Written by Biko Skalla:
The Nanners scored in seven different innings in a relentless 10-1 pounding of the Flamingos.
It all started with a David, Moo Moo, Meadows, walk and an Armando, I Wasn’t Last on the Bus, Becerra, hit-by-pitch. With the boys on first and second, Livan, I’m Number 19 Now, Reinoso, laced a double to left-center scoring D.R. The cut off throw went to third to try and nab Mando but it was wild and went to the fence allowing Becerra to score as well. Jared, Thanks for the Force at Home, Donalson, got a sharp grounder to short that ricocheted off Jack, The Flappy Golf Fiend, Renwick, into shallow left-center for what was ruled a single with an E-6 that allowed Francesco, Prosecco, Barbieri, to get to second. Mac, McClung, McCroskey, bounced a ball to second that Dylan, I Mean First is My Fourth Position, Kurahashi-Choy Foo, went after so Donny had to cover first base and he couldn’t beat McCroskey to the bag. With first and third and nobody out, Donalson walked Jacob, The Short God, Hinderleider, to load the bases. After a visit to the mound from Corey, I Gave Him This Plan, Pye, Donalson got a bouncer back to the mound and he started a 1-2-3 double play. He induced a grounder to Renwick at short to strand men on second and third and get out of the jam unscathed.
Jack led off the second inning with a walk, got to second on an error from the pitcher, Justin, I’d Rather Not Throw Against the Bananas Please, Lovell, was pushed to third on a fielder’s choice, and then scored on a groundout from Livan. In the bottom half, Jared used two grounders and a flyout to work around a walk.
Leading off the third, Beau, Real Mean Hit Singles, Brewer, ripped a single to left and then stole second. With one out, Bryce, Mr. Base on Balls, Madron, walked and Choy-Foo lined a single to left to load the bags. Renwick smoked a single to left as well, bringing home Brewer, and then Mando walked to push in Madron. Donny picked up a pair of K’s and a flyout to strand another walk in the bottom half.
With one away in the fourth Beau walked and then with two down Bryce took his second free pass of the night. Then KFC smashed a double to left-center to bring in Brewer and Madron, making it 7-0. In the bottom half, Donalson picked up two more strikeouts and a groundout to work around a one-out single.
Meadows led off the fifth with an infield single and got to second on a throwing error by the third baseman. With one gone, Livan lined a single to left scoring D.R., turning the extra point into a two-point conversion. Donalson finished his evening in the bottom of the fifth with his fifth K and a pair of groundouts, putting a bow on a dynamite start.
Bryson, The Loud Out Legend, Bloomer, led off the sixth with a walk and then swiped second. With two outs, Renwick stroked a single to left scoring The Boomer to make it nine-zip. Charlie, ATfleM, Fleming, came in for the bottom half and got a grounder, flyout and a strikeout to pitch around a walk in his first inning of work.
The boys didn’t score for the first time all night in the seventh, as Indiana, Just Happy to be Invited to the Party, Stanley, was stranded on second after a two-out double. In the bottom of the seventh Fleming picked up two more K’s and then got a groundout to strand yet another walked Flamingo.
In the eighth a one-out walk of Bryce and then a two-out double from Brody, I Said I Wasn’t Getting Out Tonight, Wortham, set up Meadows for a line drive single to right that scored Madron, making it 10-0. With Fleming in his third inning of work, the Flamingos used a one out single and double to push across their only run of the evening.
Max, I Can’t Believe He’s Not Jewish!, Bergmann, worked around an error to start the ninth inning by blowing up the next three hitters with smelly, smelly cheese to strikeout the side and secure the 10-1 win.
The offensive onslaught was highlighted by:
Livan: 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI
Meadows: 2-5, BB, RBI, 2 R
Madron: 0-1, 3 BB, HBP, 3 R
Choy-Foo: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Renwick: 2-3, 2 RBI, R
It was also a heck of a job on the bump by Donny, Fleming, and Bergmann, who combined to strikeout 11 and strand 10 Flamingos on-base.
The fellas improved to 26-10 and have a 7.5 game lead in the CPL West with 12 games to play, although they trail the Morehead City Marlins by 1.5 games in the race for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Nanners welcome the Flamingos into Grayson on Saturday night, as our pregame show will kickoff at 6:30pm eastern and first pitch will be at 7:00, as always on Bananas Insiders!