[Izulde]

Just four more games to go and our season will be done. There will be no River Series for us, save for perhaps as visitors and spectators. So we are, in essence, playing for pride. If we win out, .500 will be ours.

It won't be easy though, as today's game is against the Vices. Mercurio versus Sheeley. Let's go.

A back and forth pitching and defensive gem of a game that's highlighted by Underachieving Sheeley striking out our guys left and right and Superman Jones making some absolute stellar catches in the outfield to rob us of hits is shattered in the 4th courtesy of That Japanese Catcher blasting a three-run scorcher that scores Yon Duo of Harper and Saviour after those two walk. 3-0 Racine.

In the bottom frame, Maya singles in a run to make it 3-1 Racine and I'm starting to get a little worried that our starter is getting a bad case of the nerves.

****! Calhoun torches a 3 RBI bomb in the next at-bat and just like that, it's now 4-3 Miami. I *knew* I should have pulled Pathetic Pierre. Too late now.

Still 4-3 in the top of the 8th inning. We've men on first and second with one out and Our Saviour is up to bat. On a hunch, I pull Josue and send up Cool Caramello Carmelo to pinch-hit....

...And it pays off! Vintage Velez gets an RBI single and we're tied up at 4!

Major Mito gets another RBI single in the next AB and our fortunes are once more reversed, with a 5-4 edge. That's it for Sheeley, whose relieved by Padua.

Bottom of the 8th brings another hunch and, against what would be most people's better judgement, I reinforce the mound with F.V. Who Is Not Frank Viola. Yeah, he of the 7.11 ERA and 0-1 record. I just have a sneaking suspicion that he can pull it off here, for at least this inning.

The result? A 1-2-3 inning. Man, am I ever feeling damn good right about now!

After doing nothing in the top of the 9th, outside of a single, I take a deep breath when the flipside frame comes... and send in Moody Closer Moody.

His first opponent is Maya, who grounds out to the pitcher. One down.

Next is that prick Calhoun. Oh, how badly I want him to do jack **** here!

....****! The bastard got a double and Powerhitting Penney is up. I leave Donny Boy in. He's got to learn how to bear down in these tense situations.

...And there's a flyout to centerfield! Two down!

And the Tropical Sins have Pissed Off Zimmerman as their last hope. Lovely. I hear he's still mad about the negative press he'd gotten after the three-team trade.

But Terrific Timothy Sabin, who took over for Josue after Carmelo's pinch-hit stops the liner cold and we win 5-4!!!

SECRETS TAKE TWO OF THREE FROM THE DIVISION LEADERS!!!

Donald collapses on the mound in relief and we all dash out to don him on our shoulders, whooping with glee.

We've won the series against the Vices in their own home park!

Oh how sweet it is!