Week 4:

The Kampersal train rolled on with a 9-1 suffocation of Anthony’s East behind veteran P George Kampersal who had a 3-hit shutout through 6 2/3. But then, he suddenly morphed into Ricky “Wild Thing’ Vaughn and walked the 7-8-9 batters on 12 pitches.

Kampersal play-by-play man Bob Uecker watching George Kampersal’s brief 7^th inning meltdown Sunday night.

After walking in the lone run for Anthony’s, Geo did settle down and finally throw a ball that landed within Holliston’s zip code that was put in play as a grounder to 3B Keith Carlton who elected to throw to second for the force and was saved by 2B Tom Kampersal who made a game-ending acrobatic catch that ended the ‘threat’ and allow Geo to seek medical attention.  Holding a 2-0 lead heading into the 6^th, Kampersal plated 4 runs ignited by a 2-run double by C Brian McShane (3-3, 2RBI) and then added another 3 in the 7^th as LF Brad Rowe (3-3, 3RBI) laced an opposite field double to right to drive in 2. Post-game, veteran OF Chris Boggess accused Anthony’s P Chris Landers of doctoring the ball after Landers struck him out in the 3^rd.  This accusation has been brought to the Commissioner’s Office who will do a full-scale investigation into Landers’ tactics.  Some intrepid reporting led me to finding this quote from Landers back in ’16 when he broke into the league:

Seems Landers will have some explaining to do when the Board reaches out.

Braggville beat DYR, 14-9 as 1B Ted Mottor (4-5) scored 4 times from his leadoff spot while LF Dan Kittredge went 4-5, 3RBI.  After DYR clawed back to cut the lead to 3, 2B Dan Devine doubled in 2 in the 6^th to extend the lead to 5 and provided the breathing room they needed for the win.  2B Matt Piselli (3-3, 2RBI, 2R’s) paced DYR in the losing effort while P Justin Lessard (7IP, 13 H, 6ER) pitched well in the loss as some early inning errors allowed Braggville to build a 10-1 lead. Lessard was able to cruise through the middle innings to give his team a chance to chip away. There are post game tailgate celebrations and then there are post game tailgate celebrations…Check out this Braggville set up:

Fine al fresco dining Braggville-style…no flame anywhere but steamed hotdogs for all in the back of a pick-up.  How is this possible?? I was so confused.

After more investigative journalism, I found the following photo of Bragville veteran Chris Connors trying to start a pregame fire behind Placentino:

The heat source for those wieners being enjoyed by Braggville after their win. 

Dalton Rd smacked Downtown, 14-5 as interim manager Dave Birmingham crafted a line up that scored the most runs all year as 1B Kevin Lauze (3-4, 4RBI)  got things started in the first with a 3-run HR that landed in the playground at Placentino and Dalton never looked back. OF Chris Munroe (3-4, 3R’s) and 3B Mike Silk ( 3-4, 3RBI)  helped Lauze pace the offense while Birmingham ( 7IP, 6H, 2ER) dazzled in the circle keeping Downtown hitters off balance all night. Birmingham would let anyone who would listen that he should be full time skipper moving forward and outwardly hoped for manager Steve Cotto to remain stranded on his business trip back from the Far East.  We’ll follow this developing story inside the Dalton clubhouse.

Dalton skipper Steve Cotto enduring massive delays on his return trip from a the Far East causing him to miss Sunday’s gm and give Birmingham time to plan his Coup d’état.

Jasper Rock stunned South (and the HSS world) with a 9-4 win as P Derek Cordon shined in the circle (7IP, 6H, 1ER) and at the plate (4-4, 2 2B, and 4RBI) while 3B Doug Herman collected 3 hits and drove in 3 for the victors.  This game featured 2 of the best (annoying?) ‘chirpers’ in the league w Jasper’s Greg Williams (featured earlier this yr) and the infamous Bryan Sweeney from South.  With Mother’s Day obligations shortening the South roster (looking at you, Smitty), Sweeney got the start in the circle and promptly gave up 10 hits and 7 runs in 2 innings of work before removing himself to start the 3^rd giving way to Greg Copeland. There would be no late inning Sweeney heroics at the plate this week as Cordon kept the South bats quiet all night.  ROY candidate OF Jared Esposito (3-4, 2 2B, 3RBI) got the scoring started for Jasper in the 1^st with a 2-run double and C Greg Williams had a key 2-out, 2-run double in the 6^th to extend the lead back to 5 after South cut the lead to 3 on OF Dave Franco’s 2-run triple.  

