Pitching and defense was the name of the game in this one!!!
This one matched two of the top three candidates for pitcher of the year: Bucky Kruzinski for the A's vs. Phil Gadomski for the Silvers. Both pitchers were as good as advertised as they limited the damage from two very good hitting line ups. Mash just received some timely defensive gems behind him to limit the A's to one fewer run.

The A's got on the board first by plating a run in the top of the first on a walk to Bucky, a stolen base, and an rbi single by George Schillinger.
The Silvers answered in the bottom of the second with a run on consecutive singles by Ron Lochner, David Mitchell, and Curt Coons, followed by a fielders choice by Chuck Sohl.
What looked like it could be a big inning was cut short by a base running error and a line drive double play.
The A's again took the lead in the top of the fourth with singles by Hicks, Mawrey, Traus, and Moore. The play of the game was turned in by Marlins center fielder Paul Miles when he charged the single by Moore and threw out Mawrey at the plate to end the inning and limit the damage to one run.
The Silver Marlins used the momentum from that play to rally in the bottom half of the fourth. Randy Craft led off with a single and Mike Girard followed with a double to the right field wall, scoring Craft with the tying run on a close play at the plate. After Bucky got the next two Marlin batters, Curt Coons came through with the eventual game winning rbi on a two out single through the right side, scoring Girard.
With the score just 3-2 through four innings, both pitchers slammed the door. Mash got more help from his defense in the sixth to preserve the win, when Ron Lochner dove to his backhand side at third to spear a hard hit grounder that was labelled for a double down the third base line. He righted himself in time to throw accross the diamond to nail a speedy Bucky Kruzinski at first. Wayne Newcomb was on first at the time with a one-out single. Instead of runners being on second and third with one out, there was a runner on second with two outs. Mash got the last out in the sixth on a fly ball to left.
The A's threatened again in the seventh, when Laddie Mawrey led off with a single and was moved to second on a fielders choice. With two outs, pinch hitter Haff, hit a long fly ball to the fence in center field that had all of the Marlins holding their breath until they saw the ball die in the glove of Paul Miles for the final out.
It seems that we always have this kind of intense, well-played game against the A's.
They are really fun to be a part of and we know that the rest of the series will be the same. We are all looking forward to it.