Fairfax Wins 1st City Baseball Championship Since ’49

Behind a solid hitting attack and the pitching of Dan Choi, Fairfax High School defeated Washington, 5-2, Wednesday at Dodger Stadium to win the City 3-A Division baseball championship--its first title in 41 years.

After spotting Washington (14-7) a 2-1 lead, the Lions wore down the Generals with four runs in the final three innings to win their first City title since 1949.

Choi, who won all four playoff games for Fairfax, gave up two runs in the second before shutting down the Generals. Over the final five innings, Choi allowed one hit while striking out three.

“I was overthrowing early and my fastball did not have any pop,” said Choi (12-1-1).

Fairfax had 12 hits, but Coach Kal Badran credited Washington pitcher Derrick Flax for the 11 runners the Lions left on base.

Flax struck out six and walked six.

“He intimidated our guys with his fastball,” Badran said. “But, I think we wore him down.”

Fairfax (13-6-1) went ahead on Harlan Snyder’s run-scoring single in the first. The Generals scored twice in the second on singles by Derrick Bledsoek and Jasen Smith.

Flax (10-2) pitched out of trouble in the third and fourth, but walked in the tying run in the fifth before he got the last two outs.

In the sixth inning, Alex Dyachenk doubled home Edwardo Payan with the go-ahead run and scored on Gabriel Gaxiola’s double.

Payan tripled home Francisco Diaz in the seventh.