A Game For the Ages! Smith Leads Team in Thrilling Fashion

In what is already being called an instant Charlie Brown Classic and the Greatest Wiffle Ball Game Played, Andrew Smith plucked the hero card from Jeff Feldman in the waning moments of the contest to lead his team to an improbable comeback win in a wild game at the CB Lot.

On a perfect summer night with temperatures sitting in the comfy mid 60s and the wind subsiding for a night, Smith ripped two doubles in the ninth, collected 3 RBIs and made a potential game saving play in the field to lead his team to an epic 6-4 comeback win over Abe Kim's squad.

After repeated struggles at the plate, Smith took two games off to clear his mind and returned yesterday night ready to breakout of his early season slump. Beaming confidence from the start, Smith immediately elected to be captain. With the 2nd and 3rd pick, Smith chose Jake Rainwater and Dylan Kessler in hopes for them to carry the load on the mound for the team. Smith's last two picks were Tom Monte and Max Rubin.

Abraham Kim sporting a 2-0 record to start the season had 1st selection and took the number one ranked fantasy wiffleball player in Rob Rubenstein. With his next two picks, Kim selected Gordon Miller, who sparkled in his debut and Jeff Feldman. Abe rounded out his squad with Stanley Li.

The game would move quickly in the beginning as both teams came ready to battle. Kessler took the mound in the top of the 1th and made quick work of Kim and Millner. In the bottom of the first, Rubenstein showed Cy Young stuff looking un-hittable as he struck out Monte and Kessler to quiet doubts of a possible dead arm after struggling with control last Thursday.

The top of the second would be the first of three legendary showdowns between Rainwater and Rubenstein. Coming off his first win on Thursday, Rainwater took the mound and his stuff looked good from the onset. Rainwater jumped ahead of Rubenstein before losing the battle by walking him on a pitch that just missed the zone. In what would be a career night, Jeff Feldman would follow Rubenstein in the lineup. Some wiffle pundits were critical of the lineup decision by Kim for not providing protection for Rubenstein's bat with the usual light hitting Feldman batting behind the home run leader. Feldman battled and singled to left field putting early pressure on Rainwater. He responded however by striking out Li and Kim to escape the early jam.

Feldman returned to the mound in the bottom of the second and jammed Rainwater for an easy pop out and then proceeded to strike out Rubin for a quick and easy second inning.

Monte returned to the mound and was greeted rudely when Rubenstein ripped a double to left that fell just short of the street. Monte was able to preserve the shutout by getting Feldman on a come backer and then retiring Li.

Millner took the mound for the first time in the bottom of the third and struggled with control, walking the first three batters he faced leaving his team in a mega jam. The team called on captain Kim to face Rainwater with the bases loaded and nobody out. In the first of many big moments, Kim struck out Rainwater on an up and in fastball that enticed an off balance and late swinging Rainwater. Kim followed one big out with another by getting a struggling Rubin to end the threat, getting Millner off the hook.

Kessler looked strong in the 4th yielding zero runs and Rubenstein followed with another perfect inning. In the top of the 5th, Rainwater again faced off against Rubensten and did not fare any better than in the second inning. After getting two strikes, Rainwater again lost him on a couple close pitches. With Rubenstein on, Feldman looked confident at the dish, already 1 for 1 on the day against Rainwater. After falling behind in the count 2-2, Rainwater hung a curveball that Feldman sent back up the middle only to be denied a hit by a great off balance one handed scoop by Rainwater, the first of many defensive gems featured in the contest. Rainwater fired up, struck out Li on a screwball that bit hard inside and hit Li while he was swinging. This acted as redemption from the 4th inning when Rubenstein struck Monte out on a fastball that hit him while in the act of swinging.

Smith's squad finally broke the scoreless game with a couple defensive lapses in the field. Feldman struck out Kessler on a filthy changeup that dropped out of the strike zone. He then got Rainwater to flare one to right center that spun between Kim and Li that ended up dropping after a failed attempt by both to catch it. Rubin followed with a single that turned into a double after Kim was unable to handle the sharp grounder, plating the first RBI of the game and giving Smith's team the 1-0 lead.

Smith who had been swinging a noticeably better bat ripped a double to left that scored Rubin and made it a 2-0 game. . With Kessler itching to get a second chance after the strikeout, Feldman got Monte to pop out to the center of the diamond where Rubenstein calmly called Feldman off and made the play.

Monte worked the top of the sixth hoping to continue the shutout performance. He was able to get one out before two runners reached base and the hungry Feldman approached the plate. Monte immediately fell into trouble by falling behind Feldman in the count 4-0. Electing not to load the bases, Monte floated one down the middle which Feldman lifted deep to left. With already one Web Gem on the day, Rainwater looked to be under the ball when he started to stagger backwards tripping over the curb but was able to stay with the ball making a circus catch while falling to the ground to keep the shutout in tact.

