Crescenta Valley High baseball returns to form versus Burroughs

GLENDALE — For the visiting Burroughs High and Crescenta Valley baseball teams, Tuesday evening’s Pacific League contest provided a way for each squad to respond to its respective effort during Friday’s rivalry game action.

While the Indians enjoyed a victory over archrival Burbank on Friday, the Falcons received a tie at rival Arcadia that dealt Crescenta Valley a blow to its league title chances.

The result clearly weighed heavily on the minds of the Falcons, who scored five runs over the final two innings for a 7-0 victory at Stengel Field.

“No one wants a tie,” said Crescenta Valley pitcher Brian Gadsby, in reference to his team’s 4-4 tie on Friday versus the Apaches in a game that was called in the middle of the eighth inning due to rain. “I mean for me, honestly, I’d rather take a loss than a tie because at least it’s a decision.

“It’s obvious we were frustrated to get that tie and we wanted to bounce back against a good Burroughs team and it’s good to get a win. Hopefully somebody can trip up Pasadena.”

Gadsby received his wish, as Pasadena was upset, 1-0, by Burbank, which moved the Falcons (14-7-1, 7-1-1) into a first-place tie with Arcadia (7-1-1 in league) with Pasadena (15-5-2, 7-2) now in pursuit.

Burroughs (10-10, 4-5) remained in fourth place with the defeat.

Gadsby helped move his team into the penthouse with a six-inning gem, as he blanked the Indians, scattering four hits and striking out four on 75 pitches (58 strikes).

Gadsby helped his own cause on the bump with an inning-ending pickoff in the first inning, which came after back-to-back singles from Roy Hirota and Max Haddad, and a pickoff in the third that followed a hit batter.

“We actually work on pickoffs in practice,” Gadsby said. “But it wasn’t just pickoffs, but great defense from the guys behind me and from [catcher] Kewin Ledesma behind the dish.”

Ledesma also threw out two base runners, as the Indians recorded four outs on the base paths, versus three outs against the Falcons.

“We made some mistakes, had some busted hit and runs,” Burroughs skipper Craig Sherwood said. “But I’m not going to second-guess my guys right now. We’re in a close game where we have to try to make things happen.”

Crescenta Valley blew the contest open with a four-run sixth inning that began with singles from Brett Klein (two for three with a double and run) and Joe Torres (two for three with a run) and a plunking of Nick Diaz (two runs) to load the bases with no outs for Chase Walker.

The just-inserted Walker singled up the middle for a run batted in, which was followed by a two-run double from Bryan Wang (two for four).

The Falcons added one final run on a sacrifice fly from Adrian Damla (run scored) to cap the scoring at 7-0.

“It was important to get this win to show that we’ve moved beyond Friday,” said Crescenta Valley senior Michael Russo, who walked twice and scored a run. “It was good to finally get the offense going.”

Crescenta Valley scored two runs in the first inning thank to three walks, one single from Russo and a sacrifice fly from Austin Brines.

Over the next three innings, the Falcons only mustered one hit against Burroughs starter Ben Hobson, who allowed three earned runs on three hits with six walks, three wild pitches and two strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

Crescenta Valley finally added a run in the fifth when Diaz walked, moved two bases on a wild pitch and sacrifice and scored on a double play.

The Falcons should have scored an additional run in the fourth, but were denied by Burroughs center fielder Anthony Bocanegra, who threw out Klein after the Falcons junior doubled with two outs and tried to score on a single from Torres.

While Burroughs totaled eight base runners, the Indians only placed one runner on second base.

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Follow Andrew J. Campa on Twitter: @campadresports.