After two tough losses the 55+ Dodgers posted their first win of 2019 with an 8 - 1 victory over the Twins. The visitors came out swinging as Harvey Staulters led off with a double to right field, Marc Trinchillo reached on an error and Mark Denicola singled to load the bases. Lefty swinging Mike Surin drove in two with a line drive to right. Jim Bradley then hit a big fly over the new fence at Watervliet to cap a five-run first inning.

Ray Coletta took the mound for the Dodgers and pitched two 1 - 2 - 3 innings.

The bottom of the Dodgers order joined the parade in the top of the 2nd as Tom Hoeg singled and Rick Loffredo walked. Mike Kocienski moved the runners with a ground out and two Twins errors allowed two runs. Mike Surin led off the top of the top of the 3rd with a double down the right field line. A sac fly from Steve Schaefer plated Surin for the final Dodgers run.

As Twins' pitcher settled in, Rick Loffredp took the mound and pitched a scoreless 3rd and 4th inning. Yours truly relied on the solid Dodgers defense in the 5th and 6th innings. Phillips, Osberg and Dave Edelman singled to load the bases with one out in the 5th. A HBP allowed the Twins only run. King led off the 6th inning with a hard-hit single but the Dodger infield shut down the inning.

The umpires had advised both managers before the 6th inning that it may be the last and, for safety reasons, called the game after six innings. Umpires' calls are always debatable but we have a lot of baseball ahead of us. The Dodgers will face off against the Giants and Americans next week. Hopefully we are done with rain-outs.