Evidently, Jasper’s Greg Williams ‘won’ the battle with Sweeney as he celebrates with teammate Doug Herman at Anthony’s wearing his nemesis’ jersey. No word on whether Sweeney ever sees it again.

Johnson North took down Lions, 14-8 behind the arm and bat of P Tom McMahon who pitched 7 innings giving up just 5ER’s while going 3-4 w 3 RBI.  His 2-run triple in the 4^th could’ve been a HR if he didn’t run like Ed McMahon but he would later score on a single off the bat of 3B Eric Higgins (ok, how many Eric Higgins’ do we have in this league??).  

Kingz beat The Hood, 14-6 as lead-off man RF Ryan Smith (3-4, 4 RBI, 2R) ignited the offense while 3B Ross Dubuc (3-3, 6 RBI) went yard for the 2nd straight week with a 3-run blast in the 4^th. Dubuc’s recent power surge has caught the eye of the commissioner’s office and will likely be subject to a drug test in the weeks ahead.

Kingz 3B Ross Dubuc celebrating his HR vs Hood Sunday night.  I don’t see any need to worry, Ross…should be fine.

Dubuc’s efforts also ‘won’ him Kingz’ new tradition of ‘The Chainz” which is given to their offensive and defensive player of the game each week.

 Dubuc sporting his ‘Chainz’ post game.

League reaction to this new tradition…

Mudville moves to 3-0 in the new uniforms as they upend Brentwood, 13-6 as P Eric Higgins (that name again) (3-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI) went the distance giving up just 6 hits and 3ERs in the win.  OF Rob ‘El Gallo’ Klimeczko made a diving catch in CF to rob Garth Fondo of extra bases in the 5^th and collected 2 hits himself while simultaneously rehearsing his lines for his upcoming play with the Washington St Players Theatre Group.  Higgins was almost killed in the 7^th by a line drive off the bat of 3B Mike Budway.  Luckily, our favorite crime fighter got his glove up in time to snare it and end the game. 

Mudville P Eric Higgins gathering his thoughts after catching a line drive headed for his face.  

GAME OF THE WEEK for WK #5 (5/19/24))

Dalton Rd (3-1) vs DYR (2-2) at Patoma 6pm

• Huge early season game that could help shape how the Top 4 plays out.
• Friendly confines of Patoma should give the lefties in the DYR line-up an advantage.
• Will Cotto make it back in time to have an impact on this gm?

*Prediction:  DYR 10 Dalton Rd 8

’24 Record (2-1)

Division A Standings through 12 May

Position	Team	Won	Lost	Tied	Pct	Runs For	Runs Against	Opp Wins
1	Kampersal	4	0	0	1.000	74	20	7
2	Braggville	4	0	0	1.000	53	18	6
3	Dalton Road	3	1	0	0.750	43	27	4
4	South	2	2	0	0.500	37	38	3
5	DYR	2	2	0	0.500	59	45	2
6	Johnson North	2	2	0	0.500	40	46	2
7	Jasper Rock	1	3	0	0.250	27	45	2
8	Downtown	1	3	0	0.250	48	59	0

Division B Standings through 12 May

Position	Team	Won	Lost	Tied	Pct	Runs For	Runs Against	Opp Wins
1	Anthony’s East	3	1	0	0.750	64	37	3
2	Mudville	3	1	0	0.750	56	36	1
3	Kingz	2	2	0	0.500	44	57	4
4	The Hood	1	3	0	0.250	33	62	0
5	Lions	0	4	0	0.000	36	57	0
6	Brentwood	0	4	0	0.000	20	87	0