The Back and Forth Battle for First

By Jen Chan
When asked how he think his team would do Stuarts Draft manager, Leslie Sandridge, stated “a game is a game. I will put 9 on the field and something will happen. Win or lose it’s a ball game,” yet little did he know how the game would fall out.

The Diamondbacks would strike first getting a huge lead in the bottom of the 3rd as Calen Owens gets walked by Reds starting pitcher Nick Griffin. Owens advances on a fielder’s choice throw from Derek Shifflett at 2nd base. He then steals 3rd as Terrell Thompson is up to bat getting himself 90 feet closer to home with 1 out. As a strikeout is given to Jack Pausic, Chaz Harvey uses the 2 out to his advantage and shoots one deep into center field to get the Diamondbacks their extended lead over the Reds in the bottom of the 3rd.

Noah Cornwell fights back in the top of the 4th as he hits one towards right field as it pops over the fence before anyone can blink. The rest of the inning is uneventful for the Reds as they leave Cayden Clements on 1st base. The bottom of the 4th Cadlee Jarvis was left stranded on 3rd after getting walked as the Reds defense has Nick Griffin’s back.

Jacob Dunford started off the 5th by walking Derek Shifflett, then Liam Simpson would then hit one though the gap on the right side of the infield. Blake Sipe would get the 1st out of the inning off of a flyout to right center field, this would let Shifflett advance to 3rd. Shifflett would then score on a sac fly to left field from Corbin Lucas to close the score 2-3. Simpson would then try to steal 2nd with Noah Cornwell up to bat and would get caught.

A scoreless bottom of the 5th and entire 6th inning would speed up the game from the long first few innings. A great start for Dunford as he strikes out the first batter in the 7th, but loses momentum for Greg Sherfey and Derek Shifflett as they both end up on base. Both runners advance off of a wild pitch with Simpson up to bat. With their excellent base running, both runners are able to score on the Simpson single to right center field. This 2 run inning gives the Reds their first lead of the game 4-3.

After an easy up and down from the bottom of the 7th and top of the 8th the Diamondbacks fight back to regain their lead. A throwing error helps advance 2 runners, Zach Roberts and Thompson after both steal 2nd base in their own time and a grounder that is placed so perfectly gets past the 3rd basemen Corbin Lucas scores 2 as Roberts and Thompson step across home plate. The final run comes from Ryan Farris as he grounds out but scores Pausic.

The top of the 9th starts off slow with a walk to Chris Huffman from pitcher Farris to put the tying run in the box and he delivers. Cayden Swartley gets his 5th hit of the season and his 1st home run to tie the game at 6-6. The Diamondbacks were unable to secure a run in the bottom of the 9th.

Extra innings in RCBL means international rule for both teams as they both place runners on 2nd base. With 1 out, Cornwell is intentionally walked putting 2 runners on base and infielders playing double play distance. Clements scores Sipe from 2nd off a hit to left center field. Both runners advance on wild pitch and walks Huffman to load the bases. Swartley then shoots one to deep left field just shy of the warning track and scores Cornwell. Runners advance again on wild pitches, but will be unable to score anymore runs as the top of the inning ends in a K.

The bottom of the 10th puts Thompson on 2nd base. Pausic smacks one into DEEP center field and scores Roberts with a stand up double. Harvey was intestinally walked to replicate what the Diamondbacks did in the top of the inning. Marshall then grounds out to 1st base, but both runners advance into scoring position. Jarvis hits one into right field and scores the winning run as Simpson fumbles the ball in right field.

The Valley Care Management Player of the Game is Cadlee Jarvis.

The Diamondbacks will be on the road for their final game of regular season tonight at Shifflett Field with first pitch at 7:30. The Reds have 3 more games, including one next Monday after the All Star weekend. They will be traveling to New Market tonight to take on the Shockers.