Tribe Holds Off Green Monsters
By Patrick Curran
Posted at 8:35 p.m. on July 12, 2012
(Patrick Curran/CQ Roll Call)
Need a metaphor for the Green Monsters’ 14-6 loss to the Tribe on Thursday night? Just look at their beloved Boston Red Sox.
The Sox started the season a dismal 4-10; the Senate Softball League squad of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) couldn’t catch a break either, giving up nine runs during the first two innings to the Tribe, which represents the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
But like their American League East counterparts, the Monsters weren’t dead yet. Impressive fielding — most notably from centerfielder and captain Jeremy Hunt — helped Kerry’s squad hold their AIPAC counterparts scoreless during the next four innings. By the top of the seventh, the Tribe’s lead had slimmed to four runs.
“Everyone was a little tense when we were just starting out the game,” Hunt said. “Then everyone loosened up and had a lot more fun once we started making plays.”
“They had some stellar outfielders — really some Gold Glovers out there,” Tribe captain Elon Stricker said. “They started racking up all our fly balls, and that was the difference.”
AIPAC maintained its composure, though, knocking in five runs by playing small ball in the final inning to all but seal the victory. The Green Monsters came back to earth in their final shot at a comeback, managing only one run.
“We figured out that we had to hit some line drives on the ground,” Stricker said. “Speed never slumps.”
Greg Smith led the Tribe with two home runs in the win. AIPAC improves to 3-1, while Kerry’s office falls to 1-2 on the year. No doubt the office’s Red Sox fans hope their heroes can battle back more effectively, but they look to be suffering the same fate right now: Boston sits at 43-43, tied for last in its division.
