HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL : CITY SECTION 4-A DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP : San Pedro Stops Poly and Streak : Final: Valley team fails to win City title for the first time in two decades. Loss ends 15-game win string for Parrots.

Lumber and lightning it wasn’t. Lumber and a little luck, perhaps.

San Pedro High made the most of nearly every opportunity it was handed Wednesday night--and there was plenty to be had--and knocked off Poly, 6-3, in the City Section 4-A Division baseball final at Dodger Stadium.

Poly committed five errors and fumbled away nearly two decades of San Fernando Valley dominance in the City. Valley schools had won 19 consecutive large-school titles entering the game.

It marked the first baseball title in school history for San Pedro and was the third time Poly had been turned away in as many trips to the final.

Top-seeded Poly (21-5) had been almost flawless down the stretch, including 15 wins in a row and three consecutive one-run victories in the playoffs. However, it all unraveled like a baseball without a horsehide cover.

First of all, the team found it difficult to focus on the game because the players learned Tuesday that Coach Jerry Cord’s son, Christopher, 27, had died earlier in the day after a long illness. The players became aware of Christopher’s illness shortly before the playoffs began and had provided their coach with emotional support the past month.

“Without kids like that I’d never be here,” Cord said. “They’ve really carried me.”

The Parrots were unable to complete their remarkable season with a championship, however. Poly mounted a rally in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs to move within 6-3, but file it under too little, too late. With runners on first and third and two out, San Pedro left-hander Jamie Smith struck out Orlando Chavarria for the final out.

Frustrating? You bet.

“I felt great,” Poly starting pitcher Allen Alegria said. “They got a couple--not to say lucky--a couple of hits that just fell in.”

It marked the first baseball title for San Pedro Coach Jerry Lovarov, in his 32nd season. The Pirate players marched into the dugout waving a black flag, replete with skull and crossbones. But as much as anything, it was the Parrots’ defense that scuttled their chances.

With Poly trailing, 3-1, the roof began to cave in on Poly in the fourth. With one out, San Pedro’s Daniel O’Neill singled sharply to right and Robbie Lukin, the No. 9 hitter, followed with a liner into the gap in left-center on an 0-and-2 offering.

It was Alegria’s last pitch. Chavarria, the Poly left fielder, dived and stopped the ball from rolling to the warning track, but O’Neill nonetheless scored easily from first. Alegria, who allowed three earned runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, was relieved by left-hander Reynaldo Gutierrez.

One out later, shortstop Rino Marconi drilled a shot into right that Eric Diaz fielded cleanly on a big hop. Diaz came up firing and seemed to have a shot at nailing Lukin at home, but first baseman Francisco Flores cut the ball off and fired late to catcher Steve Chavez as San Pedro took a commanding 5-1 lead.

San Pedro (22-4) added a run in the sixth for a 6-1 lead when Poly committed two more errors.

Poly’s best shot at creeping back in the game came with two out in the fifth. With runners on first and second and Poly down, 5-1, clean-up hitter Flores lined out to first.

San Pedro left-hander Larry Cannon (8-1) pitched into the seventh, and was relieved with two out by Smith, who recorded his second save in as many playoff games.

Poly stranded eight baserunners.

After stranding a runner in scoring position in the first, Poly played it conservatively in the second and was rewarded. Frank Medina (three hits) lined a one-out single to left and was sacrificed to second. No. 8 hitter Sergio Garcia singled to center to hand Poly a 1-0 lead. Medina scored easily when center fielder Miguel Medina bobbled the ball.

San Pedro wasted no time in answering the challenge, however. In the bottom of the inning, Medina and Mark Miller each banged out consecutive two-out singles and Miller moved to second after left fielder Chavarria tried to nail Medina at third.

O’Neill, the lone left-handed batter, dinked a two-run looper that fell between Chavarria, center fielder Jesus Perez and shortstop Frank Medina for a double.