Down by Two

It was a crucial time for the boys in blue,
It's getting late in the game. We're only down by two!
Two runners are on and the pressure is high,
Who is the man who can achieve us this tie?

Up steps the man who looks to lay claim,
The slugger was his weapon; Dan Boy is his name.
He readies at the plate as he cocks his bony chin,
Waiting on the pitcher sporting a devilish deceiving grin.

Up comes the knuckle-ball high for ball one,
His patience is like a rooster waiting up for the next sun
The next goes up in hopes for a strike to win back,
But before it hits the plate, Dan Boy returns it with a crack.

The ball is in the gap! The fielder better hurry,
The runner rounds the bases with his legs going slurry.
Dan Boy sees the chance to take an extra base,
Anticipating their left fielder to throw it home with haste.

He changes his mind and does not throw to the plate,
Dan Boy better hurry; This ball is on target and he may be too late!
With one mighty heave the ball is fired to second,
Was this the arm in which our hero should not have reckoned?

The baseman is ready with his glove at his hip,
The ball flies to him with a tremendous amount of zip.
The glove comes across as Dan Boy reaches,
But he never slid into second like every coach around him teaches.

Dan Boy drops to his hands and knees,
What has come of this man who could run like the breeze?
But wait, the baseman doesn't have the ball!
Maybe Dan Boy didn't see it; Umpire, make the call!

The call is made, but he still doesn't get up,
But to everyone's discovery, Dan Boy never wore a cup.
For all the times he showed glory through guts,
The mighty Dan Boy took no protection and took a shot to the nuts.

Dan Boy went and paid his ultimate due,
Though the game was tied, he now found himself down by 2
The umpire denied a pinch-runner request,
As that runner was already used. He'll have to give it his best

The hitter steps in as Dan Boy raises to a crouch,
Knowing he's the tying man, even though he just lost his pouch
The pitch was thrown before he could stand,
While the hitter took exception to it with a swing so grand.

There was no time to think as the ball hits the gap!,
Dan Boy runs like a man whose legs were bound in plastic wrap
He waddled around the bases to the sound of the chants,
While the newcomers looked on and thought he had shit his pants

Yet the ball was too far, the fielders too late,
It went to the fence and helped our hero limp to the plate.
The lead was theirs and never lost again,
Thanks to the hero that used to be known as a man.

And so it ends well for the boys in blue,
Except for Dan Boy, who will forever be down by two.