Gold Country Buzzards

Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards Game Report #21

September 12, 2010

Reds steal one from Buzzards, 8-7

A long day of playoff baseball was on the schedule for Sunday, Sept 12th, at Petersen Field in Rancho Cordova. It was nice to even be on the schedule and to be playing playoff baseball. When the season began in March and the Buzzards lost the first two games that month, it didn’t look real good that the team would even make the playoffs with the early injuries and sluggish bats. After 12 games the Buzzards were 6-6. By ending the season on a 10-1 streak including the playoff victory (4-3) over the Valley Cats, the Buzzards were in the Championship Series for the third consecutive year. At 10 o’clock the Gold Country Buzzards gathered to take on the defending Sacramento NABA champs, the Reds, in a double-header. The field was in good shape, the weather was warm turning to hot, the Air Show was several miles away - not over head like last year at Mather - and so, just like Ernie Banks was famous for saying it, “Let’s play two”.

In the first game the Reds were the home team and their coach, Carlos Zamora, sent right-hander Danny “Smiley” Harvey #25 with his slow curve and sneaky fastball to the mound. The Buzzards starting pitcher was their hard throwing, southpaw ace Dave “Keppie” Kephart #21. There were three umpires for the game, but the quality of the home plate ump did not match the quality of the pitching. The strike zone was terrible and frustrating for both pitchers and batters.

The Reds jumped on the score board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Dennis Viegas started it off for the Reds by hitting a little looper just off the glove of the leaping second baseman, Taylor “Welzy” Welz for a single. Then the strike zone got freaky and three of the next four batters walked to push in the run. With bases full and only one out, an early big inning was brewing. Within four pitches, a pop-up to first and the nice snag of a liner at Keppie’s ankle ended the first inning and limited the damage to one run. However, Kep was really ticked-off in the dugout with that bizarro strike zone. It was going to be a looong game for Dave on the bump.

The pitching held the teams to zeros on the board until the Buzzards got a run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Welzy doubled to left field. Batting next, Dave “Evy” (like Chevy) Everingham hit a flare to short center field for a single and moved Welzy to third. Bob “Woodie” Wooden followed by hitting the first pitch for an RBI single to left-center field to tie the game at 1-1.

In the fifth inning, the Buzzards added a run when Fred “Freddie” O’Donoghue started it off with a nice line drive hit to left. Charles “CJ” Jackson then ran for the catcher. A failed pick-off move advanced CJ to second base. Two outs later, Keppie helped his own cause with a clutch single to left field to drive in the run for a 2-1 lead.

The Reds scored a run in the sixth to tie the game. The lead-off batter, big Andre Gonzalez singled up the middle on a 1-2 pitch. Next, the other Gonzales (Pablo) hit a double to deep left-center field sending the runner (not big Gonzalez, but Bo Correa - the 45 year young catcher - in his first of many replacement runner turns) around third and heading toward home plate. There to greet him was Freddie with the ball on a nice catch and tag move to nail the sliding Red. The tag was made possible by outfield hustle and good throws from the center fielder, Donnie “Redondo” Colbert, to Everingham on the outfield grass and then Evy’s long strike to Freddie at the plate for out number one with Gonzales moving to third base. Next, a throwing error from third-to-first on Harvey’s grounder scored the run. After a fly out, the next batter, Lopez, hit a slow roller toward third. Mark “Ronnie” Wronski fielded the ball and threw to first but the runner was called safe on a close play. However, the alert Mike “Bake” Baker playing first base saw the runner at third got a slow start and threw a bullet to Freddie to nail the sliding Red at the plate for the third out. The Reds were stunned with two outs at home plate in the same inning. But, the score was now tied 2-2 after six innings of play.

So, the Buzzards did what good teams do when the other team is stunned and ticked-off, score more runs. After one out, CJ’s grounder was booted by the third baseman and following a balk call, CJ was standing on second base. Freddie then singled to left with Charles holding at third base and putting runners at the corners. Redondo then came in to run for the catcher. Baker, batting next, scalded a shot on the ground past the shortstop that carried into the gap allowing both runners to score. Redondo zipping around from first base, beat the throw home to make the score 4-2 Buzzards.

The Buzzards scored another run in the eighth inning. Pete “Baron” Von Zboray led off with a sharp single to left. After a sacrifice bunt by Scott “Donut” Reeves advanced Pete and a fly-out for the second out, Welzy was nailed by a fastball on the first pitch putting two runners on. Evy then drove an 0-2 pitch into right-center field for a clutch hit scoring the Baron. Going into the bottom of the eighth and leading 5-2, the Buzzards were in a good position to win this game.

However, after a lead-off hit and a fly-ball out to put victory within four outs, three singles and a double plus a walk, allowed the Reds to score four times. Then with runners at second and third with two outs, on a 2-1 pitch, young Correa hit a line drive to left field that looked like a base hit to drive in more runs. Barry charged the ball hard and then went into a slide to try and make a catch. One extra problem was now developing though, the ball was sinking away to his right and his glove was on the other side of his body too far from the ball to try a back-hand. So, ‘big hands’ Barry reached out far with his bare right hand and caught the liner inches off the ground for an absolutely amazing catch to end the inning. Dave Everingham’s folks had seats nearby for a great look at the play and loudly confirmed for the umpire covering the play, that in deed that was a great catch. Barry had an ice pack on the hand for the rest of the day when in the dugout to reduce the swelling, but wow what a catch! It made Kevin Mitchell’s famous bare-handed catch on a fly ball in the outfield look like kid’s stuff. It’s probably save to say, that Barry’s play in left field was the best bare-handed catch you’ll ever see.

With the score now 6-5 Reds and one more at-bat for the Buzzards, the challenge was certainly there. With one out, Freddie hit a 1-2 pitch into short left field to start the rally. Bake then singled putting two runners on. After an out, Keppie was intentionally walked to load the bases for the Baron. Pete came through with a huge, clutch line drive single to left field driving in two runs to re-take the lead, 7-6.

However, those damn Reds spoiled the first game with two runs after one out when the next four batters got on base and they scored two runs. The exciting three-hour game ended with the Reds jumping up and down after a walk-off base hit to left field. Ouch. Quick lunch time for the team with the next game starting in 45 minutes.

Ol’ Lefty did an excellent job against this good hittin’ team. The Reds got 13 hits along with six (blind umpire) walks and two helpful Buzzard errors. Keppie struck out two Reds in throwing 147 pitches (81 strikes & 66 balls) while facing 44 batters.

The Buzzard offense out hit the Reds with 16 base hits. The Buzzards benefitted from one walk and three Reds’ misplays. The multi-hit group in the first game included the Baron, Bake, Evy, Keppie and Woodie with two hits each and Freddie with three. The ribbies were courtesy of Bake-2, Evy, Kep, Woodie and the Baron-2. All of the RBI’s came with two outs. Great clutch hittin’ there - ya Ol’ Buzzards. We just needed another inning.

Buzzard Note #1: In the fifth inning, Woodie made a terrific sliding catch in the infield. He hurt his lower back and could not swing a bat (after going 2 for 2) for the remainder of the day. He was the planned starting pitcher for game two. Bobio is tough and he pitched the first half of the second game, but we lost a hot bat for the day.

Buzzard Note #2: More info on “The Catch”. Barry said afterward that he was real surprised the ball stuck in his hand, catching it with his fingers helped. But we all were shocked and amazed with the catch. Forman is known for catching a few warm-up throws with his bare hand, but that was a topper. However, using gloves is highly encouraged by Management. Barry, read your contract - page 5.