game Many wore the Grizzlies team colors brown and red The pitcher tried to get Ty to swing at two changeups out of the zone Ty wouldn’t bite The count was now two balls and one strike Next the Lizards pitcher threw a fastball down the pipe and Ty jumped on it Crack The ball sailed over the pitcher’s head and right over Ben’s too As it bounced into the center field grass Ben ran hard toward third The Grizzlies third base coach Coach Johnson waved him around and excitedly shouted Go Go Go Ben lowered his head rounded third and broke for home 8
He was going to score Suddenly the spikes on his left cleat stuck in the dirt and his new shoe split open at the heel It was as if Ben had a flat tire He stumbled forward and nearly fell Out of the corner of his eye Ben saw the Lizards second baseman catch the relay from the outfield and throw the ball home He hobbled toward the plate It was going to be close Ben dove sliding headfirst into home as the Lizards catcher received the throw He swiped his massive mitt across Ben’s hands before they reached the plate You’re out the umpire roared Disappointed sighs rose from the crowd Ben lay on the ground not wanting to get up 9
He wished he could just disappear with the dust cloud That’s game the umpire said Lizards win 4-3 10
CHAPTER 2 I can’t believe my new cleats Ben said after the game The shoe just tore as I was heading home Ben sat on the wooden bench in the dugout and inspected his red and black Fusion Speeds They were a popular new cleat so new that Ben was the only Grizzlies player to own them The heel of his left shoe had split open making it appear as though it had a mouth Logan must have thought the same thing He snatched it out of Ben’s hand moved the two pieces of the shoe up and 11
