The Bluejays defeated the White Sox by a score of 6-3 Friday night at the New Scotland Town Park. Mike Maiello went the distance for the Jays giving up 3 runs on 6 hits, striking out 7 batters and walking 2. Jim Dalton, also going the distance, pitched a great game for the White Sox, as usual doing a great job keeping hitters off stride by changing speeds and locations. The Jays struck first in the 1st inning when Brian Maiello led off with a double, Vangelder walked and Mike Maiello hit a 3-run home run over the left field wall. The The White Soc answered with 1 in the bottom of the 1st on a single by Donnie Mac and 2 stolen bases and he scored on a fielders choice. They Jays came back with 2 in the top of the second on a 2-run single by Brian Maiello making the score 5-1 after 2. The Sox chipped away at the Jays lead with single runs in the 3rd and 5th innings, making the score 5-3 after 4-1/2 innings of play. The Jays added an insurnace run in the bottom of the fifth. In the top of the 6th, the Sox threatened in a big way - loading the bases with no outs on a single by Donnie and 2 Jay errors. Mike Maiello then bulled his neck and struck out 3 batters in a row to get out of the jam - stranding the 3 Sox runners. The final score was 6-3. Donnie and the second batter, Ken??, each had 2 singles for the White Sox. Ex-Jay and my good friend, Bobbie Noto, hit the ball hard but the Jays defense prevented those hard hit balls from becoming base hits. For the Jays, additonal htting support was provided by Ray Meandro with 3 singles and Mike Eplite with 2 singles. It always always a pleasure to play a ball game against Jimmy Dalton and his gang and also always a pleaure to get a chance to talk to JD, Rodney, Donnie, Bobbie and the other Sox. It's also great to see Mick Novak in a White Six uni.
I just want to comment on what a competitor Mike Maiello is. He is totally focused on every pitch and if you don't equal his intensity while at bat he will beat you every time. These matchups are what makes our game so much fun.
