The Hounds defeated the Red Sox 4-1 today in the best overall game of the Hounds’ 2019 CMBA season. Both teams brought their best today, and there were at most 1-2 errors overall. The pitching on both sides was outstanding and it was just a tremendously solid win for the Hounds.It also was perhaps the highest attended game for Hounds fans of all time, even back to the 2007 inaugural season of the Hounds–there were 25+ people in attendance cheering on the Hounds. Nick Ingram’s family entire extended family was there, Matt Burch’s friends were there, Mel’s parents were there, the triumvirate was there (of course), Meghan too!, it was just a remarkable turnout from the fans. And that continued for 5+ hours at K’s Dugout until Karen told us very clearly that we needed to close out.
Charlie #3 Phil Zelenka (#24, P) was the Hounds opener on the mound, and he pitched a clean no-run first inning, in no small part due to the 9-5 double play on a fly ball to right that Garrett Eddy (#22, RF/P) threw on a line to third base to mow down the runner trying to move from third to second. It was a classic “show out.” Casey Peterson (#30, P) then took the hill for 4 innings and the win, and then Eddy finished with a solid two-inning save to close out the game.
The Hounds scored their first run in the fourth inning as Brian Lehman (#2, SS) singled and stole a base. Eddy and Tony Correa (#13, C) then both singled, driving in Lehman. The Hounds scored 3 more in the fifth inning as TJ Rinaldi (#1, CF) led off with a hit by pitch. Matt Burch (#6, 1B) singled and then Nick Schmidt (#23, DH/RF) singled, driving in Rinaldi. Lehman singled again and then Matthew Steffens (#5, 3B) singled, driving in Burch and Schmidt for a 4-1 Hound lead. Eddy then smoked the Red Sox batters with a steady diet of fastballs to secure the win.
The Hounds defense was absolutely sparkling today, with only a single unimportant error. Rinaldi had a crucial game-saving catch in center field with the bases loaded (had he not caught the ball, the game would have been tied), Eddy had the show-out throw to third, and Steffens had 2 quality plays in the grass at third. It was just an all-around fine offense, defense, and pitching day for the Hounds.
The Hounds are now 4-3 and will play the 5-0 Aviators at Winnemac Park on Tuesday May 28 (this is a makeup game from an earlier rainout). See you there!