sfoggi posted on June 10, 2011 23:05
ORLANDO, Fla. (June 10, 2011) - What started as a seemingly every day Friday night baseball game in the Florida League, ended as one of the most bizarre contests at Orel Hershiser Field.
In a game that featured 27 runs, 19 hits, 12 errors, eight wild pitches and 20, yes you read that correctly, 20 walks, the Orlando Freedom (1-6) fell 16-11 to the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (4-2).
“(I’ve never been part of a game) where both teams walked more batters than got hits,” Freedom Head Coach Scott Makarewicz said, showing a bit of disbelief after the contest. “You just have to forget about it, go home, and get a good night’s rest to come back tomorrow and be ready to play.”
The game started harmlessly enough. After Freedom starting pitcher Tim Koons (Fort Scott CC) held the Diamond Dawgs scoreless in the top half of the first, the Orlando sticks went to work.
A walk and a single to lead off the inning were followed by a Jake Huxtable (Santa Fe) single to plate one run and a Jason Anderson (Daytona St.) fielder’s choice to knock in another as the Freedom took a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the third, three errors, two walks and a couple of timely singles allowed the Diamond Dawgs to plate four runs to take the lead. Winter Park grabbed another run in the fourth, three in the fifth and one more in the sixth to take a commanding 9-2 lead, seemingly putting away the Freedom. That’s when the madness began.
The bottom of the six saw the Freedom club score nine runs on just three hits. The inning included seven walks, three errors and five wild pitches. In total, 14 Orlando hitters stepped to the plate. The Diamond Dawgs ran out three pitchers on the inning. Eight runs were scored after the second out of the inning was recorded. When the final out was made, the Freedom led 11-9.
Not to be outdone, Winter Park put together a rally of their own in the top of the seventh. During the half inning, the Diamond Dawgs sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring six runs on two hits. The runs came during a span in which the Freedom committed two errors, hit two batters, walked one and had two wild pitches and a passed ball. When the dust settled, the score read Winter Park- 15, Orlando- 11.
This concluded possibly the strangest six outs in the Florida League’s history.
“It’s just one of those things that puts you at awe,” Makarewicz said of the inning.
That seemed to be the feel around the diamond, as it featured uncomfortable glances and a lot of head shaking from both dugouts.
The Diamond Dawgs added one more run in the top of the ninth when B.J. Zimmerman (State College of Florida) launched a moon-shot home run that cleared the right field fence. Matthew Kimbrel (Shelton State CC) came in relief to close the door and Winter Park escaped with the 16-11 victory.
At the end of the night, Brian Scheffler (Rochester) (2-0) came out with the victory for the Diamond Dawgs, recording 1 1/3 innings of work, giving up no runs on one hit.
Lawrence Pardo (Appalachian St.) took the loss for the Freedom. Pardo (0-1) gave up six runs (three earned) in the wild seventh inning, giving up just two hits.
For the Freedom, the loss marked just another disappointing defeat in a close game.
Orlando will get back to work at Orel Hershiser Field Saturday, June 11 against the DeLand Suns before getting a much needed two days off Sunday and Monday. Satuday’s game time is slated for 7 pm.
Jake Snyder (Marshall)