Friday, June 29, 2007

First Start




After days and days of waiting...(technically our team, the Netanya Tigers, were schedule to play this game Tuesday, however, personally I had been waiting since May 14th) I was finally set to start our second game of the season against the Petach Tikva Pioneers at Yarkon Field. We had lost a heart-breaker in our first game against the Blue Sox on Monday, giving up 2 runs in the 6th inning, after leading 1-0 all game, and then to not get our last chance at-bat because the umpire called the game due to darkness. I was ready to get our team on the winning track and ironically was starting against the Pioneers (my former team in Belgium) to add to the irony even further, in my start in Belgium, I threw a no-hitter, that only stood up because in the 4th inning, after walking the leadoff batter I gave up a flare/blooper to right field that dropped neatly in front of our RF who threw to Second Base because it was hit so shallow he was able to get the force out at 2B, thus keeping my no-no intact. The game unfolded similarly, in which I struck out the first batter of the game and then cruised through the first 4 innings without yielding a hit, after walking a batter in the 4th inning the next batter hit blooper into right field that dropped just in front of our RF Ben Engleheart, so shallow, again, that he was able to pick it up and throw the ball to 2B to go for the force out that would keep my no-hitter intact, however, this time, the throw sailed high pulling our SS Hector De Los Santos off the bag and giving the Pioneers their only hit off me in 5 innings. Coach Baran pulled me after 5 innings, telling me it was a long season and so early in the year we had a good lead and I didn't need to be out there any longer. He also let me hit for myself which felt great especially when I helped out my own cause by lacing a double to the right field fence and putting the ball in play all 3 times up...I felt very comfortable up there and hope to see a lot more action hitting when I pitch or at least in the DH role. Afterwards, I went out with Rees to celebrate "White-Night" which happens once a year on a Thursday in June where the whole street (Rothschild) shuts down and people just cruise up and down the boulevard until all hours of the morning. The most entertaining part of the night was undoubtedly trying to actually get to this street because we must have hopped into 3 taxi's and no one knew the english name Rothschild, only after calling my friend Joey Sherman, on the Tel Aviv Lightening who has a place in Tel Aviv that I slept at a few nights early in my stay, who told me to say something like "Rawshee" (although I'm still unsure on the translation or correct pronunciation) but sure enough those were the magic words to get us there. Upon arrival I glanced at the street sign to see some crazy spelling but instead, my eyes were met with my gut instinct - "Rothschild" plastered upon the sign across the street. The club/bar was pretty much something I experienced a number of times in Belgium, same style music, same type of dancing, just a number of very tan incredibly gorgeous girls. Ah, The Life.

Did I mention we have peacocks, hundreds, that roam aimlessly (seemingly) around our rooms, and squak like you've never had a bird squak before... just a warning in case you plan a visit to Ramat Hasharon.

No comments: