BROKEBACK VALLEY
Hartford Brooms Ball Club From West Hartford, Losing Skid Hits Six

West Hartford, CT (AP)--Valley n. A lowland between two mountains. In 2005, the West Hartford Cannons reached the mountiantop of the Connecticut North Men's Senior Baseball League's (CNMSBL) B Division and in 2006 expectations were equally high for the team to repeat the feat as the newest member of the A Division after a much-anticipated off-season move to the upper level. Following a pair of setbacks on a sultry Father's Day Sunday at Cannon Yards the team plummeted to 1-7 on the young season and sits solely in the basin-like basement of the standings, one half game behind the Newington Capitals (2-8). "I wish I knew how to quit you" was one of the more memorable lines from 2005 Best Picture Nominee Brokeback Mountain. Many members of Cannon Nation may be coveting a similar caveat at this moment but it is another quote from the film that is fueling the team's fire and is perhaps more apropos as a home date with Bristol hovers on the horizon: "This is my house! And you are my guest! Now sit the hell down before I knock your ignorant a** into next week!" To their great credit the team remains upbeat and the two games left on the home-stand hopefully will provide a much-needed lift, leading the Cannons to loftier heights in the CNMSBL as the calendar closes in on July and the stretch run. As Father's Day memories fade teams around the A Division are asking, "Who's your daddy, West Hartford?" How will the Cannons respond to this adversity? When will the combustible Cannons offense catch fire? One thing is for sure: things can only go up from here.

Returning home from a four-game road trip, West Hartford had several positives going against the reigning A Division Champions from Hartford in the advertisers-dream Basebrawl I: When Champions Collide opener: Jason Maule and Mark Lynch returned to the Cannons line-up after missing the games in Granby against Marlborough; staff stalwart Mike "Paternal" Patenaude was primed and ready to go; and for the first time in 2006, the weather warmed to above average temperatures, usually a solid sign for the Cannons club. Patenaude climbed the hill and proceeded to give up two first-inning runs--the second time in as many starts that the opposition has scored in their first at-bat against the left-hander and the fifth time in seven starts that Cannon pitchers have relinquished a run in the first frame--on a hit batsman, an RBI double by Will Farrell, a walk and a run-scoring ground out by Benito Santiago. Maule was able to provide an immediate offensive spark starting his fifth game for West Hartford. The twenty-eight year-old ripped a lead-off double and scored easily on a sharply hit single by Kevin McGann to bring the Cannons back within one. Patenaude (7 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP on an economical seventy-seven pitches) would settle down, allowing only four hits over the final six frames--a sole run scored in the fifth when shortstop Alex Rodriguez doubled and scooted home on a Mario Lopez single (further damage was averted as the Cannons recorded the final two outs of the inning at the plate on a heads up play by K. McGann on a ground ball up the middle ending with a stellar scoop and tag by rookie catcher Mark Lynch and a fabulous flip from Lynch to Patenaude on a short passed ball). The story of this season for West Hartford has been the team's inability to establish any offensive flow and after the two-hit first the Cannons were only able to hammer out two more, a Maule single in the third and a Dionicio base hit in the fourth (Matt Celio was hit by a pitch in the second, Maule walked in the fifth and Ed Poland took a base on balls in the sixth, representing the only other Cannons to reach safely in Game One). Patenaude (0-3) had again pitched well and the defense was solid, making only a single error that had no direct effect on the outcome. Unfortunately, for the fifth time in seven contests--and the fifth consecutive game--West Hartford was able to put only a single run on the board and the result was a tough 3-1 loss.

