The combination of high temperatures, a hot sun and 55-year-olds doesnt always equate to high quality baseball, but the rival Damn Yankees and Nolan Propane Cardinals locked horns in a gem of a game last night at Voorheesville HS with the Yankees prevailing 3-0. The Cards crafty John LaTorre took the mound against hard-throwing Billy Kervan and had his knucker and off-speed pitches dancing around the strikezone, but the Yankees scratched for a first inning run, tacked on two in the third and Kervan took it from there. Special K came up with big strikeouts in pressure situations, scattered five hits and walked only two. Anyone impressed with Jamie Moyer pitching in the majors at 49 can marvel at what the 65-year-old Kervan is doing this summer on the mound for the Yankees. Now 6-2 on the season, Billy has thrown 47-plus innings with 38 strikeouts. Batterymate and team manager Ray Demers, who has Kervan on a strict 100-innings limit this year, led the Yankees offense with two solid singles. Jim Ansel, who has stepped into the clean-up spot in absence of injured RBI machine Steve Vangelder, drove in a pair of runs for the Yanks. Also noteworthy was the performance by 60-year-old Jerry Soloman, who took over at catcher for the Cards in the second inning and curtailed the Yanks running game by thwarting two attempted steals with on-the-money cannon throws to second. The defensive highlight of the evening was turned in by Cards leftfielder Dave Plew who snared a line drive rope off the bat of Bob Noto for what would have easily been a run-scoring double. The Yankees climbed to 7-2 with the win but are still chasing the undefeated Whiz Kids (6-0), while the defending champion Cards fall to 3-3.
Guys, great game, I love the grit you guys put out on the diamond for OLD GUYS!!! I'll be back Friday, holding off the arthroscopic surgery for now and we'll play it by ear. Let's keep it going. Of course, Billy Kervan is incredible, the guy has battled bumps and bruises these last few campaigns,not to mention he's only 66 plus!!! Proud of you guys.
After a couple of years of dragging my feet(and arm) I finally took the plunge into the 55 pool, and man, how refreshing! Not only are the guys on the Wiz Kids, a great bunch of guys to play with, the competition from the rest of the league has been rather surprising. What an over the shoulder catch Skip Treece made the other night, in left field off a Darrell Duncan liner.. The season is in full swing, and even though our full swings seem to be running on empty these days, the games left to play promise to be as hard fought and competitive as the D Yankees and the Cards just played. Can't wait for some of the big show downs yet to come..
