Yet Another Famous Yankee Birthday

The boys are back in town, or at least they are starting to drift in. We had over forty folks today so we were on two fields. While I wasn't there to stack my team, Russ King and Richie Moots stepped up and came up with some evenly matched teams that resulted in outstanding games on both fields.

Golds Gym field provided a very exciting game that ended up with only one run separating the two teams in the end. The visiting team line up consisted of Gonzalez,Coffman, Toro, Hearns, Wise, Duff Hill, Powell, Merritt, Moots, and Bowley. The home team had Dampier, Constantine, Witmer, Finnegan, Thompson, Mundy,Giordano, Simon, Holder, Barnes, and Lee Baker.

The game started with both teams scoring three runs in the first. Kirk, Donnie, and Juan all got extra base hits. The visitors then went three and out in the second, while the bottom of the line up for the home team scored three runs. Solid defense prevailed in the third with each team scored one run.

The fourth inning saw only one run scored between the teams as the home team built on their lead. The fifth started  off with Bill Bowley reaching base and scoring the first of four runs for the visitors. Juan second triple of the day provided the fire power. The  home team answered with two of their own as Wayne and Charlie crossed the plate. Bill lead off the next inning as well and again scored the first of five runs. Freddie G's homer was the highlight of the inning. The home team was unable to hold their lead as Freddie Dampier was the lone runner to cross the plate.

Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh. Freddie G lead off with a triple in the eighth but was the only runner to score.So with the home team behind by three and with the bottom of the order coming to the plate, it looked pretty good for the visitors. But Simon, Holder, Barnes, and Baker did not by into it and all scored along with Freddie D to give the home team the lead. The final inning was really only a final half inning as the home team held the visitors to one run in the ninth as Duff Hill scored the only run.

Final score was Visitors 14, Home 16.

Dennis Holder was the winning pitcher.

Key Performances:

Freddie Gonzales   4 for 5 with a triple and home run

Kirk Coffman          4 for 5 with a double

Juan Toro                4 for 5 with  two triples

Freddie Dampier    2 for 2 with 2 walks

Jeff Simon            3 for 4

Dennis Holder        3 for 4

It was a great day at the ball park , under clear skies there were enough players to field four teams.

Two 10 player teams featured ; Visitors ,  S. Hill, Crest , Lofoon ( manager ) , Jacobs , Daiz , Schapler , Wells , Leggett , Bess , and Gibson . Versus , Rivera , Miller , King ( manager ) , Chamlee , Crab , Bird , Herbie O , Marino , J.D. , and Mohan .

The game started slow, with the visitors plating 2 runs and the home team scoring 1 on Rivera's solo homer . Both teams heated up in the 2nd , as team Lafoon scored 5 runs on consecutive hits by  Crest , Lafoon and Jacobs . Team King answered with 4 runs , with key hits by both Rivera and Miller , both of them on their way to going 6 for 6 for the day.  After two , the score was visitor 7 to 5 .

The 3rd was quiet . You just knew that the King team lineup was going to break loose soon, scoring five in the 4th to take the lead , 10 to 8, after four .

Starting the 5th team Lafoon posted five to retake the lead by 3 , before team King added 5 runs to regain the lead in the bottom of the inning . End of five team King 15 to 13 .

Team King added five in the 6th and 7th to put the game away . End of seven 25 to 13 team King .

The 8th looked like team Lafoon was going to get back into the game , scoring 4 and loading the bases with two outs and the top of the order due up . But shortstop King made a one hop grab and flipped to second ,  end the threat of Hill's hot shot up the middle. Team King plated another 5 to finish their scoring at 30 in their half .

Team Lafoon did not score in the 9th . End of game , team King 30 to 17 .

Stars ; Rivera 6 for 6 , Hr

           Miller 6 for 6 
               King 5 for 6 , great defense

           Crest 5 for 6

             Lafoon 5 for 6

           Jacobs 5 for 6

           J . D .  4 for 6 , winning pitcher

           

A reminder to everyone to please make sure your bats are properly marked to include a piece of red tape if you do not want others to use your bat. Thanks

Oh Yeah, the famous Yankee ... today is Roger Maris'  birthday.  Not my favorite Yankee, hey, he beat out my hero, Mickey Mantle but still he was one great athlete and he didn't drink nearly as much as ole number 7.