Falcons Forum

Wednesday 9:30PM June 5th, 2024

Before it started, one might have had some preconceived notions about Wednesday's 9:30pm Expos vs Falcons matchup. The Falcons, with 8 wins in 11 games, in 2nd place in the President's division, had a league best run differential of 91. The Expos, occupied 5th place in the VP division, still searching for their first win of the season. You might have thought this game would be a little lopsided, a laugher. You would be wrong.

The usual game day musical chairs of sign-outs and signing-back-in-again meant that superhunk and Old Jer's man crush Duran, secured as a spare and so excited to play for the Falcons that he was going to bring donuts for the team (this is not a joke), had his Wednesday night hopes and dreams dashed when Poutine decided he would indeed play sometime after 7pm during Arbour's pre-game nap. I'm sure Labrecque enjoyed texting Duran and telling him he wasn't needed anymore.

After the player formally known as Shohei (you'll see why soon) tossed a few warmup nibblers on the corner, he was feeling great. He then proceeded to walk the first Expos batter on 4 pitches, and give up a max 6 runs in the top of the 1st inning. Ouch. It was an omen of things to come.

In the bottom half of the first the Falcons bats answered. Powered by a patented Cowboy leadoff triple, a Barry Guerrero Jr RBI double, 4 straight singles, a Million Dollar Bill two-RBI double and a Paul SF, the home team put up a max 6 spot of their own. No big deal, the Falcons would be fine, right?

The second inning saw both teams put up 3 runs, including a 2-run dinger by Poutine, and a Duncan by Duncan himself.

After the Expos put up another max 6 runs in the third, the Falcons could only muster 3 runs in the bottom half of the inning (including another Cowboy triple), down 15-12 after 3. At this point Flash (notice we're going back to the old nickname now) clearly didn't have it and asked that longtime Falcons SP Teeter relieve him of his pitching duties for the night. How does one hold Storm to 11 runs in 7 innings, yet give up 15 runs to the Expos in 3? I have no clue.

Guess what the Expos did in the top of the fourth? Another max 6 runs, of course! The Falcons matched with a max 6 of their own, with a mix of singles and doubles. 21-18 Expos after four, we're still in it, right?

Ash pitched a nice 1 run 5th inning, and the Falcons finally took the lead in the bottom half, behind a bunch of things that I'm getting too lazy to type out. OK fine the highlights were a Barry Guerrero Jr triple, a Grahambo SF and a bunch of RBI singles. Falcons up 23-22 after 5 innings. This is it, we've got the lead for good, right?

Wrong. Expos put up a 3 spot in the top of the 6th, Falcons down 25-23.

With time on the game clock running out Cowboy leads off with a double. Barry Guerrero Jr who never swings at a pitch he doesn't like, takes a walk. Grahambo being the leader that he is knocks in an RBI single to bring the Falcons within 1. Then two infield flyouts and a flyball to right field, game over, Falcons lose 25-24.

Expos get their first win of the season. We didn't score the Expos at bats but had them at four HRs on the night. A handful of Falcons stayed behind for a sad post-game beer in the drizzly rain.

Onwards and upwards, boys. That's why they play the game.

Boxscore:

Statistical Highlights