With the absence of an umpire, the TOP pitching was unconventional at best and probably illegal in our league but, in this "no holds barred" contest, there wasn't much we could do about it. We had some difficulty dealing with the pitching in the first as only Rob managed to hit safely. They didn't have the same problems with our more conventional pitching and managed to get 2 runs across and took the early lead, 2 - 0.
The second was somewhat better for our offense. John A. demonstrated the proper technique for hitting their pitching as he opened the inning with a single. After Mike changed places with John on a Fielder's Choice, John W., Shannon and Bob F. all singled, producing the two runs needed to tie the game. The tie didn't last long, though, as they started finding the seams of our defense, sending their entire lineup to the plate and scoring 4 runs to put us in a hole, 6 - 2.
By the third we were getting pretty tired of their pitching (or was it just our inability to hit it?). So when Jim came up for the second time and singled, a message was sent. We didn't score but we had learned the lesson. Sensing a change in the making, our defense tightened up and sent them packing quickly, heading to the fourth in the same hole, 6 - 2, but thinking we had a way out of it.
Rob, our connection to this "Tower of Power" team, decided to let them know the reason that we win all of these games by homering to start the fourth inning. Billy Masson followed Rob with his own round-tripper, and the TOP expressions had changed. John A. then stepped up to lash a double, followed by a single from Mike and back-to-back doubles by John W. and Shannon. Kathy, Zarah and Steve W. all followed with singles and Insult'ers had taken over the base paths. When it was over we had scored 7 runs to retake the lead. Our euphoria didn't last long, though, as they launched an offensive attack of their own. A classic "Final Insult Out At the Plate" play from Billy Masson at Short to Bob O. at the plate was needed to stop the bleeding, but not until they had scored 5 more runs to take the lead back again. We were back in a hole, but it was smaller now at 11 - 9.
It was the top of our batting order in the fifth. Jim opened with a double, followed by a single by Sharon and Rob's second homer to clear the bases. That was all the offense we had in the 5th but it was enough to give us 3 runs and the lead again. We kept the lead this time, shutting them down without a score, driving them to huddle before taking the field in the sixth. We had a slim 1-run lead, 12 - 11 with two innings to play.
The sixth was not our most stellar inning offensively. Shannon managed to hit safely but we only sent 4 batters to the plate, scored no runs, got our gloves and were back on defense. To make matters worse a series of "fluke" plays netted them two runs in the bottom of the inning and we had lost our lead again, trailing by one now at 13 - 12, with just one inning to play.
We had never lost to this "Tower of Power" team with earlier versions of the battle won easily by previous versions of Final Insult. This game was very different; they clearly had brought their best and were very determined to leave the battlefield the victors. It was up to the bottom of our batting order in the 7th to keep the offense alive. Steve W. responded with a single, followed by a double from Bob O. When Sammy singled and Steve scored we had tied the game. But we weren't done. Sharon singled, Rob doubled, and Billy Masson & John A. singled to give us 5 runs for the inning and a 4-run lead. The bottom of the 7th was somewhat anticlimactic with TOP unable to make even a small dent in our lead and the game ended with Final Insult once again (as always) victorious over the (leaning) Tower of Power. We've never lost; we never will.
This was the best of the Tower of Power series to date. The lead changed hands no fewer than 8 times during this game, with both teams seemingly determined to emerge the winner. Talent usually wins out in these battles and this game was no exception.
Offensive honors for this game go to Rob, who went 4 for 4 including two home runs and a double (and who probably wanted this victory more than anyone else), to Shannon who went 3 for 3, to John A. (who always seems to make this list) who went 3 for 4, and to John W. and Steve W., who each went 2 for 3. John A. and Bob F. did a great job on the mound, with Bob F., Bob O. and Sammy sharing the catching duties. Special thanks to John Devaney for catching the TOP pitches and to Jo Larson for handling the scorebook. And a big "Thank You" to Amy and Robin for being there to support the team.
After the game we hung around the cooler and munchies for a little while, savoring the victory and making sure that "Tower of Power" knew that we were savoring the victory. Then a large contingent formed a couple of convoys that headed out to the Masson Estate in East Brunswick for pizza, beer, good hospitality (special thanks to Donna and Billy) and, for a couple of the players (Jim and Bob F.) who obviously left a few marbles back at the field, a late night swim in the Masson pool. A wonderful time was had by all who attended.
One negative to playing these "Tower of Power" games is that it signals that the season is over or close to it. The end of this season will be particularly difficult for me but, before we get into all that, we will have one more game, next week, probably on Wednesday but possibly on Monday. It's a makeup of a rainout against "Those Guys" (a team that beat us early in the season). I'll keep you all posted as to the actual schedule date.