The batters behind him were quickly retired. Three men were left stranded on base.
But Casey was pitching for Sharpstown, and the other side was no luckier. In the third inning, Miguel and Eddrick made two fine plays, prompting Coach Joe to say, "We're going to win this game." About that time Mustafa stepped to the plate again, and again he struck out.
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Mustafa returned to the dugout more slowly than he had left it and quietly took off his helmet.
The game went on for four scoreless innings before Josh Kahanek, the small, substitute right fielder of whom nothing was expected, rapped a double down the right-field line. It was the unheralded first baseman, Scott Gaskamp, who got the hit that drove Josh in.
Scott and Josh were heroes! Sharpstown had the lead.
And just as suddenly, it fell behind. With two down in the fourth, Hollywood in center field dropped a fly ball. Casey hadn't expected that; he gave up a rare walk. With men on first and third, Miguel, fielding a routine grounder, committed an awful mental blunder. Instead of throwing to first for the quick out, he overthrew to second. The ball traveled into the outfield. Two runs scored.
Hollywood and Miguel were the antiheroes. Sharpstown was behind.
By the last inning, the gap had increased to 5-3. Coach Ken, who is known for never surrendering, exhorted his team to "get focused." There were two outs, and Scott Gaskamp was on first when Casey walked. Bellaire brought in its 12-year-old star pitcher, Michael Johnson. With a full count, Michael Foley hit a single to right field.
Again, the bases were loaded when Edgar Medrano walked forward with his .577 batting average. "Come on, Edgar!" Mustafa said.
Edgar hunched over the plate like Pete Rose. When the pitch came, Edgar swung, and he connected. He connected with just enough of the ball to return it slowly to the pitcher, who took his time making the play.
"Final score," the announcer blared, "Bellaire 5, Sharpstown 3."
After the game, the mood of the players was, "We're the Sharpstown All-Stars — how could this happen to us?" And among the coaches, the feeling was, "We're the Sharpstown All-Stars — it's happening again."
The next evening, the sun was setting when the players took the field. Sharpstown's foe this time was West University Place. Coach Wayne had said, "When you start walking batters in an All-Star game, you're in a world of hurt." Gabriel Veras started walking batters. Before the first inning was done, Sharpstown was down four to nothing.
By their last at bat, the team still had not recovered. After striking out a third time, Mustafa spent most of the game on the bench. Casey, who had struck out only three times the entire season, struck out a fourth against West U. He sat on the bench and leaned forward with his face in his hands. "Suck it up, Casey," said Coach Wayne. "Suck it up."
Michael Foley struck out, too, and then there was only Eddrick, and Eddrick's mother was in the bleachers waving her hands and shouting, "Come on, baby! Come on!"
And there came the pitch, sweet and soft and over his head. Eddrick swung with all of his strength. The power of his swing twisted him around so that he looked like Babe Ruth in the old photos. Except that he was not watching the ball sail away. He was gazing at the sky. It was a clear night sky, and he would probably never forget it.
"Good game," someone said. And Mustafa answered darkly, "No, it wasn't. No, it wasn't!"
They bid farewell in right field, slumped and wounded in the grass, Casey with his thousand-yard stare, Josh in tears.
Coach Tom told them they had made too many mental errors. "You 11-year-olds remember this," he said.
Coach Joe said this was just a small moment in their lives and tomorrow they would be swimming again and going to AstroWorld. And he was proud of them for trying.
"Everyone come closer," said Coach Ken, and they crawled closer, and he told them they had made too many mistakes. They had dropped balls they should have caught and had missed balls they should have hit. Opportunities had passed them by, but he hoped they had learned their lesson. Most of them would not be returning to Little League, but if they ever needed a friend, they should give him a call.
"Otherwise," said Coach Ken, "maybe I'll see you around the parking lot."
