In Rod We Trust

CARSON, CA - With a flare for the dramatic starting pitcher Rod Boaz waited until Saturday evening to call trainer Stan Turner and tell him his Heel felt good enough to give it a shot. Turner thought it was a joke at first, but Boaz told him he was 100% serious. So still with a noticeable limp, Boaz made his way out to the mound to the joy of the hometown Knights fans.

Boaz put his team first and despite his severe injury the 2 weeks before he was able too look like a new version of Boaz of old from the first pitch. Boaz 2.0 as he now wants to be known was focused to get the Knights back on track. Boaz struck out 4 of the first 5 batters he faced, untimately going 6 innings allowing 3 hits and 0 earned runs. Boaz did walk 6 batters, but got himself out of bases loaded jams with big pitches both times. The first bases loaded jam was created by Shortstop Pete Halvorsen on consecutive errors, but Boaz had his shortstops back shutting down the threat getting back to back outs and not allowing a run to score. Halvorsen returned the favor two innings later with 1 out and the bases loaded snagging a ground ball up the middle and turning a 6-3 double play ending another Storm threat.

Click On Murkules Face For His Intro Music

The great performance by Rod Boaz was not to be outdone by Kevin Murkey who no doubt wanted to see his name in print as well. Murkey has been battling injuries of his own from his two-sport days of playing in the now defunct NFL - Europe and spending his off season with the Knights. Those days are behind him, but the injuries remain. Murkey tossed a season high 3 Innings allowing only 2 hits and striking out 5. Game Over indeed.

Murkules did get some help from his good pal and Centerfielder Steve Fike who is making Web Gems look routine these days. With a runner on 2nd and 0 outs, Fike dashed 20 yards onto the right centerfield warning track and snagged a sure run scoring double over his shoulder. This excited rightfielder Austin Hurwitz so much that he made a Howard Dean like scream.

Listen To The Baseball Tonight Guys Discuss Fike's Web Gem and the Greatest Web Gems Of All Time

The Knights offense was focused and determined to score more than the 3 runs they barely managed against the Storm the last time they faced them. Both Austin Hurwitz and Erik Barber continued their hot hitting knocking in 2 runs a piece.
While leadoff hitter Pete Halvorsen took advantage of 3 walks scoring 3 times. Steve Fike felt comfortable at the plate also, going 3-4 on the day solidifying his spot in the number two hole. The McDonald brothers Ian and Brendan manned the right side of the infield and also picked up 1 hit a piece continuing to forge new ground becoming the first Knight siblings to reach base in the same inning.

After losing 18-3 to the Storm back in June the Knights put together a well played game winning 6-1 and staying tied for first with the LA Yankees, who they meet this week at 0830 in Glendale at Stengel Field.

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