the game, the Mudders would come to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Then Bus would get another chance to bat.
Bus grit his teeth.
I’m ready,
he thought with determination.
2
The Dragons came to the plate looking ready to spit fire. It was the top of the sixth and final inning, their last chance
to score.
And score they did. A sizzling single between first and second was followed by a high-flying homer over José Mendez’s glove.
The score now read Mudders 2, Dragons 2.
Bus pounded his fist into his glove.
C’mon, hit it to me!
he thought.
Beans Malone did just that. He drilled a hot, grass-hugging grounder directly at Bus.
Bus saw the ball moving toward him like the head of a snake. Never had a ball come at him so fast.
He put his glove down between his legs. But to his horror, the ball zipped right through and continued on into the outfield!
Bus scrambled to recover it, but it was too late. Beans Malone stood grinning on second base. Bus had blown his chance to
impress the All-Star scouts again.
Fortunately the Dragons’ next three batters got out one, two, three. The score remained tied at two runs apiece.
Bus was the second batter up for the Mudders. He selected his bat and walked to the on-deck circle. Barry McGee sidled up
beside him.
“You should’ve had that grounder,” he said. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to keep your tailgate down? Way down?”
“Cut it, Barry,” T.V. Adams said. “Thatwas a hard-hit ball. If Bus
had
stopped it, it would have carried him to the outfield!”
Thanks, T.V.,
Bus wanted to say. He thought about the coach’s warning again, but it was hard to shrug off Barry’s hurtful words.
Alfie had made it to first. Bus took a few practice swings and stepped into the box.
I’ve got to try to hit him home!
he thought.
Then he saw Coach Parker signaling him to bunt.
No!
Bus wanted to scream.
The first two pitches were wild. The third pitch came in at chest level, Bus’s favorite kind. He didn’t think. He just swung
as hard as he could.
Crack!
A line drive right at the pitcher! Bus dropped the bat and ran as hard as he could to first. But the pitcher had fielded the
ball and thrown it to second in time to get Alfieout. Then, like a well-oiled machine, the Dragons’ second baseman threw to first.
Bus just wasn’t fast enough to beat that throw. In a booming voice, the umpire called him out. He had caused a double play!
The coach called him over. “Bus, a good bunt could have advanced Alfie safely to second even though it might have gotten you
out. Next time, follow my signal.”
Bus hung his head and nodded. The dugout was silent as he took his seat among his teammates.
Bus felt sick. He tried to cheer when first Rudy, then Sparrow got on base. He tried to join in the excitement when Barry
hit a home run to change the final score to Mudders 5, Dragons 2. But he just couldn’t. All he could think about was how he
had probably ruined his chances to make the All-Star team.
3
After the game, Bus picked up his glove and started for home. He’d only walked a block when he heard someone calling his name.
“Bus! Bus, wait up!”
T.V. Adams rode toward him on his mountain bike. Bus looked at the bike with envy. It was just what he had asked for for his
birthday last month. But instead, his parents had given him a new glove and some books. He liked his gifts, but he couldn’t
help being disappointed all the same.
T.V. patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, Bus, don’t worry about that double play. It could have happened to anyone. Besides,
we won the game, didn’t we?”
“I should’ve paid attention to the coach’s signal,” Bus mumbled. “First an error in the field, then a double play. Looks like
you’ll be sitting on the All-Star bench without me.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, I predict you’ll show those scouts a thing or two in the next game!” T.V. said with a sly grin. Bus had to
grin back. T.V.’s
Bus grit his teeth.
I’m ready,
he thought with determination.
2
The Dragons came to the plate looking ready to spit fire. It was the top of the sixth and final inning, their last chance
to score.
And score they did. A sizzling single between first and second was followed by a high-flying homer over José Mendez’s glove.
The score now read Mudders 2, Dragons 2.
Bus pounded his fist into his glove.
C’mon, hit it to me!
he thought.
Beans Malone did just that. He drilled a hot, grass-hugging grounder directly at Bus.
Bus saw the ball moving toward him like the head of a snake. Never had a ball come at him so fast.
He put his glove down between his legs. But to his horror, the ball zipped right through and continued on into the outfield!
Bus scrambled to recover it, but it was too late. Beans Malone stood grinning on second base. Bus had blown his chance to
impress the All-Star scouts again.
Fortunately the Dragons’ next three batters got out one, two, three. The score remained tied at two runs apiece.
Bus was the second batter up for the Mudders. He selected his bat and walked to the on-deck circle. Barry McGee sidled up
beside him.
“You should’ve had that grounder,” he said. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to keep your tailgate down? Way down?”
“Cut it, Barry,” T.V. Adams said. “Thatwas a hard-hit ball. If Bus
had
stopped it, it would have carried him to the outfield!”
Thanks, T.V.,
Bus wanted to say. He thought about the coach’s warning again, but it was hard to shrug off Barry’s hurtful words.
Alfie had made it to first. Bus took a few practice swings and stepped into the box.
I’ve got to try to hit him home!
he thought.
Then he saw Coach Parker signaling him to bunt.
No!
Bus wanted to scream.
The first two pitches were wild. The third pitch came in at chest level, Bus’s favorite kind. He didn’t think. He just swung
as hard as he could.
Crack!
A line drive right at the pitcher! Bus dropped the bat and ran as hard as he could to first. But the pitcher had fielded the
ball and thrown it to second in time to get Alfieout. Then, like a well-oiled machine, the Dragons’ second baseman threw to first.
Bus just wasn’t fast enough to beat that throw. In a booming voice, the umpire called him out. He had caused a double play!
The coach called him over. “Bus, a good bunt could have advanced Alfie safely to second even though it might have gotten you
out. Next time, follow my signal.”
Bus hung his head and nodded. The dugout was silent as he took his seat among his teammates.
Bus felt sick. He tried to cheer when first Rudy, then Sparrow got on base. He tried to join in the excitement when Barry
hit a home run to change the final score to Mudders 5, Dragons 2. But he just couldn’t. All he could think about was how he
had probably ruined his chances to make the All-Star team.
3
After the game, Bus picked up his glove and started for home. He’d only walked a block when he heard someone calling his name.
“Bus! Bus, wait up!”
T.V. Adams rode toward him on his mountain bike. Bus looked at the bike with envy. It was just what he had asked for for his
birthday last month. But instead, his parents had given him a new glove and some books. He liked his gifts, but he couldn’t
help being disappointed all the same.
T.V. patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, Bus, don’t worry about that double play. It could have happened to anyone. Besides,
we won the game, didn’t we?”
“I should’ve paid attention to the coach’s signal,” Bus mumbled. “First an error in the field, then a double play. Looks like
you’ll be sitting on the All-Star bench without me.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, I predict you’ll show those scouts a thing or two in the next game!” T.V. said with a sly grin. Bus had to
grin back. T.V.’s
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