The visiting Reds were hoping for a hot start and to keep the pressure on against a great team in the Americans.
Jim Jasiewicz (Jaz) led off with an infield single and a quick swipe of 2nd. After a few ground balls the Reds were able to plate a run with an RBI by Paul Miles. The Americans wasted no time with a leadoff single to center by Paul Scuteri, who quickly took second when Jaz misplayed the ball. One of two errors by the Reds for the game. A wild pitch and a passed ball and the score was tied. Mike Kane worked a free pass and later a two out single by Pete Geanellis put the American up by 1. Great to see Pete back on the field.
Doug Hall and Rick Knipper started the second with singles. A fielder's choice got the lead runner and a liner snagged by Kane made it 2 outs and 2 on with the top of the order up. Jim Jaz was able to get a single to tie the score before a fly out to short that ended the Reds half of the inning. With 1 out the Americans were able to get 2 runners on, but Jonnie Martin was able to induce an inning ending 1-4-3 DP keeping the score tied at 2.
Paul Miles led off the third with a single and a stolen base. A couple of uncharacteristic back-to-back misplayed balls and the Reds were in business with Kenny Shaw plating Miles. With 2 outs Knipper got his second single Knocking in Shaw to put the Reds up by two. Jonnie Martin was able to get a rare 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the inning against the Americans.
Martin started the 4th off with a single. But Jaz hit into a fielder's choice forcing Martin at second and trading places with him. An errant pickoff attempt put him on second. Paul Peters singled to put runners on the corners. Peter's then stole second setting the table for the ever-steady Miles who singled down the right field line to plate 2. Griffin singled and then Shaw hit a ball that ultimately saw Miles & Griffin score pushing the lead to 6. Rick Knipper came on to pitch for the Reds in the 4th facing the top of the order. Scuteri worked the walk and stole second. Greg Mangione singled to score Scuteri. Knipper was able to get the 1-3 and 2 consecutive line outs to short from the heart of the order to end the inning at 8-3.
Mike Kane was able to make quick work of the Reds in the 5th with a K sandwiched by two comebacker 1-3s and get the Americans back up where they wanted to be, hitting. Knipper came back out in the 5th facing Mike Aiello, who worked the count full before getting the walk and advancing on a WP. Steve Lounello followed working the count full and earning a walk. A ground ball to 1st for the 3U put both runners in scoring position. Knipper was then able to get the ever need K for the second out and then a 1-3 to end the threat and keep the score unchanged that inning for the first.
Jaz led off the 6th with a single and SB, Peters followed with a single and then Miles came through again with a single plating Jaz. A quick pick off move by Kane to 2nd resulted in the 1st out of the inning. Jack Griffin got on with a misplayed ball and then Kenny Shaw followed with another single knocking in Miles and Griffin tacking on 3 more for the inning. Doug Hall came in to pitch the 6th for the Reds. Two consecutive ground balls to second, both 4-3 outs were followed by a single to center by Brad Buchan to get things started for the Americans. Scuteri then walked for the second time before a pop up to second ended the inning and keeping the Americans off the board in a rare instance of second baseman in on all three outs of the inning.
The crafty Steve Lounello came on to pitch in the 7th for Americans with a K to start the inning. That was followed by a 4-3 for two quick outs. The Veteran Jonnie Martin worked the free pass and after a couple of tough to handle pitches was able to advance to 3rd. Jaz followed with an infield hit and was able to beat the throw to first plating Martin and advancing to second. With two outs Donnie Ball gunned Jaz out at third to end the Reds half of the inning. The first batter for the Americans in the seventh hit into a 6-4. The next batter hit a pop up back to Hall for 2 quick outs. Geanellis followed with a single. Mike Aiello took a HBP and the Americans were starting to get something going. With the count full the ever-dangerous Lounello lined a fly ball over the left fielder to the fence that plated 2 for the hit of the game to that point. Not to be outdone, Donnie Ball then worked the count full and hit his own a deep line drive over the center fielders head to plate a run and put himself on second. But Hall was able to get a ground ball to third to end the inning and secure the win.
Big Red Machine Jaz 4 Hits 3 Runs 2 BI 2 SB (1CS) Peters 2 Hits 1 R 1 SB Miles 3 Hits 3 Runs 4 BI 1 SB Griffin 1 Hit 2 Runs Shaw 2 Hits 1 Run 3 BI Knipper 2 Hits 1 Run 1 BI Martin 1 Hit 1 Run Hall 1 Hit 1 SB
Americans Scuteri 1 Hit 2 Runs 1 SB Geanellis 1 Hit 1 Run 1 BI Lounello Double 1 run 2 BI Ball Double 1 BI Mangione Hit 1 BI Buchan Hit
