Gold Country Buzzards

Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards Game Report #5

Game: May 1, 2001

Buzzards pound Miners in second game, 12-4

The second game started with the temperatures in the low 70’s with a light breeze and a perfect day to play two. The home team Miners sent lefty Rick “Slinger” Miller #17 to the mound, while the Buzzards started right-hander Mark “Weed” Fowler #11.

The Miners scored first with two runs in the second inning. With one out, the batter Tony Marigal, swung at a 1-2 pitch in the dirt for a strikeout, but the ball got away and rolled to the back stop allowing quick Tony to get to first base. Jeff Jaramillo then walked on a full count. With a good hitting Tom Luck up to bat, the base ump then called a balk on Weed for not coming to a stop in his pitching motion. Fowler then gets Luck on a 1-2 pitch to hit a come-backer for the second out while holding the runners. Next, Alton Cooper hit a high and outside 1-0 pitch into right field for a clutch two run single. Damn … that pitch was out of the strike zone, but Cooper’s hit was a solid single and the Miners took the early lead 2-0.

The Buzzards bounced right back with three runs in the top of the third. With one out, Taylor “Welzy” Welz started the rally with an infield single to the left side. Welzy then stole second base before Bob “Woody” Wooden walked on four pitches. On a 2-2 pitch, Jim “Milli” Milligan followed with a line drive over Terry “Caveman” Kelley’s leaping shortstop glove for a single scoring Welzy from second base. Batting next, Charles “CJ” Jackson blasted a 2-0 pitch to the fence for a two-run double to end the scoring with the Buzzards now ahead 3-2.

In the bottom of the fourth inning the first two Buzzards struck out before Jim “Wags” Wagner walked on five pitches. Wags moved to second on a wild pitch before Scott “Donut” Reeves reached base with a tough bouncer to short for an error. After knocking down the grounder, Caveman’s rushed throw to first base was wide allowing Wags to round third and head home to score. Donut then stole second base before Ray “Bull Dog” Henry took a base on balls. With two on and two outs, Dave “Evy” Everingham, batting next, hit a 1-2 pitch screaming into right-center field for a Donut scoring double. Welzy followed with a double down the left field line knocking in Bull Dog and Evy. T-Welz then stole third base and scored on a 3-1 pitch single to right field by Woody.

The Miners then changed pitchers and brought in big right-hander Sean Harrigan #14. Sean proceeded to hit Milli in the left side with his first pitch. Harrigan did not have much velocity as he flung-up pitches with a side arm motion. CJ singled before the inning ended with Woody running through a stop sign at third and getting nailed at the plate. What a terrific two-out rally, scoring five runs after two outs and no one on base to make the score 8-2 in the fourth.

The Buzzards added another run in the top of the fifth inning. Mike “Bake” Baker started the inning off with a full-count, long single to left-center. The Miners changed pitchers again when Harrigan hurt his arm on the pitch and brought in Caveman Kelley #22 from shortstop. Bake then moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Dan “Wookie” Wukmir then placed a short pop-up in between the hustling pitcher, third baseman and shortstop for an infield hit putting two runners on. After a fielder’s choice out, the runners were on the corners and Donut was at the plate. Scottie walked on four pitches but not before the third pitch was in the dirt and took a high hop to the back stop. Anxious Wook at third base took off for home and beat the throw to the covering pitcher, Caveman, in a close play. The inning ended with the score 9-2, but these same Miners beat the Free Agents with 16 runs a few games ago.

The Miners fought back with two runs in their half of the fifth. A double by Alton Cooper down the line in left was followed by a single to right by George Bettencourt driving in the run. Sean then singled to left before Dave Kelley walked on six pitches to load the bases. His younger brother, Caveman Kelley, then got in the way of an inside fastball with his hip to knock in the other run for a 9-4 score. With Caveman that fastball will leave a mark – on the ball. The inning ended on a good play by Evy at short in charging a grounder and throwing a strike to Pete “Baron” Von Zboray at first base.

The Buzzards put the game away in the sixth inning of a seven-inning game. Evy led-off with a single to left. Dave stole second base before Welzy was walked with a full count. After a strikeout and a long fly ball out, CJ came to the plate. Charles then ripped a 3-2 pitch high and deep over the left-field fence for a three-run homer. A nice big two-out blast to give the Buzzards an eight-run cushion. The Miners never recovered and the game ended with the final score of 12-4.

The Buzzard pitching was awesome and the defense was tough. Fowler pitched five innings while facing 24 Miners and throwing 85 pitches (51 strikes & 34 balls). Weeder gave up one earned run with four hits, three walks and hit one batter while striking out three. Woody finished the 2 ½ hour second game by facing three batters in the last inning. He threw 11 pitches (8 strikes & 3 balls) for one strikeout, one ground out (6-3) and one fly-out to Barry “Brooklyn” Forman in left field to end a fabulous day on the baseball field.

The Buzzards offense was impressive with 15 hits to score 12 runs. The hit club included Baker-2, Jackson-3, Everingham-2, Milligan-2, Von Zboray, Welz-2, Wooden-2 and Wukmir. Single RBI’s were knocked in by Evy, Milli and Woody. Welzy hit in two with his fourth inning double and CJ drove in five runs with a 3 for 3 day including a walk, double and home run. Doubles were hit by CJ, Evy and Welzy. To add to the offense, the eight ‘good eyes’ Buzzards were awarded first via a base on balls – the Baron, Bull Dog, CJ, Donut, Wags, Welzy, Woody and Wook.

The starting pitcher for the Miners, Miller, is usually a top notch and accurate hurler. He split the tip of his index finger of his throwing hand on Saturday coaching and throwing with his kids. During pre-game warm-ups his finger was bleeding on the ball. So, Jeff Jaramilla dispatched a Miner fan to the nearest market to buy some super glue. The glue covered the cut for the game, but the cut finger did affect his effectiveness and the Buzzards benefitted this time.

The Ol’ Buzzards looked pretty tired when the second game was over - after nearly six hours of baseball - on this beautiful May Day. The double-header sweep of the Gold Country Miners was no easy task. The team played well, no one got hurt, and the Buzzards looked marvelous in beating a good Miners team twice. We will face them again on July 24th at James Field in the live radio game broadcast by KAHI.

The Buzzards improved their season record to 3-1-1. No games next weekend with Mother’s Day on May 8th. The following Sunday, May 15, the game will be at the Giants (new team).