Back Yard WIFFLE® Ball League
Week 5 — Game Recaps
Gm. 1: Papa Slam caps off wild comeback, Boys stay undefeated
NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI (R.I.W.B.L.) — G. Papa began the day arriving early to cut grass and help setup the playing field for Week 5 of BYWBL action. When The Boys arrived down one player, Papa was granted the ability to join them ahead of his own team’s game.
It proved to be the acquisition that kept The Boys unbeaten for another week.
Papa’s 6th-inning grand slam, his third home run of the game, was the exclamation point to a seven-run inning that gave The Boys (4-0) the lead for good, en route to a 17-12 victory over Mass Ave (3-3).
D. Pingitore hit two 2nd-inning home runs of his own and earned the win on the mound, striking out seven Mass Ave. hitters in his three innings. V. Gomez, Jr. made the start and added nine strikeouts in his four innings.
The Boys’s winning streak appeared to be in jeopardy several times throughout the contest, including right out of the gate, when Mass Ave. got to Gomez, Jr. for four runs in the opening frame, including three home runs (R. Morales, J. Muñoz, and R. Morales a second time).
After The Boys reclaimed the lead with four runs on three home runs themselves in the 2nd inning, J. Muñoz hit his second home run of the game to give Mass Ave. the lead once again, 6-5. The Boys answered with five in the bottom of the inning, started by Papa’s second home run, ending the 3rd inning with a 10-6 edge.
Mass Ave. tied the game at 10, when G. Peguero, hitless in his first seven plate appearances, smacked a clutch two-run home run off D. Pingitore in the 6th inning. Two-out walks by R. Calderon and R. Morales gave Mass Ave. what would turn out to be a short-lived 12-10 lead.
It proved to be the acquisition that kept The Boys unbeaten for another week.
Papa’s 6th-inning grand slam, his third home run of the game, was the exclamation point to a seven-run inning that gave The Boys (4-0) the lead for good, en route to a 17-12 victory over Mass Ave (3-3).
D. Pingitore hit two 2nd-inning home runs of his own and earned the win on the mound, striking out seven Mass Ave. hitters in his three innings. V. Gomez, Jr. made the start and added nine strikeouts in his four innings.
The Boys’s winning streak appeared to be in jeopardy several times throughout the contest, including right out of the gate, when Mass Ave. got to Gomez, Jr. for four runs in the opening frame, including three home runs (R. Morales, J. Muñoz, and R. Morales a second time).
After The Boys reclaimed the lead with four runs on three home runs themselves in the 2nd inning, J. Muñoz hit his second home run of the game to give Mass Ave. the lead once again, 6-5. The Boys answered with five in the bottom of the inning, started by Papa’s second home run, ending the 3rd inning with a 10-6 edge.
Mass Ave. tied the game at 10, when G. Peguero, hitless in his first seven plate appearances, smacked a clutch two-run home run off D. Pingitore in the 6th inning. Two-out walks by R. Calderon and R. Morales gave Mass Ave. what would turn out to be a short-lived 12-10 lead.
Gm. 2: More than "Luck", Los Mattatangs explode for 13 in 3rd, defeat OB City
NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI (R.I.W.B.L.) — Hitting out of the top spot of the lineup for the first time in 2021, D. Gonzalez homered twice and drove in seven runs, spearheading a 19-6 win for Los Mattatangs over Oakland Beach City.
You literally could not get Lucky out. His first seven at-bats led to seven hits, including 4-4 in a 3rd inning that saw Los Mattatangs (2-2) score 13 to put the game out of reach. His ten plate appearances without striking out is the second most by any player during the season (H. Feliz, 11).
K. Fabian added a grand slam in the breakout inning. Each member of the roster contributed at least four hits and two runs batted in during the affair.
In addition to falling a home run away from a hitting cycle, M. Peña led a balanced pitching performance by Los Mattatangs, earning his second win of the year. C. Anderson and Fabian closed out the game by combining to throw three perfect innings.
J. Shackleford homered twice and pitched three shutout innings of relief for Oakland Beach City (1-4).
You literally could not get Lucky out. His first seven at-bats led to seven hits, including 4-4 in a 3rd inning that saw Los Mattatangs (2-2) score 13 to put the game out of reach. His ten plate appearances without striking out is the second most by any player during the season (H. Feliz, 11).
