Rosie Perez Came to Our Softball Game. In Spirit. Last summer, after The New York Times Magazine lost a crushing softball game on a walk-off home run to New York magazine, its archrival-once-removed, I reflected on my favorite quotation from the Rosie Perez oeuvre: "Sometimes when you win," she told Woody Harrelson's character in "White Men Can't Jump," "you really lose. And sometimes when you lose, you really win. She provided no real proof, but whatever, it still helped me feel better - or at least to replace my feelings of loss with feelings of confusion. Looking back, I think the real point that Rosie Perez was trying to make is this: In life, it becomes harder to know when you've won and when you've lost. In sports, unfortunately, they keep score. And according to that premise The New York Times Magazine succumbed to The New Yorker, their real archrival, in their annual softball grudge match on Tuesday night. Although it definitely seemed like the New Yorker roster was filled with way more ad sales guys than writers or editors - which isn't technically illegal, but whatever, we're just pointing it out - we will concede that they won, 12-10. The victory was redemption for The Times Magazine's 9-1 (ish) victory last year. The Times Magazine, which entered the game with one victory and three rainouts under its belt, kept the game tight until the final inning. The story editor and even-tempered Canadian Adam "Riff It" Sternbergh turned in a quality start and proved that there is one person in New York with a Toronto Raptors hat. The venerable story editor Ilena "Worth Her Weight in..." Silverman offered great efforts on the mound and at second before bolting for the train, Miami Heat-style, when it seemed like her team was about to lose. The plucky photo editor Gabrielle "I Will Outlive All of You" Plucknette was a menace in the batter's box and slid into home even though there wasn't really a play at home plate, and even though everyone in the dugout was yelling at her not to slide. She does not bruise easily. Our editor in chief, Hugo "The Swedish Miracle" Lindgren, was a constant threat on the basepaths and, like any good editor, elicited the best from those around him through a combination of inspiration, intimidation and a promise of payment upon delivery. He had to do it without the help of his trusted deputies, Lauren "Burn Baby" Kern and Joel "Stop! In the Name of" Lovell, who were stuck at the office. The New Yorker's editor, David Remnick, was a complete nonfactor. He didn't show up, coincidentally. As usual, The Times Magazine's defense was helmed by the copy editor Dave "Sweet Hands" Vecsey and the art director Caleb "Slim-Cut Pantone" Bennett. The research editor Chuck "I'd Feel More Comfortable if We Said About or Nearly 100″ Wilson was quick on the double-play turn. But none of them would have known where to go or what to do without our co-managers, Clinton "The Only Person That Everyone Likes" Cargill (a photo editor who is currently learning the rules of softball) and our digital editor Samantha "Scootes" Henig (a normally genial young woman who transformed, at around 7:15, into some combination of Bobby Knight and Eva Peron). Alas, sometimes when you lose, you really lose. But the magazine will try to rebound next month against Forbes.