July 7, 2003 [LINK]

Braves beat Royals

No, I'm not talking an Interleague game, I'm talking about (Shenandoah) Valley League Baseball, where some of the best college players hone their skills during the summer. Make no mistake, it is top-caliber action with enthusiastic players. About 300 paying fans watched a rain make-up game being played here in Staunton in the blazing afternoon sun on the Fourth of July, and Congressman Bob Goodlatte threw out the first pitch. Most of the game was a pitcher's duel, and the Winchester Royals seemed in control. In the seventh inning, Winchester was poised to add on to their 2-1 lead when one of their batters hit a long single with a runner on second, but the left fielder threw a blazing bullseye to home plate, and the catcher nailed the runner as he was sliding into home. Joe Koshanski hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eight to put the Staunton Braves on top 3-2, totally reversing the psychological edge. In the top of the ninth, with the bases loaded, right fielder Trevor Lawhorn made a heroic diving catch of a line-drive to end the game on a note of high drama. THAT'S entertainment!

The Boston Red Sox apparently came to Yankee Stadium with something to prove last Friday, and in the first two games of the series they won by a total score of 25 to 3. David Wells gave up seven home runs, and Roger Clemens gave up three more. Ouch! Boston should have saved their energy, however, for the Yankees once again came back and won in both the Sunday and Monday games, splitting the series 2-2.