SVU won the flip and chose to take the field first. The umpire, one of the court clerks, called for the game to start. Logan led off for Major Case. He made it to second base on a grounder straight up the middle.

Goren was standing near the fence by the dugout. Barek leaned over toward Eames. "Something wrong with Goren?"

"No. He's just watching."

"He's not much of a socializer, is he?"

"Not unless he wants to be. He tends to be more of a watcher."

At the plate, Carver swung, made contact, and sent the ball sailing high above the infield toward first base. Benson caught the ball easily and Logan took off for third. She sent the ball to third, but Logan got there first, though barely.

Back on the bench, Eames asked, "How do you like having Logan for a partner?"

"He's not bad. He's a smart cop. But he gives the phrase 'watching his back' new meaning."

"How so?"

"In case you haven't noticed, he's not the most mellow guy in the world. He keeps me on my toes."

Tom Hannigan, a popular second grade detective that worked in the squad, finished up the inning with a bouncer to pitcher Stabler and a double play at the plate.

"Shake it off, Mike," Barek called when her partner looked like he was going to punch out the catcher. "The game just started."

Logan looked at the bench where his teammates were retrieving their gloves. "Yeah, right."

He trotted to the bench, grabbed his glove and took his place at first base. He looked across the infield toward third, where his partner threw the ball to second baseman Goren. Logan swore when he dropped the ball. He caught the throw from the big detective and angrily blasted it to shortstop Eames. "Watch it, Logan," she yelled. "I'm not in the Bronx."

The first SVU batter stepped up to the plate. John Munch drove a grounder up the third base line, where it bounced over Barek's glove and was picked up by Hanigan in left field and thrown to second base. Goren caught the ball but Munch had decided to be happy with first base.

Benson was up next, and she made it to first when her flyball dropped into the hole behind second and center. Stabler followed at the plate. The outfielders backed up; Stabler was known to hit the ball deep. He caught a piece of it and it blasted past pitcher Dick Fischer. It bounced hard and fast, but Goren grabbed the ball out of the air and stepped on second base, turned and threw the ball to Logan. Double play. Eames laughed. "Good play, Goren!"

Logan threw the ball back to Fischer, but his eyes were on the big second baseman. Damn, he thought. Who knew Goren could play ball?

Steve Patterson, a records clerk assigned to Special Victims', flew out on the next pitch and the first inning was over.

Logan threw his glove at the bench and grabbed a cup. Filling it with Gatorade, he looked at Goren and Eames as he drank, but he didn't say anything. Deakins said "Barek, you're up. Eames on deck and then Goren."

Logan sat down. This would be interesting. Eames, he knew, could play ball. He'd played against her three years ago, but that was before she'd had the baby. He wondered if her game would be off, since she hadn't played for awhile. He watched her warm up as Barek walked up to the plate. Then he looked at Goren, who was studying two bats. He had a contemplative look on his face as he balanced the bats, chose one and tentatively swung it. Logan was surprised to see that there was a natural fluidity to the big detective's movements that his size belied. He watched Goren turn his attention toward the playing field as Barek took her second strike. He couldn't resist. "Hey, Goren? You calculating trajectory or something?"

He wasn't surprised when Eames retorted, "Shut up, Logan."

Goren leaned toward his partner, who had come to the fence to get ready to step up to bat. His voice was soft, so that only she could hear. "You don't have to protect me, Alex. I can handle Logan. Really…he doesn't bother me."

"Well, he bothers me." She glared at the cocky cop at the far side of the bench. Logan just grinned at her.

The umpire's voice resounded, "Ball four! Take a base!"

"You're up, Eames." Goren smiled at her. She picked up her bat and, giving Logan a look that told him she wished she could use the bat on him, she headed toward the plate. Two strikes, two balls, and she managed a double with a line drive past shortstop Fin.

Logan really paid attention now. Somehow a brilliant mind and a jock's skill ran counterintuitive to one another and he expected this to be their first out. Stabler had a mean fastball. Five pitches later Goren had a full count without a single swing. Logan swore. "You're supposed to swing the damn bat, Goren!"

The big detective gave no indication he'd heard, but Eames saw the smile that teased at the corners of his mouth. She smiled to herself. Her partner was toying with Logan…and allowing the other team to fall into complacency. Even at play, he was strategizing and analyzing…and really pissing off Mike Logan. Stabler put a spin on the next pitch but it dropped a little too soon and Goren made it to first on a walk. From shortstop, Fin hollered, "They're gonna win the damn game on walks, Elliot!"