The NEVADA DUSTERS The Story of a Major League Baseball Franchise

Bakersfield Bullets (NEV) @ Columbus Jets (PIT) April 28-30, 1963 Cooper Stadium (Columbus, OH)

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Team Leaders (with 10 or more games, as of April 30) BA: Don Pavletich (c), .303 OBP: Jose Cardenal (of), .368 RBI: Roger Repoz (of), 16 Runs: Donn Clendenon (1b), 17 HR: Donn Clendenon (1b), 5 3B: Donn Clendenon (1b), 2 2B: Roger Repoz (of) & Denis Menke (2b), 5 SB: Jose Cardenal (of), 7 Assists: Gene Alley (ss), 45 DP: Wes Parker (1b), 8 Errors: Donn Clendenon (1b), 4 IP: Ray Culp (sp), 29.1 W: Ray Culp (sp), Dick Kelley (rp), 3 L: Bruce Howard (sp), Marcelino Lopez (sp), Steve Hargan (sp), 2 SV: Ron Reed (rp), 4 K: Ray Culp (sp), 27 BAA: Ray Culp (sp), .135 Donn Clendenon DL: none Columbus Jets: George Spriggs (rf), Freddie Patek (3b), Lou Klimchock (1b), Dave Wissman (lf), Jose Martinez (2b), Don Bosch (cf), Gene Michael (ss), Ron Brand (c), Tom Parsons (sp) Bakersfield 15-6   Columbus (11-13) Game 1, April 28 Bruce Howard (2-1) faced Tom Parsons in the first game of the series, and we took a 1st inning lead when Jose Cardenal walked then scored on a Donn Clendenon triple, and Clendenon went home on a Bob Bailey single into center. They tied it in the bottom of the 1st as Lou Klimchock hit an RBI double and second baseman Cookie Rojas committed a throwing error to first that allowed Klimchock to score, tying the game. We were leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the 3rd when they hit six singles off Howard and a double off reliever Dick Kelley, and it added up to seven runs on seven hits. Don Pavletich hit a solo homer (his third long ball of the season) in the 6th to make it 9-4. In the home 8th, Repoz made a fielding error in center and Gene Michael hit an RBI single off Jim Roland, and in the 9th Donn Clendenon hit his fifth home run of the year. The final tally was 10-5, with us on the wrong end. Howard lasted just 2.2 innings, gave up nine runs on eight hits, struck out three and walked four, and has an 8.72 ERA. Clendenon went 3-for-5 with three runs and a pair of ribbies. Lineup: Cardenal, Alley, Clendenon, Repoz, Bailey, Rojas, Blair, Pavletich, Howard Record: 15-7 Jets 10, Bullets 5 Game 2, April 29 A fascinating game, with their Tommie Sisk and our Marcelino Lopez engaged in a pitchers' duel in the first half. Lopez did quite well, allowing no runs on four hits in his five innings; he struck out the side in the 2nd. We couldn't get anything done against Sisk until the 7th, which Cookie Rojas opened with an inside-the-park home run, something I haven't seen in a long time. He hit the ball into the right field gap and neither of their outfielders played it well, and Rojas just beat out the throw home. Sisk was gone in the 8th and we beat up on their reliever, John Gelnar. Bob Bailey got an RBI single and then, with the bases loaded, Jerry Grote singled through the left side for two more runs and we led 4-0. George Spriggs opened the Columbus 8th with a double against Ron Herbel; when Freddie Patek singled up the middle, Spriggs tried to score but the Repoz to Rojas to Grote relay beat him to the plate. Patek tried to steal second, and Grote's throw to Rojas was right on the mark. Outstanding defensive effort. Bailey hit another RBI single in the 9th and we won 5-0. Lineup: Cardenal, Alley, Clendenon, Repoz, Bailey, Rojas, Alou, Grote, Lopez Record: 16-7 Bullets 5, Jets 0 Game 3, April 30 Our guys had trouble with another Columbus starter today -- right-hander Steve Blass, who gave up just two hits until the 6th, when we finally got something started. Pinch hitter Mack Jones singled, Jose Cardenal reached on an error, and Gene Alley and Roger Repoz followed with RBI singles. Then Alley tagged up and scored on a Tony Perez sac fly. Problem was, we were still behind, 5-3. Steve Hargan had a rough first inning; the Jets got three singles and stole two bases -- I put that more on Hargan's delivery than on our catcher, Pavletich -- and the end result was a pair of Columbus runs. Dave Wissman hit an RBI double in the Columbus 3rd, and back-to-back doubles by Freddie Patek and George Spriggs in the 4th scored two more. That was all for Hargan (3.2ip, 7h, 2bb, 5r, 5er, 2k, 5.87era). Kelley, Fischer and Carroll out of the bullpen pitched well, but the damage had been done. With the loss, Hargan went to 2-2. Wes Parker, playing first, went 0-for-4 and now has a .148 average. He'll have to bring that up if he expects to stay with the Bullets. I'll give him plenty of opportunities in the next couple of weeks. At 16-8 we're tied with the Tacoma Giants, who've won their last four, atop the PCL. Lineup: Cardenal, Alley, Repoz, Perez, Pavletich, Rojas, Blair, Parker, Hargan Record: 16-8 Jets 5, Bullets 3 Scouting Report Wade Blasingame (SP) Blasingame has all the physical talents of a major league pitcher. With a little more work in the minors, he should find a spot in a big league rotation. Endurance 53, Control 67, Power 79, Movement 54, Defense 93, Hitting 74, Health 65, Overall 69, Peak 85 Fastball 75, Curve 68, Change 53 1962 Stats: 12gs, 4W, 0L, 1.70era, 69.0ip, 20r, 13er, 50h, 2hr, 20bb, 23k, .201baa Born: Nov. 22, 1943 (Deming, NM) Bats Left Throws Left 6'1"   185