by Teddy Ballgame
Chicago Champions outfielder Grady Sizemore had a turn back the clock kind of day in a recent game against the Three Rivers Gamblers. It was the last of five games played in Three Rivers Stadium, the lineup card featured Sizemore batting eighth for the visiting Champs.
Up stepped Grady in the second inning of a scoreless tie, with a runner on secondbase, and two outs. I rolled a 66-1 and Sizemore had put the Champions up 2-0.
Then in the fourth inning Sizemore again stepped in versus Josh Collmenter. With Chicago up 4-0, a runner on, I rolled a 22-0 followed by an 11-1, and Grady had hit his second two run blast of the game (his third on the year in the second column, only two 1’s out there). That was it for Collmenter.
In the sixth, the Champs were up 7-1 as Sizemore ripped a leadoff basehit, as I only rolled a 44-8 on him this time. He did manage to come around to score.
Then in the seventh he came to bat again against reliever Travis Wood, with a runner on secondbase, and again I rolled 66-1. Remarkably Sizemore had launched his third two run homer of the game.
Grady had a shot for a four home run ballgame as a stepped in with a runner on first in the ninth. This time I rolled a 51-42, a HBP. Wood had hit Sizemore with a pitch. A grinning Sizemore took his base, a sure sign of respect.
Grady Sizemore has hit 12 home runs in only 107 at bats. Grady said, “It’s nice to be in this kind of a groove. I’m seeing the ball really well and am glad to be able to contribute, when given an opportunity to play”. Of course he was hit in the face with a shaving cream pie by jokester Mark Buehrle during his postgame interview.
Tyler Colvin is jealous of Sizemore’s 51-42. :)
Of course, in today’s game a player hit by a pitch after hitting three home runs would spark a bench clearing brawl. :)