Man Out at First by Matt Christopher, Ellen Beier Page A
Authors: Matt Christopher, Ellen Beier
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Then little Sammy
Mc Fall hit a pop-up to third base.
One inning was over and the Joy Street Devils led, 1–0.
Leading off for the Mudders was T.V. Adams. The husky third baseman had a knack for guessing where a lot of the opposing batters
would hit a pitch. Turtleneck hoped T.V. would come up with a good hit himself this time.
“Strike!” yelled the ump.
Then
crack
! T.V. sent the ball soaring into left center field. He ran past first base, then stopped at second for a double.
Nick Chong got on first base when the Devils' shortstop missed a hot grounder. T.V. ran to third. He was in a good spot to
score and tie the game.
But he never did. Alfie Maples popped up to the pitcher and Bus Mercer struck out. Rudy Calhoun walked to load the bases,
but Sparrow grounded out to end the half inning.
The Joy Street Devils' fans cheered and whistled.
Turtleneck hoped the coach would tell him to take Bob Lopine's place at first. But the coach just yelled to the team to get
out there and “play some heads-up ball!”
He's probably forgotten that I'm here, Turtleneck thought. Why did Mr. Shaw have to get his foot caught in that rotten old
step, anyway?
The Devils' Frankie Bass blasted the first pitch for a double. Then Stretch Cantor hit a single through second and Frankie
slid into home for another run. Reggie Mize flied out to left field. Two more singles resulted in another run before the Mudders
could get the Devils out. Joy Street Devils 3, Peach Street Mudders 0.
At the top of the third, Barry “hit-away kid” McGee, the Mudders' best hitter, walloped a double over the shortstop's head.
José Mendez stepped into the batter's box and BobLopine took his place in the warm-up area. José took two strikes and then hit a double, an unusual thing for him. Barry made
it home. Devils 3, Mudders 1.
I might as well have stayed home, Turtleneck thought.
Then he heard someone call his name.
3
“Turtleneck!” Coach Parker called again. “You're pinch-hitting for Bob.”
“You heard him, Turtleneck,” said Nick Chong, grinning. “Get a hit up there, okay?”
Turtleneck grabbed a bat and warmed up.
“Hey, Turtleneck! Think quick!” Nick called.
Turtleneck spun around quickly. He reached out his hands just in time to catch the batting helmet Nick had tossed to him.
He grinned at Nick and put the helmet on.
Then he stepped into the batter's box. Hetook two strikes, stepped out of the box for a few seconds, then took two balls.
The next pitch was right down the middle.
Crack
! Turtleneck sent the ball soaring to right center field. He raced around the bases for a stand-up triple. His heart pounded
with joy.
José had made it home on Turtleneck's triple. The Mudders were only one run behind.
“Hey, man! You did it!” Nick called out to Turtleneck.
Rudy echoed, “Yeah, good thing you showed up today!”
“I didn't know you had it in you, 1'!” Bus Mercer yelled. “You're full of surprises today, aren't you?”
Yeah, thought Turtleneck. Now if T.V. can only knock me home!
T.V. did just that with a line drive between first and second.
As he sat down, Turtleneck could hear the Mudders' fans cheering and whistling.
He turned his attention back to the game and saw Nick Chong and Alfie both strike out. A pop-up by Bus Mercer ended the Mudders'
turn at bat. The score was tied, 3–3.
At a nod from Coach Parker, Turtleneck grabbed his glove and headed out to first base. He felt good as he warmed up with the
rest of the infield.
Barry McGee caught a long fly ball for the first out. Then little Sammy McFall walked. Man on first, one out.
Frankie Bass hit a dribbler to Sparrow. Sparrow scooped it up and quickly tossed it to Bus covering second.
Sammy was out, but Frankie, a fast runner, had almost made it to first. Turtleneck lowered his glove and waited for the next
batter.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a blur of motion.
A split second later, a fast-moving baseball
Mc Fall hit a pop-up to third base.
One inning was over and the Joy Street Devils led, 1–0.
Leading off for the Mudders was T.V. Adams. The husky third baseman had a knack for guessing where a lot of the opposing batters
would hit a pitch. Turtleneck hoped T.V. would come up with a good hit himself this time.
“Strike!” yelled the ump.
Then
crack
! T.V. sent the ball soaring into left center field. He ran past first base, then stopped at second for a double.
Nick Chong got on first base when the Devils' shortstop missed a hot grounder. T.V. ran to third. He was in a good spot to
score and tie the game.
But he never did. Alfie Maples popped up to the pitcher and Bus Mercer struck out. Rudy Calhoun walked to load the bases,
but Sparrow grounded out to end the half inning.
The Joy Street Devils' fans cheered and whistled.
Turtleneck hoped the coach would tell him to take Bob Lopine's place at first. But the coach just yelled to the team to get
out there and “play some heads-up ball!”
He's probably forgotten that I'm here, Turtleneck thought. Why did Mr. Shaw have to get his foot caught in that rotten old
step, anyway?
The Devils' Frankie Bass blasted the first pitch for a double. Then Stretch Cantor hit a single through second and Frankie
slid into home for another run. Reggie Mize flied out to left field. Two more singles resulted in another run before the Mudders
could get the Devils out. Joy Street Devils 3, Peach Street Mudders 0.
At the top of the third, Barry “hit-away kid” McGee, the Mudders' best hitter, walloped a double over the shortstop's head.
José Mendez stepped into the batter's box and BobLopine took his place in the warm-up area. José took two strikes and then hit a double, an unusual thing for him. Barry made
it home. Devils 3, Mudders 1.
I might as well have stayed home, Turtleneck thought.
Then he heard someone call his name.
3
“Turtleneck!” Coach Parker called again. “You're pinch-hitting for Bob.”
“You heard him, Turtleneck,” said Nick Chong, grinning. “Get a hit up there, okay?”
Turtleneck grabbed a bat and warmed up.
“Hey, Turtleneck! Think quick!” Nick called.
Turtleneck spun around quickly. He reached out his hands just in time to catch the batting helmet Nick had tossed to him.
He grinned at Nick and put the helmet on.
Then he stepped into the batter's box. Hetook two strikes, stepped out of the box for a few seconds, then took two balls.
The next pitch was right down the middle.
Crack
! Turtleneck sent the ball soaring to right center field. He raced around the bases for a stand-up triple. His heart pounded
with joy.
José had made it home on Turtleneck's triple. The Mudders were only one run behind.
“Hey, man! You did it!” Nick called out to Turtleneck.
Rudy echoed, “Yeah, good thing you showed up today!”
“I didn't know you had it in you, 1'!” Bus Mercer yelled. “You're full of surprises today, aren't you?”
Yeah, thought Turtleneck. Now if T.V. can only knock me home!
T.V. did just that with a line drive between first and second.
As he sat down, Turtleneck could hear the Mudders' fans cheering and whistling.
He turned his attention back to the game and saw Nick Chong and Alfie both strike out. A pop-up by Bus Mercer ended the Mudders'
turn at bat. The score was tied, 3–3.
At a nod from Coach Parker, Turtleneck grabbed his glove and headed out to first base. He felt good as he warmed up with the
rest of the infield.
Barry McGee caught a long fly ball for the first out. Then little Sammy McFall walked. Man on first, one out.
Frankie Bass hit a dribbler to Sparrow. Sparrow scooped it up and quickly tossed it to Bus covering second.
Sammy was out, but Frankie, a fast runner, had almost made it to first. Turtleneck lowered his glove and waited for the next
batter.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a blur of motion.
A split second later, a fast-moving baseball
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