The G.O.A.T., Episode 4, “The Honeymoon”
Game: The Statesmen host the Boston Colonials. (1st) Kendricks hits a sacrifice to score a run. (3rd) A group of fans known as the B*stards of Section B cheer the team on as they go up 3-0. (4th) Jones gets into a tough situation, he concentrates and gets a good double-play ball, but Chester makes an error. This leads to a home run that ties the game. Gray refuses to pull Jones. (6th) Kendricks hits a sacrifice fly that gives them a 4-3 lead. (7th) Chester makes another fielding error that leads to a run scoring and a tie game. Jones is able to focus and get out of the inning. (9th) Huebner hates base stealing, but Gray approves. Doster steals two bases to get into scoring position. Kendricks hits another sac fly, leading to the winning run. Glover notes that three sacrifice outs in one game ties a record.
Kendricks walks into the locker room as a cocky conquering hero. Some of the players make fun of him, others like it, but it's agreed he has an attitude problem.
Various players and coaches leave the stadium and are mobbed by fans. The fans ask about Kendricks and are disappointed that he's already left. One of the fans recognizes Jason Doster, who scored two runs on Kendricks' hits today. The fans are excited to see him and he signs autographs. Later Doster and Terrence Kimbell ride home together, they are a gay couple.
Today's game is rained out, even though the fans haven't left yet. Kendricks is frustrated and throws a bat onto the field. Glover reminds him fans can see what he's doing. In the locker room, Kendricks expresses impatience. Bishop tries to calm him, but he's in a rage and walks out of the room.
Ronnie Pitts does an ad for Hater-Ade!
Inesta Morgan and Major Sumrell host Sports Central. The Sports Central Crawl reveals: D.C. sets record high temperature for third time. Cyanide found in Diet Mr. Bob soda. No leads or arrest in graffiti case. Woman missing in Deerfield Beach. This world is different: Gordie Howe is a famous musician, Stillwater is a popular band, Diet Mr. Bob soda is a popular brand.
Inesta and Major report on a benches-clearing brawl between the Statesmen and Colonials. A brushback pitch against Kendricks started it. Inesta and Major exchange compliments. USBL President Mary Billups announces that there will be an investigation.
Jeffrey Brack reports that NOAA is predicting a record hurricane year.
Owens tells Gray that he's getting some help, a media person to handle Kendricks' hype. She tells him that Gray and Lewis will lead the search.
Owens watches the Statesmen play against the Colonials on TV and Benjamin catches her rooting for the team. Owens brushes it off by saying she's cheering for her investment and that nothing has changed.
Benjamin intensely works out on her Peloton. Flashback to her time at Howard University and working with Professor Rachel Joy. Benjamin asks for advice after Owens decides to run for SGA president, something Benjamin had already announced she was doing. Joy advises her to bide her time and wait for real opportunities. Benjamin watches Owens' interview with McDaris. Owens calls and asks Benjamin to attend a league meeting on her behalf. Benjamin agrees to do so, even though this means she has to cancel her own vacation, which is nonrefundable.
Cody arrives at PDDC and Tucker and O'Reilly harass her as she goes inside. She isn't phased. Cody meets with therapist Vivian Carlton. Carlton tries to get Cody to tell her what happened with Tucker, but Cody doesn't trust her. They end the session at an impasse.
Gray and Lewis finish up their interviews with Ashley Hernandez. Ashley did well in school, was student body president, did an externship in Costa Rica, worked on the Hill, was a sports press agent for Hank Aaron. She did her research on Gray and Lewis and got them very nice gifts. She gets the job.
Meyers berates Shirley for not doing any baseball writing. Shirley says she definitely has something coming. Meyers says she'd better turn in something by Monday morning or else. Shirley does everything she can except write about baseball. She calls Chad, but no answer.
Chad uses the dark web to send a message that he was leaving now to go to a secret meeting. He drives to an abandoned parking lot and meets a black market dealer. Chad pays him and is given a package.
Gray introduces Ashley Hernandez to the press. The first question traditionally goes to Edith Merman and Hernandez honors that tradition. Hernandez says she eventually wants to run a community service organization like Hull House. McDaris asks tough questions, but she dodges them. Gray moves the press conference along and McDaris writes himself a note to investigate Hernandez.
Chad comes home late and goes into his bedroom. He opens a panic room and goes inside. The room is filled with various real or fake artifacts and lost treasures, including magical things. He has obtained a book called “The Era of Hopeful Monsters,” by Kilgore Trout. He starts writing an article for his blog Dr. Chad's Curiosity Shoppe.
Winston Pulsipher joins the team. He meets with the coaches briefly and they tell him he's starting at third base. He promises to do his best. After he leaves, the coaches discuss the fact that Chester is a liability. Howell suggests that Rodgers be designated to the minors to make room on the roster. Whaley overhears this, goes into the locker room and tells Rodgers what he heard. This shakes Rodgers confidence as he's getting ready to start today's game. Jones calls Whaley out for messing with Rodgers' head. Whaley gets threatening, but the other players force him to back down.
Game: The Statesmen host the Colonials. (1st) Rodgers gives up a three-run homer. (2nd) Kendricks strikes out at the plate. (3rd) Rodgers gives up two more runs. (4th) Kendricks strikes out again. Whaley gets frustrated. Whaley leaves the stadium. Rogers gives up a three-run homer. Howell pulls Rodgers from the game. (7th) Kendricks drives in a run on a sacrifice, but the final score is 7-1.