Smith's team seemed to be carrying all the momentum and looked to extend the lead. But in what would be early signs of this game becoming more than just your average pitchers duel, Kim's team stepped up with some incredible plays of their own. As the fans started to file in, the game that was seemingly simmering along began to boil as Millner made a terrific running grab in foul territory on a Kessler swing. After Rainwater and Rubin reached base, the hot swinging Smith stepped up looking to increase his teams slim margin. In what would be the Charlie Browns game saving play, Smith crushed a pitch into deep left that was heading for the street only to be tracked down in stride by the streaking Rubenstein to rob Smith of a three run homer, preserving the game.

Kessler worked a clean top of the seventh and Kim followed by working a clean bottom. The game moved into the top of the 8th inning with Rubenstein set to lead off. In a strategic move, Monte came into to pitch the 8th, saving Rainwater for the closing role in the 9th. Monte found himself in trouble right away by giving up a single to Rubenstein and walking Feldman. With runners on first and second, Monte got a big out by retiring Li. Kim was up next and after being relatively quiet with the bat, stroked a solid single to left, loading the bases for Millner. With the lot becoming more crowded with spectators, both teams and onlookers watched in anticipation as Monte worked a full count to Millner. Finally the wall cracked as Millner ripped a ball to right that Rubin was able to get a hand on but was unable to stop it. What looked like a game tying double off the bat, Smith sprinted into the gap fielding the ball holding Millner to a single and preserving the lead that was evaporating before his eyes.

Smith called on Rainwater to face Rubenstein in what would become one of the most legendary showdowns in wiffle ball history. With 1 out and the bases loaded in the top of the 8th, Rubenstein looked to put the team over the top as the tying run stood at third, the go ahead run at second and an always important insurance run at first. Rainwater fell behind 3-1 before working getting it to a full count. Rubenstein fouled off a couple screws from Rainwater before punching a grounder to third base off the end of the bat. Kessler standing in front of the line was unable to secure the ball as Kim's team erupted with elation as the game was now tied at 2.

Rainwater looked unfazed as he grabbed the wiffle balls collecting his thoughts and letting the emotion die down. With the go ahead run at third and a hot swinging Feldman at the dish, Rainwater dialed in and struck out Feldman with a filthy screwball that nicked the corner of the chair.

The drama was only beginning as Smith's team tried to muster an attack against Rubenstein. Rainwater led off and just looked over matched as Rubenstein struck him out on a full count splitter that darted down out of the zone. Rubin followed and was quickly sent packing extending Rubenstein's scoreless streak to 11 innings.

Kessler took the mound in the 9th and took care of a struggling Li for the first out. A focused Kim stepped into the box and ripped a line drive down to left which Rainwater jumped for but couldn't grab as the ball tipped off his hand and fell a couple feet short of a home run. Millner reached base bringing Rubenstein to the plate with two runners on. With a base open, Kessler pitched him carefully in what looked like an intentional pass. Rubenstein didn't lift his bat as he walked on 5 pitches to set up Feldman.

In one of the most improbable moments in wiffle ball history, Feldman battled Kessler down to the last strike before lifting a bomb to left center that was feet short of a grand slam but nonetheless landed in the outfield grass for a 2 run double giving his team a 4-2 lead. Smith's team looked on shocked as Kim's team celebrated what looked to be the game winning 2 run double. Kessler more shocked than anyone, retired Li to keep the game at 4-2.

Kim stood on the mound in the bottom of the ninth looking to nail down the save in a wild contest that had already set an attendance record at the CB Lot. With Captain Clutch leading off, Smith roped a line drive double to left field to bring the tying run to the plate, bringing life to his squad and providing some air to the teams deflated look. Kim looking a little rattled, walked Monte on 5 pitches to bring up Kessler who was on the hook for the loss and was about to become the goat in this instant classic. With two strikes, Kessler worked the count full before smacking a grounder to Li.

The game had shown flashes of great defense as well as botched plays from both squads. Kessler watched as Li charged the grounder as he looked in control getting his hands on it before the ball squeaked out of his grasp to be ruled an error to load the bases with no one out. With the tension filling the Lot, Rainwater stepped to the plate ready to win the game for his team. On a 1-0 count, Rainwater hit a tailing fly ball that Li ran for but dropped, Castillo style, that fell into the outfield scoring two runs and tying the game. Smith teams exploded as they had managed their way back from a 2 run deficit in the ninth and looked ready to turn the light out on Kim and his team. However Kim showed toughness by getting Rubin to weakly ground out to himself.

With one out and the winning run at third, Smith slowly approached the plate with the look of someone ready to finish what he started. With a base open, Kim surprisingly pitched to Smith who crunched a ball that was just out of Millner's reach in left that would go for a double scoring both runs and giving his team an unbelievable comeback win.

After the game, the wiffle ball committee immediately declared the game an instant Charlie Brown classic while fans ranked it as one of the greatest wiffle ball games ever played.

Smith was voted MVP of the game while Feldman, Kim and the rest of the team looked on in disbelief as his team celebrated one of the most exciting games ever played. Slump no more

Smith: 6
Kim: 4

Box Score
W: Dylan Kessler (1-0)
L: Abe Kim (2-1)
HR: None
RBI: Smith (3), Rainwater 2(4), Rubin (1), Feldman 2(4), Rubenstein 1(6), Millner 1(3)