Spencer Kraft pitched a strong complete game, but the Zug Island Lugnuts, who led 4-2 going into the bottom of the fifth, had a hard time making the plays on the infield and ultimately lost to Gary Sovey and the Tigers 11-5.
The Tigers scored three runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to pull away, including Fred Krause's leadoff inside-the-park home run in the fifth. Though Kraft gave up 14 hits, many of them were of the scratch variety, grounders that slow fielders just couldn't retrieve in time or throw in time to throw out swift runners.
Leadoff batter Wally Frontera was 3-for-3 for the Zug Islanders, with two runs scored, and No. 2 hitter Dave Lazar was 1-for-2, with a walk and two RBI. He also made some tough plays at shortstop. Bill Burke, The 'Nuts No. 3 batter, went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs and Ira Strickstein also was 2-for-3. John Steininger had an RBI for the Zuglugs and was one of five new players, including: Ron and Jim Wojt, Don Ruedesueli, and Tom Tavolacci. Steininger volunteered to catch since the team hadn't been able to find a catcher. Catcher Gregg Housey, who plays for their 55+ team, was the Tigers catcher. He couldn't persuade a release from them to play on the 65+ Lugnuts because apparently aren't comfortable with five others on their roster who can catch.
The Zug Island Lugnuts broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the top of the eighth inning off reliever Ed Klieman, then gave up two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to give the Red Sox a 5-4 victory in a 65+ game at Hazel Park.
Bill Burke went all the way for the Lugnuts, scattering nine hits. None of the runs (two in the first, one in the sixth, and the two in the eighth) were earned. John Schipani almost gave the 'Nuts a bigger lead in the eighth with two outs by hitting a deep fly ball to center the Gary Parsons chased down and made a great back-handed catch. But when he tumbled down he suffered an apparently severe shoulder injury. He had pitched the first six innings for the Red Sox, now 1-2 to the Lugnuts' 0-2. The Sox lost the second game of their double-header 17-1 to the Tigers.
Burke was 3-for-3 for the Zuglugs, with an RBI and a double. Dave Lazar also had three hits and Ira Strickstein two. Schipani, back up from his Florida home for a handful of games over the summer, had two hits and gave the 'Nuts a strong performance behind the plate.
Robert Custard, who had pitched four innings in winning a 55+ game the night before, pitched a complete game shutout, scattering six hits and striking out six as the Red Sox edged Bill Burke and the Zug Island Lugnuts 3-0. Burke allowed five hits in his second consecutive low-scoring complete game loss.
Singles by Jim Brake, Ron Forbes, and Mike Hendrie produced a Red Sox run in the fourth. The team got two in the seventh. Hendrie led off with a walk; Ed Klieman singled, and Gary Gavlinski singled them home.
The Lugnuts got consecutive singles in the third from Don Ruedisueli and Dave Schembri in the third with one out without scoring and the first two Zuglugs in the fifth singled, Burke and Jim Wojt, without pushing across a run.
Steve Kosuda pitched a two-hit complete game and his Tigers teammates took advantage of at least five errors and poor range to blank the Zug Island Lugnuts 12-0. The Zuglugs lost the first game of their double-header 3-0.
Kosuda didn't give up a hit until Bill Burke's one-out single in the fifth, then Dave Schembri -- who flew in from California -- singled before a double-play ended the threat. The 'Nuts went out one-two-three in the first, second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
The Tigers got all the runs they needed in the first inning off Larry Paladino with four, three of them unearned, as John Lollio's two-run single was the key hit. Sal Calcagno, who had reached on a walk to open the fourth, eventually scored on a wild pitch for the team's fifth run, then the Tigs put the game away with an error-filled seven--run fifth, that included a long RBI double by Fred Krause, mixed with lots of bloopers and boots.
Burke pitched the last two innings for the 0-4 Lugnuts, giving up a lone single, after having worked seven innings earlier in the day against the Red Sox. The 'Nuts were missing quite a few players.
Jess Monticello hit a two-run single in the opening inning and Sal Calcagno followed with a two-run double in the Tigers five-run first inning off Spencer Kraft as they coasted to a 13-1 victory over the Zug Island Lugnuts.
The Tigers scored three runs in the second and one in the third off Kraft and Bill Burke pitched the final three innings for the Lugnuts, giving up two unearned runs each in the fourth and fifth innings. The Zuglugs committed seven errors and seven of the runs they gave up were unearned.
Their lone run came in the sixth off reliever Gary Sovey. Dave Schembri led off with a single. Tom Tavolacci singled. And Ira Strickstein's single scored the run. Steve Kosuda started for the Tigers and worked the first four innings, striking out six of the 14 batters he faced.
Spencer Kraft and Bill Burke scattered 11 hits and struck out two each and their Zug Island Lugnuts teammates gave them all the runs they needed with a five-run third inning off Rick Wheeler for a 6-3 triumph over the Red Sox in the 'Nuts first victory of the season.
