On another beautiful night for baseball at New Scotland the Americans and Twins produced a real nail biter of a game. The Twins held a 3-2 advantage going into the bottom of the 4th when the Americans scored 2 to go ahead 4-3. One more in the 6th gave the home team a cautiously comfortable 5-3 lead entering the 7th with the 7-8-9 Twins batters coming up. The Twins had been driving the ball hard all game but mostly right at well positioned Americans who played almost flawless ball making just 1 error in the contest, same as their opponents. Starting pitcher for the home team Dan Durback entered the 7th looking to put the Twins to bed. Borrowed player Mike Aiello walks, Dave Plew relieves Durback, Dom Archidiacono singles, Tom King lays down a nice bunt forcing Aiello at third on a beauty of a play by Plew. One out. Runners at first and second. Borrowed player Pete Zamory grounds into a fielders choice forcing King 5-4, two outs, runners at first and third. Stefan Koutsakis singles driving in Archidiacono, 5-4 Americans, runners at first and second. Jeff Whitehead comes to the plate and an order was issued to walk him intentionally . Bases loaded Twins. Up strides Rick Saidenberg who falls behind 1-2, but proceeds to launch a line drive off the right field fence , missing a grande salami by inches. In an instant the Twins take the lead 7-5. Terry McCarthy pops to the pitcher to end the inning. Twins starter Stefan Koutsakis climbs back on the hill for the bottom of the 7th. The Americans refused to go gently into that good night. Cleanup hitter Muller finagles a walk. Koutsakis strikes out Durback and Mike Labarge, the 5-6 hitters . 1 simple out away now . Yeah, right. That pesky Dave Plew hits a clean line single to right center. Petrone walks. Bases drunk ! Sounding like Jimmy Dalton now. Time to nail it down Twins. Pitching change. In comes the well rested lefty, Jeff Whitehead. Sassone comes up and draws a walk to score Mr. Muller. 7-6 Twins. Brad Buchan, the always dangerous hitter, steps to the plate. First pitch-ball. Second pitch strike. Third pitch with the bases full Buchan swings and hits a grounder to the left of SS Koutsakis who fields it carefully and cleanly, sets, throws smoothly to first, game over. Twins 7-6. Twins wind up with 9 hits. Americans 4 hits. Koutsakis earned the win allowing 6 (4 earned) runs, 4 hits, 6 WALKS( yep-?) , and struck out 10. Nicholsen and Archidiacono had 2 hits each for the Twins. Finelli, Koster, Plew, and Dave Page all collected singles for the Americans.
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 7th of July 2022 10:31:35 AM
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-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:09:07 PM
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:59:41 PM
-- Edited by crowbait on Thursday 7th of July 2022 05:18:52 PM
