On-lookers would have been hard-pressed to believe this was just the second game of the season in the highly competitive 45+ Divsion.

In a near flawlessly played game Sunday at New Scotland Town Park, the Marlins' Phil "Mash'' Gadomski and three Giants pitchers hooked up in a scoreless duel until Jim Whitford led off the bottom of the 6th with a home run and the Giants held off a huge Marlins threat in the 7th for a 1-0 victory.

After Whitford's homer, Steve Lounello came on for the Giants in a closer's role, but the Marlins made him sweat. CDMSBL Hall-of Fame Randy Craft ripped Lounello's first pitch to the right-field fence for a lead-off double. After a bouncer back to the mound for the first out, Ron Lochner grounded between 3rd and short that was cut off by Whitford at 3rd, but the throw pulled Ron Smaka off the bag at first for just the second error of the game and the Marlins had runners at the corners with one out.

But Lounello reared back and struck out the next two hitters to end the game.

The Giants also held off a Marlins threat in the second inning when TJ Scorsone reached on an infield single and Mash followed with a sharp single between 1st and 2nd with no outs off starter Jim Konstantakis. John LaTorre then hit a bullet right at SS Mike Labanowski, who then flipped to 2nd-baseman Tony Nardacci for a double play. JimK then struck out the next batter to end that threat.

Newly-acquired Mike Kane then came on and shut down the vaunted Marlins lineup, facing just 10 hitters in innings 3-5, allowing just one runner to reach base, that on an error. JimK then re-entered in the 6th inning and promptly struck out the first two Marlins hitters. But he then walked the next two before inducing a fielder's choice grounder to SS to end that threat.

That set the stage in the bottom of the frame for Whitford, who hit a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left for the only run of the game.

Mash indeed was the tough-luck pitcher in this game. He struck out 4 and did not walk a batter. He also did not allow more than one baserunner in any inning. He faced just 22 hitters over the 6 inning he worked.

NOTES: According to stats posted on the CDMSBL Web site, Mike Girard, who ripped a single in the first inning for the Marlins, did NOT strike out once in 2009 in leading the division in hitting. Even some of the greatest hitters strike out once by accident! ... The Marlns first three hitters in the lineup - Tom Maney, Randy Craft and Mike Girard are all in the CDMSBL Hall of Fame ... Lounello played minor league baseball for three organizations: the Blue Jays, Astros and Indians and lived in Australia for three years playing pro ball ... Mike Kane had surgery to repair a broken pinky in his pitching hand while playing basketball in the off-season ... Ron Smaka filled in admirably for Dick Stark in perhaps playing first base for the first time EVER ... Nardacci, Mike Lannon, Whitford, Konstantakis are all from Rensselaer, though Lannon played for LaSalle and Tony Rossi at Siena. ... Quote of the week: From Mike Lannon: "Getting old sucks!'' Mike is pushing 60, but has yet again resumed his karate classes to stay limber! ...