The Chicago Hounds defeated the Trojans 12-11 today in a sloppy, sloppy last regular season game for this Hounds manager. The Hounds overall team baserunning was atrocious, and the defense was even worse, including a 4-error multi-run inning, but the Hounds managed to squeak out a win, just barely.

Nicholas Freeman (#10, P), who originally gave me the idea to start the Hounds when we were on the Red Sox back in 2006, pitched the first inning of the game, and had a clean, scoreless book for his single frame. He threw to his Mexican league battery-mate Hans Hetrick (#18, C), and it was a nice moment for the three of us as I got to secure his 1-2-3 inning with a 6-3 putout from short.
Matt Burch (#6, 1B/P) then took the hill and the Hounds had their first tough inning and the Trojans took a rare early lead. Matthew Steffens (#6, SS/P/3B) then threw 4 solid innings for the win, despite quite a few errors from the Hounds defense. Justin Thornton (#9, 2B/P/SS) and Mike DiCola (#28, RF/1B/EH/P) closed things out in the 7th for the win, with the save credited to DiCola.
We celebrated at K’s and Mel of open mic and Too White Crew fame said the following: (1) when he found out we beat the Electrons for K’s Cup he was teaching guitar for a kid and he got the text from his girlfriend and he yelled: “Oh Shit Yeah!” and the young shocked tutoree looked at him as Mel said “sorry, this is important”; (2) he gave up on baseball after the 1992 strike, but the Hounds have brought him back to baseball and (3) because I cannot be at the next open mic night (I will be in New Orleans) he said he will host a special Hounds open mic on the night of my choosing when I get back in town. Super, super nice gesture from a great guy. There just must be something about people named Mel.

The Hounds play the Vikings tomorrow night at Taft High School, where we expect TJ Rinaldi to hit multiple home runs. Then the Hounds face the Pirates for the 1 game play-in game for the playoffs on Saturday at a field and time to be determined. I hope we win as I will miss both games and I definitely want to play more baseball in the first round of the “real” playoffs the following week.