Dugout Rivals

by Fred Bowen

  Later, Jake and his father sat on a bench away from the field, checking the game stats on Mr. Daley’s laptop. “You got one hit in four times at bat,” Mr. Daley said. “You scored a run and made a nice play to end the game.”

  Jake nodded. “How did Adam do?” he asked.

  “Well, let’s see. He got three hits in four at bats. He scored two runs and had four runs batted in. And he pitched two scoreless innings.” Mr. Daley smiled as he closed his laptop. “Not bad.”

  Yeah, Jake thought. Just bad for me.

  Chapter 6

  Okay, let’s get two!” Coach Sanders shouted, trying to get his infield focused on making double plays. Then he slapped a hard ground ball to Jake at second base. Jake slid over as Adam rushed to cover second. Jake scooped up the ball and flipped it underhanded to Adam.

  Adam caught it easily, tagged second base with his foot, and fired the ball to first.

  “Great play!” Coach Sanders said. “Now we’re looking like a team that’s seven and one.”

  Standing back at second, Jake thought about the Red Sox season so far. Seven wins and only one loss. They were off to a great start. But he was still hoping to get more chances to play shortstop. He wanted to be the starting shortstop even when Adam wasn’t pitching. He’d worked on his fielding at home almost every day for weeks. Now, at practice, Jake figured he would take a chance. He called over in a loud whisper to Adam, “Hey, Adam, would it be okay if I asked Coach to switch us? You play second and I play shortstop?”

  “Go for it,” Adam replied with a shrug.

  “Hey, Coach,” Jake called during a pause in infield practice. “Can Adam and me switch positions for a few turns?”

  Coach Sanders looked out at the infield. “Okay, let’s try it.”

  Jake and Adam did a quick fist bump as they switched positions. Coach Sanders grabbed another baseball and swung the bat up onto his shoulder. “Let’s get two.”

  This time Adam fielded the ball at second base and flipped it to Jake, running over from shortstop to cover the bag. Jake caught it easily, but his nervous throw to first was low and skipped under the first baseman’s glove.

  “Again,” Coach Sanders called. The new infield combination was all right, but just all right. Jake made a couple of errors and had to admit that things were not as smooth as when Adam was at shortstop and he was at second base.

  “Okay, that’s enough infield for now,” Coach Sanders said, holding up the bat. He walked over to Jake and Adam as the boys jogged off the field. “I think we’d better leave it the way it was,” he said. “You know, Adam at shortstop and Jake at second. You guys are a pretty good team that way.”

  Tight-lipped, Jake nodded. All his practice at home had not paid off. Adam was still the best shortstop. Coach Sanders put a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “You can play shortstop when Adam is pitching,” he said. Then he turned back to the rest of the team. “Okay, everybody switch. Mr. Daley’s group over here and my group over there.”

  Jake’s dad gave the usual batting instructions as the boys stepped up to the soft-toss station. “Hands back. Quick step. Keep your eyes on the ball.”

  Adam was up first. He thundered line drive after line drive into the practice net.

  “The ball even sounds different coming off his bat,” Jake whispered to his dad as Mr. Daley lofted Adam another soft-toss pitch from the side of the plate.

  “Don’t worry about Adam,” Mr. Daley said. “Concentrate on your own swing.”

  Adam swung hard and cracked another line drive into the net. “Good,” Mr. Daley said.

  “Hey, Adam!” a voice called. Adam’s mom stood at the edge of the practice area. She was tall with dark hair, just like Adam. “I’m going to pick up your brother in a half hour.”

  Adam stood back with the bat on his shoulder. “Okay,” he said, and then drilled the next pitch into the net.

  Mrs. Hull looked at Jake’s dad. “Do you think Adam could go home with you guys?”

  “Sure, no problem,” Mr. Daley said. “Do you want us to give him dinner?”

  Mrs. Hull shook her head. “No, thanks, that’s all right. I’ll pick him up by six.” She waved good-bye and walked toward the parking lot at the edge of the field beyond the outfield.

  “Okay, that’s enough soft toss for you guys,” Mr. Daley said with a wave. “Let’s move on to batting practice. Coach Sanders is pitching.”

  A car skidded to a loud stop in the parking lot. A man opened the door and stepped out.

