Gamers Sweep Quadruple Header in Impressive Fashion

Hicksville, NY - Despite playing without their 4-6 hitters and in oppresively hot temperatures that reached over 95 degrees the Gamers some how found a way to win all four games they played. It wasn't pretty though.

In the first game against the Tattoo Crew, the Gamers fell behind 18-7 and were in danger of getting run ruled when MVP candidate, 2b Rob Rathbun, hit a solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. That blast seemed to spark the Gamers who went on to score 3 more times that innning before adding a clutch seven run inning in the bottom of the sixth. That put them down one run heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. It was then that the bottom of the order came up big time as Luke Nicholson lead off with a triple, Craig Shames singled him home and then scored the winning run on Billy Bezouska's double.

Shames' clutch hit got him off the hook after he gave up 13 runs in only 3 1/3 innings pitched. 1b Zac Nicholson came in to replace Shames and in his season debut unveiled an unhittable sidewinding curveball that kept the Tattoo Crew at bay and allowed the Gamers to stage their comeback, which at 13 runs, was their largest deficit overcome all year.

In the second game it was another nailbitter as Nicholson continued to frustrate the Tattoo Crew batters, at one point striking out two batters in one inning. His stellar pitching allowed the Gamers to once again stage a comeback, as they won out by the measly score of 3-2 in a time shortened 4 inning affair.

The heroics were once again provided by Rob Rathbun, who after hitting for the cycle in the first game, amazingly hit another game tying homerun, although a costly one as he reinjured his knee, and had to literally crawl around the bases in order to make the run count. Inspired by the Kirk Gibson like antics of Rathbun infielder Anthony Vega singled and came around to score on another game winning hit by Bezouska.

After those two thrilling and energy zapping victories the Gamers caught a break as they wound up playing the Hurricanes instead of the Eagles. Playing against the defensively challenged Hurricanes who only had 10 players for the first game and then 9 in the second game, the Gamers easily swept 19-2 and 22-3 despite being physically exhausted because of the heat and the fact that they had just played two games.

The two offensive explosions raised the Gamers plus/minus by over 40 runs all the way up to 93. It also padded everyone's stats as every player on the roster takes a batting average of at least .400 into the playoffs.

All in all, in the four games every player had at least four hits on the day with Craig Shames leading the way with 9. 3b Johnny Vasquez had his best day of the year with a 7 hit outburst and Peter Hon broke out the whopping stick with 5 hits including a triple and his first homerun of the year. Billy Bezouska matched Rathbun's two homeruns with two of his own, Ian Ziegler added another and Of Scott Zimmerman returned to the lineup picking up six hits in the process. On the day the Gamers hit six homeruns but even more impressive than that was that both Dave and Greg Roll picked up their first walks of the year.

The two blowouts were also the Gamers last two regular season games so they got to experiment with playing new positions on the defensive side of the ball. The switches saw Peter Hon and Anthony Vega pick up wins on the mound, Greg Roll dominant at shortstop, and Luke Nicholson play sparkling defense at second base.

The Gamers will look to carry their 4 game winning streak into the playoffs next week when they likely meet up with the Tattoo Crew again.