Dugout Rivals Read Online Free PDF

lead in the top of the thirdinning as Jake got on base with a sharp single and Adam sent him racing home with a hard double.
    Adam had pitched two innings, so Coach Sanders brought in Sam to pitch. Again he moved Adam to shortstop and Jake to second base. The Royals took advantage of the new pitcher and picked up two runs with a walk and a couple of clean hits. They would have scored even more, but Adam jumped high to snag a scorching line drive for the last out of the inning.
    Both teams scored runs in the fourth inning, so the Red Sox trailed 3–2 when they came to bat in the top of the fifth. Ryan and Chris struck out to start the inning. Jake stepped into the batter’s box with nobody on and two outs.
    “Come on, Jake,” Adam cheered from the on-deck circle. “Save my ups.”
    Jake eyed the infield. The Royals third baseman was playing way back, almost on the edge of the outfield grass.
Two outs, nobody on,
Jake thought.
It might be worth a try …
    The Royals pitcher fired a fastball toward the inside half of the plate. Jake lowered his bat and the ball plunked against it. He sprinted to first base as the ball dribbled slowly toward the third baseman and settled on the infield grass. It was a perfect bunt! Jake was on first and Adam was coming to bat.
    Adam won’t bunt,
Jake told himself as he stood on first base. Sure enough, after two pitches sailed wide, Adam got a pitch that he liked.
    Crack!
The ball soared over the center-field wall as Jake and Adam jogged around the bases to put the Red Sox back in the lead, 4–3. The team mobbed Adam at home plate, slapping him on his batting helmet and back.
    “Did you see that homer?” Ryan crowed.
    “It must have gone a mile,” Isaiah said.
    “Come on, guys, the game’s not over,” Jake reminded his teammates. He was annoyed that everyone had forgotten his bunt single. “The Royals aren’t going to give up.”
    The Royals didn’t quit. In the bottom of the fifth with Isaiah pitching now, the Royals scratched out another run. The score was tied at 4–4 when the Red Sox came to bat in the sixth and final inning.
    “Come on, we’re in a real ballgame here,” Coach Sanders said as he marched back and forth in front of the bench. “Let’s get some more runs.”
    He stopped in front of Adam and Jake. “How’s your arm feeling?” he asked Adam.
    “Fine.”
    Coach Sanders turned to Jake’s father, who was sitting in the corner of the dugout. “How many pitches did Adam throw in the first two innings?” he asked.
    Mr. Daley studied his laptop screen for a moment. “Thirty-four,” he answered. “He’s nowhere near the seventy-five-pitch limit.”
    Coach Sanders turned back to Adam. “I may need you to come back and pitch the sixth inning if we get ahead. Can you do it?”
    “No problem,” Adam said.
    All the Red Sox were up and cheering when Michael smacked a solid single tocenter field. Hannah dashed toward home with the go-ahead run.
    The Red Sox were back on top, 5–4. “Listen up,” Coach Sanders called as the Red Sox got ready to take the field. “Adam’s going back in to pitch. Jake’s going to shortstop. Michael to second base. Great hit, Michael. Now let’s hold them.”
    Jake stood at shortstop and watched Adam warm up. His easy, almost effortless delivery sent the ball speeding to Evan’s mitt.
    Ssssssssmack!
    The Royals don’t stand a chance now,
Jake said to himself, shaking his head and smiling.
    Adam blew fastballs by the first two batters, striking out each of them on three straight pitches. The final Royals hitter looped a lazy pop fly to shortstop. Jake caught it easily and held the ball high above his head in triumph.
    The Red Sox had won, 5–4! The bench filled with high fives and happy chatter.
    After they collected their gloves andequipment bags, Jake, Adam, and Ryan walked together toward the parking lot.
    “That was close,” Jake said. “The Royals were tough.”
    “I knew we’d win,” Adam said.
    “How’d you