The new-look* Chicago Hounds dropped their first contest of the 2015 CMBA season on a beautiful 80 degree day at Taft High School. The Red Sox won the game in the bottom of the 7th inning with a walk off hit to center field that took advantage of the cement-like fielding conditions at Taft, as the ball bounced 30 feet to the right of our centerfielder unexpectedly, driving in the runner from 2nd. Red Sox won 7-6.

And yet, after spending the past hour doing the stats, it seems simply amazing that the Hounds were even in this game.

The Hounds walked only 1 time, were not hit by any pitches, reached safely on only 1 Sox error, and had 10 hits (including 2 doubles and 2 triples), which = 12 total baserunners. 50% of those runners scored, with only 6 L.O.B. (left on base).

But the Red Sox reached on 8 hits (including a double, a triple, and a home run), 10 walks, 4 hit-by-pitches, and a solitary Hound error which = a whopping, mind-numbing 23 baserunners.

With those numbers, how was this a 1-run game?

Simply put, great Hound defense, and 11 Red Sox men being left on base by the 6 Hound pitchers.

The Hounds picked 2 Red Sox off at first base, threw a runner out at third base from center field, and in one of the most amazing Hound plays in history, threw 2 runners out at the plate on the very same play!! The bases were loaded, the Sox batter hit what should have been a grand slam home run, but the 7-6-5-2 double cut relay from deep, deep in left field gunned down two Red Sox at the plate nearly simultaneously. The Hounds and their fans (and yes, there were quite a few today!) went wild, particularly as at the time it preserved a 5-4 Hound lead.

Unfortunately the Sox scored 1 more in both the 5th and 6th. So the Hounds needed a run to tie in the 7th to keep the game going (and they did, with 2 outs!), but then the Sox scored in the 7th on the aforementioned bad bounce.

Despite the loss and the 14 free-passes to Sox batters, overall it was a great first effort for the Hounds. I will introduce you to the veterans and new players in later write-ups (for new readers I usually try to involve details on each player, but combined with the stats and this write-up I am a couple hours in and ready to quit for now).

The next Hound game is Saturday 5/9 at Winnemac Park at 12:15 pm v. the Yankees. Bring all moms for mother’s day weekend!

* (Did you make it all the way to the end to the asterisk/footnote? I say “new-look” because of 8 rookies playing in their first Hound game today, and also because the Hounds were wearing new blue temporary jerseys with red letters, numbers, and names on the backs while their regular fill-in jerseys are on back order.)