Just a wonderful cool, sunny, breezy day at another fine
local high school in the south bay. If you followed the
directions from WCFBA you're still looking for it. I guess
that's why the umps had to take a check from Mrs. Gemello
before the second game. Wow was Tony's strike zone narrow.
He assures me it was because the ball just kept missing the
corners.... hmmm....
Great game played well by the Giants. San Francisco scored
three in the first and Saint Louis hung around until the
last inning when they scored three to win. Mark Bruzzone for
six and ageless creaky Michael Simon for the final three won
for St Louie while Hartkop and Keller flung in defeat for
the unlucky San Francisco guys.
Bob Hartkop had another big day smoking at the plate with a
double and two singles. Gordon Simmons cracked a triple and
Heath Keller crunched a double to power the Giants. Steve
Conroy got a single as did Tom Sanfilippo (when he finally
showed up, after striking out meekly in his first at bat
after sauntering to the field tardy.) Steve Bennett ripped a
bunt single to finish off the SF Giant hitting on the
day.
The Giant Red Birds only made six hits on the day but they
turned out to be enough as Rolly Hofstedt tripled late to
score two runs and Doug Rusch squished a single to drive in
the GWR. Tom Maitlen, Michael Simon, Mark Bruzzone, and
Michael Vargas each chip shot singles to aid and abet the
winged Giants.
It ain't over 'til it's over the great YOGI said and it was
over just in time for the '62 Giants. The Giants weathered a
pitcher who lost it, a croquet shot through the third
baseman's legs, a short stop who froze, two errant throws to
second base, and bunch of walks, a line smash off the
closers glove hand, a blooper, and a strict strike zone; all
this in a seven run bottom of the ninth that almost saw the
A's pull off a comeback. Mark Gemello pumped it up and
struck out the A's clean-up hitter with a blazing fastball,
slider, wind-aided whatever to close the door with the bags
loaded at the end.... whew!!!
Sil Kevocheza started for the A's and was removed
inexplicitly after four innings giving way to Gary Hooper
and Kevin Zimmerman. The A's had some diving web gems,
especially by Dave Vigil in left to thwart the G-men early
on. David Calhoun and Dennis Conyers each belted two singles
for the Oakland team while Sil Krevocheza, Kevin Calloway,
and Mike Mello each slapped singletons in the A's exciting
but unrequited effort.
Carl Vargas, replacing the absent Joe Gagliardo, hurled six
innings of his usual heavy hardball followed by two and a
third innings of Randy Wallace's crafty wafting wild curve
balls that hit the plate, the catcher, three batters, and a
couple of off-balance bats before Mark Gemello came in to
save the day in a hairy, scary bottom of the ninth. Carl
Vargas and Dave Decruz led the Giants with two hard singles
each. Diablo Terra changed his batting habits and crushed
several balls, especially a beauty of a double to right
center after Drew Greenlee did the same breaking out in
front of his family fan club to rip a big double to right.
Randy Wallace, Lynn Harkreider, Don Dewitt, and Mark Gemello
also snapped singles in the Giant hit parade. Jim Realini
put the Giants ahead to stay with an ankle biting line drive
single with the bags loaded in the five run fifth to spark
the Giants today. #1.
Steve Bennett....where's your uni? Aren't you the guy in
charge of Uni's? #2..
Tom Sanfilippo. Calls me at 943AM (he's supposed to be at a
930 game!) and says he can't find the field. You mean you
really trust those Mapquest thingys? #3.
Don Dewitt. Runner on 1st and he's on second. Two outs.
Ground ball to shortstop. Hesitates? Why? So he won't get
thrown out at third? Runs back to second. Out, rally killed.
A buck.
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JIM
REALINI
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA
June 10th, 2007