Drumbore jump-starts Rangers to series-clincher

By Keith Groller
Of The Morning Call


When Bob Drumbore jumped from Quakertown to Gilbertsville before the start of the season, most Tri-County League followers thought he'd be the guy to put the Rangers over the top.

Well, Drumbore's three-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning yesterday didn't put Gilbertsville over the top, but it did get the Rangers even. One inning later, Gilbertsville poked across the game-winner in a thrilling 7-6 win that gave the Rangers the deciding game in the best-of-three semifinal series against Stahley's Bar.

Gilbertsville (29-4) advances to the Tri-Co Championship Series where it will host Emmaus (24-11) in the first game of a best-of- five set tomorrow (5:45 p.m.). Meanwhile, Stahley's, the defending champs, closed a 19-15 season.

"One of the main reasons I came over to Gilbertsville was because these guys know the game of baseball and know how to win and I wanted to be a part of it," said Drumbore. "At Quakertown, I was coaching and I didn't like it. I'd rather just play the game and let somebody else decide things."

Drumbore's seventh-inning triple didn't decide the game, but it capped a Gilbertsville comeback from a 6-2 deficit. The three-bagger was Drumbore's second of the day. If the Boyertown Junior High East field had a fence -- or if Drumbore had better speed -- he would have had two home runs instead.

"I hit a 3-1 fastball and I just tried to go with it," Drumbore said of his equalizer that followed singles by Marty Bauer and Jeff Evans and a walk to Greg Gilbert. "If I had better wheels, it probably would have been a homer. I was happy just to get to third."

Drumbore reached third with none out, but couldn't get home. He tried to tag up and score on Mike Moyer's one-out flyball to shallow right. But Stahley's right fielder Mookie Smith easily threw him out at the plate.

Nothing could prevent the Rangers from scoring in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Bauer (4-for-5) singled. He was on the move to second when Gilbert lined a hit into the gap in right- center. Bauer scored without a play as the Ranger bench erupted in celebration.

"I was just looking for a fastball on the outside part of the plate and, fortunately, it dropped in there and got the run home," said Gilbert. "We were fortunate that things went our way.

"We were nervous being down four. But we have a good hitting lineup and had a lot of game left, so we always thought we had a chance. Drummie delivered the big hit for us. He's been contributing all year."

Drumbore's contributions were not limited to the plate. He came on in relief during Stahley's big five-run fourth, and after yielding two hits, settled down. Drumbore blanked the Bar on three hits over the last four frames.

"It's tough coming in there when you're playing (first base) and not getting a chance to warm up," Drumbore said. "I gave up two hits to the first two batters, but then I settled down and we were able to stay in the game."

Stahley's Bar outhit Gilbertsville 14-13 and got an outstanding 4-for-4, 2-RBI day from Joe Aleszczyk. Dale Weiss, Tony Galucy and Greg Wotring joined Aleszczyk driving in runs in the fourth when the "Bar Boys" seemingly took control. But it wasn't enough.

"They weren't 27-3 during the regular season for nothing," said Stahley's manager Ray Ganser. "They battled back and showed what they're made of.

"We didn't have a great regular season, but we showed that when everyone plays together and is healthy, we're as tough as anybody. It's disappointing to us right now, but it always seems as though the road to the title in this league goes through Gilbertsville. Last year, we made it through. This year, we got stopped."



keith.groller@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- August 10, 1992

Copyright © 1992, The Morning Call