FORT MYERS, Fla. - The sign of a good team is one that fights back from deficits and finds a way to win.
Not only did the National Wind do just that, mostly CDMSBL-based team came back from four deficits to defeat the reigning AAA champion MBI team, 8-7, on a walk-off single in the opener for both teams Sunday in the 60+ Classics Roy Hobbs World Series at the Red Sox Player Development Complex.
With both teams ready to shake hands and settle for a 7-7 tie after 8 innings, it was brought to our attention that the time limit was 3:10, not 3 hours. So, with 9 minutes still to start an inning, the National Wind took the field to begin the 9th. Jerry Solomon on the hill in relief of John LaTorre, who had relieved his brother Jim to start the 4th.
The leadoff hitter for BMI singled and was sacrificed to second. With one out, Solomon enduced grounders to Jerry Hawkins at short and Brown at second to end the inning. Then came the final at-bats for the game. Wayne Newcomb led off the 9th with a walk off the 4th pitcher of the game for BMI. John LaTorre, called on to bunt, drew a walk and the Wind primed to walk off with a win. But Jim Reynolds failed to get the bunt down and took strike 3 for out 1. That brought us to the top of the order in Tom Maney. Tom hit a ball that appeared heading to left field, but the SS moved to his right to make a game-saving catch. Then up came Tim Brown, who wasted no time and lined a bullet to left field that glanced off the glove of the left-fielder and allowed Newcomb to score the winning rally and give the Wind it's first lead of the game.
The Wind trailed 2-0 even before coming to bat. But we wasted little time in showing the defending champs that we were not going to be taken lightly. Maney led off with a walk and promptly stole second. Brown singled sharply to left-center to make it 2-1. Brown stole second, then stole third. Then on a 3-2 pitch, Bill Smith lined a single to left-center to tie it up.
BMI scored two in the 4th to regain the lead. Then in the bottom of the 5th, the Wind rallied with two outs and no one on. Lefty Wayne Carney of Rochester blooped a single to left-center and lefty Jim Reynolds of California lined a single to right. With Bob Yakatan in to run for Reynolds, both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Tom Maney delivered a clutch two-run single to tie it again.
BMI came back with a run in the 6th, but the Wind responded yet again. Jerry Hawkins led off with the first of his two walks in the game. Smith followed with a walk before Ralph Caputo drove in Jim Konstantakis, who was in to run for Hawkins and tie the game at 5.
BMI then added two in the 8th to take a 7-5 lead. But the Wind never flinched. Brown and Hawkins led off the inning with a walk. Bill Smith's grounder to short was misplayed, Brown came around to score bringing the Wind to within a run. Caputo then dropped a perfect bunt to move the runners up. With Paul Watson at-bat, JimK., again in to run for Hawkins, then gambled on a wild pitch that didn't bound too far from the catcher and just beat the catcher's throw to the pitch with a head-first slide to tie it at 7 and send the game to the 9th.
Jim LaTorre pitched the first three innings for the Wind and showed a lot of ;promise despite not having pitched in 2013. He gave up just two unearned runs.
John LaTorre came on and gave up three runs in his 3 innings of work before Solomon came on for the final 3 innings to get the win, despite giving up two runs in the 8th.
The Wind now face the always tough D.C. Dodgers at 10 a.m. Monday morning at the Red Sox City of Palms complex in Fort Myers.
Good job getting out of the gate boys. Looks like everyone contributed. Dial it up a notch every game. I'll be down to take in a game on Thursday. Jim, text or give me a call Wed night as to where your game is. Good luck this week.
Wait a minute..Jimmy K. head first? How can we tell he didn't go in standing up..? Wouldn't it look the same..!!!! :) Go get em 4'11...Heard you through a gem on Monday!!
Way too cool . the whole idea that we are still playing ball as adults is cool enough but to see this type of baseball being played by 60+ year olds is just awesome.
. the whole idea that we are still playing ball as adults is cool enough but to see this type of baseball being played by 60+ year olds is just awesome.