The big inning overcame a 2-1 deficit. It started with manager Stan Gotinsky's walk. Wally Frontera followed with a single and then Dave Lazar drove both runners in with a double. After a walk to John Schipani, Burke singled in a run, then Tom Tavolacci and Ira Strickstein each followed with another RBI single, knocking Wheeler from the box in favor of Ed Klieman, who, with Robert Custard in the seventh, blanked the Lugnuts the rest of the way.
Zug Island's first run was in the second on a ground out by Ron Wojt, scoring John Steininger, who had led off with a single, took second on Strickstein's ground out, and third on Don Rudisueli's single.
The Red Sox, who lost the first game of their double-header to the Tigers, got two runs in the opening inning off Kraft, one unearned, with both scoring on Custard's single. They added a run off Kraft in the fourth on a two-out double by Curt Sylvester after Rick Woodcock's double. The Red Sox had the bases loaded in the sixth without scoring. Burke pitched the last three innings for the Lugnuts, who are 1-5.
The Red Sox scored four unearned runs in the opening inning due to three Zug Island Lugnuts errors, but they also banged out five hits, including doubles from Gary Gavlinski and Curt Sylvester, for all the runs they needed in winning 5-3. The runs came off starter Bill Burke, then Spencer Kraft gave up an insurance run in the fifth on a double by Gerry Garcia after Ron Forbes singled.
The Lugnuts touched starter Gavlinski for a run in the first inning on a single by Burke to score Wally Frontera, who was 3-for-3. John Steininger doubled home two runs in the third for the 'Nuts after Frontera singled and Dave Lazar was safe on an error.
Gavlinski worked the first five innings for the victory, with Robert Custard shutting Zug Island out in the final two innings.
Gary Gavlinski scattered seven hits and drove in two runs, one with a single and another with a double to lead the Red Sox to a 6-0 victory over the Zug Island Lugnuts.
His Red Sox scored one run in the first off Spencer Kraft, two against him in the third, one in the fourth and two more in the sixth. Rick Wheeler, Ed Klieman, and Gavlinski hit consecutive doubles to begin the sixth inning. Their run in the fourth was unearned.
Singles by Tom Tavolacci and Stan Gotinsky in the Lugnuts fourth game the Zug Islanders their best chance but they couldn't score. It was manager Gotinsky's 71st birthday -- and Kraft had a cake waiting for him between games of their double-header. The 'Nuts later played the Tigers and lost 9-0.
Five Zug Island Lugnuts errors led to seven unearned runs against starter Bill Burke, but with team bats fairly silent against Steve Kosuda even one run would have been fatal and the Tigers coasted to a 9-0 victory.
Jess Monticello was a big hitter for the Tigers with a single, home run, and double. Ken Barnowski scored three runs, reaching on an error, single, and a walk. The Tigers scored two runs in the second inning, four in the third, one in the fourth and two in the seventh.
The Lugnuts got a runner to third in the second inning and a couple runners to second base during their weak offensive showing. Burke struck out four and walked one. Kosuda also struck out four.
The Tigers, aided by 10 Zug Island Lugnuts errors along with their usual good hitting, rolled to a 20-1 victory in a game played partially in the rain.
Gary Sovey had no trouble on the mound for the undefeated Tigers, while his teammates scored two unearned runs in the opening inning for all the support he needed. Everything else was gravy, including an eight-run second inning in which only three of the runs were unearned off starter Bill Burke. But in the third he gave up seven runs -- all unearned due to four errors. Stan Gotinsky gave up three runs in two innings of relief, two of them unearned and the other a home run by Fred Krause to lead off the fifth. Larry Paladino pitched the final inning.
The 'Nuts lone run scored in the fourth inning. Dave Lazar got a two-out double and came home on a single by Burke. The Lugnuts did have 10 hits in the six-inning game. The Tigers had more runs than hits, 20-to-16. They were to play the Red Sox in the next game of their double-header.
Bill Burke's single to lead off the sixth inning broke up Steve Kosuda's perfect game and he wound up with a two-hitter, while his Tigers teammates benefitted from at least six Zug Island errors to go along with 19 hits for a 14-0 victory.
Burke was the starter and gave up nine runs, though only three were earned. The Tigers scored two in the first (one unearned), four in the second (two unearned), three in the third (two unearned). Larry Paladino pitched the next two innings and gave up four unearned runs in the fourth and an earned run in the fifth. Newcomer Dennis MacDonald pitched a shutout sixth for the Zuglugs, who fall to 1-10. The Tigers are 12-0.
Dennis MacDonald got his first pitching start for the Zug Island Lugnuts and got tagged for nine runs (eight earned) in 1 2/3 innings, but his teammates fought back off Robert Custard with a seven-run rally before falling 12-8.
MacDonald gave up five hits but the damage came from seven walks. The Red Sox scored four times in the first inning and five in the second before Spencer Kraft came in to get the last out. He was the victim of three unearned runs in the third. Custard had two singles, a double, a walk, and three RBI and his courtesy runner scored twice. Gerry Garcia had a double, single, walk, RBI, and scored two. And leadoff man Ron Forbes had two walks, two singles and scored three runs.
