Baseball Review // M&T People's, 8 Hartford Colts, 3 June 9th, 2022 Johnny Taylor Field, Hartford, CT (GHTBL)

Official box score :::

https://www.ghtbl.org/event/peoples-colts-2/

Additional photos here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=raisedbycassettes&set=a.7631650896876418

With M&T's People getting their first win of the season over the Cardinals in their rematch from Sunday on Tuesday, People's were not only ready to start a winning streak but they seemed ready to do so at the expense of the Hartford Colts.   For the first time ever, Quentin and I headed out to Johnny Taylor Field on a school night (but school is almost over) and it was a lot of fun just to be somewhere new as well.    The Colts had the home field advantage and this would be the second time that these teams met this season, with the first game being a 7-0 win for the Colts as well.

People's, who seemed to struggle with pitching on Sunday, had Matt Miranda pitching at his best and it helped them secure the win.   Not to be outdone. Rami Jadallah was seemingly on base every time he could have been during this game and he just seemed to have a night for People's.    Jonathan Martin was on the mound for the Colts and he just couldn't seem to find his rhythm.

A groundout to first and a double play was the way that the top of the first inning ended.  A groundout, strikeout and fly out would end the bottom of the first and this game felt, if only for that first inning, like it might be a stalemate.  A double by Sean Casey in the top of the second scores the first run of the game.  With runners on first and third in the top of the third, Camden Murphy singles to bring one run in.  Jordan Jeroszko hits a sac fly to bring in the second run of the inning and though it ends on a strikeout, People's still went up 3-0 early on.

The top of the fourth inning was relatively easy for the Colts- even though Rami Jadallah stayed hot- and the bottom of the fourth started off with a double by Derek Allen.   Two walks loaded the bases and then a huge single by Colts number 21 brings in two runs, making the score 3-2.  It is also worth noting at this point that I scored this game at 7-3, so People's got a run in here somewhere that I either missed or didn't add in right.

This game wasn't without its confusion though as the top of the fifth was when things got weird.   With Justin Miller on third, CJ Moriarty appeared to be walked to get to first but then somehow Justin Miller was able to score.  It felt like the thought was that CJ Moriarty was HBP, but he kept saying he wasn't hit.  So the best bet here is that the final pitch- which was ball four- got away from the Colts' catcher, so that Justin Miller could score but I always thought when a ball got away like that on ball four it became a dead ball so runners couldn't advance.  If you asked the umpires about this, I doubt they'd even know what happened.

After a walk loads the bases, the Colts change pitchers.  Even though the next batter strikes out, a walk would bring in a run.   Another walk and the third run of the inning comes in.  A wild pitch scores the fourth run of the inning and that's how I totaled seven runs for People's but I obviously missed one somewhere during this game.  With a runner on base after a single, Derek Allen gets walked on.  The Colts' number 3 gets an RBI single to put up another run for the Colts, which is how I ended the score at 7-3.  Somehow, a runner gets hit by the ball for the third and final out of the inning, ending what could've been a comeback.

The top of the seventh saw Dan Livingston come in to strike out two and then a pop up ended the inning rather quickly.   At this point the score was set and it's tough to come back from being down four (or even five) but it isn't impossible.   My missing a run isn't that out of the ordinary, but the way that the fifth inning had a runner score somehow seemed to bring confusion to everyone involved.  There was also a moment earlier in the game when a Colts player attempted to steal third, was called safe by the homeplate umpire and then as soon as everyone on the People's side argued it the other umpire came over and said he was out in a big spectacle.

Perhaps it was most bizarre that the umpires didn't seem to know what happened in the top of the fifth until they really thought about it.  It feels like whatever happened should've been known immediately- either the runner is safe at home and a run scores or they are not allowed to do that.  And then how did the other runner get to first?  That reason should have been obvious as well, to the umpires, but alas it was not.   The Colts played well during this game- there weren't really any errors- People's just seemed to play better, as they are finding their groove this season.

People's look to have some tough competition coming up, with the first place Jets welcoming them to McKenna Field on Monday.   However, People's then return home on Tuesday to welcome the yet-to-win-a-game-this-season Bristol Greeners.   At the very least, People's should be able to break even over their next two games.   The Colts, however, welcome Rainbow Graphics to Johnny Taylor Field on Monday, in which should be an interesting match up because the Graphics are doing fairly well with a 4-2 record.  This could be the game which puts the Colts above .500 and has the Graphics sink closer to it.

The Colts then take on the Cardinals again on Tuesday at Palmer Field in Middletown.  This could be the game of the week as their previous meeting was a close game and the Cardinals have some wins since then as well.  Without even thinking about the rest of the week yet, it just seems like Palmer Field is going to be the place to be on Tuesday night because not only is it one of the best places to watch baseball in all of Connecticut but it should also prove to be a very close and competitive game.