Whaley visits an obscure coffee shop and waits inside. Moments later reporter David Tessell arrives and joins him. Whaley says he has info on Kendricks and he gives the photocopies to Tessell.
Huebner arrives at the Pinch to meet with Howell. They talk about possibly going to the press with complaints. They could quit. But they're afraid of violating NDAs and they fear not being able to find jobs elsewhere if they speak out. They decide to re-evaluate after the season.
Two teen skateboarders find a murder scene at Valvano Skate Park and call the cops. Cody and Eversmith arrive to scan the crime scene for the Setup. Eversmith is certain this is connected to the previous crime scenes, but something is different. Tucker and O'Reilly make fun of them.
Alex Levin leads the latest briefing, and even more officers have joined, including state and federal agents. Levin admits that the crime scenes are actually connected. Eversmith asks several questions about Levin's conclusions, but Levin brushes them off, telling her the answers are in the briefing book. But Levin didn't give her a briefing book. Eversmith is worried that Levin is completely unprepared.
Cody and Eversmith use the Setup in the basement. Eversmith has worked all night and the new crime scene is ready. Officer Ann Snell arrives and makes fun of them. Eversmith shuts Snell up with a personal comment that she shouldn't know, as if Eversmith did some research. Eversmith asks Cody to help with the Setup, but Cody doesn't really know how to help, so Eversmith challenges her to step up and be a detective. Hours later, Eversmith finds what looks like a red ram's horn. They look back at the second crime scene and Cody finds what looks at a horn peeking out from under a chair. They look at the first crime scene, but don't find anything. Eversmith tells Cody to follow and they leave.
Wild Night begins with several cult members spraying graffiti on National Stadium.
McDaris reads an essay on TV, claiming to address a serious subject, that baseball is under assault.
Owens watches McDaris from her office. She wishes harm upon him.
Shirley writes an essay about living out one's dreams as an adult.
Lewis reads Shirley's essay while sipping hot chocolate in her office.
Several Cult Members start fires in front of the Pinch.
Benjamin watches McDaris while she works out.
McDaris calls Kendricks a cynical opportunist who is destroying the game.
Gray listens to McDaris' speech while he drinks Scotch on his balcony.
Howell reads Shirley's article while his wife and kids play Mouse Trap.
Shirley argues that Kendricks is an inspiration for people trying things out later in life.
Huebner lays in bed nursing a beer, watching McDaris.
Cult Members harass people on H Street, knock things over, throw eggs and rocks.
Levin reads Shirley's article from her home. The phone rings and she's alerted to Wild Night vandalism at schools and goes to work.
Chad watches McDaris on his computer.
McDaris makes a bunch of right-wing arguments against Kendricks.
Meyers and his wife read Shirley's article in bed. Shirley paints Kendricks as a revolutionary hero standing up to the man. Meyers isn't buying it.
Jones reads Shirley's article on his phone. Shirley says Kendricks is a role model and Jones laughs out loud.
Kendricks drinks directly from a bottle of Merlot while watching McDaris. He throws his remote and cracks his TV.
Two men walk out of a fast food restaurant and are brutally attacked by cult members. McDaris seems to be blaming this violence on Kendricks.
At the Valvano Skate Park, Cody and Eversmith scare off some teen skaters then re-examine the crime scene. They start looking for a horn. Eversmith looks at some graffiti. Cody goes past the crime scene boundaries and finds the cult logo painted onto a transformer. Eversmith says they finally have their first clue. From a distance, a cult member watches them.
Owens welcomes private investigator Applegate to her office and sends her secretary home. Owens pays him to find everything he can about Lewis. Lewis secretly sees Applegate go into Owens' office. She secretly listens in on what is said. She goes to her office and uses the Dark Web to contact an unknown person to set up a meeting.
Outside, Lewis watches Owens drive away and bumps into Gray. They briefly and awkwardly talk about how things aren't like they used to be and how things aren't ever going to get better. Lewis fakes a need to go back inside and Gray leaves. After he's gone, Lewis comes back out and is picked up by a limo. Inside the limo is a lone Figure in a black robe with a voice modulator. They do a secret handshake and exchange the password "beherit chemosh mastema." The Figure says they have enough to eliminate Owens without any connection to Lewis. Lewis isn't sure that's what she wants. She tells them to remain on standby, which they agree to as long as they are paid.
Michael Weisman hosts the Sunday Sports Chat Show with guests: Edith Merman, David Tessell, Sharon Alligood, Johnnie Travis. Topics include: Are the Statesmen slipping? Are they going to bench Kendricks? Will record hurricane season affect baseball season? Will the season be suspended because of Wild Night?
The Statesmen have slipped to 11-7 in their last 18 games. The team's defense has been bad, with third base being particularly problematic. The Chat Show guests think games will NOT be canceled for hurricanes OR Wild Night's violence.
Ashley Hernandez leads her first press conference. Edith asks a question about safety. McDaris tries to play gotcha by asking her about Kendricks' struggles in the last few games. He's rude and interrupts her, then he attacks Gray. Hernandez focuses and then rips him a new asshole in front of everyone. McDaris is enraged.