July 14-17

Thursday was a slow day except for the morning errand run, on Friday things were just a little bit busier. Back in May we announced plans for a summer street hockey season at Reservoir Park, it is an informal league played strictly for fun and recreation. There are no standings kept, no playoffs or championship awarded, the whole idea is to play for the enjoyment of the game. Individuals sign up to play, team captains are selected and rosters are assembled draft-style. We played summer seasons on a regular basis back in the '90s and early 2000s but this is the first time we've had one since 2008. On Friday morning Don and I finalized the rosters and schedule format, the four teams (Blue, Gold, Green and Orange) play a nine-game schedule beginning on Thursday the 28th. In the evening I was back at the ballpark as regular-season play continued, the Barnstormers hosted the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs for the opener of a four-game series. SM took a 2-0 second-inning lead, in the bottom of the third the Stormers put four on the board. One run scored on a double-play groundout, Kevin Ahrens' three-run home run put the home team ahead by two. In the fifth the Crabs tied the score at 4-4, that score held until the ninth when the Crabs pushed across the winner and took it 5-4. Tanner Peters started and worked five innings, Pete Andrelczyk suffered the tough-luck loss. On Saturday we had our usual lunch visit in Quarryville, in the evening Jenny and her mother made their regular weekend appearance on North Prince Street. The Barnstormers' offensive struggles continued on this night in another frustrating one-run defeat. The Blue Crabs led 3-0 early, in the home fourth Sean Halton went yard to get the Stormers on the board. Caleb Gindl's RBI hit in the fifth made it a one-run game but the Crabs bullpen shut it down from there for the 3-2 decision. Ex-Toronto property Mike Lee got the start for the Stormers and took the loss (from the Strange But True files: Lee has been on the club all season but this was my first time seeing him in a game, all of his appearances prior to this night were on occasions when I was not present). The series continued with a 2:00 Sunday game in ninety-degree heat but I was (of course) not there, it finishes up with the "wraparound" game on Monday night. Take care, thanks for reading.