(Schenectady, NY) - After rainouts left the 62-Pirates with a 3-week layoff, they returned to action against the 62-Americans on the A-Diamond. Pirates bats and wheels showed little rust, as they struck for 2 runs on a lead off bunt by Jim Jasiewicz, 2 stolen bases, and rbi single by Rick Knipper, and rbi double by Paul Peters.to stake the Buccos to a quick 2-0 advantage. The Americans came out swinging against Pirates starter Jimmie Dalton, who after getting the first out surrendered consecutive knocks to Jesse Braverman, Rich Garbarino, and Jim Porter, to work into a jam. Dalton escape with 0 runs, when SS Peters turned in a sparkler on a liner by Mike LaBarge, on a backhand in the hole, and flip to 3rd for a DP.
Pirates threatened in the 2nd and 3rd, but Garbarino was tough allowing traffic, but just a single run. In the 4th, the Pirates struck for three on a Newcomb 2-bagger, a Ken Shaw ribby hit, and rbis from an Art Wexler HBP, and Farrell BB, before a K and pop-up limited further damage. The Swashbucklers bats came to life in the 5th starting with a Jim Ansel double, a single by Wayne Newcomb, an Artie Gianakos rbi, a Howard Becker rbi single, and the big blow, a 2-run double in the gap by Mike Hart to get the Pirates up 11-0, and chase Garbarino.
The Pirate defense was solid, with Peters perfect on 8 chances, as Dalton strung together 4 shutout innings. The Americans were not going away quietly, getting to a tiring, slop throwing Dalton, sandwiching 3 hits from Gibby Travis, Vinnie Koster, and Garbarino, and Dalton's only walk of the nite, to chase him from the hill, plating 4 runs, 2 earned. Bill Farrell came on came on and was met with a Porter single, and then nailed down the last out and a 1-2-3 6th. The Pirates tacked on 2 more in the 6th on a Steve Thornton single, Knipper's 3rd hit of the nite, and rbis from Ansel and Ray Meandro. A Braverman web-gem with a running shoestring grab of a Wexler liner kept the Bucs off the board in the 7th.
The Americans made some noise in the bottom of the 7th against Knipper, who after 2 K's hit back to back hitters, and error, and Porter's 4th hit (2 rbi) closed out the scoring.
Pirates improve 4-2, and a 1/2 game back of the idle Cardinals, who square off against the Peppers tonite. Americans fall to 2-6.
