There were a lot of "firsts'' as the Giants franchise played its first game Wednesday evening in the highly competitive CDMSBL 55+ Division. The biggest, however, was saved to end the game.
Most of those "firsts'' involved Ron Smaka in leading the Giants to a crisp 4-3 victory over the two-time champion Cardinals at the Satellite field in Voorheesville.
Ron got the team's first hit, scored the team's first run, got the team's first extra-base hit and was in the middle of the Giants first double play. Tony Nardacci drove in Smaka for the franchise's first RBI. Ralph Caputo got the first - and only - 3-up; 3-down inning in the 3rd. Pete Geannelis earned the team's first save with two innings of relief. And Ralphie earned the team's first pitching victory as the Giants used six pitchers to beat the Cardinals.
The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the second on consecutive singles by Smaka and Bill Smith before Nardacci lined a single to right-center to plate Ronnie.
While Darrell Duncan, Jerry Solomon and Caputo shut out the Cards through the first three, the Giants added two big runs in the visiting half of the 4th to take a 3-0 lead. Duncan opened with a sharp single to left and stole 2nd. Smaka then bombed a double to deep left to score Duncan. Geannelis then struck out on a pitch off the plate and reached first as the ball rolled around the backstop. Nardacci then lined another single to right to plate Smaka for a 3-1 lead.
The Cardinals bounced back with a run in the 4th on a scorching RBI single by Paul Watson to make it 3-2. With runners on 1st and 3rd, Jim Konstantakis then induced a DP grounder - Caputo to Smaka to Fred Pidgeon to end the inning.
The Giants then added a run in the 6th, which proved to be the winner. With two outs and none on, Smith's sharply hit grounder appeared headed to center field, but it took a wicked hop and bounded off the glove of the Cardinals shortstop. After a pinch runner advanced to 3rd on two wild pitches, Geannelis singled to make it 4-1.
Enter Geannelis, who came on as the Giants 6th - and final - pitcher of the game. Pete gave up just a single in the 6th and took a 4-2 lead into the 7th. But the Cardinals showed why they will be right there in the thick of this divisional race. With one out, Jerry Hawkins whacked his third hit of the game before Pete Zamory drove a ball to deep left for a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Pete then got a huge strikeout to bring up John LaTorre and set up the play of the game. With a 1-2 count against him, John came up clutch and slapped a single to right. Hawkins' courtesy runner scored and Zamory rounded third and headed for home. Jim Whitford, in right field, charged the base hit and threw a pea to Geannelis who was in the cut-off position. Geannelis turned and flipped to catcher Jeff Teats to easily nail Zamory at the plate to end the game. It was a fitting end to the game in that the Giants still haven't committed their "first'' error.
For the Cardinals, Hawkins had three hits and Bob Yakatan and Pete Zamory each had two. For the Giants, Nardacci had three hits and Smaka and Smith each had two. Al Wolfer was impressive in his first appearance on the hill in several years, escaping a jam in the 5th, but not walking a batter in allowing just one run. Smaka also played a flawless 3B, SS and 2B.
While many of us former Whiz Kids players miss the boys in red, it was great for so many of us Giants to reunite with with Wolfer, Pidgeon and Doug Zmyewski, though Doug is currently on the injured list. But he was gracious enough to come out to support us and keep the book.
Next up for the Giants are the always tough and talented Americans on Thursday May 15 at the Satellite field.
In compiling our stats for Game 1, I noticed our first double play was in the first inning. After Bob Yakatan walked to open the game (first walk issued by a Giants pitcher), Earl Mitchell hit a screamer that was headed up the middle for a hit. But Duncan snared it and flipped to first to double up Yakatan, who was off on the pitch.
