Read Online The Hit-Away Kid by Matt Christopher - Free Book Online
Authors: Matt Christopher
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1
It was the top of the fourth inning and Barry McGee, left fielder for the Peach Street Mudders, was bored. He loved baseball,
and he loved to win. He would do almost
anything
to win. But today’s game was slow as molasses. A ball hadn’t been hit out to him since the first inning, when the Belk’s
Junk Shop batters had knocked out seven hits and racked up six runs. It sure had looked as if they would
never
get out.
Then the Mudders had scored three timesin the second inning and once in the third, proving to the Junk Shoppers that they were still in the game.
But now Barry felt as if he were just one of the spectators. The Shoppers were hitting the ball in every direction but left
field.
Crack!
Barry reacted to the sharp sound of the bat connecting with the ball and saw the white pill zip past pitcher Sparrow Fisher’s
head. Center fielder José Mendez scooped it up and whipped it in to second baseman Nicky Chong, holding the Belk’s Joe Tuttle
to a single.
Maybe good ol’ Brian Feinberg will pop one out to me, Barry thought hopefully.
Good ol’ Brian popped one out, all right, but it was to right fielder Alfie Maples.
Then Eddie Lathan hit a hard one to shortstop Bus Mercer, who had to go to his right a little to catch the ball. But he flubbed
it. And by the time he had control of it, Joe was on second and Eddie was on first.
“That’s okay, Bus!” Barry yelled, knowing how Bus must feel after making an error. He hated making errors, too. Nothing was
worse, except maybe striking out with runners on base.
Sparrow mowed Monk Solomon down with three straight strikes, bringing up the Belk’s left fielder, Jerry Moon. Jerry was a
righthander, but he batted from the left side of the plate. No way, Barry thought, will he hit a ball out to me.
Crack!
Jerry belted Sparrow’s first pitch to deep left field. Surprised, Barry turned and sprinted toward the sign-covered fence.
A hit would score a run. A catch would end the inning. He glanced back over his shoulder, saw the ball dropping down fast
over his head, and reached out for it.
Just then he tripped over a lump of sod. He lost his balance and started to fall. But he kept his eye on the ball and got
his glove under it just as he hit the ground.
It was a great play … until the ball rolled off his glove and onto the grass! In a flash Barry retrieved it. His back was
to the umpire and the crowd — who could see what he did? He jumped to his feet, shouting, “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”
“Out!” yelled the base umpire.
Barry ran in, holding the ball up in his gloved hand and grinning widely. He heard some Peach Street Mudders fans yell, “Nice
catch, Barry!”
Then another voice from the sideline said, “You dropped it. I saw you.”
2
Barry’s smile faded and his heart leaped as he glanced toward the sideline. There sat his sister, Susan, and their little
brother, Tommy. Barry had seen them there earlier but had practically forgotten about them.
He gave Susan a dirty look that said Keep your mouth shut. Then he turned away and continued on toward the dugout.
But some of the Belk’s Junk Shop fans must have seen him drop the ball, too. “He droppedit, ump! What are you, blind?” a couple of them yelled.
Luckily, the umpire’s decision held. Jerry Moon was out.
So much for your big mouth, Susan, he thought. But at the same time, deep down he felt guilty. What he’d done wasn’t right.
Well, he’d have to forget it, that’s all. If he could.
Sparrow, batting last in the lineup, led off with a single. Then Barry stepped to the plate. He felt comfortable here. He’d
rather bat than field any day. Maybe, he thought, he could get a long hit and make up for his cover-up.
He glanced at Coach Parker, who was coaching third base, and got the bunt signal.
Barry couldn’t believe it.
“Oh, no!” he moaned. “I can’t bunt!”
He decided he wouldn’t bunt, no matter what the coach had signaled him
It was the top of the fourth inning and Barry McGee, left fielder for the Peach Street Mudders, was bored. He loved baseball,
and he loved to win. He would do almost
anything
to win. But today’s game was slow as molasses. A ball hadn’t been hit out to him since the first inning, when the Belk’s
Junk Shop batters had knocked out seven hits and racked up six runs. It sure had looked as if they would
never
get out.
Then the Mudders had scored three timesin the second inning and once in the third, proving to the Junk Shoppers that they were still in the game.
But now Barry felt as if he were just one of the spectators. The Shoppers were hitting the ball in every direction but left
field.
Crack!
Barry reacted to the sharp sound of the bat connecting with the ball and saw the white pill zip past pitcher Sparrow Fisher’s
head. Center fielder José Mendez scooped it up and whipped it in to second baseman Nicky Chong, holding the Belk’s Joe Tuttle
to a single.
Maybe good ol’ Brian Feinberg will pop one out to me, Barry thought hopefully.
Good ol’ Brian popped one out, all right, but it was to right fielder Alfie Maples.
Then Eddie Lathan hit a hard one to shortstop Bus Mercer, who had to go to his right a little to catch the ball. But he flubbed
it. And by the time he had control of it, Joe was on second and Eddie was on first.
“That’s okay, Bus!” Barry yelled, knowing how Bus must feel after making an error. He hated making errors, too. Nothing was
worse, except maybe striking out with runners on base.
Sparrow mowed Monk Solomon down with three straight strikes, bringing up the Belk’s left fielder, Jerry Moon. Jerry was a
righthander, but he batted from the left side of the plate. No way, Barry thought, will he hit a ball out to me.
Crack!
Jerry belted Sparrow’s first pitch to deep left field. Surprised, Barry turned and sprinted toward the sign-covered fence.
A hit would score a run. A catch would end the inning. He glanced back over his shoulder, saw the ball dropping down fast
over his head, and reached out for it.
Just then he tripped over a lump of sod. He lost his balance and started to fall. But he kept his eye on the ball and got
his glove under it just as he hit the ground.
It was a great play … until the ball rolled off his glove and onto the grass! In a flash Barry retrieved it. His back was
to the umpire and the crowd — who could see what he did? He jumped to his feet, shouting, “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”
“Out!” yelled the base umpire.
Barry ran in, holding the ball up in his gloved hand and grinning widely. He heard some Peach Street Mudders fans yell, “Nice
catch, Barry!”
Then another voice from the sideline said, “You dropped it. I saw you.”
2
Barry’s smile faded and his heart leaped as he glanced toward the sideline. There sat his sister, Susan, and their little
brother, Tommy. Barry had seen them there earlier but had practically forgotten about them.
He gave Susan a dirty look that said Keep your mouth shut. Then he turned away and continued on toward the dugout.
But some of the Belk’s Junk Shop fans must have seen him drop the ball, too. “He droppedit, ump! What are you, blind?” a couple of them yelled.
Luckily, the umpire’s decision held. Jerry Moon was out.
So much for your big mouth, Susan, he thought. But at the same time, deep down he felt guilty. What he’d done wasn’t right.
Well, he’d have to forget it, that’s all. If he could.
Sparrow, batting last in the lineup, led off with a single. Then Barry stepped to the plate. He felt comfortable here. He’d
rather bat than field any day. Maybe, he thought, he could get a long hit and make up for his cover-up.
He glanced at Coach Parker, who was coaching third base, and got the bunt signal.
Barry couldn’t believe it.
“Oh, no!” he moaned. “I can’t bunt!”
He decided he wouldn’t bunt, no matter what the coach had signaled him
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