District Doubleheader by Matt Christopher

Author:Matt Christopher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2013-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Liam wanted to smash the ball so far that the outfield didn’t stand a chance of getting a glove on it. He hit a single instead. There were no outs when Sean came up to bat. Then there were two—Sean hit a grounder that led to a double play from second to first. No doubt the Rattlers would have loved it to be a triple play, but Rodney was far too swift to be thrown out at third.

“Sorry, guys,” Sean apologized in the dugout.

“Hey, it happens to all of us,” Spencer said.

“Some more than others,” Robert muttered from behind Liam.

Liam nodded his head. He’d been thinking the same thing, but he sure wouldn’t have said it out loud.

“What was that?”

Liam looked up, surprised to see Spencer and Sean staring at him.

“I didn’t say anything,” he replied.

The two boys exchanged a glance. Sean shrugged. “Oh, I thought—never mind.”

Clint, up after Sean, laced a line drive that was good enough to land him on first—and get Rodney home for the first run of the game. Unfortunately, Jay popped out to end the inning.

The score remained Pythons 1, Rattlers 0 through the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, however, the Rattlers crossed home plate twice to make it Rattlers 2, Pythons 1. Liam hoped to even it up with a home run, but instead knocked three long fouls in a row just outside the left-field line. He straightened out the fourth, but by then the third baseman was waiting. He stuck out his glove and made the catch easily.

“Nice try, son,” Dr. Driscoll said.

Liam gave him a curt nod. Then, frustrated, he stalked back to the dugout and stood, arms crossed tightly over his chest, against the back wall. A few Pythons glanced his way, but no one spoke to him.

One at bat left, he thought bitterly. Or, if I’m lucky, two. But what are the chances of that? Zero to none, he added, shaking his head when Sean made the last out to end the fourth inning.

Neither team scored in the fifth. The Rattlers threatened again in the sixth, putting runners on first and second with just one out. But Alex snared a hopping grounder bare-handed right near third base. He stepped on the bag for out number two and then fired the ball to second. That runner was safe, but the next Rattler grounded out to end the danger.

Rattlers 2, Pythons 1—but now the Pythons were at bat.

“Robert! Rodney! Liam!” Coach Driscoll called, reminding the team of the batting order for their last raps.

Okay, Liam thought, it’s now or never. He played the scene in his mind over and over. Each time, it ended the same way: a home run that had everyone stamping and cheering his name—and DiMaggio walking off the mound in defeat.

Robert got on base on a fielder’s error. Rodney tried to bunt him to second but hit the ball wrong. Instead of dribbling down the baseline, it popped up—and landed smack in Phillip’s glove.

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