Double Play at Short by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online Page B

wasn’t quick enough. The
     runner advanced. Then, to shatter the Jaguars’ hopes of scoring that inning, Roy Feenie struck out.
    Danny led off for the Bullets at the top of the second. As he stepped into the batter’s box, he felt pretty good. Then he
     stared down the line towardthe pitcher’s mound. In the corner of his eye he could see Tammy settling down, crouching, waiting for the play.
    “Strike!”
    That brought him back to the game real fast. He hadn’t even seen that pitch.
    But he did get a fix on the next one — and a piece of it with his bat. The ball sailed into center field and in a matter of
     seconds, he was on base with a clean single. It felt good to get a hit first time at bat.
    Standing on the bag while the next batter got set, he glanced across the field. This time he couldn’t help but see Tammy.
     She had taken off her cap and was tugging at her ponytail, sort of pushing it out of the way. But she was staring straight
     across the field — at him. And she was scowling. It was the kind of look he’d seen on linemen in football games when the TV
     showed a close-up — real mean and unfriendly.
    Maybe she’s just angry that I got the game’s first hit, he thought. Or maybe something else is bothering her.
    He didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on that question. The crack of the bat set him off to second base,where he arrived safely despite a good catch by the Jaguars’ right fielder for the first out.
    Andy Hooten recovered his stuff and struck out the next two Bullets batters. That ended Danny’s chance for scoring that inning.
    At the top of the third, the Jaguars went down one-two-three in what turned out to be one of the quickest innings of the series.
     One strikeout, one pop fly, and one foul ball caught by the third baseman. According to the scorebook, Marc had thrown only
     seven pitches! Danny hadn’t even had to wipe off his forehead.
    “Nice going, Marc,” said Danny, coming off the field. He caught himself before he said anything else. Marc was working on
     a shutout, and he didn’t want to jinx it.
    Gee, he thought, I’m as superstitious as Jennifer. I guess it runs in the family. That started the old brain machinery going.
     Family. What did it mean? He and Jennifer were both adopted. But the Walkers were one of the closest, most loving families
     in town. Sure, they fought once in a while, but they were a family. That meant everything to him. So why was he sniffing around
     outside of it, looking forinformation about someone he’d never even officially
met?
    While Danny mulled this over, Marc started off the inning by striking out. Then the top of the Bullets’ batting order came
     up to the plate. Vern got the fans on their feet with a line drive between short and third that turned into a single. Then
     Elaine’s powerful swing sent one deep into center. Vern advanced easily to third, and Elaine stood up safely at second.
    With only one out, the chances of scoring during that inning looked pretty good. Mike was up at bat next, and Danny knew he
     was capable of the big one.
    But the Jaguars’ pitcher knew that, too. He kept the ball so far away from Mike that the Bullets’ third baseman ended up jogging
     down to first on a walk. The bases were now loaded.
    That brought Ken up. He had yet to connect with the ball this game. Unfortunately that record held. Ken went down swinging
     for the second Bullets out. Danny came up to bat.
    This was his big chance. Two away. Bases loaded. Nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard for both teams.
    “Just a hit, Danny,” Coach Lattizori had said when he grabbed his batting helmet. “That’s all you have to do. Go out there,
     relax, and let your instincts take over. You’re a natural, and you’ll find yourself a nice piece of the ball.”
    That wasn’t enough. He was sure that the redheaded shortstop was glaring across the infield at him. He’d show her. He’d come
     up with the big one. He could practically taste