Indians Fall in Extra Innings to PET

Though the Indians used a four run seventh inning rally to force extra-innings, they surrendered two runs in the top of the eighth and fell to Public League rival Philadelphia Electric and Technology Charter (PET) 7-5 on Friday.

The loss dropped the Indians to 4-3 on the season.

"It was a good loss," said Roxborough manager Bob Stowman. "I'm happy with the comeback and they way they handled themselves, but we need to be more aggressive at the plate. We're looking at way too may pitches."

Two Indians took called third strikes in the bottom half of the eight inning, including Kyle Narewski on the game's last out.

Despite a strong outing from starting pitcher Ralph Martinez--who struck out six in five innings, four of which were shutouts-- the Indians fell behind 4-0 after PET strung together four straight hits in the top of the third inning, and got some help from a shaky Roxborough defense.

Martinez said it wasn't his pitching or the Indian defenders who facilitated the scoring outburst--the credit, he says, goes to Philadelphia Electric.

"They were just hitting the ball," shrugged Martinez.

PET also demonstrated a peculiar brand of team unity. When cheering for one another--which they did constantly--they eschewed the use of first or surnames in favor of an all-purpose moniker: "Kid."

Way to go Kid! You got it Kid! Nice work Kid! Keep it going Kid! Atta way Kid!

In an incredible feat of mindless persistence--like the winning of many consecutive staring contests--they kept this up the entire game. The coaches, who were adult men, joined in.

Despite PET's idiosyncratic sort of E Pluribus Unum, the Indians nearly toppled them.

Roxborough entered the bottom half of the sixth inning down 5-0 and with little apparent hope of putting a dent in the deficit: they had put only three runners on base all afternoon up to that point.

The Indians battled though. Eric Krok, who pitched the top half of the sixth in relief of Martinez, drew a walk to lead off the inning and scored from third on a throwing error to put the Indians on the board. While John Spinks struck out to end the sixth, the Indians retired PET in order in the top of the seventh, then put their first three runners on base to start the bottom part of the inning. Krok then worked a full count before lining a single up the middle, scoring two Indians and cutting the lead to 5-3.

"I thought he was going to come with a breaking pitch, but he came with a fastball and I just hit it," explained Krok.

After Nick Passivo flew out for the inning's second out, cleanup hitter Tyler Renninger--who was 0-3 with a pair of strikeouts up to that point--blooped a single just past the end of the infield to score two more Indians and tie it at 5-5. Frank Legrady was unable to get him home though, and the game entered extra innings.

It didn't stay there long. PET got a two run single in the top of the eighth to reclaim the lead, and the Indians, after putting John Spinks on base to start the bottom half of the inning, went down in order to end the game.

Roxborough next plays on May 2 against Bok.