must win mode to keep alive our playoff hopes. Last year the Tri Valley Giants resembled a bunch of bikers in a remote bar off a desert highway. They did not win a game and their team was not very capable. This year they have revamped the roster and won 3 games already and I recognize only one player from last year and he is coaching first base. He still looks like he would be more comfortable in a biker bar but now he is the only one on the Giants team needing a bandanna. The Giants seem to resemble actuaries this time around with clear cut looks and manners as opposed to the brawlers of years past.

Charley, Paul, Dave and Teddy Ballgame

Manger Eddie Jusino turns to Dick Mondello in a surprise move to start the game on the mound. Mondello is eager and “jacked up “as he aims to gets us back on winning trail. But his eagerness does not help him on the mound as he gives up a few early hits and also hits three batters and we quickly fall behind 4-0 in the second inning . We face a very average pitcher but against us he pitches like Sandy Koufax as mount only feeble rallies and lose the game we needed to win.. Mustering only 5 hits on the day we know the offense has to pick it up for us to progress beyond the pool of also- rans. There is not much good to report in this game and now we prepare to face the Tuscon Toros , who are winless to date in an effort to sneak into the playoffs.


The Toros are not looking to go home empty handed though and after making the playoffs last year they are disappointed to be winless and plan to give their best shot to winning a game. Ed Jusino counters with Steve Kunken on the mound. Steve was the winner in the Metro Rebels game and will give us a good chance to win.

We open slowly as the offense again stalls and the Toros jump to an early 3-1 lead.
But in the fifth we get a a walk from Marc Brenner with an out to give us a base-runner and then a single bringing up Dick Mondello. Dick, also known as “Teddy Ballgame”, responds with a line drive to left center field that rolls to the wall scoring two and teddy races to third . We are tied but the momentum seems to have swung our way. We follow with a single by Vito Pepe and take the lead. Baseball is a game where one seemingly small event can lead to another and soon the spiral of events cascades to a waterfall.
The LI Athletics then continued the rally to take a commanding 6 run lead and coasted home thereafter to give us a 3-3 record. Steve pitched a complete game and we awaited the playoff designations knowing we would be a very low seed. On the defensive side Dick Mondello threw out two would be stealers with great throws to second.