Friday 7/7 - New Scotland; 11-7, no not a couple of craps game rolls, but the final score as the Pirates notched their 2nd win of the season against a tough Giants squad! Under the dark cloud all season, the Pirates again faced an uphill climb this time, the black cloud being surrounded by thunder, lightning and a steady rain in the early innings. Kuddos to the umpire crew for shepherding the contest to an official game, shortened to five innings.
John Cortese toed the slab for the Giants, and Rick Knipper for the Buccos. Cortese looked solid, with the help of a web-gem by Mike Aiello to escape unscathed early. Pirates went to work in the 2nd frame with a Greg Allen single, a Jim Ansel walk, and a clutch 2-out rip by Rick Knipper plating 2. As conditions deteriorated, Bucs worked two more walks, followed by a Jose Moreno 2-run single, and Pirates jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Knipper hung two goose eggs, with 2 Ks and working around 2 walks and a HBP. Knipper had thrown four great innings the night before and was working in high heat index for the second night in a row, and started to labor some in the 3rd. Wet conditions in play, as Knipper struggled,and walked the bases full with 1-out. Rick Caruso, who had come on in relief, lined a 2-run base knock to cut the lead in half. After a 2nd out Fielder's Choice, hard hitting lefty Mike Cleary rocked a double in the gap, "cleary-ing" the sacks, and giving the Giants a 5-4 lead. Dana Hansen came on for Knipper, and got the Bucs back in ythe dugout, and back to bat.
Pirates got a lead off, all-hustle single from Tom Keating, but couldn't capitalize. Hansen out for the 4th got a nice back to the infield play from Moreno, but then got bit by the control bug. A walk, followed by a Caruso 2-bagger, extended the margin to 6-4, followed by a HBP and 2 more free passes. Manager Jimmie Dalton then had to deal with another "bug". Eric Westfall who was to be on limited duty or not used at all, due to an infection from a tick bite, issued another BB, before getting the final out, as the Giants got out to a 7-4 lead, with darkness coming fast.
The dark cloud on the Bucs lifted as the 4th became one of the best innings all season. It looked pretty bleak as Caruso got the first two out easily. A Dane Dostie hbp, a stolen base, a walk, was followed by a 2-run ribby single from Kim Burns. After another free pass, Moreno again came through with his 2nd two-run knock of the evening. Paul Peters (who hit the ball hard all night), lined a single, to score another, and John Haff followed with a rib-eye hit to close out the 6-run outburst, and no Craps, an 11-7 advantage. Westfall (The Vulture - look up Phil Reagan kids - with the W) went back to the hill, stranding a lead off hit, and retiring next three Giants in order for the win!
Umpires called it at 5-innings, as New Scotland went dark. All in all a well played game by both teams in tough conditions. Pirates avenged an early season loss to the Giants, and rubber match is next month. Giants now stand at 2-8, and Giants fall to 2-5. Giants visit the Americans on Thursday, while Pirates face the Twins on Wednesday.
