The Pirates used outstanding pitching and some timely hitting to defeat the Highlanders at CBA on June 9. In what is probably a record so far this season, the Highlanders played games on back-to-back days.
Todd Calhoun pitched the first five innings, with Mike Kane in relief.
The game featured solid good Pirates defense -- Steve Lounello! -- but the play of the game was definitely made by Highlanders' second baseman Herbie Friedman. With the score 2-0, two outs, fast runners on second and third, Ron Smaka hit a little dying quail behind second base. Somehow Herbie, morphing into Orlando freaking Hudson, gets out there in short centerfield, dives and, fully extended, makes an inning-ending catch. Two Pirate runs died on the vine.
That Highlander team looks formiddable to me, with Reed, Verstanding, and Jackson in the middle of the lineup. They will score some runs.
I refuse to reference the weather, other than to say that we felt fortunate to play ball.
And thanks again to Mike Hart for securing that date at CBA. We were originally scheduled at Elm Avenue, which was too, um, damp. It being under water and everything.
