When I first started really following baseball (life long Cubs fan) in 2013 after the 7th inning stretch I would always hear let’s get some runs but I never hear that phrase after the stretch now, am I remembering wrong?
An unearthly calm had settled over Fenway Park. It was bottom of the ninth, and the bases were loaded. It was a full count for the Boston Red Sox, down by one run on their eternal rivals, the Yankees, with two outs on the scoreboard.
Yasue Shogo slowly made his way up to the plate, his baseball bat slung nonchalantly over his shoulder. As the Nippon Baseball League had made the switch to aluminum years ago, the NU-made wooden implement had always felt unfamiliar in the Japanese player’s hands.
Shogo shook his head. Just a small price to pay for participating in the Major Leagues, he knew.
The Japanese national and his companion, Hanazawa Tomiji, had recently been recruited by the Red Sox to play in the MLB, due in part to improved relations between Japan and the Northern Union on the back of the success of Baseball Diplomacy. Japanese Ambassador to the NU Kenjiro Monji had stressed the importance of their presence as unofficial cultural ambassadors during a private meeting before the game that would be their big debut. Lip-service was paid to national honour, words were exchanged regarding rising tensions in Thailand, and the Ambassador had stressed (in his own words) “the need for heroes” in the wake of the terrible terrorist attacks. But hey, no pressure, right?
Unlike his Northern teammates, Shogo didn’t spit on his gloves to soften them before picking up the bat. He simply took a practice swing with the heavy wooden instrument, then nodded at the Yankee pitcher across the field. The American shot him a mysterious look, wound up the ball, and let it fly.
Play as The Forgotten with Ludovico Technique and Chocolate Milk (You can also have lost contact if you want). No Treasure rooms or dice rooms and you can only switch to The Soul if the room has been cleared. Beat ???/Blue Baby. Hush, Boss Rush and Mega Satan are optional.
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