Banning Hangs On for 7-5 Victory Over Tenacious Grant in City Baseball Playoffs

There were nervous moments, admitted Banning High baseball Coach Syl Saavedra, but they turned to joy when the Pilots held on for a 7-5 victory over Grant on Wednesday in the opening round of the L.A. City 4-A playoffs.

The host Pilots moved out to a 6-1 advantage but saw the big lead disappear when Grant of Van Nuys scored four runs with two outs in the sixth. Saavedra yanked starter Ricardo Bernal and brought in Chico Limas, who recorded the last four outs to give Banning the victory.

“I was nervous then, but I was nervous the whole game,” said Saavedra, whose team will play host to Monroe in a second-round game at 3 p.m. Friday. Monroe, the fourth-place team from the East Valley League, upset No. 2-seeded Poly, 4-1, in eight innings Wednesday.

Banning broke a scoreless tie in the third after loading the bases on two walks and Jesse Espinoza’s bunt single, Banning’s first hit of the game. Darren Kondash then tapped to the pitcher who threw home for the force out, but John Otte scored when the relay to first went wild.

Limas, who picked up his third save of the year, then drove in two runs with a sharp single to right. Banning scored its final run of the inning when Grant shortstop Jimmy Tumbiero misplayed Fernando Herrera’s grounder, allowing Bernal to score.

But the lead was short-lived as Grant posted four runs in the sixth.

Jamie Eckerling got on base on Kondash’s error, Sean Goldman walked and Eckerling scored on Jimmy Mattman’s single. Javier Delahoya walked and John Kukawski hit a chopper in front of the plate that Bernal couldn’t handle. He finally picked up the ball and threw wildly to first, allowing two runs to score.

“It was spinning wildly,” said Bernal, who ran his record to 9-3. “I just couldn’t get a grip on it.”

Saavedra said he was biting his nails after the play.

“That almost killed us,” he said. “I know it was spinning crazy. I saw it roll up in his mitt, then just spin out. But even if he just holds onto it and doesn’t throw it, they get one run and that’s it.”

Manny Toledo followed with a sharp single to center. Limas relieved Bernal and struck out Gus Guerrero to end the inning.

“We had planned to use Bernal as long as we could so I told Limas to be ready,” Saavedra said. “I have enough confidence to bring him in anytime now because he has enough confidence. He’s matured a lot and developed self-confidence, and he did the job for us today.”

Banning (17-8) scored an insurance run in the sixth when Bernal singled after two outs and went to second when the center fielder misplayed the ball. Herrera drove him home with a single.

Grant (12-11) scored its first run in the fourth when Goldman singled home Jeff Boado.

Delahoya (7-3) went the distance for Grant.

Late rallies are the norm for Grant, according to Coach Tom Lucero.

“That’s typical of our team,” he said. “We feel the other team out in the first few innings, then rally. We were 12-11 this year so as you can see sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t.”