Craig Miller twirled a four-hit complete game as the Damn Yankees beat the Cardinals 5-1 in a game held Thursday evening at Gruner Field on a beautiful night in Kingston. Steve VanGelder came up with two clutch RBI hits in the second and sixth innings and Dean Little reached base and scored all three times in his three plate appearances to lead the Yankees offense. Tom Bradley added a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI hit in the fourth.

The Cards managed just three singles off Miller, who walked two and struck out one. Clayton Bouton, who played a solid game at shortstop for the Kingston crew, had two of the Cards four hits. The defense was solid for the Yankees behind Miller. John Weber made two outstanding running catches in left field (just ask Bert Myers, who got robbed of extra base hits both times), and third baseman Mike Aiello snuffed a pair of Cardinal rallies by starting a 5-4-3 double play in the fourth and snagging a liner off the bat of Donnie Ball to start a twin-killing in the seventh. Chris Abrams handled several chances at second base in a solid effort.

The Yankees now stand 10-2 on the year with four games left to play in the next eight days. To no surprise of other 55s teams who have seen their schedules annihilated by the weather, last night's game was just the fifth for the Yankees since June 15 (sandwiched between seven rain-outs). The Cards, who got a 4-strikeout complete game effort from John LaToure, fall to 6-7.

It was great to see Paul Watson back on the field after a short hiatus from baseball, and Bobby Yakatan made his first appearance since rotator cuff surgery in March. Yak showed that he hasn't lost a step in centerfield as he raced down what was easily the hardest hit ball of the night with a long running catch in left center off the bat of VanGelder.