Thursday started the same way most of our game days have started this summer - with the threat of rain. Showers from 2:00 to 3:00. Thunderstorms at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00. Rain from 7:00 until midnight. Text messages going back and forth in the morning. Should we play? I don't know. WTF? But,, with no rain by 3:30, we decided to give it a go.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, the game started the same way other Yankees/Dodgers game have started - with the Yankees finding a way to score runs. With two outs and nobody on in the 1st, singles and stolen bases by Careccia and Smitherman and a single by Duncan plated two runs. The Dodgers had a run in, the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 1st but Lex and the Yankees defense stepped up. The ball didn't leave the infield again and the Dodgers didn't score again. Bad omen.
Jimmy T held the Yankees scoreless in the 2nd and it was time for the bottom of the Dodgers order to make their contribution. I dinked a ball to short CF and had to beat Careccia's throw to 1B to earn a single. John "MVP" Weber walked and our #10 batter, Steve Jiampeti launched a double driving in two runs. Lex and the top of the Yankees order plated a run in the top of the 3rd to tie the game at 3. In the top of the 4th, the Yankees had runners on the corners but a Weber to Gougler to Alston (4-6-3) double play ended the threat.
The "heart of the order" struck again for the Dodgers. I hit one a little harder to CF and just beat the throw to 1st (why can't I jog to 1st like everyone else?) John Weber hit a bomb over the Yankee left fielder but was held to a single because the runner in front of him was too slow. No worries. Steve Jiampeti lined a single and the Dodgers had a 4 - 3 lead.
Mark Callahan took the mound for the Dodgers in the 5th and was greeted by a Lex double and a long fly to LF by Altobelli to tie the game at 4. Then Karma stopped by. Careccia singled and the Yankees had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Smitherman hit a line drive to CF that looked dangerous. Jimmy T raced in to snare the line drive and threw a bullet to 1B to double up Careccia. Imagine that. Careccie getting thrown out at 1st by our center fielder. Another fly ball to CF and the inning ended with the score tied at 4. The Dodgers played a little more defense in the 6th. With a runner on 2B and two outs, the Dodgers picked up on some Yankee chatter from their 3B coach. Callahan used the inside pick-off move and had the runner leaning. He was out by a lot.
The Yankees went down in order in the top of the 7th. Bradley led of the bottom of the 7th with a scorcher to 3B that took a nasty hop just as it reached Paul Post. Paul's reflexes were up to the task as he caught the ball at his shoulder and made a clean throw to 1st. Dodger clean up hitter, Pat Alston then crushed one to deep center for a stand-up double. Could this be our night? Yes it could. Greg Gougler followed with a cannon blast to the hill in LF and Alston smiled all the way home with a walk-off win. The Dodgers have lost some close games to the top tier teams this season and it was nice to win one.
The Dodgers raked the base paths and put the tarps down then drove to the Black Bear to celebrate our victory. At 8:15 the skies opened and it poured for half an hour. We enjoyed every drop. On this night even Mother Nature couldn't beat the Dodgers!
