100 WINS AND COUNTING...
The Paterson Black Sox achieve milestone after recording team's 100th victory!!
The Black Sox entrusted their ol' reliable Diego "El Once" Santos to take the mound versus their rivals. Santos came into the game with exceptional success against the Royals over the years, and with the team's 100th win up for grabs he would not disappoint. Santos, who has been brilliant for the Sox all season, went seven strong innings only allowing one earned run. Santos also received some support from his offense. The Sox scored in the first inning after Josh "Oz" Osband reached base on a fielder's choice, then was drove in on a double hit by Jeff "El Capitan" DiGiulio. The team scored two more in the second with two more doubles hit by Gravier "Gravy" Garcia and Fred "Derf" Taylor. With a 3-0 lead in the third inning, "El Capitan" felt the Sox needed more of a cushion. So he hit a three-run home run over the right center field fence driving in his fourth RBI of the night.
The Sox started the eighth inning up 7-2. The Royals were prominent for making late game comebacks, so Santos got a pat on the back and the Sox called newly acquired "California" Chris Smith out of the bullpen. Smith entered the game with two men already on base and nobody out. His first batter reached base on a fielder's choice and the bases were now loaded with nobody out. DiGiulio, who was outstanding at the plate tonight, made a huge play at home throwing out the runner off a ground ball hit to first. Smith would pitch the Sox out of that inning only allowing run one to cross the plate. Smith sealed the deal in the ninth, and the Sox went on to win their 100th game in franchise history.
The Paterson Black Sox Baseball Club was founded in the Fall of 2003. 2011 marks the team's thirteenth season in their ninth year as a franchise. Although the players who make up the team's roster don't get paid for playing this great game, or get to watch a highlight reel of themselves on ESPN, or any other luxury of being a major leaguer....the players who make up this ball club play for the thrill and passion for the game. They play for the excitement and entailment of competition, and for the satisfaction of success. The hard work and enjoyment of baseball over the last nine years made us feel young again, shaped new friendships, and inspired new goals in our lives. The Paterson Black Sox is a proven organization of what hard work, class, and dedication to the sport of baseball can mean...and achieving one hundred victories is just a simple reminder to all the fans, friends, family members and adversaries of this great ball club of what we have established in amateur baseball, and what is left to come