Birds fall to Gold in pitchers duel

Jimmy Heck tossed a three-hitter only to

see The Birds drop a 2-1 decision.

Bloomington Gold's Montana Schowalter outdueled Chester Bird's Jimmy Heck and Gold earned a 2-1 win over The Birds.

Heck retired the first nine batters he faced and took a no hitter through four and two-thirds innings but his teammates were held in check by Schowalter's one-hit gem.

Neither team scored until the fourth inning when two errors and a wild pitch helped the visitors get on the scoreboard first in the top of the inning.

Gabe MacDonald, who had Chester Bird's lone hit, in the second inning, reached base on a one-out error and, after a wild pitch and a passed ball, found himself 90 feet from home plate.

Robby Sutherland was then hit by a pitch and the duo executed a double steal to tie the game. Sutherland took third on the throw back to home plate and, with one out, The Birds appeared on the verge of taking the lead.

Schowalter would allow Dan Labosky, who walked, to reach third base in the fifth inning but he manged to keep the hosts off of the scoreboard the rest of the way.

In the sixth inning, number nine hitter Rafael Tatarek rolled a single through the left side and, one out later, stole second base. He then scored on Casey Schowalter's double down the left line to give Gold the winning margin.

Heck's three-hitter saw him need just 93 pitches. He did not walk a batter and struck out three. Schowalter, on the other hand, needed 113 pitches as he walked six and struck out five.

Chester Bird returns to action Wednesday when it faces South Hennepin League-leader Excelsior in a 7:30 p.m. game at Veterans Field in Minnetonka.