Grant’s Martinez Loses Argument, Helps Win Game : Prep baseball: After his plea is rejected by umpire, Lancer outfielder delivers key hit against El Camino Real.

Arguably the biggest hit of Grant High outfielder Jorge Martinez’s career came after an arguable hit of a different sort. Everybody saw the second, but hardly anybody saw the first.

On the debatable hit, Martinez pleaded his case with the plate umpire, claiming that he had been nicked with a pitch. The umpire, though, did not agree.

Martinez then hit back, lining a key two-run single to center as Grant defeated host El Camino Real, 5-1, in a first-round game of the City Section 4-A Division baseball playoffs.

When it came to runs batted in, things turned out twice as nice for Martinez. “Nobody saw it, but it definitely hit me,” he said. “I guess it was better for me that they didn’t.”

With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, one out and Grant holding a 2-0 lead, Martinez climbed into the box and peeked at the signs of Coach Tom Lucero. Martinez, facing left-hander Jason Sipperley, did his best to comply, but it wasn’t easy.

As Martinez squared, Petur Georgesson broke from third on a suicide squeeze. Sipperley threw the ball in the dirt, where it appeared to strike Martinez on the right foot. Georgesson scored on what was ruled a wild pitch, the runners advanced and Martinez wandered toward first--but he soon was hauled back.

Martinez followed with a two-run single that gave Grant a 5-0 lead. Thursday, the Lancers (17-6) will visit second-seeded University, a 4-0 winner over Carson.

An offensive five-spot was enough for Grant starting pitcher Tony Kuper, who escaped a couple of close calls. Kuper twice retired shortstop Dan Cey--who homered off the senior right-hander in an El Camino Real tournament victory early in the season--to halt a pair of scoring threats.

With the bases loaded in the third and Grant holding a 2-0 lead, Cey lined out to right fielder Martinez in the gap. Martinez had been ordered by the Grant bench to move several feet toward the gap when Cey stepped to the plate.

With runners on first and second and El Camino Real (15-8) trailing, 5-1, in the fifth, Cey grounded into a double play.

“Cey’s the only guy we were really worried about,” said Kuper, who threw a six-hitter. “We talked about maybe even walking him if the situation called for it, but I wanted to go after him to get my revenge.”