The Damn Yankees held off the front-running Propane Cardinals, 4-2, in a game shortened by darkness Friday night for a key victory to tighten up the 55's standings. The Yankees led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth. Mike Hart drove in a fourth run with a clutch RBI single up the middle and the Yankees had runners on the corners with one out when plate umpire Jimmy K called the game due to darkness. Moments later the thunder and lightning arrived confirming a good call by JK. Billy Kervan, making his first start in a month after a shoulder injury, was the difference in the game. He allowed just four hits, struck out three and outdueled Cards ace Jim LaTorre to lower his ERA to 0.74 through 19 innings. Matt Kelly led the Yanks with a double and two runs scored. The defensive gems of the game were turned in by Yankees rightfielder Joe McNally, who made a shoestring catch with runners on to snuff out a Cards rally in the third, and a sparkling backhanded stop by Cards second baseman Dave Plue on a shot up the middle to rob Pete Laflamme of a sure hit. The Yankees win avenges a tough 5-4 loss at the hands of the Cardinals earlier this season and sets up a key rubber match game on July 21. The Cardinals stand in first place by percentage points with a 6-2 record, followed by the Yankees at 7-3 and the Americans at 5-2.

-- Edited by adtimbrown on Saturday 9th of July 2011 09:34:40 AM