Game 2

Game two got underway with me in left again and hitting in the 7 spot. The other team was throwing a left handed pitcher from the US. Generally US pitchers dominate in the league because they control their pitches better and the batters here have a hard time "using the whole field" when they hit - meaning hitters here only know how to pull the ball so if you pitch away to them, they don't hit it as well. This lefty pitcher however was not to good. Most of the American's that I've come across here in Europe are all kind of cocky cause they know they are the best on the team. However, they forget to realize that they are only here because they were not good enough to play in the states. Europe is a way for them to get paid to play baseball and for them to do pretty well not because of how good they are, but because of how weak the competition is. This left handed pitcher threw me a curve ball first pitch in my first AB. I turned and showed bunt and pulled back and turned away so the ball wouldn't hit me in the face. I turned back to look at the field and notice that the pitcher was just looking at me and had this smirk on his face. He had won the battle. My purpose in the AB now was to crush his next pitch therefore taking me out of my own batting plan. he threw me a fastball low and away and I foolishly swung at it hitting a hard ground ball to short making an out. I was now more mad at myself than anything. It's ok, I got my payback my next AB. With the count full, he threw me a fast ball and I riffled it right back at him! He got his glove on it preventing damage to his own body however he wasn't able to catch it so i got a hit out of it. My next AB, with a runner on second and two outs and the same pitcher on the mound, i tagged another ball, this time to left field for a single and an RBI. We ended the game winning 9-1 and I was 2-4. Cy beat me in the homerun race with a ball that just cleared the fence in right field. I was a little upset/jealous that I didn't get one of my own, though it should be no surprise. Every time me and Cy play homerun derby in Hawaii, he always beats me. Ohh well, I'm just going to have to go for an in the park homerun if I don't have the power.