  “Uh-oh,” Adam said softly.

  “Who’s that guy?” Jake asked.

  “My dad.” Adam sounded tired.

  “I thought you said he didn’t come around much,” Jake said.

  “He doesn’t,” Adam said. “But when he does, it’s usually trouble. My mom and dad don’t get along too good.”

  Jake leaned on his bat and watched Adam’s father walk up to Adam’s mother. The two stood a few feet apart. Mr. Hull started pacing back and forth, frowning and waving his hands. Mrs. Hull stood still with her arms crossed. Jake could tell they were arguing, but they were too far away for him to hear what they were saying.

  Mr. Daley got up from where he was throwing soft toss. “You guys go hit,” he said to Jake and Adam. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Then he walked down the left-field foul line and up to the Hulls. The three adults spoke and Adam’s parents moved farther away from the field. Mr. Daley walked back to the batting practice area.

  Jake stood at the on-deck circle. Adam was watching his parents as they headed toward the parking lot, still arguing and pointing at each other.

  Jake caught Adam’s eye. His friend managed a small smile and shrugged. The two boys didn’t say a word.

  “Come on, Adam, you’re up. Let’s go,” Coach Sanders called from the pitcher’s mound. Adam put on a batter’s helmet and stepped into the batter’s box.

  Mr. Daley stood next to Jake in the on-deck circle. “What’s going on, Dad?” Jake asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. They’re just discussing a few things,” Mr. Daley said. “Let’s focus on practice.”

  Jake turned and watched Adam at the plate. The Red Sox star player was swinging too hard, as if he wanted to crush every pitch. He popped up the first four pitches.

  “Just meet it,” Coach Sanders said between pitches. “You’ve got plenty of power. Don’t try to kill it.”

  Adam stepped out of the box, moved his hands around the bat handle, and took a deep breath. Jake glanced out at the parking lot. The Hulls were still arguing, even more heatedly than before. On the next pitch, Adam swung slower and smoother, more like the old Adam. The ball flew off the bat, far over the left fielder’s head. The ball took a high, hard bounce and skimmed across the parking lot, just a few feet away from Adam’s parents.

  But the Hulls didn’t notice the ball. They didn’t even turn when the outfielder scrambled by. They just kept arguing.

  Chapter 7

  Chris, Jake, Adam, Isaiah …” Coach Sanders called out the familiar lineup as the Red Sox listened on the bench. “Kyle’s sick today, so Ryan will start in right field and bat ninth.”

  “All right!” Jake smiled at his friend. “You’re in the starting lineup.”

  “Yeah,” the Red Sox benchwarmer said. “But I’m way out in right field.”

  “So what?” Jake said. “Babe Ruth played right field.”

  “So that means I’m Babe Ruth?” Ryan joked.

  “Maybe,” Jake replied. Then he jumped up from the bench, clapping his hands. “Come on, we gotta really hustle today,” he said. “The Royals are good.”

  “What’s their record?” Adam asked.

  “Five wins and three losses,” Hannah answered from the end of the bench. “They just lost to the Dodgers by one run last week.”

  “Yeah,” Jake said. “And the Dodgers are tied with us for first place.”

  “Who cares?” Ryan said. “We’ve got Adam on our side, remember?”

  “Everybody’s g
ot to play well,” Jake insisted.

  “Even Ryan?” Adam gave Ryan a quick shoulder punch.

  “Especially Ryan,” Jake said. “He’s starting today.”

  The Royals were just as good as Jake thought. They set down the Red Sox in the top of the first inning with three smart fielding plays. In the bottom of the inning, Adam struck out the first two batters. Then the Royals rallied, rapping out two hard hits. They now had runners on second and third, with two outs.

  “Come on, Red Sox!” Jake yelled as he pounded his glove out at shortstop. “Let’s get the last out.”

  The Royals runners were off as the batter lifted a high fly ball to right field. Jake watched helplessly as Ryan circled, wobbly legged, under the ball. At the last instant, he stuck out his glove. The ball plopped into the webbing.

  “All right!” Jake shouted, throwing his fist into the air.

  He turned and caught Adam’s eye on the mound. The Red Sox pitcher grinned and let out a big sigh of relief. The score was still 0–0.