K. Fabian added a grand slam in the breakout inning. Each member of the roster contributed at least four hits and two runs batted in during the affair.
In addition to falling a home run away from a hitting cycle, M. Peña led a balanced pitching performance by Los Mattatangs, earning his second win of the year. C. Anderson and Fabian closed out the game by combining to throw three perfect innings.
J. Shackleford homered twice and pitched three shutout innings of relief for Oakland Beach City (1-4).
Gm. 3: Fabian, Neves overpower Toxic Lounge, Los Mattatangs win second game of the day
NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI (R.I.W.B.L.) — Coming off a dominating performance on both sides of the ball just an hour earlier, Los Mattatangs (3-2) kept it rolling early and often, scoring 10 first-inning runs and easily defeating Toxic Lounge, 21-4.
The opening rally saw J. Neves smash a first-pitch grand slam and D. Gonzalez hit two triples and drive in three runs.
While K. Fabian did most of his offensive damage in the latter innings, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs, his dominant pitching set the tone early in the matchup, not allowing Toxic Lounge (1-4) any oxygen for a potential comeback.
Fabian struck out seven and allowed just four hits and one earned run, garnering the victory. C. Anderson continued his stellar pitching with three shutout innings of relief, striking out the maximum nine hitters. For the two games, Anderson threw five shutout innings, allowing only four hits, striking out 14, and walking none.
Toxic Lounge was led by four hits and one solid inning of relief each by M. Juarez and R. Diaz, each making their season debut.
The opening rally saw J. Neves smash a first-pitch grand slam and D. Gonzalez hit two triples and drive in three runs.
While K. Fabian did most of his offensive damage in the latter innings, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs, his dominant pitching set the tone early in the matchup, not allowing Toxic Lounge (1-4) any oxygen for a potential comeback.
Fabian struck out seven and allowed just four hits and one earned run, garnering the victory. C. Anderson continued his stellar pitching with three shutout innings of relief, striking out the maximum nine hitters. For the two games, Anderson threw five shutout innings, allowing only four hits, striking out 14, and walking none.
Toxic Lounge was led by four hits and one solid inning of relief each by M. Juarez and R. Diaz, each making their season debut.
Gm. 4: Newcomers Brown, Lin lead Free Agents to upset win over Team Rockstar
NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI (R.I.W.B.L.) — S. Brown and D. Lin made their BYWBL season debuts and led a makeshift Free Agents squad (3-2) to an improbable 27-15 upset over the previously-unbeaten Team Rockstar (4-1).
Brown hit grand slams in consecutive innings, both converting Free Agent deficits into leads, and drove in nine runs in all. Lin added a home run and drove in seven, reaching base in ten consecutive plate appearances. After a slow start, G. Papa finished with six hits, including a 6th-inning home run. R. Raso drove in six runs and putout six Team Rockstar hitters in a spirited fielding exhibition at third base.
Team Rockstar had a balanced attack as well. L. Felix and M. DiOrio each hit a pair of home runs and continue to lead the league with 10 and 9, respectively. J. Felix smacked a personal season-best six hits.
After five innings, each team had held the lead twice, and the game was twice tied. DiOrio’s 6th-inning home run, his second, cut the Free Agents lead to 13-12. The Free Agents hitters, however, used plate discipline and timely hitting to score nine runs before one out was recorded in the bottom of the inning. Raso’s bases-clearing triple and Papa’s subsequent two-run home run, put the bow on the game-deciding 14-run frame.
Brown hit grand slams in consecutive innings, both converting Free Agent deficits into leads, and drove in nine runs in all. Lin added a home run and drove in seven, reaching base in ten consecutive plate appearances. After a slow start, G. Papa finished with six hits, including a 6th-inning home run. R. Raso drove in six runs and putout six Team Rockstar hitters in a spirited fielding exhibition at third base.
Team Rockstar had a balanced attack as well. L. Felix and M. DiOrio each hit a pair of home runs and continue to lead the league with 10 and 9, respectively. J. Felix smacked a personal season-best six hits.
After five innings, each team had held the lead twice, and the game was twice tied. DiOrio’s 6th-inning home run, his second, cut the Free Agents lead to 13-12. The Free Agents hitters, however, used plate discipline and timely hitting to score nine runs before one out was recorded in the bottom of the inning. Raso’s bases-clearing triple and Papa’s subsequent two-run home run, put the bow on the game-deciding 14-run frame.