Baseball Review // Record-Journal Expos, 8 Wallingford Cardinals, 3 June 29th, 2022 Pat Wall Field, Wallingford, CT GHTBL

Official box score :::

https://www.ghtbl.org/event/expos-cardinals-2

Additional photos can be found here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7725368497504657&type=3

The Expos came into Pat Wall Field on Wednesday night looking for a win and they found just that.  Owen Pincince was the starting pitcher for this game for the Wallingford Cardinals and after issuing four consecutive walks- which plated the first run of the game- he was moved to left field.   The Expos would continue to score in the first inning, however, with two big runs coming from an RBI single by Will Kszywanos.  Another run was scored prior to this, putting the Expos up with an early 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning the Cardinals would hit back to back doubles, giving them their first run of the night.   The third inning would see Javon Malone bunt two runners over and then Sebby Grignano singles one of them in.   Kyle Hartenstein hit a double to bring in two more runs before Jason Sullivan singles in Kyle Hartenstein for the fourth and final run of the third inning.   The Expos would take these eight runs all the way till the end of the game and sometimes putting up that big offense early on pays off.

The Cardinals had bases loaded on walks in the bottom of the third inning.  A huge single by Brendan Clark would bring in two runs, putting the score at 8-3, which is where it would remain.  After the third inning, for the final four innings, no runs would score.   This was partly due to the pitching and partly due to the defense as both teams just seemed to shut each other down.  In the sixth inning the Expos were issued a warning by the umpires to be quiet but nothing else ever came of it.

This game was a good example of how the offense can have this big boom early on and then for the rest of the game it feels like nothing really happens.  But you can't just feel like nothing is happening after the first three innings because being up by five runs doesn't guarantee victory, so you still have to put in that work to make that happen and as a fan you have to watch to see them do just that.  

While the Expos do not play again until after the holiday, both the Jets and Orioles have the chance to improve their records tonight.   The Orioles welcome Peoples to Vernon while the Jets take on the Greeners at Muzzy Field.  As the Expos, Orioles and Jets battle it out for first place, on July 5th the Expos will have their next game in East Hartford against the first place team which should be quite the matchup.  

The bottom half of the standings also seems to be fighting it out for the middle of the rankings.   M&T People's started off slow but are kicking it up now (a threat to the Orioles no doubt) and so a team such as the Wallingford Cardinals could go on a win streak and do somewhat of the same.   Rainbow Graphics started out hot but seem to have cooled off, so it will also be interesting to see where they land at the end of the season.  

With the first half of the season coming to an end it is not only interesting to see where the teams are now but a winning or losing streak throughout July could see some of these teams change places.   It's all really going to set that tone soon and if you're not along for the ride yet it's not too late to be.