Read Online Miracle at the Plate by Matt Christopher - Free Book Online

1
    S keeter walked to the plate for the first time against the Barracudas and the men in the outfield stepped back. There were
     two outs. Joey Spry was on first, and it was the top of the first inning.
    Last year the first time Skeeter faced a pitcher was in a scrub game. He had hit a home run over the left-field fence and
     had run around the bases twice. He had to run around twice because the first time didn’t count. He had run the wrong way.
    This year Skeeter hadn’t seemed to have learned much more about baseball. Yet, sofar, he led the Grasshopper Baseball League in batting. In three games he had been to bat seven times and had collected five
     hits for an average of .714.
    “Come on, Skeet! Drive it!” someone on the bench yelled. Others joined in the cry.
    Skeeter heard the guys chuckling behind him. They thought it was funny that he batted cross-handed. He was a right-handed
     hitter, but he gripped the bat with his left hand above his right, just the opposite from the way ordinary right-hand hitters
     gripped theirs.
    He didn’t stand erect at the, plate either, but crouched forward with his legs far apart. He was tall and thin and clumsy.
     He knew he was clumsy, but he couldn’t help it. When he was in a hurry his legs seemed to get in the way and he’d stumble
     all over the place before he’d get where he wanted to.Mom said he was growing too fast, and not to worry about it. So he didn’t.
    He took a called strike that cut the outside corner, then two balls. The next was belt-high. He laid his bat into it.
    The blow was solid. The ball sailed out to left center field. Joey Spry ran all around to home and Skeeter stopped on second
     for a clean double.
    The crowd yelled and applauded. The Milky Way fans shook their heads unbelievingly and laughed.
    First baseman Bogy Adams was up next. He fouled off two pitches, then socked a high fly to short center. The center fielder
     ran in and made a one-handed catch. Three outs.
    The Milky Ways ran out to the field. All except Shadow McFitters, who ambled out to the mound as if he had all day. Shadowwas a southpaw, tall and even skinnier than Skeeter, who was his pal.
    Shadow hardly had any speed at all. Nor did he have much of a hook. But he did have good control. He whiffed the first two
     guys and the next grounded out to short for a quick half inning.
    The Milky Ways threatened to score during their turn at bat, but didn’t succeed. The Barracudas came up again. Their first
     hitter blasted the first pitch out to left field. It was going deep.
    Out in left field Skeeter Miracle turned and ran. His feet tangled and he stumbled. Somehow he kept from falling. By the time
     he was erect again the ball was sailing over his head. He reached for it and was shy by only inches. The ball struck the ground
     and bounced out to the fence.
    Skeeter hustled after it, picked it up, andpegged it to the shortstop, Tip Miles. The hitter reached third for a triple.
    Skeeter socked his bare fist into his glove disgustedly and kicked the grass. He should have had that fly, he thought. If
     he hadn’t stumbled he would have.
    A single drove in the run. Before the half inning was over the Barracudas put across two more to go ahead of the Milky Ways,
     3 to 1.
    In the top of the third Skeeter knocked out a single, but the Milky Ways couldn’t score. The Barracudas put across another
     run, and that was Skeeter’s fault, too. He had charged in after a fly ball, tried to make a shoestring catch, and missed it.
     The ball bounced out to the fence, and the hitter got three bases.
    Skeeter was sure that Coach Jess O’Hara was going to replace him then and there,because the coach turned and shook his head. But Skeeter stayed in.
    Roger Hyde, playing center field, didn’t like it one bit either. Matter of fact, if it were up to Roger, Skeeter wouldn’t
     play at all. He’d have Tommy Scott play, just because Tommy was his next-door neighbor and his best pal. As a ball player,