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Cuttlefish -> RE: Small Ship, Big War (4/5/2008 12:05:12 AM)
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December 18, 1943 (continued):
The Tigers have been selected as the visiting team and bat first. Okubo retires the first two batters without trouble but then Torpedoman Hosogaya, the Tiger’s first baseman, singles. This brings Shun to the plate.
Most of the crew is seated along both base lines, watching the game and offering cheers, catcalls, and helpful advice to their shipmates. As Shun digs in, however, they all fall silent. Okubo versus Shun is without question the most awaited matchup of the game.
Taiki crouches behind the catcher and takes a deep breath. So far calling the balls and strikes has been easy, though standing there without protective gear of any kind he feels a little like he is standing out on a firing range. Okubo throws the baseball very hard. Shun settles into the right hand batter’s box. Taiki notes that the bat looks almost small in the Chief’s big fists.
Out on the mound Okubo rolls his shoulders to loosen them and then pitches. The first one is low and Shun watches it go by. Okubo’s next pitch is a fastball right on the outside edge of the plate. Taiki eyes it carefully and recalls that if any part of the ball crosses the plate at the appropriate level it should be called a strike.
“Strike!” he says, raising his right hand. Shun turns and gives him a baleful basilisk stare, then takes his stance again. The next pitch is almost identical, and Taiki again calls it a strike. This time Shun turns fully around and stares at him. Taiki straightens slowly and looks back Sweat trickles down the back of his neck, and it isn’t just from standing in the morning sunshine. Over on the first base bench Captain Ishii looks on impassively.
“One ball, two strikes,” says Taiki. “Take your stance, Chief.” He is pleased there is no quaver in his voice. Shun grunts and turns away, cocking his bat over his shoulder. Taiki can see he his now gripping the bat so hard his knuckles are white.
Okubo tries to do the same thing again, but this time the pitch comes in a couple of inches further inside and belt high. Shun swings so hard he grunts with the force of it.
Shun gets slightly under the pitch, but even so the ball sails high into the clear air of Kwajalein. There is a collective “ooh” from the onlookers as they follow the trajectory of the ball. In dead center field Lieutenant JG Nakagawa races back. He turns right up against the chain link fence and raises his glove. The ball drops into it and the inning is over. Shun, already nearing second base, simply shakes his head once and trots off the field.
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It is now the bottom of the fourth inning. The Dragons lead, 2 to 1. Seaman Itokawa, one of the ship’s cooks, does not throw as hard or as accurately as Okubo but he has a pretty good curveball, a difficult pitch for most of Sakati’s players to hit.
Okubo leads off, however, and he has faced curveballs before. He waits on one and singles to left. The next batter hits a hard ground ball to shortstop. Moshizuke’s complexion is still an odd color but he moves quickly to his right and snares the ball. He turns and snaps a good throw to the second baseman. The second baseman snags it, forcing Okubo, but as he turns to throw to first and complete the double play Okubo comes in with a hard slide. Amid a concealing spray of sand and dirt Okubo lashes out and catches the second baseman under the left kneecap with a vicious kick. The man collapses, clutching his knee.
“So very sorry,” says Okubo, standing and moving solicitously to help the man, who is now rolling on his back. Nakagawa comes running in from the bench. He looks the knee over and then helps the man off the field. Ishii sends in a replacement and the game continues.
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The game goes into the bottom of the eighth tied 4 to 4. Okubo again leads off and doubles down the left field line. The next two batters pop out and strike out, respectively, but then Nakagawa slaps a hard single to center. Okubo churns around third and heads to the plate. Shun moves up to block and the throw comes in on one hop, right on target. Okubo slides headfirst, reaching around Shun for the plate.
Taiki is standing right over the play and he sees Shun snag the ball with his bare hand. Shun brings hand and ball down in a hard tag right on the back of Okubo’s head.
“The runner is out!” calls Taiki. Okubo’s face bounces off the dirt. Taiki sees Shun bend over Okubo and hears him speak in a low voice.
“Try kicking another infielder and next time they will carry you off the field,” Shun says. Taiki steps back, giving no sign he has heard anything. Okubo stands, nose bleeding and face caked with dust, and reels away to clean up and prepare for the ninth inning.
Okubo may be getting tired, or perhaps Shun’s tag has a lingering effect. In any event the first batter walks, and then with one out Shun hits a line drive up the gap in left center field. It strikes the chain link fence so hard it sticks in the mesh. Taiki calls it a ground rule double, which leaves runners at second and third. Okubo takes a deep breath and strikes out the next batter, which brings Moshizuke to the plate.
Moshizuke has fielded his position well but has had trouble today catching up with Okubo’s fastball. This time, however, he grounds the second pitch hard past the shortstop. The shortstop dives but the ball hits a bit of coral or something and takes a hop past his outstretched glove and into the outfield. Two runs score and the Tigers lead for the first time, 6 to 4.
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That is how the game ends. The Tigers score no more runs in their half of the inning and the Dragons go out in order in the bottom of the ninth. After the final pitch Shun straightens from his catching position and turns to Taiki.
“You did a good job today,” is all he says. He pulls off his catcher’s mitt and goes to join his teammates. Onlookers and players mingle, everyone talking about the game, and Taiki goes and mops his face off with a towel.
Captain Ishii is pleased with the game and gives the players the rest of the day off. The other crewmen return to the ship, talking animatedly about what they have seen. Those who made money are a bit more cheerful than those who lost their bets, of course. Already there is a lot of anticipation building for the next game, to be held in three days.
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