Pressing the issue backfires for Indians

In a tight ballgame one is always looking for that one opportunity to push the issue. Tonight those opportunities were few and far between in a tight 2-1 Indian loss to the White Rock Tritons. We ran ourselves out of innings in three of the first 4 innings. This was a combination of baserunning gaffes and overanxious coaching at third base with 2 outs coming at third base and a player being thrown out at home. Things started well enough in the 1st when Sugi walked and stole 2B but the necessary hit to score the run didn't materialize. In the bottom half of the first the Tritons also walked but they got the timely passed ball and hit to score the run. 1-0 White Rock after 1.

Opportunity came again in the 2nd but trying to stretch a double into a triple was an ill conceived idea that ended badly at third base. Stanyer was starting to hum on the hill and he and his stellar defense kept the game close despite allowing another unearned run in the 4th extending White Rock's lead to 2-0. In the 5th Cao led off with a walk and was bunted over by Watt. A walk by Clark and a passed ball moved Cao to 3rd and Clark to 2nd. Sugi brought Cao home with a hit to the right side. Unfortunately the tying run was stranded at 3rd as Norris couldn't quite Baltimore Chop it over the head of the 3rd baseman. 

White Rock didn't threaten after their run in the fourth as Stanyer found his groove throwing just 16 pitches over the 5th and 6th. Meanwhile the offense was trying to push the tying run across in the 6th but with no luck. And in the 7th Rae came up with a timely hit to get things going. Clark pounded a double that one hopped the center field fence. Rae was steaming from first and Mundle tested the Triton defense again by sending Rae home. Same result as before; a perfect relay and an out at the plate. Kudos to the White Rock defense for their play tonight. The game ended with a lone Indian stranded at 2B. Despite the loss the Indians played well and showed they can hold their own defensively. They picked off a runner at 1B, backdoored a runner at 2B and had an unsual 3-4-1 out at 1B. The bats weren't quite there for the victory but it was good to see the team play good D and Stanyer go the distance.