Gold Country Buzzards

Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards Game Report #2

March 28, 2010

Dragons Get Fired Up and Beat the Buzzards, 6-4

The Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards came to Colfax for an afternoon home opener on a gorgeous Spring Sunday, temp 69°, against the always tough Dragons. The Dragon games are usually close and for the last couple of years the Buzzards have come out on top to include last year’s playoffs. Last August 30th, the Buzzards won the National Division title by beating the Dragons 4-1 by scoring late in that game. So, the Dragons really wanted to clip the Buzzards’ wings and today they came in force to take on their nemesis. Meanwhile, the Ol’ Buzzards are warming up and talking about not repeating last week’s performance while the team is looking good and determined to win. Despite several injured key starters playing hurt, the Buzzards liked their chances.

On the mound for the visiting Dragons was their big right-hander, Alan “Mean Look” Van Ness #31. The Buzzards started their ace, lefty Dave “Keppy” Kephart #21.

The Buzzards struck first with two runs in the first inning. Taylor “Welzy” Welz led off with a deep double to left-center field. Batting second, Dan “Wookie” Wukmir, after looking awful on the strike-two fastball swing, stayed back on the next pitch and hit the knuckler for a single to right-center field driving in the first run of the game. Next, Bob “Woody” Wooden lined an 0-2 pitch to center field for a single putting runners at first and second. While Jim “Milli” Milligan was batting, a wild pitch got past the catcher and Wookie took off for third. However, the ball bounced right back to their all-star catcher, Mark Parsons #32, who threw a bullet to third base. Wookie’s hook-slide appeared to be safe, but the umpire from his bad angle called it differently.

After Milli’s bad call third strike, Charles “CJ” Jackson, drove Woody home with a base hit to left field. With two out, Mike “Bake” Baker hit a clutch double to the fence in left-center field. CJ tried to score from first base on the hit, but a good relay and strong throw home nailed Charles at the plate to end the inning. Two runs are nice, but on five hits (two doubles) – that is actually hard to do.

The Dragons scored two runs to tie the game in the top of the second inning on a single and two doubles. They scored again in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 with a lead-off single, a stolen base and then an over throw at third base on an attempted steal of the bag, scoring the run.

The Buzzards tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Woody led off by getting hit by a pitch for the second time. This time it was a fastball to the back of his shoulder. The ball was bruised though by Woody’s hard-body. The first HBP in the third inning was a knuckle ball to the left butt cheek. That one probably just tickled Ol’ Buff Bob.

Woody then stole second before moving to third base on Milli’s two-strike line drive single to left. CJ, batting next, knocked in the tying run with a sacrifice fly to left field. In the eighth, the Buzzards broke the tie with their fourth run. Welzy led off with his fourth hit of the game, a drive to left-center. Taylor then stole second base on the first pitch. Wookie missed a couple of bunt signs before Welzy advanced to third on a wild pitch. T-Welz then scored on lefty, Wookie’s two-strike grounder to the right side of the infield to make the score 4-3 going into the top of the ninth inning. The Buzzards now needed three outs to finish off the Dragons.

Mike Hayworth #13 took over for Keppy on the mound in the eighth inning and was now facing the strongest part of the Dragons lineup in the ninth. A lead-off single, then an eight pitch strikeout, followed by a double to the fence with a play at the plate tied the game at 4-4. Another strikeout for the second out made extra innings look possible. However, the next Dragon fouled off four pitches, and on a full-count looped a single into left field to score a fifth run. The next batter hit a grounder to short that was fielded cleanly, but the throw in the dirt was not scooped up and the sixth Dragon run crossed the plate. Still, the Buzzards could score on these guys and had three outs to see.

Well, the second Dragon pitcher of the game, Haward #39, kept the Buzzard batters off-balanced in the ninth and the only offense was a walk to Ray “Bull Dog” Henry. Three ground outs later and the 3 hour and 12 minute game was over. Ouch, the Buzzards let this one slip through their talons. The Dragons played well and they will be a formidable foe during the season. We will see them again on June 13th and July 25th.

Buzzard pitching was solid. Keppy threw 105 pitches, 68 strikes & 37 balls, to 31 batters. Kep struck out five and walked one with 10 hits and only two earned runs in seven innings with his injured left wheel. The injured left foot was tightly wrapped and that helped with the push off foot, but Keppy was clearly not 100%, maybe 75% minus his older age, so maybe he’s like 70% of last year’s DK. Uh oh, Keppy, get better soon. Hayworth continues to look good on the mound. He threw 46 pitches, 30 strikes & 16 balls to 12 Dragons. So far, the defense has not played that well behind Mike. His pitching line was 2 innings with 3 runs, 2 earned on 4 hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

Buzzard hitting (11 hits) was not timely and the base running needs to seriously improve. The defense looked a little rusty, but there were some nice double-plays mixed in to make the game a low scoring affair. In the third inning, a Welzy to Wookie to Baker nice 6-4-3 closed out the inning with two runners on. And, after a lead-off double in the seventh inning, Keppy snared the smash liner up the middle and then turned toward second base for an easy throw to Welzy covering the bag and catching the runner way off base. The poor start to the season can almost be wrapped into the lack of offense. Scoring four runs in two games will not get victories. We need hot bats next game, put them in the oven if you have to.

Buzzard Note #1: Next game will be an away game against the Valley Cats in Elk Grove at 10 am.  Team travel info to come.

Buzzard Note #2: Thanks to Ray and Liz Henry for inviting the team to their pretty cool house in Eden Valley for a BBQ. We stayed too late that evening eating and drinking, but it is hard to leave with such gracious hosts. Thanks again for the BBQ.

Buzzard Note #3: That was one ugly foul tip into Mark Parsons’ nose in the 6th inning.  His nose was broken (flattened), but no major damage.