Miller Gets the Job Done for Chatsworth in 5-2 Win

Pete Redfern, the Chatsworth American Legion coach, spends a lot of time on the phone talking to his players. Sometimes, he even lets them get a word in.

One of Redfern’s players, Darren Wyre, told the coach that he had a buddy from Faith Baptist High who was interested in playing ball over the summer.

“He called and said he had somebody who wanted to play Legion,” Redfern said. “And that the guy could hit.”

It did not take long for Wyre’s tip over the wire to prove true. John Miller, Wyre’s high school teammate, hit a two-out, two-run, inside-the-park home run in the top of the eighth inning to lead Chatsworth to a 5-2 victory over Woodland Hills East in a District 20 game Saturday at Taft High.

Miller’s homer, a line drive that barely landed fair in left field, gave Chatsworth a 3-2 lead just when it appeared that the team had blown yet another scoring opportunity.

A close shave? Just ask Redfern, who did a slow burn while his team took its time putting together the comeback.

“It took us a while in the other game too,” Redfern said, referring to his team’s rally from an eight-run deficit to beat Agoura, 10-9, Wednesday. “I asked them if they’re gonna try to come from behind all year long. That’s not the way to do it.”

For seven innings, Chatsworth (2-0) didn’t do much of anything, unless stranding baserunners (seven in scoring position) counts.

East right-hander Eric Rothman, who relieved starter Dusty Wood after one inning, allowed one run on five hits from the second through seventh innings, after which East led, 2-1.

Rothman, a 1990 graduate of Calabasas High who twice picked up wins against Chatsworth a season ago, had his off-speed pitches working. Redfern, a former major league pitcher who has seen his share of junk-ballers, spent the first seven innings preaching patience. So much so that his own patience was stretched.

“It’s just a matter of discipline,” Redfern said. “You just have to sit back and wait on that off-speed stuff.”

East (2-2) broke a 1-1 tie when Benji Belfield doubled off Chatsworth left-hander Danny Rodriguez in the fifth. With one on and none out in the sixth, right-hander Doug Dean (1-0) relieved Rodriguez--who had walked the leadoff batter in each of the first six innings--and blanked East on one hit over the final four innings.

Chatsworth’s Adam Pearlman (three hits) led off the eighth with a double down the line in left that ticked the glove of third baseman Warren Stewart. Wyre sacrificed Pearlman to third, but Billy Blair popped up for the second out.

Miller, who replaced left fielder Robert Garbo in the seventh, ripped the ball down the third-base line--within inches of Pearlman’s shot moments earlier--and circled the bases for a 3-2 lead.

Chatsworth added two runs in the ninth. Mitch Root (two hits) doubled home Billy McKnight and Pearlman followed with a single to drive in Root.