1. Babe Ruth's called shot.
2. Joe Namath's victory guarantee before Super Bowl III.
3. JJ Chapman's home run promise before an elimination game in the 2011 minor league tournament.
Well before Tuesday night's elimination game against the Riverdogs began, and certainly well before Nowell Field sprung a leak, delaying the start time by about 15 minutes, JJ had predicted what was going to happen. "I feel like I'm going to hit one out," he told his dad, John, who should be off having any surviving video of this game committed to DVD and placed in a safe deposit box.
As it turned out, that's exactly what happened--and the 'Cats needed it. The All Blacks scored eight of their nine runs with two outs on the way to a narrow 9-8 victory over the Riverdogs.
"I'm giving the offensive player of the game award to me," Coach Andrew said, "for my pitching."
Of course, Coach Andrew didn't actually take home the Oreos. In a probable first in the history of the Minor League, neither did the player who hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in five runs, as Zach had a career day (even for him) yet gladly ceded the offensive prize to JJ.
The game looked like a home run derby early, as the Mudcats surged ahead 7-3 in the top of the third on Zach's grand slam, only to watch the Riverdogs battle back for three runs in the bottom of the third on a three-run Blake blast.
The margin stayed at one run until the top of the sixth, when JJ--who has been on base six straight times from his leadoff spot and scored all six times--turned on an inside pitch and lifted it over the right-center field fence for his first career home run. JJ's ball had barely been located when Zach stepped to the plate and smoked the ball over the scoreboard in left-center. At the time, it seemed like a nice insurance run to have. As it turned out, every time the All Blacks crossed the plate was an absolute necessity.
In the middle of the sixth, Asher and Hayes provided key dugout inspiration by demonstrating their dancing abilities to "Dynamite." Somewhere, Taio Cruz shed a tiny tear.
Suitably inspired by the hot-dancing duo, the defense made just enough plays in the bottom of the sixth. Anthony made a key play by retiring the leadoff man on a pop fly just to the edge of the outfield grass. Then the hits began flowing, as a pair of singles and a pair of fielder's choices put men on first and second with two outs and a 9-7 Mudcats lead. At about this point, a member of the Riverdogs coaching staff began congratulating the 'Cat fans behind third base on a very exciting game and the great teamwork shown in getting the field ready for play. They made plans to meet for dinner and dessert later at the Backyard Bistro, and meanwhile the 'Dogs got a double that made it 9-8 and put runners on second and third with two outs.
Nervous yet?
Evidently, Charley wasn't, because he ran in smoothly on a sinking liner and snagged it out of the air, ending the game and causing pandemonium in the notorious All Blacks cheering section. The raucous group greeted the players by forming a human tunnel outside the guest dugout--which, as the head coach learned the hard way before the game, has a VERY LOW CLEARANCE. Look for his new headwear next game.
Fittingly for what will forever be known as "The JJ Game," JJ took home both the offensive and defensive player of the game awards. Coach Andrew generously handed out an entire sheet of stickers to every player in an effort to make himself look generous (or because he was still woozy). However, the postgame bounty had just begun. Extra treats included:
1. Blow pops
2. Cash--as Coach Sean said, the new prong of the Mudcat Motto is, "Play well, pay well."
3. Cakes for the coaches, which sounds like the name of a new charity that seems unlikely to take off. "For just one dollar a day you too can feed a hungry coach."
The 'Cats take the field again Wednesday at 5:30 against the Scrappers.
Tuesday's Mudcat scoring plays
First inning
Leading off a 3-for-3 day, JJ ripped a single the other way. Hayes followed with an infield single, and with two outs Christopher drove in the first run of the day with an RBI line drive to left-center. Hayes scored when the Riverdog third baseman couldn't handle Anthony's hard grounder, and Smiley capped the first-inning heroics with an opposite field RBI single.
Score after one-half inning: Mudcats 3, Riverdogs 0
Third inning
The inning began innocently enough, with two quick outs. But JJ powered a ball that nearly left the yard to right-center and ended up with a single. Hayes, again, followed with a single. Then, in a key play, Drew's grounder wasn't handled cleanly, bringing up Zach with the bases loaded. Any guesses on what happened next? Yep. King Za cleared the bases with a grand slam.
Score after two and a half innings: Mudcats 7, Riverdogs 3
Sixth inning
JJ led off with a home run. Wait, hold on a second...JJ LED OFF WITH A HOME RUN! That gave the Mudcats an opportunity for a season first, as they became the first team to blast two homers in the same inning. Three batters after JJ's blast, Zach homered again, this time crushing his eleventh of the season over the scoreboard for a solo shot.
Score after five and a half innings: Mudcats 9, Riverdogs 6
Tuesday's Web Gems
- JJ made a pair of key catches in center field, one in the third inning and one sliding catch on his knees in the fourth.
- Smiley ranged far to his left and hauled in a pop fly at pitcher in the third.
- With the Riverdogs threatening in the third, Hayes snuffed the rally by grabbing a line drive in left-center.
- With the tying run on third base and the winning run on second in the bottom of the sixth, a sinking line drive was lifted to left-center with two outs. For just a second, it looked like it was going to fall in and win the game. Suddenly, Shoeless Charley Hegeman came sprinting in out of nowhere--his shoes were a late arrival to the game, as Nike was not living up to the provisions of his endorsement deal--to make a one-handed basket catch down near the grass and preserve the win.
| Tuesday's line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H |
| Mudcats | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| Riverdogs | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 |
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