Extra Innings: Chapter One - Off the Bag
A stray ball, a screaming crowd, and a split-second decision that changes the trajectory of the season. When Leo Guzman vaults over that railing to protect Elena, it isn't just a highlight reel moment—it’s a crack in the professional armor he’s worn for fifteen years. The "reflex" save was caught in 4K, and now the whole world is wondering why the veteran catcher just risked his knees for the girl with the camera. Chapter Three Off the Bag Guzman The sun is a relentless, blinding eye in the center of a cloudless Boston sky. At 12:45 PM, the humidity is already thick enough to chew, and the stadium turf is radiating a heat that makes the air shimmer. I hate day games. I hate the glare, I hate the way the coffee sits heavy in my gut, and today, I especially hate myself. I’m standing at the top of the dugout steps, adjusting my sunglasses and trying to find a rhythm that doesn't involve the memory of Elena’s hands on my bare skin. My neck still feels the ghost of her ...
