Doctor's Orders

As a silhouette of oranges, pinks and blues cascaded across the evening sky in left field at Trum in Somerville, you could sense that a great game would ensue. The Alibrandis would not go quietly into the night, down one games to nothing in a best of three series against the Bluefish of East Boston.

It took only one lucky hop for Somerville to find it's bearings and beat the Bluefish 4-1 in front of a sparse home crowd Sunday night.

After two singles sandwiched around a bunted third strike gave Eastie runners on first second with one out, Marc Desroches broke a curve off that bounced in the dirt, allowing both runners to advance. Two pitches later, a fastball sneaked by Somerville's catcher.

East Boston's Kyle Jones broke for the plate immediately, but Somerville's short backstop created a favorable bounce and, with Desroches covering plate, he was able to slap the tag on Jones just in time to cut down the run and preserve the scoreless tie.

After a pop out to the third baseman ended the top of the third inning, a resounding "let's go!" rang from Somerville's already chirping bench, a clear sign that the Alibrandis would not let this game slip away.

East Boston's Matt Vezina had pitched well through two innings, but the third would prove to be his undoing. After a single and an error by the shortstop gave Somerville two on and no one out, a 3-2 curve missed in the dirt to load the bases for Dave Scioli.

After a chat on the mound, Vezina and his sharp curve ball faced off against Scioli and his quick bat. Somerville's short stop jumped on the second pitch he saw -- a waist-high fastball -- and deposited it high and deep over the scoreboard in left field to give his pitcher all the run support he would need on this night.

A smattering of Malden Bulldogs were in attendance as well, presumably scouting out their potential next opponent.

I know Somerville and Malden aren't the most popular topics in these parts, but who in their right mind wouldn't want to watch these two teams duel for five games?

In fact, if you're not interested in that, you can not consider your self a baseball fan.

There, I said it.