Avery did get the first two strikes on the first hitter. But then he poked a single into right field, and from that moment, the feeding frenzy was on. There were hoots and hollers, and some taunts flung at Avery from the Giants bench.
The next batter smashed a line drive to center. Luckily, it was right at Mason, who flinched, but caught the ball and threw it back in to hold the runner at first.
The Giants bench quieted down, but only for a moment. Avery blew out a relieved breath, then smacked herself angrily on the side of her head with her mitt.
“Hey!” Derek called out to her. “No getting down on yourself, huh? You got this!”
She threw him a hard glance, then got back to business. The catcalls continued, and Derek felt like calling time, going over there, and giving them all a piece of his mind. But he knew he’d better concentrate on doing his job.
On Avery’s next pitch the hitter smacked a hard grounder to second, where Harry had taken over when Avery had come in to pitch. Harry fielded the ball cleanly, then threw to Derek at second to start the double play.
But Harry hadn’t been there early to take infield practice. His throw sailed wide of the bag, just off the tip of Derek’s mitt! Avery, backing up the play smartly, picked up the ball and checked the runner. She then walked back to the mound, muttering under her breath.
She was as mad as she could be, and no wonder, Derek thought. She’d succeeded in getting that grounder, only to have an easy double play messed up behind her. Because she wasn’t the one playing second base. And the kid who was playing there hadn’t practiced with Derek beforehand. So instead of the inning being over, now it was first and second, with only one out.
Derek called over to Harry. “Don’t worry, man—we’ve got this.”
Harry nodded, but didn’t look back at him. Clearly he felt bad for messing up at a crucial moment. But at least now he knew his teammates were behind him.
Avery was laser-focused on the Giants’ next hitter, who was waggling his bat over his head, like he smelled blood in the water.
Derek could see the sweat trickling down Avery’s face. He wanted to tell her to relax and settle down. But after the look she’d just given him and Harry, he hesitated.
He soon wished he hadn’t. On the first pitch the hitter sent one deep to left center. It split the outfielders, for a double that scored both runners, and put the Giants ahead for the first time in the game, 3–2!
Coach Stafford was already out of the dugout and headed for the mound. He signaled to Pete to come in from third to pitch. Harry went back to third, his usual position when he wasn’t pitching. And Avery was sent back to play second base.
Derek followed her with his gaze. He could tell she was steaming, even though her face was hidden.
Pete started off by plunking the first hitter he faced. For a moment Derek feared that things were going to go from bad to worse. Were the Yankees about to fall apart completely?
Pete ran the count full, then threw one right over the plate. The hitter sent a liner to Derek’s left side. Reacting without thinking, he ran for it, and grabbed it in stride for the out.
Then, seeing that the runner on second had strayed too far and slipped trying to get back, Derek kept going, and his foot touched the bag an instant before the runner’s.
“OUT!” shouted the ump.
Inning over! Unassisted double play!
Letting out a triumphant shout, Derek ran excitedly back to the bench.
A second ago the season had looked like it was about to go up in flames. If he hadn’t made that play, Derek knew, his team would have been behind now by at least two runs.
Instead the deficit was only one. With three outs left, and the top of their order coming up, the Yankees still had a fighting chance!
Derek watched the new Giants pitcher warm up. Yet another hard thrower. Derek could hear the catcher’s mitt make a loud pop every time the ball hit it.
Okay, he told himself. I’ve got to be ready for the fastball.
Mason couldn’t catch up to it and wound up striking out. Now the Yanks were down to two outs.
And Derek was up.
He took a pitch, hoping to get ahead in the count, but it was a strike. Just watching it go by, Derek knew he was going to have a problem getting onto this kid’s fastball. But he also saw that the infielders were playing him deep—too deep.
The next pitch was a low fastball. Derek took just a half swing at it—not a bunt, but not a full swing either. The ball bounced slowly to the pitcher’s right, forcing him to turn awkwardly out of his follow-through and field the ball, then pivot and throw to first.
He might still have gotten Derek for the out. But his throw was wide to the left. It got by the first baseman, and Derek wound up on second!
Now the Yankees had some life! Derek could feel it, and so could his teammates. They were going wild on the bench, yelling at the top of their lungs for Pete to hit one out of the park.
Pete always wanted to be the big hero with the big hit. Well, this was the perfect time. The pitcher didn’t want to walk him, putting the go-ahead run on base. So Pete was going to get a good pitch to swing at.
Expecting a fastball, he started his swing early, and pulled a sharp liner into left, deep enough to score Derek with the tying run!
Pete stood on second, clapping as Derek ran back to the bench. The Giants looked worried now, and the Yankees were making a world of noise. Derek took his high fives, rattled
