League Champion Cubs Defeat Metro All-Stars, 7-5

To prepare for the Metropolitan League All-Star game, Tony Mendoza spent a week working mostly on hitting. It proved time wasted for the third baseman of the league champion Outdoor Dimension Cubs as he went 0 for 3 with a walk.

Instead, the hitting heroics belonged to teammate Rick Nen, who went 2 for 2 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs as the Cubs defeated the All-Stars, 7-5, Sunday in the 21st annual Metro League All-Stars vs. League Champions game at Anaheim Stadium after the Angel-Mariner contest.

Although he failed at the plate, Mendoza dived, leaped and backhanded his way to three putouts and five assists.

“It was just weird,” Mendoza said. “I spent the whole week working on my hitting. But I do concentrate on my fielding most of the time and work hard at it. I was really nervous before the game, thinking about all the great ballplayers that have been here. But after a few plays, it was just another game, but in a lot nicer ballpark.”

The most impressive play of the Cerritos High School product, who played only a little as a freshman at Cypress College last spring, came with two outs in the fourth inning. Todd Oshiro of the Costa Mesa Pirates lined what appeared to be a double down the left-field line, but Mendoza jumped high to his right to backhand the ball.

“I saw the ball of the bat,” Mendoza said. “I just jumped up, I couldn’t believe it was in my glove . . . but it was.”

Part of the reason Mendoza and the other Cubs were able to relax was the 4-0 lead they had after two innings.

Nen, who saw limited playing time as a freshman at Cypress last spring, struggled though the middle of the summer season but hit the ball better the final week of the season.

He continued his recent hot hitting with a triple to the right-center-field fence to lead off the second inning. The left fielder scored one out later on a ground out by Trevor Hoffman. In the third inning, Nen drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single off losing pitcher Gary Stotereau of the Long Beach 49ers.

“At times this summer it was a fight just to hit,” said Nen, a 1984 graduate of Los Alamitos High School. “I was struck out before I went to the plate. It was mostly mental, I guess. This is just a good way to end the summer.”

Said Cubs Coach Scott Pickler: “He’s (Nen) a streak hitter. When he’s hot like he was today, there’s nobody better on the team. He and Mendoza just did a super job for us today.”

All-Star Notes

Tim Churchill, 19, of the North Orange County Hornets became only the fifth player in 21 All-Star games to hit a home run. He hit a towering shot over the left-field fence in the top of the ninth. Cub center fielder Rey Hernandez was 2 for 3 with three stolen bases and one run scored. . . . During the pregame ceremonies, the league’s awards were presented. Three Cub players and Cub Manager Scott Pickler were honored. David Brodt (.342) was named the league’s most valuable player. Eric Silvey (6-1, 2.52) was the league’s outstanding pitcher. (He got the win for the Cubs on Sunday, starting and retiring all six hitters he faced.) Bob Long won the sportsmanship award and Pickler the manager’s award. Ken Damato of the Senik Rustlers was named the best defensive player, and Brent Reese of the Santa Ana Cardinals--who hit .488 in league play--was named the top batter. (Reese was 2 for 3 in Sunday’s game, getting the All-Stars’ first hit after three Cub pitchers combined to retire the first 12 hitters.) . . . Larry Smith of the 49ers tripled off the fence in right field and scored on a throwing error in the sixth inning to give the All-Stars their first run. . . . Darren Nelson of the Orange Panthers made his third All-Star appearance. He played with the league champion Hornets in 1984. . . . Cub catcher Jason Rolish, originally planning to play at Cypress College next season, has signed a letter of intent to attend Cal State Fullerton.