Fri. 7/25 at Rogowicz Field - Pirates 9 Americans 8
Hot and dusty as this one got underway. The Pirates and Americans have a history of wildly close games and this one followed suit, as the Pirates, "got off the duck", and edged the Americans with a bottom of the 7th walk-off win, rallying for 5 in the final frame, for the 9-8 victory.
Both starters, Vinnie Koster for the Americans, and Rick Knipper for the Bucs battled long and hard for 7-innings in the oppressive heat. Kudos to Mike LaBarge, Amerks, and Rob Currier for the Pirates on catching all 7 innings. Field conditions and weather (brief shower) did not make for the prettiest of games!
A walk, stolen base, and 2 Pirates errors, followed by a Koster single gave the Americans a quick 1-0 advantage. Bucs answered back with 2 after 2-outs, on a Paul Peters 2-bagger, and singles by John Haff and Dane Dostie. Koster would have no more of it, getting a K for the final out, and then hanging three zeros in the next 3 frames, keeping the Pirates off balance.
In the 2nd, Americans got rolling using a hit by pitch, rbi knocks by Dave Plew and Ed Potash, and an error to plate 3, for a 4-2 lead, extended to 5-2, with unearned tally in the 3rd. The Patriots grabbed 2 more in the 4th using a walk, a Koster single, and a Fred Muller ribby hit.
Pirates got away from walking the plank, with 2 in the home 5th on singles by Eric Sundwall and Knipper, followed by rbi knocks from Peters and Haff to make it 7-4, Amerks. Knipper settled in with 2 scoreless in the 5th and 6th, before getting nicked for singleton in the top of the 7th. An rbi single by Mike LaBarge, coming after a walk and Jim Kidd base-hit, and the Americanos surged to what looked like a safe lead at 8-4, and an in control Koster toeing the slab for the 7th.
Manager Jim Dalton, opted to lose his DH, and had Currier hit for himself, who promptly garnered a lead off free pass. (It always starts with a walk!) After a punchout, Knipper singled to put runners on the corners, with Knipper the swiping the pillow, and Currier scoring on the E-2, 8-5. After a 1-3 put out, Knipper moving to 3rd, the Pirates were down to their last swings. Haff delivered his 3rd hit of the night and 2nd rbi, followed by Dostie's 2nd rip.
Borrowed player Tony Parella was next. Dalton had sold his soul to the devil to get Tony to sub, agreeing that he would never take the mound again against Parella EVER, and signing an on-line agreement of the same, with the condition that if Tony went yard, it was Smokey Bones on Dalton. Parella lifted a deep shot to right center, and Dalton's bankroll was saved, as it 1-hopped the fence for a ground rule double scoring Haff, and Dostie to 3rd. Plew had come on relief for the visitors. Jerry Foti worked a quality AB, and responded with hard single thru the right side plating Dostie and moving Parella to 3rd, and an 8-8 all ballgame. With daylight almost gone and down to the gloaming, Umpires announced, if we stay tied, no extra innings would be played. 62-Pirates call-up, Nick Kanellis worked a base on balls to load them up, and Americans went to the bullpen again, with the hard throwing Labarge on to face Sundwall. The first pitch almost found Sundwall's helmet, but he hung in there to induce a 4-pitch walk-off walk, and the Pirates notched the W!!
R H E Americans 8 10 4 Pirates 9 15 6 WP - Knipper
Americans - Koster, Muller, Plew each 2/3, rbi Pirates - Haff 3/4, 2 rbi; Knipper, Peters, and Dostie 2/4
