Victory Over Grant Enables Poly to Call East Valley Title Its Own

About two weeks ago, the Poly High baseball team defeated Grant to take sole possession of first place in the East Valley League.

On Tuesday, Poly scored seven runs in the first two innings of its season-finale against Grant to pace an 8-5 victory that gave the Parrots their third consecutive league title.

Poly (18-4, 15-2 in league play), which finished as league co-champion with Sylmar last year, had no intentions of sharing the wealth again.

Grant (15-7, 13-4) needed to beat Poly to earn a share of the league title but instead finished two games behind. It was Poly’s third victory over Grant this season.

“We did what we could to keep them from getting what they wanted,” Poly Coach Jerry Cord said.

An early offensive explosion and a strong pitching performance by Eric Diaz kept Grant at a comfortable distance throughout.

The Parrots used seven of their nine hits off senior right-hander Tony Kuper in the first two innings to take a 7-3 lead.

“We hit the ball pretty well off Kuper, and everybody likes Kuper,” Cord said. “If we can be consistent with him--and consistent with other people like him--than maybe we have a chance (in playoffs).”

Kuper (5-3), who has committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, shut out the Parrots over the final three innings, allowing just one hit.

Francisco Flores and Robert Iglesias greatly contributed to Kuper’s demise. Flores and Iglesias each went three for four, accounting for six of Poly’s nine hits.

Flores’ two-run double in the second capped a four-run rally and gave Poly the 7-3 edge.

“I wasn’t sure if it was a curveball or a changeup, but I was out in front of it,” Flores said.

Flores, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound senior, doubled again with two out in sixth--his 10th double of the season.

After Poly raced to its four-run lead in the second, Diaz settled into a routine, disposing of Grant batters primarily with fastballs and sliders.

Diaz (8-2) retired four of the nine batters he faced in the third through fifth innings on strikeouts. He allowed six hits through six innings and struck out six.

“I wasn’t scheduled to pitch this game, but over the weekend I was hoping (to get it),” said Diaz, who pitched a four-hitter against the Lancers on May 7.

The senior right-hander, who was used primarily in relief last season, wanted to finish the game, but Cord elected to bring in relief ace Reynaldo Gutierrez in the seventh. Grant had scored twice in the sixth to cut Poly’s lead to 8-5.

Gutierrez allowed a walk and then gave up a single to Jose Velazquez, but he retired the side on two flyouts and a groundout to pick up his third save.