Beer Ks 14, drives in 3 as Crescenta Valley wins league opener
PASADENA — Opening day belonged to Trevor Beer.
The Crescenta Valley High senior pitcher was phenomenal on the mound and at the plate in striking out 14 batters, while driving in three runs in the Falcons’ 7-1 victory over host Pasadena in the Pacific League opener Tuesday afternoon.
The triumph marked the fourth straight season that reigning Pacific League champion Crescenta Valley (10-4) opened league play with a victory, while Beer has never lost in the Crown City.
“Well, today was Trevor’s day,” Crescenta Valley coach Phil Torres said. “He, [father and pitching coach] Darren Beer and [catcher] Brian Ghattas were all locked in today. It was a great execution of pitches, a great job behind the plate and Darren called a great game, too.
“This is a really tough place to pitch, not easy at all. Trevor has now come in here three years in a row and won.”
Beer allowed one unearned run on three hits with 14 strikeouts, two walks and a wild pitch on 97 pitches. At bat, the 2017 All-Area Baseball Player of the Year finished three for four with a triple, two doubles, three runs batted in and one run scored.
Maybe no inning typified Beer’s dominance more than the first.
The No. 3 hitter connected on a run-scoring double that plated Will Grimm (two for three with a double and one run scored). Vincent Parrott (two hits and two runs scored) then came home on a single from Brian Erickson (two hits, one RBI), while Ghattas drove in Beer on a fielder’s choice as Crescenta Valley took a 3-0 lead after half an inning.
On the mound, Beer struck out the side en route to fanning the first five Bulldogs of the game.
“It’s just about throwing strikes and inviting contact,” Beer said. “If they swing and miss then they swing and miss, but you just have to pound the zone and get ahead of guys.”
Beer continued to push his team’s lead in the second inning when he hammered a ball down the right-field line that just missed being a home run and instead was a two-run triple that plated Jamie Bleveans (one run and one RBI) and Parrot and put the visitors ahead, 5-0.
Crescenta Valley added two more runs in the fifth when Chase Smith scored on throwing error and Bleveans singled home Jake Schaffer.
After two perfect innings, Beer’s lone hiccup came in the third inning when Pasadena’s Robert Olivades singled, moved to second on a throwing error, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single from Jacob Green for the Bulldogs’ run.
Other than that, Crescenta Valley rolled on an afternoon when the team’s 13 hits and strong defense were overshadowed by Beer.
“Trevor did a great job pitching and I think we all did a good job overall on offense,” Grimm said. “It’s nice to start off with a win.”
Crescenta Valley closes out the season series with Pasadena (9-5) on Friday at Stengel Field at 7 p.m.
