Home Run Rover is the first part of the first episode of Heathcliff and Marmaduke.
Synopsis[]
Marmaduke is at the baseball game as their mascot against their team, the "Braves" against a rival team called the "Tigers" in the Kiddie League stadium.
Plot[]
Barbie tells Billy to hurry up for the baseball game, and Marmaduke barks excitedly at him. Billy tells Marmaduke he can't come, which makes the dog sad. Changing his mind, Billy decides to let Marmaduke be the team mascot, and Marmaduke shows his appreciation by licking Billy. The baseball game begins with Dottie making announcements over the intercom as she comments with another lady about the Tigers.
The catcher, Phil, resumes the game and throws the ball, triggering Marmaduke's instinct to fetch. The big dog inadvertently pushes Barbie to the ground as he races after it, prompting Barbie to shout his name. Marmaduke returns with the ball, looking a bit disheveled, and Phil tells him to take a seat at the concession stand.
Barbie pitches the ball, and one of the boys on the Tigers hits it high. Billy attempts to catch it with his baseball mitt, but the ball slips through. Phil declares that the Tiger player is safe, but Marmaduke disagrees and argues with Phil until Phil questions why he's arguing with a dog. He instructs Marmaduke to sit. A Tiger player takes his turn, and Barbie throws the ball out of bounds, resulting in a ball one for her team. As the other team prepares to steal second base, Marmaduke misinterprets Barbie's intentions, heading to the base and fighting with the first runner for possession. The runner ends up safe, but the base gets dislodged in the process, sending the player tumbling.
Phil tells Marmaduke to return to Billy. When Barbie throws the ball again, the batter hits it, but it passes by Barbie. Billy almost catches it but collides with Marmaduke, who is also chasing the ball. The biggest sluggers from the Tigers step up. When the Tiger player swings, it looks like a home run, but Billy, propelled in the air by Marmaduke, catches the ball. The Tiger player alerts his teammates that the ball was caught, and the three other players run back to their previous bases, colliding and piling on top of their best player. A kid from the Braves secures the ball and uses it to tag out the four Tiger players, much to the crowd's delight.
At this point, the Tigers lead 1-0, while the Braves have 0 runs and two outs. Barbie is up to bat, and a brown-haired Tiger player plans to cheat by placing gum on the ball. When he pitches, Barbie swings but misses because the ball has stopped in mid-air. Her repeated swings lead to strikes, leaving her dizzy. She eventually drops to the ground. Billy and Marmaduke rush over to check on her, but Barbie is unable to pitch. Marmaduke insists he can take her place, but Barbie protests that he can’t pitch. However, the brown-haired Tiger player, known as Number 13, allows him to try.
Marmaduke pitches using three different techniques: the Tinker Ball, Boomerang Ball, and Corkscrew Ball. Number 13 swings but misses all of them, resulting in an out and the side being retired. The teams switch places.
The Tigers maintain their lead over the Braves, 1-0, and the Braves' chances of winning look bleak with two outs and two strikes against Billy. Number 13 pitches again, and to everyone's surprise, including Billy's, he makes contact with the ball. Marmaduke runs alongside Billy as he sprints toward first base, and the ginger-haired player tries to catch the ball. Marmaduke successfully helps Billy reach second base just before the black-haired player can snag it, then digs under the ground to reach third base where the blonde player waits. They both make it safely to home base, securing a score of 2-1 for the Braves.
The team cheers for both Billy and Marmaduke, and Billy thanks the Great Dane. Marmaduke laughs as the episode comes to an end.
Characters[]
- Marmaduke
- Braves Team
- Phil Winslow
- Dottie Winslow
- Tigers Team
- Audience
Trivia[]
- The first episode of the Heathclff and Marmaduke.
- The first Marmaduke segment in the series.