BASEBALL : Montebello Defeats Bell Gardens for Almont Crown

In a dramatic comeback, Montebello overcame a five-run deficit Friday and defeated Bell Gardens for its first league championship in 10 years.

With the win at Veterans Park in Commerce, the Oilers became the first baseball champion of the newly formed Almont League.

Bell Gardens came out strong, scoring five runs in the first two innings. After Manual Arana’s solo home run to lead off the second inning, Bell Gardens scored three more runs--two on squeeze plays--to take a 5-0 lead. But thereafter, the Lancers failed to get a runner past second base.

In the fifth inning, a triple by Adrian Maldonado, who went three-for-five with four RBIs, brought home two runs to close the gap to 5-3.

“After that hit, the team knew it could come back,” Montebello Coach Bill Drulias said.

With the score tied at 5-5 in the eighth inning, Maldonado hit a bases-loaded single to bring home Ramon Hernandez with the game-winning RBI.

Montebello then added three more runs, including two on a single by Steve Sandoval, who went three-for-five.

Records: Bell Gardens 11-10-1, 9-5-1 in league; Montebello 17-9, 11-4.

Bell Gardens 6, Montebello 3--After a shaky start, Bell Gardens pitching ace George Andrade hurled six innings of shutout ball as the Lancers defeated the Oilers on Tuesday.

The Lancers put together a three-run first inning when Montebello starter Pete Mejia walked two batters and two others reached base. Cleanup batter Mike Curiel slammed a run-scoring double, followed by shortstop Manual Arana’s RBI bloop single to right field. Mejia, who was having control problems, walked in the third run.

Mejia wasn’t the only one with control problems. Andrade walked four batters in the first inning, including two walks with the bases loaded, allowing the Oilers to score three runs and tie the game. The Oilers’ defense didn’t help by committing two fielding errors.

The Lancers were led by Arana, who went two-for-three, scored twice and drove in two runs. Third baseman Pete Loza went two-for-three and scored twice, and Curiel, who went two for four, scored twice and had one RBI.

The Oilers were led by third baseman Orlando Villegas, who was two-for-four with one RBI. Mejia also went two-for-four.

Washington 12, Dorsey 7--Brian Bledsoe’s grand-slam home run capped an eight-run second inning as Washington defeated Dorsey in a Southern Pacific Conference game Thursday.

Washington’s Beno Joshua pitched seven strong innings--giving up only one earned run--but got little defensive help as Washington committed seven errors in the fifth and sixth innings.

Dorsey pulled to within two runs in the sixth as Keron Jones and Claudius Thompson both singled in runs to make it 9-7. But Washington’s George Joseph, who went two-for-four, had a bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach.

Records: Washington 7-9, Dorsey 0-16.

Franklin 8, Wilson 4--Franklin scored seven runs on six hits in the fourth inning to coast to an 8-4 Northern Conference win at Wilson Thursday.

Franklin catcher Mario Castenada had three hits and three RBIs. Castenada also relieved starting pitcher Jeff Deno to close out the win. Javier Becerra had three hits and drove in one run for Wilson.

Lincoln 2, Belmont 0--Abel Villanda pitched a one-hit shutout to lead Lincoln to a Northern Conference win at Montecito Park Thursday. Belmont’s Abel Murillo broke-up Villanda’s no-hit bid with a single in the fifth inning.

Carlos Chacon, who went 1-for-2 in the game, had the game-winning RBI double in the fifth inning for Lincoln.

Belmont committed three errors in the game, one of which allowed Chacon to reach second base and later score on a single by Paul Gonzales in the seventh inning.

Records: Lincoln (12-4); Belmont (1-15).

Roosevelt 8, Garfield 4--Chris Minter and Alex Rodriguez each scored twice as Roosevelt defeated Garfield in a Southeastern Conference game at Evergreen Park Thursday.

Roughrider pitcher Jesse Monnarez went the distance, scattering eight hits. Garfield was led by Vince Meehan, who singled, doubled and scored once.

Records: Garfield 7-10, 4-9; Roosevelt 20-3, 11-3.

Bell 2, Huntington Park 1--Bell’s John Moreno pitched four scoreless innings in relief and added a game-winning solo home run in the fifth to lead Bell in a Southeastern Conference win at Huntington Park Thursday.

Moreno, who started in left field, was called upon to pitch in the fourth inning when starter Yamel Delgado had to leave the game with an injured middle finger.

Huntington Park loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but right fielder Mario Arambula struck out and second baseman Victor Vizcarra grounded out to end the inning.

Records: Bell 19-3, 11-3; Huntington Park 15-5-1, 10-4.

Cathedral 17, Salesian 3--Senior Frank Barilla, who doubled twice and scored three runs, led an 18-hit attack as Cathedral clinched a Division IV playoff berth in its Santa Fe League finale Tuesday at Whittier Narrows.

Manuel Badillo doubled, singled and scored two runs and was one of seven Cathedral players to score at least two runs. Starting pitcher Gerald Valdivia allowed three hits over five innings.

Records: Salesian 8-13, 5-7; Cathedral 7-10, 6-6.