The problem with the Gray team is that they have a drab color to represent. They are in every game, and then they go all drab in the late innings. If I were them, I would demand the season be played over with, say, Silver or Warrior Slate uniforms. Think how different things might be.
Red hasn't actually been playing as well lately as we were early in the second half. I think we have read too many of our press clippings.
But today we scored early and we scored late, and had pitching and defense throughout, so we beat Gray going away, 21-12.
Jerry Ginochio, getting ahead of a lot of batters early, held the Gray lineup to two runs in the first three innings. In the mean time, we scored five in the first, including a massive drive for a triple by Lamont Thompson, and then put up two in the next two innings for a 9-2 lead.
The bottom of the lineup, in a pre-cursor to late inning heroics, produced two runs on three successive hits (Howard Davis, Al Kidwell, and Ginochio) and two walks plus Kevin Kane's two out single. In the third, it was the middle's turn as Randy Crase doubled and this was followed by singles from Kravin, LT, and Bill Marthinsen, and a bases loaded walk to Tony Gorgone.
Then, as has been our habit, we gave up almost a game-tying six runs in the top of the fourth. We didn't answer in our half and this set up perhaps the most important at bat of the game. In the top of the fifth, Gray loaded them up with two outs and Mike Saindon at the plate. A hit ties it, and an extra base hit puts Gray in the lead. Instead, we got Saindon to hit a one hopper to LT playing Rover and that was all she wrote for Gray that inning. Lead protected.
It stayed close with just two runs on each side until the bottom of the seventh, and we held onto an 11-10 lead. Then the bottom of our lineup performed their magic. With no outs we got consecutive hits, all line drives from Gorgone, Davis, Kidwell, Ginochio, Bob Muegge, and coach Larry Rafferty, good for four runs. Kane and Rich Brown had no choice but to follow with singles of their own to finish off the five run inning. In the eighth, Mark Pitzlin, James Del Rio, and Crase continued the streak of all told nine straight Red hits; It was left to yours truly to fly out to right to end the streak. LT and Marthinsen picked it up to knock in our fourth and fifth that inning, and the score settled to its final version of 21-12.
Red played excellent defense today to keep Gray at bay. Brown ran a long way to catch a potential gapper to keep Gray to just one run in the first. LT made a Rover step on the bag throw to first double play, as well as the stop on Saindon. Marthinsen had a hot day at the hot corner, making two outs in the sixth, although the line drive out may have been more self-preservation than anything. Pitzlin came from nowhere in the eighth to grab a sure extra base hit that had Gray muttering to...well, out loud. And Gorgone grabbed everything in his reach at second, including starting a second to rover to first double play.
LT led the way with four hits. Del Rio had five RBIs on three hits. Crase, Kane, Marthinsen, and Superman Davis also had three. Coach Rafferty had three RBIs on a hit and a walk.
This couldn't be complete without mentioning our pitching. We had one bad inning, the fourth, but other than that, Ginochio and Muegge held Gray to six other runs, and despite their record, they have a very good lineup.
One more next week to clinch the second half and two more to go!
Red hasn't actually been playing as well lately as we were early in the second half. I think we have read too many of our press clippings.
But today we scored early and we scored late, and had pitching and defense throughout, so we beat Gray going away, 21-12.
Jerry Ginochio, getting ahead of a lot of batters early, held the Gray lineup to two runs in the first three innings. In the mean time, we scored five in the first, including a massive drive for a triple by Lamont Thompson, and then put up two in the next two innings for a 9-2 lead.
The bottom of the lineup, in a pre-cursor to late inning heroics, produced two runs on three successive hits (Howard Davis, Al Kidwell, and Ginochio) and two walks plus Kevin Kane's two out single. In the third, it was the middle's turn as Randy Crase doubled and this was followed by singles from Kravin, LT, and Bill Marthinsen, and a bases loaded walk to Tony Gorgone.
Then, as has been our habit, we gave up almost a game-tying six runs in the top of the fourth. We didn't answer in our half and this set up perhaps the most important at bat of the game. In the top of the fifth, Gray loaded them up with two outs and Mike Saindon at the plate. A hit ties it, and an extra base hit puts Gray in the lead. Instead, we got Saindon to hit a one hopper to LT playing Rover and that was all she wrote for Gray that inning. Lead protected.
It stayed close with just two runs on each side until the bottom of the seventh, and we held onto an 11-10 lead. Then the bottom of our lineup performed their magic. With no outs we got consecutive hits, all line drives from Gorgone, Davis, Kidwell, Ginochio, Bob Muegge, and coach Larry Rafferty, good for four runs. Kane and Rich Brown had no choice but to follow with singles of their own to finish off the five run inning. In the eighth, Mark Pitzlin, James Del Rio, and Crase continued the streak of all told nine straight Red hits; It was left to yours truly to fly out to right to end the streak. LT and Marthinsen picked it up to knock in our fourth and fifth that inning, and the score settled to its final version of 21-12.
Red played excellent defense today to keep Gray at bay. Brown ran a long way to catch a potential gapper to keep Gray to just one run in the first. LT made a Rover step on the bag throw to first double play, as well as the stop on Saindon. Marthinsen had a hot day at the hot corner, making two outs in the sixth, although the line drive out may have been more self-preservation than anything. Pitzlin came from nowhere in the eighth to grab a sure extra base hit that had Gray muttering to...well, out loud. And Gorgone grabbed everything in his reach at second, including starting a second to rover to first double play.
LT led the way with four hits. Del Rio had five RBIs on three hits. Crase, Kane, Marthinsen, and Superman Davis also had three. Coach Rafferty had three RBIs on a hit and a walk.
This couldn't be complete without mentioning our pitching. We had one bad inning, the fourth, but other than that, Ginochio and Muegge held Gray to six other runs, and despite their record, they have a very good lineup.
One more next week to clinch the second half and two more to go!
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