  The Red Sox tumbled back onto the bench. “Great catch, Ryan,” Adam said. “You had me worried for a second.”

  Ryan dismissed Adam with a wave of his glove. “No problem,” he said. “Just call me Babe Ruth.”

  Jake smiled and rolled his eyes.

  The Red Sox and the Royals stayed locked in a tight, tough game. The Red Sox grabbed the lead in the top of the third inning as Jake got on base with a sharp single and Adam sent him racing home with a hard double.

  Adam had pitched two innings, so Coach Sanders brought in Sam to pitch. Again he moved Adam to shortstop and Jake to second base. The Royals took advantage of the new pitcher and picked up two runs with a walk and a couple of clean hits. They would have scored even more, but Adam jumped high to snag a scorching line drive for the last out of the inning.

  Both teams scored runs in the fourth inning, so the Red Sox trailed 3–2 when they came to bat in the top of the fifth. Ryan and Chris struck out to start the inning. Jake stepped into the batter’s box with nobody on and two outs.

  “Come on, Jake,” Adam cheered from the on-deck circle. “Save my ups.”

  Jake eyed the infield. The Royals third baseman was playing way back, almost on the edge of the outfield grass. Two outs, nobody on, Jake thought. It might be worth a try …

  The Royals pitcher fired a fastball toward the inside half of the plate. Jake lowered his bat and the ball plunked against it. He sprinted to first base as the ball dribbled slowly toward the third baseman and settled on the infield grass. It was a perfect bunt! Jake was on first and Adam was coming to bat.

  Adam won’t bunt, Jake told himself as he stood on first base. Sure enough, after two pitches sailed wide, Adam got a pitch that he liked.

  Crack! The ball soared over the center-field wall as Jake and Adam jogged around the bases to put the Red Sox back in the lead, 4–3. The team mobbed Adam at home plate, slapping him on his batting helmet and back.

  “Did you see that homer?” Ryan crowed.

  “It must have gone a mile,” Isaiah said.

  “Come on, guys, the game’s not over,” Jake reminded his teammates. He was annoyed that everyone had forgotten his bunt single. “The Royals aren’t going to give up.”

  The Royals didn’t quit. In the bottom of the fifth with Isaiah pitching now, the Royals scratched out another run. The score was tied at 4–4 when the Red Sox came to bat in the sixth and final inning.

  “Come on, we’re in a real ballgame here,” Coach Sanders said as he marched back and forth in front of the bench. “Let’s get some more runs.”

  He stopped in front of Adam and Jake. “How’s your arm feeling?” he asked Adam.

  “Fine.”

  Coach Sanders turned to Jake’s father, who was sitting in the corner of the dugout. “How many pitches did Adam throw in the first two innings?” he asked.

  Mr. Daley studied his laptop screen for a moment. “Thirty-four,” he answered. “He’s nowhere near the seventy-five-pitch limit.”

  Coach Sanders turned back to Adam. “I may need you to come back and pitch the sixth inning if we get ahead. Can you do it?”

  “No problem,” Adam said.

  All the Red Sox were up and cheering when Michael smacked a solid single to center field. Hannah dashed toward home with the go-ahead run.

  The Red Sox were back on top, 5–4. “Listen up,” Coach Sanders called as the Red Sox got ready to take the field. “Adam’s going back in to pitch. Jake’s going to shortstop. Michael to second base. Great hit, Michael. Now let’s hold them.”

  Jake stood at shortstop and watched Adam warm up. His easy, almost effortless delivery sent the ball speeding to Evan’s mitt.

  Ssssssssmack!

  The Royals don’t stand a chance now, Jake said to himself, shaking his head and smiling.

  Adam blew fastballs by the first two batters, striking out each of them on three straight pitches. The final Royals hitter looped a lazy pop fly to shortstop. Jake caught it easily and held the ball high above his head in triumph.

  The Red Sox had won, 5–4! The bench filled with high fives and happy chatter.

  After they collected their gloves and equipment bags, Jake, Adam, and Ryan walked together toward the parking lot.

  “That was close,” Jake said. “The Royals were tough.”

  “I knew we’d win,” Adam said.

  “How’d you know that?” Jake asked.

