Gold Country Buzzards

Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards Game Report #4

Game: May 1, 2011

Buzzards come back late to top Miners, 7-5

On a gorgeous day in Colfax, the Gold Country Buzzards took on the Gold Country Miners in a double-header at the high school’s varsity field. The Miners are the new Gold Country team formed with some old Coyotes and former Miners from when they won the 38+ title in 2007. The Miners, wearing their old uniform jerseys with the light gold color (Las Vegas gold), white pants and black cap with the gold bill and GC letters, were on a good early season roll with a 2-1 record and they had defeated the Free Agents handily, which had beaten the Buzzards earlier this season.

The Buzzards were the home team in the first game and they started their ace, southpaw, Jim “Moxey” Steiger #13 on the hill. The Miners countered with righty, Jeff “Jeweler” Jaramilla #33. Jeff, returning from shoulder surgery and missing last year, has been effective this early season with two wins. For the Buzzards, Moxey has been building up his stamina through each early season game and will be going deep into this key game.

The Buzzards opened the scoring with two quick runs in the second inning. With one out, Mike “Bake” Baker took a base on balls before Jim “Milli” Milligan ripped a double into right field scoring the first run. With two outs, Dan “Wookie” Wukmir hit a full-count grounder wide-right of the first baseman. With Wookie hustlin’ up the line and three running Miners converging at first base trying to make a play - with a tossed ball thrown in for good measure plus multiple near collisions at the bag – resulted in the ball dropping safely and rolling up the line allowing the run to score. Good start.

The score was 2-0 until the Miners put together five hits in a row for three runs in the fourth. After two runs had scored, a close play at the plate - getting Tom Luck - with no outs was huge. With runners at the corners, the Miners sent the runner at first to draw the throw stealing second and then sent Luck charging home. A good cut-off catch and throw to the plate by Dave “Evy” Everingham nailed the hard sliding Miner with a quick tag by the catcher, Milli. That played dampened their rally, but the Miners still took the lead at the end of the inning 3-2.

The Miners scored two more in the top of the fifth to extend the lead with three singles and a sacrifice fly. Jeweler Jeff mixed up his pitches and arm angles for six innings and was leading 5-2 with time running out. It appeared the Buzzards would have enough time for one more inning within the three-hour time limit.

The bottom of the seventh started slowly with Charles “CJ” Jackson getting behind in the count 0-2 and fouling off a few pitches before spanking a pitch up the middle to open the last inning with a single. Next, Bake blasted a double over the head of the outfielder and to the left field fence easily scoring CJ. Milli followed with a single deep in the hole at shortstop putting runners at first and second. Pete “Baron” Von Zboray, batting next, walked on five pitches to load the bases with nobody out. The next batter was the recently turned 60 and oldest Buzzard, Wookie. On a 1-2 count curve ball, the left-hitting Wook knocked it on a line into left field scoring two runs to take the lead. Wookie advanced to third on a couple of wild pitches and then scored on a clutch sacrifice fly ball to center field by Scott “Donut” Reeves to make the score 7-5 going into the top of the eighth inning.

The Buzzards were considering a pitching change for the last inning, but Moxey took the ball and mound to face the heart of the Miner’s batting order. A dropped high pop-up between third and short put the first batter on. Not a good start. 10 pitches later with a groundout, fly-out and game ending strikeout, Moxey put the finishing touches on the first game. Buzzards win, Buzzards win. That was a timely five-spot in the last inning. Good job all around.

Steiger pitched a hell of a game. The Miners are a good hitting team and the defense was solid in holding the Miners to five runs. Moxey threw 150 pitches in facing 37 batters (91 strikes & 49 balls) striking out eight. The Miners scored five runs on 11 hits, two walks and one hit batter.

The Buzzard offense was just enough and just in time. The Buzzards got 12 hits off of the two Miner pitchers, Jeff and Tom Luck. The hit club for this game included the Baron, Bake, CJ, Welzy and Woody with one hit each. Evy, Milli and Wookie each got two hits. The ribbies were knocked in by Bake, Donut, Milli and Wook with three.

That was an excellent game with a nice come-from-behind victory for the first match of this double-header. After a 40-minute break for a quick bite, the second game started at 2 o’clock.