The Americans and the Peppers played another humdinger on a hot, humid, smoky-aired game on Monday, July 17, and for the third time the unbeaten (10-0 now),
first-place Yankees prevailed, and for the second time by a 7-6 score.

The game went back and forth, as humdingers do, with the Americans taking an early 2-0 lead, but the Yanks rallied to tie it in the third and passing it
in the fourth for a 4-2 lead. I haven't the book so creaky memory must do: the Americans tied it at four in the fourth, whereupon an inning later a
three-run Yankees outburst, gave the Yanks a 7-4 lead. Then, in the bottom of the seventh and last inning, the Americans socked timely
singles and put up two more runs, one shy of a tie, which would have brought more hope.

The game's main events had two parts: the pitching in the sweaty weather of the Yanks' Craig Miller, who went six frames and the
Americans' hurler Scott Ross who went seven. Both were marvelous. And then, from the Americans' angle, timely hits through much of the lineup. Praise
belongs to batters Scott Ross, Vinny Koster, Mike Aiello, Rich Garbarino, Jim Konstantakis, Jim Porter, Jesse Braverman and Mike Kane, who had a sockin' 3-for-3 night.

There were fine defensive plays by both sides. Two come to mind, both early in the game. One of the Yanks, not sure who, hit a low, speeding sizzler
in the fourth that Mike Kane snagged with a reflex action off the ground an inch or two from the third base bag and threw the runner out at first. Sweet catch
and throw, done in the proverbial snap. Then an inning or so later, the Yankees third baseman Bob Holmes hit a long, high and distant fly ball to left near the line.
It was an impressive hit and had double written all over it, until Jesse Braverman made an over-the-shoulder running catch near the fence.

A sign of a taut game to come actually happened in the early innings when centerfielder Mike Aiello went back and deep on a well-struck fly ball
(sorry, don't recall who hit it; it was a nice shot) and fired to Jim Konstantakis at second, just nipping a runner tagging up. It was that kind of game.

And all these guys are over 62.

On a personal note, former Pepper and long-time league player Al Hart (no relation to me) who played from about 2000 to 2016, stopped by to say hello
and to watch the Americans' team I'd been praising to him. As he walked into the dugout, manager Mike LaBarge happened at that moment to ask if anyone would keep
the book. I volunteered Al. Al agreed, followed by seven innings of pleasant work for him which allowed him to chat with players from both clubs.

The great part about that was the sense of welcome, from both teams, that was in the air. More than once over the years I found that warm sense, the recognition,
existing for former players who come back to watch and say hello. It's a lift and says good things about our league. - Mike Hart



-- Edited by mikehart on Tuesday 18th of July 2023 02:49:13 PM