  Adam jerked a thumb at Ryan. “When Ryan caught that fly ball in the first inning, I figured it was our lucky day.”

  “Just call me Babe Ruth,” Ryan said.

  Chapter 8

  Jake stared at the back of his house. He took two steps forward and threw the tennis ball hard against it.

  Thwack! The ball flew high in the air. Keeping his eye on the ball, Jake drifted back until he was almost at the back fence. The ball was headed into the next yard, but he ripped it from the air with a quick snap of his glove.

  “Nice catch. Are you trying to be our center fielder now?”

  Adam stood at the corner of the yard, a backpack slung over his shoulder.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Jake said.

  “I forgot my key,” Adam said with a shrug. “I can’t get into my house. Can I hang out here for a while?”

  “You’re always forgetting your key!” Jake said. “I’ll tell my dad.” He went inside and made his way downstairs to his father’s office. “Adam’s here,” he announced. “He forgot his keys. Again.”

  Mr. Daley raised one eyebrow. “You don’t sound too thrilled,” he said.

  “I don’t care. It’s just that he’s always coming over,” Jake said. “First he takes over the team and then he takes over my house.”

  Mr. Daley pushed back his desk chair and stood up. “Give Adam a break,” he said. “He’s new in town and new on the team. That’s not easy.”

  “I guess,” Jake said.

  “Come on,” Mr. Daley said, putting his arm around Jake. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Jake and his dad went out into the yard. “Hi, Adam,” Mr. Daley said. “It’s nice to see you.”

  “I forgot my key,” Adam explained. “I just texted my mom. She’s going to leave work early and pick me up here, if that’s okay.”

  “That’s no problem,” Mr. Daley said. Then he turned to his son. “Right, Jake?” he asked. But it really wasn’t a question.

  “Um, sure,” Jake said.

  Jake watched his dad go back into the house. Then he looked at Adam. “So what do you want to do?”

  “What were you doing?” Adam said.

  “Practicing,” Jake answered. He tossed the tennis ball in the air and caught it. “Hey, let’s play Outs. We haven’t played that before.”

  “What’s Outs?”

  Jake began to explain the game as he walked around the backyard pointing. “Okay, one guy is in the field and the guy with the ball is the batter.”

  “Where’s the bat?” Adam asked, looking around.
>
  “No bat. The batter just throws the ball against the house, like when I practice grounders,” Jake said. He pretended to throw the ball at the house. “The fielder has to stand back here,” he went on, turning and walking farther into the yard. “Any grounder that gets by the fielder is a single. Anything that lands in the yard past the bush is a double.”

  “What’s a triple?” Adam asked.

  “If it hits the fence on the fly,” Jake answered, pointing. “Anything over the fence is a home run.”

  “That’s real far,” Adam said, looking at the fence. “How can you get a home run?”

  “Oh, there are ways.” Jake smiled as he thought of a certain uneven spot on the house. “But I’m not telling you. That’s my home-field advantage.”

  “Come on,” Adam said. “You’ve already got a big advantage. I don’t even have my glove.”

  “We can share my glove. We only need one.” Jake flipped Adam the tennis ball. “You’re up first,” he said.

  The game was low scoring. Both boys were fast and good fielders. Not many “hits” got by them or fell onto the grass. Jake scored first when Adam bobbled a hot grounder.

  “That’s an error,” Jake said. “So I’m ahead, 1–0.”

  “It’s your lousy glove,” Adam said, smashing his fist into the leather. “You should put some oil in the pocket. It’s too stiff.”

  “It wasn’t so stiff when you made that diving stop last inning,” Jake pointed out.

  Adam pulled ahead in the top of the last inning when the ball angled away from Jake’s outstretched glove for a double. That drove in two runs.

  After Jake caught a high fly ball at the fence for the third out, he tossed Adam his glove.

  “Okay, it’s the bottom of the last inning. You’re ahead, 2–1,” Jake said. “I’ve got last ups.”

  “So now you’re gonna bring out your secret home-run ball,” Adam said. He slipped his left hand into Jake’s glove.

  “Home-field advantage,” Jake said with a smile. Then he turned to look at the house. First I’d better get someone on base, he thought. Jake tried a hard, high throw, but Adam moved quickly to his left, reached up, and snagged the ball.