Bob Noto's line drive single with the bases loaded delivered the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh as the Damn Yankees edged the Peppers 9-8 Friday night in a classic dual at Satellite Field.

It was a back-and-forth game that saw the Yankees fall behind 3-0 to Peppers starter Ron Massaroni, fueled by a big 2-run single by Paul Cerone in the opening frame. The Yankees battled back to take a 6-3 lead after five innings, and looked to be in cruise-control behind starter Dean Little. But the Peppers used some aggressive base-running and timely hits to get to Little and reliever John Weber with a 5-run outburst in the top of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead. Bill Gannon's clutch two-RBI hit was the key blow in the inning and put the Peppers in front.

The Peppers lead was short-lived as Rob Shellhouse ripped a two-out double up the left-center gap to tie the game up at 8-8 in the sixth for the Yankees, who then needed a Houdini pitching effort from reliever Craig Miller and a game-saving play from catcher Tom Bradley to keep the tie in place. The Peppers opened the top of the seventh with two consecutive hits and they were moved over on a well-placed sacrifice bunt. But Miller reached into his bag of tricks to strike out the next two batters on curve balls out of the strike zone to escape the inning unscathed. Miller's final third strike curve ball was backhanded in the dirt by Bradley, who tagged out the batter to end the inning. Had he not come up with it, the go-ahead run would have scooted home from third.

The first two Yankees reached safely to open the bottom of the seventh and they both moved up on a wild pitch. Massaroni reached back to record his 7th strikeout of the game for the first out and intentionally walked Little to load the bases for the force at any base. With the infield and outfield both in, Noto smoked a line drive well over the head of the left-fielder to allow Paul Post to coast home with the game'winner.

Joe Hervieux, Shellhouse and Noto each had two hits to pace the Yankees, who raised their record to 9-2, while Gannon and Cerone led the Peppers with two hits. Peppers left-handed first baseman Brad Maione came up with the defensive gem of the game when he dove to make a back-handed stab of a bullet down the line destined for the right field corner. The Peppers fall to 2-11 with the loss.