The final game of the Championship Series is being played by the Indianapolis Primitives and the Charleston Capitols. The Capitols are playing at home. It is the 21st inning, and the game is still tied at zero. LEWIS approaches CARTER.
LEWIS
Hey there kid.
CARTER
So I’m kid again?
LEWIS
Eh, thought you’d appreciate the callback.
CARTER
Kind of do, actually. Think we’ll finally beat the Primitives this time?
LEWIS
I wouldn’t count on it, but keeping it tied this long should count for something. Anyways, I think it’s about time we put you into the game.
CARTER
Really? Great!
LEWIS
Yeah, try to get outs as quickly as you can because Ray is extremely tired of crouching down in the catcher’s box. By the end of this game we’re gonna have to give him a stool to sit on.
CARTER
I’ll try my best.
LEWIS
Well then head on over to that bullpen area!
CARTER goes to the Capitols’ bullpen to warm up. He is met by COACH DONOVAN, the bullpen’s coach.
COACH DONOVAN
Hello, Carter. Looks like I was right about you. They’re only putting you in because they have no one else.
CARTER
If you care to know, there are many teams interested in signing me. Not everything is about what management here does or does not do!
COACH DONOVAN
Shut up and practice pitching.
CARTER is taken aback. He throws many warmup pitches, and then starts to leave the bullpen.
COACH DONOVAN
Hey kid, one more thing before you leave for the game: remember, they also don’t have their best guys in right now.
CARTER
What do you mean?
COACH DONOVAN
Oh you’ll see. You’d know if their bullpen was right next to yours for the past nine hours.
CARTER
Oh, so they’re pitching in the bottom of the inning?
COACH DONOVAN
Who’s to say? Now go in there and strike those guys out. Shouldn’t be that hard.
CARTER jogs to the mound. He takes a deep breath as the Primitives send a batter to the plate. The batter takes two practice swings, both looking rough. CARTER smiles with confidence.
RAY walks up to the mound.
RAY
Easy out here. Don’t waste your good stuff on him.
CARTER
I don’t know, we shouldn’t take anything for granted.
RAY
Just trust me. Throw some soft fastballs and then we’ll reevaluate based on if the next guy also usually sits behind the fence in the outfield.
CARTER
But what if he hits it?
RAY
He’s not gonna hit it.
LEWIS jogs to the mound.
LEWIS
Alright, I know I’m not supposed to be here right now, but I assume you’re talking about how easy it’ll be to get this guy out? Carter, just take it easy on your arm right now. You don’t need to hurt yourself mid-game.
CARTER
Well, here goes nothing then.
RAY
So you’ll take it easy?
CARTER
Yeah. I’ll listen to you guys.
RAY
Good.
CARTER
But you’ve been wrong before with this kind of information, remember.
RAY
Yeah, I know, but this time I’m certain I’m giving the right advice.
RAY walks back to the catcher’s box, and LEWIS walks back to the dugout. CARTER takes a deep breath and throws a soft fastball in the strike zone. The batter swings.
It is now the 22nd inning of the Championship Series game between the Charleston Capitols and the Indianapolis Primitives. MANNY, LORENZO, ACE, DEVIN, FELIX, CHARLES, ROBERT, and HARRY are all in the Primitives’ bullpen. MANNY hangs up the bullpen phone.
MANNY
I just got off the phone with the dugout.
FELIX
We presumed based on the fact that the phone is only able to get calls from the dugout.
MANNY
The team is running low on batters. And pitchers.
ROBERT
Well, it’s the 22nd inning.
MANNY
So you guys know I hate to do this, but would anybody like to volunteer to bat?
DEVIN
I would but…uh…something came up.
ROBERT
Yeah my cat’s grandma isn’t feeling so great.
CHARLES
I’d rather watch the game like the avid fan I am.
FELIX
It would be a cold day in Hell before you’d catch me with a bat in my hands.
MANNY
Thought so.
ACE
Lorenzo would be very good for ratings.
LORENZO
You are so right there!
ACE
Then why don’t you bat?
LORENZO
I’m not a batter, I’m a pitcher.
ACE
Are you a pitcher though?
MANNY
Lorenzo, how about this: if you bat, you get to control the temperature of the bench for the rest of the game.
LORENZO
Deal!
LORENZO sprints to the dugout and borrows a helmet and a bat. He takes two practice swings, both looking rough. The Capitols’ catcher has a meeting on the mound with the pitcher, and is soon joined by the manager. When the catcher returns to the catcher’s box and the manager returns to the dugout, LORENZO steps up to the plate. The Capitols’ pitcher takes a deep breath and throws a soft fastball in the strike zone. LORENZO swings and misses. He steps out of the batter’s box and talks to the umpire.
LORENZO
Do you have a phone on you by any chance?
HOME PLATE UMPIRE
Uh…yeah, why?
LORENZO
I’m not in the zone right now. I have a particular song I’d like to hear right now.
HOME PLATE UMPIRE
Fine. What is it?
LORENZO whispers into the HOME PLATE UMPIRE’s ear.
HOME PLATE UMPIRE
You really want to let 40,000 fans know you enjoy this song?
LORENZO
Yes I do!
HOME PLATE UMPIRE
Here goes then.
The HOME PLATE UMPIRE plays LORENZO’s requested song at full blast. The crowd laughs.
LORENZO
Alright, I’m ready now.
LORENZO steps back into the batter’s box. He swings at a pitch in the dirt for strike two.
The third pitch is thrown, and LORENZO’s bat makes contact with the ball. It soars over the center field wall and into the crowd for a home run, giving the Primitives the lead. LORENZO slowly rounds the bases as the crowd cheers. He walks back to the bullpen.
MANNY
Well that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen happen at a baseball game. Now, one of you needs to go into the game to pitch and try to win the championship for the Primitives.
MANNY looks at FELIX.
MANNY
And I know exactly who it should be.
FELIX
Me? Really?!
MANNY
It’s time you get redemption.
At the bottom of the 22nd inning, Felix jogs to the mound to pitch. With the crowd on their feet, he strikes out all three batters. The Indianapolis Primitives have won the championship. Everyone on the Primitives runs onto the field to celebrate. Eventually, FELIX walks to the Primitives’ dugout. After failing to recognize anyone’s face, he realizes he accidentally walked into the Capitols’ dugout. The person who gave up the home run to LORENZO introduces himself as CARTER. They shake hands are part ways.