Alex was already at the baseball field when Danny arrived the next morning. “Did you talk to your dad?” Alex asked. “How did it go?”
Danny got off his bike and slung his bat bag onto the ground. He pulled a glove and ball from his bag. He started walking toward the backstop. “It went well,” he said, smiling.
“Yeah?” said Alex.
“Really well,” said Danny. His smile got even bigger.
“That’s great,” said Alex. “How did your dad handle it when you told him how you felt?”
“It was tough,” said Danny. “There was a lot of blubbering and hugging and all that. But it was good. My dad and I got a lot of things figured out. He’s coming to the game later.”
“Awesome,” said Alex, running past Danny onto the field. “So let’s go play some ball.”
“It’s about time!” shouted Danny.
* * *
By the top of the third inning, they led the Rays 2 to 0. Alex was pitching a great game. He struck out the first eight batters.
Danny had driven in two runs with a double in the bottom of the first. And to make things even better, he had not thrown one bad ball all game.
It probably helped that his dad had been there to cheer him on. Danny knew things would never be the same as they were before the divorce, but he was glad that he and his dad were starting to talk again. It was a big first step.
With two outs in the inning, Danny sat behind the plate and waited for Alex to go into his windup. The Rays batter stood tall in the batter’s box.
Alex kicked and threw. The batter shifted his weight from his back leg to his front leg and gracefully swung the bat. Danny closed his glove, but the ball never got there. The batter hit a solid line drive into the outfield.
The Rays players hooted and hollered as the Dodgers’ left fielder threw the ball to second base. The Rays batter jogged into first base with a single.
Danny stood behind the plate as the ball was thrown back to Alex. Danny pulled his mask back from his face. He couldn’t help staring at the runner on first. It was the first time a Rays player had gotten a hit all game.
Danny took a deep breath. Throwing with the bases empty was easy. The true test was whether he could keep making good throws with a runner on base.
He turned to Alex, who was holding his throwing hand palm down. Danny knew that Alex was telling him to relax. Danny nodded and stepped back behind home plate.
Make a good throw, Danny thought. Catch the ball and throw it to Alex. There’s nothing to it.
Alex went into his windup. Danny caught the next pitch after the batter watched it go by. Strike one. Danny stood up and made a casual throw. It landed perfectly in Alex’s glove. “Yes,” he said to himself, smiling.
It wasn’t until Alex caught the ball that Danny noticed the Rays player sliding feet-first into second base. The runner had stolen second, and Danny had completely missed it.
He felt terrible. He had been so focused on getting the ball back to Alex that he had completely ignored the runner.
“Let’s pay attention out there!” Coach Byrd, yelled from the dugout.
“It’s okay,” Alex shouted from the mound. “No problem.”
Danny nodded and got back into position. He couldn’t wait for the inning to be over. He didn’t want to make an error and allow the Rays to get a run.
Alex kicked and threw. This time Danny watched the whole field. He saw the runner on second take off to try and steal third.
Danny caught the pitch. Then he stood and gunned the ball to third base. The runner slid head-first into the bag. The ball arrived just a split-second too late.
“Safe!” yelled the umpire.
“Shoot,” muttered Danny.
“Catcher!” Alex shouted from the mound. He waved for Danny to join him.
“Time,” said Danny. He raised both hands into the air.
“Time!” shouted the home plate umpire.
Danny jogged to the mound.
“Shake it off,” Alex said. “That wasn’t your fault. That guy is quick.”
“I know,” said Danny.
“You’re doing fine,” said Alex. “You haven’t made one bad throw yet.” He smacked Danny in the chest with his glove. “You can do this,” he added.
“You’re right,” Danny said. “I can.”
“Great,” said Alex. “Let’s go!”
Danny turned and trotted back to the plate. As the Rays batter took some practice swings, Danny tried to build back his confidence.
“Let’s do this thing,” he whispered. “There’s nothing to it.”
Alex leaned forward and stared toward home. Danny’s heart was thumping hard in his chest. Alex stood up straight, then began his windup. Danny waited with his glove extended.
The ball came flying from Alex’s hand. The batter cocked his bat and swung. CRACK!
The ball sailed toward left field. The batter had hit the ball hard, but it had popped up high into the air. The left fielder would be able to make a play.
Danny watched as the ball fell from the sky. The runner at third took a few steps back and put his toe on the bag. He was tagging up.
Danny knew that once the ball was caught, the runner would be able to try to run home.
The ball landed in the outfielder’s glove. And sure enough, the runner took off. He sprinted directly toward Danny.
Danny set himself in front of home plate as his teammate released a throw from left. It was a good throw. Danny tried to keep his eye on the ball and not get distracted by the runner. He knew if he dropped the ball, it wouldn’t matter how good the throw was.
The play was going to be close. Danny could tell. The runner was almost to home as the ball landed in Danny’s glove.
In one quick move, he caught the ball and swept his glove toward the plate, tagging the Rays player on the foot.
“Out!” shouted the umpire.
The Dodgers cheered and pumped their fists. Danny stood up, slammed the ball to the ground and sprinted to the dugout.
His dad shouted to him from the bleachers. “Great job, Danny!” he yelled.
Danny looked up and smiled. Alex ran up to him with a high-five. “Game on,” said Alex.
“Game on,” said Danny.