Valley High School Baseball : San Fernando Tightens Race, 7-5

After watching the middle of his team’s batting order struggle all season, San Fernando Coach Steve Marden played a hunch Monday and moved designated hitter Bobby Corrales into the cleanup spot.

Corrales, a junior, responded with three hits and six runs batted in, including a grand slam in the fifth that gave San Fernando a lead it never relinquished in a 7-5 Mid-Valley League win at Granada Hills.

San Fernando (9-6, 9-4) moved into a tie for second place with Granada Hills (13-4, 9-4), and each team trails first-place Kennedy (16-9, 10-3) by one game with two games left in the regular season.

Entering the game, the Tigers’ Nos. 4 and 5 hitters were a combined 6 for 52 with runners in scoring position.

Corrales’ home run came off losing pitcher Eric Harris (5-1), who was victimized by six errors. San Fernando scored four runs in the fifth, and two more in the sixth on Corrales’ two-run single, which gave the Tigers a 6-3 lead.

Granada Hills scored two runs in the seventh on Kevin Carmichael’s two-run homer to left to cut the Tiger lead to 7-5. Two outs later, with runners on first and second, Steve Kovacic singled to right. Nile Bloom, who was on second, was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Jesse Romero to end the game.

Kennedy 8, Monroe 2--The Golden Cougars broke open a close game with a six-run fifth inning that included four walks and four hits as Kennedy moved into first place with a Mid-Valley League win at home.

Scott Roth’s two-run single with two outs in the fourth gave Kennedy a 2-0 lead. Colin Hines (8-2) pitched six innings of shutout ball before Monroe (7-12, 3-10) scored two runs in the seventh. The win was the seventh in a row for the Golden Cougars.

Chatsworth 5, Cleveland 0--Senior left-hander Pierre Amado pitched a complete-game six-hitter to improve his record to 8-1 as the West Valley League champion Chancellors (21-1, 13-0), who are ranked No. 1 in the nation by Collegiate Baseball, remained undefeated in league play.

Cleveland (5-12, 4-9), however, played the game under protest after a controversial call in the second inning. With one out, Chatsworth’s Jason Chong struck out and interfered with catcher Eric Buss while Ty Powell was attempting to steal second base. Powell was ordered back to first, but Cleveland claimed he should have been ruled the third out of the inning and protested the game.

Canoga Park 4, Reseda 3--Brian Hoffman singled on a 3-and-2 pitch to score Del Marine and Juan Soriano with the winning runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in a West Valley League game at Lanark Park.

Reseda (7-10, 4-9) scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh off Mike Roberts (4-3), who pitched a complete game with six strikeouts.

El Camino Real 14, Taft 11--El Camino Real forced a three-way tie for fourth place in the West Valley League. The Conquistadores (7-10, 4-9) turned four double plays and Lance Gibson (4-5) pitched six innings in relief of starter Patrick Treend to earn the win. Travis Arsenault (6-5) went the distance for Taft (9-13, 5-8).

Poly 8, Fairfax 5--Poly pitcher Greg Nealon, in his first outing since April 11, allowed six hits and one earned run in three innings as the Parrots rallied for an East Valley League win at Poly.

Nealon, an All-City left-hander who missed nearly a month because of mononucleosis, struck out four and walked one.

Trailing by two, Poly (17-3, 15-1) scored five runs in the fifth inning on three hits and three walks. Two of the walks forced in runs. Luis Porres singled home one run and Mark David drove in two.

Grant 15, Hollywood 0--John Garcia hit a first-inning grand slam as the Lancers scored an East Valley League rout at Grant.

Javier Delahoya hit a two-run home run, his sixth of the year and second in two games. Manny Toledo and Gus Guerrero had three hits each for Grant (10-9, 8-7). Jason Parker threw a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.

North Hollywood 17, Verdugo Hills 5--The Huskies scored 11 runs in the first two innings and cruised to an East Valley League win at North Hollywood. The Huskies (9-10, 9-6) have won five of their last seven league games.

Birmingham 6, Van Nuys 0--Senior right-hander Alan Sedacca improved to 6-3 and the Braves (8-9, 5-8) kept their playoff hopes alive with a Mid-Valley League win at Birmingham.