Things heated up, both literally and figuratively, for Game Two with temperatures rising into the upper 90s and tempers reaching a near boiling point as the two CNMSBL title holders battled back and forth over the course of the game. West Hartford's rock-solid right-hander Poland took the mound and did everything in his power to single-handedly prevent the Cannons from losing a sixth straight game. He brilliantly battled the hard-hitting Hartford line-up and the Cannons offense provided some much needed pop early courtesy of the long ball. Maule started off the game swinging and deposited a Mike Flanning offering deep into the left field bleachers for a 1-0 Cannons advantage. Poland allowed just one National to reach safely through the first three innings (a third inning walk to Willie Green) and helped his own cause with a solo shot in the home half of the third. Controversy ensued as Poland trotted around the bases in the heat and humidity. Hartford management thought the thirty-one year old was "showing up" the MF-er while West Hartford management merely pointed to the rising mercury to explain Poland's actions or lack thereof. "Eddie is pure class both on and off the diamond, as evidenced by his shared Cannons Golden Spike Award (with Tom Luby) from last season, honoring his athletic ability, commitment to the Cannons and sportsmanship," Manager Celio told the many members of the media gathered outside the home lockeroom after the double header. "He respects the game and showing other players up is not his ball game nor is it our ball game. EP had them on the ropes there and all they could do was chirp. We stand one-hundred percent behind our guy. I wouldn't have him do anything differently and I especially like the way that Ed and Jason seem to be spurring on each other's success with some well-intentioned oneupmanship." Unfortunately Poland (6.1 IP, 9 R, 5 ER, 3 H, 6 K, 11 BB) ran into trouble in the top of the fourth after recording a pair of easy outs to start the inning. Two walks and two singles scored three and the Cannons two-run lead was now a one-run deficit. The Nationals added a run in the fourth but the Cannons bounced back with two of their own on back-to-back singles by Maule and Poland, a Luby RBI base hit and a Mike Weber sacrifice fly that plated Poland with the tying tally. Neither team scored in the sixth and entered the final frame tied at four. Poland (0-1), pitching on pure fumes at this point (after the game he told reporters he was seeing stars as early as the fourth inning and could not even work up a sweat despite the sweltering heat...Lynch had to receive fluids intravenously after catching seven innings as triple-digit temperatures threatened), walked five out of six batters he faced and Celio woke up long enough from his heat-induced coma to bring in Troy Barber (.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 K, 0 BB). The raucous righty from New Hampshire pitched well and was able to get the team out of the inning following an error on a force play at second and a fly ball to right. "Troy really earned his 'C' today," Assistant Manager Weber said in his post-game press conference. "Celio thought about bringing him in for the sixth and seventh but never pulled the trigger because of the way EP was gutting things out...he really wanted to finish. One thing is for sure: our pitching staff just got one guy deeper. We're confident with all five of our arms and these players are going to be difference makers down the stretch and especially on short rest come playoff time. Two tough losses--the Cannons failed to score in the seventh inning of Game Two, making the final score 9-4--but I'm really excited about our team. We saw some good things out there today. The bad things can be corrected but the good things will be with us this season and in the future."

Ain't no valley low enough to keep the Cannons from climbing toward respectability in the CNMSBL A Division. Leo Dionicio added after the twin bill, "Every game is close...we are always there in the sixth inning. The Cannons magic is right there, ready to explode. All we need is a little extra to break us through." With two more games to play before a three-week layoff, the time is now for the ball club from West Hartford to make a move. You may wish you knew how to quit the Cannons but there is simply no quit in this team as they look to rise from the proverbial ashes against the Bristol Phoenix this Sunday at Cannon Yards (tickets are still available at 800 CANNONS or at whcannons.blogspot.com). Stay focused Cannons fans!

Cannons News and Notes: Maule was 5 for 6 on the day, sky-rocketing his average from .214 to .400 (he leads West Hartford in hits and doubles and is tied for the team lead in home runs); Maule and Poland became the first Cannon teammates to homer in the same game in the A Division (the feat was last accomplished by Luby and Poland in last season's semi-final contest against New Haven); with his single in the second game, Lynch raised his average to .300 on the season; with fourteen hits this weekend, the team batting average increased fifteen points from .203 to .218...the team on-base percentage crept closer toward .300, going from .261 to .272; in this week's installment of The Dionicio Code, Leo named his "Cannons Holy Trinity:" Luby is the Father Almighty, Dioncio himself is the Son and Maule is the Holy Spirit...he also named Chris Barsa as Agent Sophie Neveu and Lynch as Mary Magdalene.