John Steininger went 3-for-3 for the Lugnuts, with an RBI and a run. Dave Schembri, Larry Paladino, Tom Tavolacci, John Schipani, and Art Luz had two hits each for the Zuglugs, who put eight consecutive men on base in the fourth, with seven hits and a walk. Don Ruedisueli and Jim Wojt each drove in a run for the 'Nuts.
Four errors and 10 hits in the third inning resulted in a dozen Tigers runs and they easily rolled to a 16-3 victory over the Zug Island Lugnuts, who used three pitchers at two innings each and batted 15 in the order.
Steve Kosuda retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced until giving up two consecutive hits in the fourth, when the Tigers cut down one runner at the plate. But the Zug Islanders were able to muster three runs in the sixth. John Steininger singled and reached second on a throwing error, then scored on a single by Bill Burke. Spencer Kraft was safe on a fielder's choice, though the runner in front of him was safe on an error, putting runners on second and third. Manager Stan Gotinsky then singled in two runs.
The Tigers had 18 hits and the first 11 batters in the order each scored at least one run.
The Red Sox scored seven times in the second inning off Spencer Kraft, five of the runs unearned, and breezed to a 16-1 triumph over the Zug Island Lugnuts.
The Sox added a run in the third and five in the fifth off Kraft, with Dennis MacDonald kthe victim of a five-run Red Sox sixth.
Tom Tavolacci drove in the only Lugnuts run with a single off complete-game starter Robert Custard in the second inning, following Dave Lazar's double.
The Zug Island Lugnuts finally got to play at Novi, but only the field was nice, not the game against the 65+ Tigers, who scored a dozen runs in the fourth inning and breezed to a 21-3 victory.
They scored twice in the opening inning off starter Spencer Kraft (one unearned), got two unearned runs off him in the second, and then 12 runs in the fourth, half of which were unearned due to four errors. Dennis MacDonald came on to finish the inning in relief and pitched the last four innings, giving up five runs, three in the fifth and two in the seventh.
It's hard to single out any Tigers because they were hitting top to bottom of the order without much problem. As for the Lugnuts, Gary Sovey kept them in check until Ira Strickstein's ground out in the fith scored MacDonald, who had singled and moved up on a single by Mark Switalski.
The Lugnuts got a run in the sixth. Art Luz beat out a bunt hit; Don Rudisueli walked; there was a forceout, then there was a Kraft single.
John Steininger doubled to lead off the Zuglugs seventh. John Lollio singled. Then MacDonald singled in the run.
The Zug Island Lugnuts played the Red Sox tight for most of the game before the Sox erupted for five unearned runs in the sixth en route to a 14-3 victory -- prior to their upsetting the Tigers 11-4 to hand them their first loss as the Sox swept a double-header.
The scored two unearned runs in the first, third, and fifth innings off Lugnuts starter Dennis MacDonald, whose players behind him had trouble picking up, throwing, or catching balls. He gave way to Bill Burke in the sixth, a three-error inning for the Lugnuts, who gave up three earned runs in the seventh.
Burke went three-for-three at the plate, driving home a run in the opening inning with a double, singling in the fourth, and singling and scoring in the seventh on a hit by MacDonald. The other 'Nuts run came in the sixth on a ground out by Larry Paladino following a single by Art Luz and double by Ron Wojt.
John Steininger had two hits for the Zug Islanders, who fell to 1-15 with only a double-header remaining on the schedule. The Red Sox are at 8-9 after dropping the Tigers to 16-1 in the 18-game season.
Spencer Kraft pitched a strong complete game, but his Zug Island Lugnuts, who led 1-0 for four innings, couldn't hang on, or score again off Robert Custard, as the Red Sox won 5-1.
Custard reached on an error in the fifth and his courtesy runner ended up scoring after a walk, hit, and another error as the Sox tied it in the fifth. They added a run in the sixth and got three more in the seventh, though only getting five hits off Kraft, who had seven errors behind him.
Wally Frontera opened the Lugnuts first inning with a double and scored on a two-out single by Jim Hunter. Dave Lazar and Bill Burke singled with two outs in the fourth but the Lugnuts couldn't score. They got seven hits off Custard and stranded five. It was the first game of a double-header at Fraser, the next game being against the Tigers.
The Tigers hitters jumped on starter Dennis MacDonald for five runs in the opening inning with the help of two hits, three walks, and one error en route to a 23-2 drubbing of the Zug Island Lugnuts in the second game of the 'Nuts double-header and the ending game of the season for the 65+ division.
The Tigers got seven more runs in the second, five of them unearned, then added six unearned off Bill Burk in the third, then five more unearned off Larry Paladino in the last two innings.
Steve Kosuda gave up two hits in his four innings, with six strikeouts, with Gary Sovey finishing up for the Tigers.
The Lugnuts got their two runs in the sixth, with Stan Gotinsky singling in a run and Ron Wojt plating the other with a ground out.
Zug Island Lugnuts Schedule