Kid Coach by Fred Bowen Read Free Book Online Page A

and concentrated on pitching again. At the plate, Eddie Wilson eyed the Tigers fielders and looked confused.
    Scott threw the first pitch high. Ball one. Scott blazed the second pitch right down the middle, but Eddie let it go by. Strike!
    Scott put a little extra on the next pitch. Eddie Wilson swung and scorched a screaming line drive to right center field. Peter was standing in the perfect position; the ball landed smack in his glove.
    The shift had worked!
    The game settled into a surprisingly close struggle. The Red Sox scored a run in the top of the second inning, but the Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the thirdwhen Maggie scored on a double by Danny. So when Scott handed the ball to Drew to pitch the last three innings, the game was tied, 1–1.
    Eddie Wilson led off the top of the fourth inning. The Tigers went into the shift behind Drew. The Tiger pitcher got two quick strikes on the Red Sox slugger.
    Standing in back of second base, Scott could see that Eddie was trying to push the ball to the left but could not do it. After two pitches in the dirt, Drew put one right across the heart of the plate. Eddie lashed a liner out toward second base. Scott took one quick step and leaped. The ball whistled by Scott’s outstretched glove. Scott turned to watch the ball take a crazy hop on the outfield grass over Peter’s glove and roll to the wall.
    Running hard, Eddie Wilson made it to third base with a leadoff triple. He trotted home on a long fly ball by the Red Sox cleanup hitter. The Red Sox led 2–1.
    “Come on, let’s get it back,” Scott said as the Tigers prepared to bat in the bottom ofthe fourth inning. Drew threw his glove against the bench.
    “Why don’t we ditch this stupid shift thing, Scott?” he said. “It’s not working.”
    “What do you mean?” Scott asked.
    “He’s batting .500!” Drew shouted.
    Benny put down his notebook and scooted down the bench to where Scott and Drew were talking. “The shift isn’t going to stop him every time,” Benny explained. “It just makes it harder for him to get a hit. It is just playing percentages.”
    Drew turned on Benny. “We’re not playing percentages out here, Brain. We’re playing baseball!” Drew snapped. “And this shift thing isn’t working.”
    “Chill out, both of you,” Scott ordered. “We’re going to stick with the shift. Benny, you’re going into right field next inning. Let’s concentrate on getting some runs.”
    The Tigers did not score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Drew set the Red Sox down in order in the top of the fifth. So the Tigers still trailed by one run when they came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.
    “Benny, you’re up!” Scott shouted. “Then the top of the order. Look them over. We need base runners.”
    “Come on, guys, rally caps!” Drew called out, turning his Tigers hat backwards on his head.
    The rally started slowly. Benny struck out swinging. Maggie grounded out to first. But Nick kept his teammates’ hopes alive with a sharp single.
    Drew dug in at the plate.
    “Come on, Drew. Keep it going.”
    “Two-out rally!”
    Drew jumped on the first pitch and sent a shot to right center field. Nick sprinted to third and Drew slid into second. The Tigers had runners on second and third. Two outs.
    “Time!” the umpire called as Mr. Robinson walked slowly to the pitcher’s mound. Scott stood in the on-deck circle watching the conference on the mound as he nervously tested his swing.
    Mr. Robinson jogged back to the dugout. Danny stepped into the batter’s box ready to hit.
    “Come on, Danny, be a hitter.”
    “Just takes one, Danny.”
    The Red Sox catcher stood up behind the plate and reached out his glove. The Red Sox pitcher lobbed a pitch several feet outside. Ball one.
    The Red Sox were walking Danny on purpose.
Of course
, Scott thought,
walking Danny makes perfect sense. Now, the Red Sox can get an out at any base! I’m going to hit with the bases loaded!

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