Onsaga Hot, but DiBiase Is Hotter : Legion baseball: Valley North right-hander goes the distance in a 2-1 interdivision victory over Verdugo Hills.

Much to the pleasure of those baking in the sun Saturday at Chatsworth High, Valley North and Verdugo Hills played an unusual American Legion baseball game.

Valley North right-hander Jim DeBiase beat Verdugo Hills left-hander Phil Onsaga, 2-1, in a District 20 interdivision game. While many Legion games finish with what look like football scores and drag on well beyond three hours, this game was played well and quickly.

“You don’t see a lot of games like this,” said Valley North Coach Pete Redfern. “You had two pitchers who were throwing strikes and putting the ball in play. And they were getting good defense.”

There was one error in the game, which lasted only 2 hours 10 minutes, including a 10-minute delay while the coaches debated a lineup card mixup in the third inning.

Both DeBiase and Onsaga pitched well, but DeBiase was better. He threw a complete game, giving up five hits and one walk. He struck out seven.

“He threw a great game, going nine innings on a hot day like this,” Redfern said. “He came up huge when we needed it.”

DeBiase (3-0) said he tried to be efficient with his pitches, rather than going for strikeouts, because of the sizzling Valley heat.

“I just tried to make it easy on myself and then let the defense take care of it, and they did a good job,” DeBiase said.

DeBiase’s defense helped him out several times, particularly in the ninth inning. After leadoff batter Corby Foster reached first base on an error, catcher Tony Ardito threw him out trying to steal second.

Dave Gantt then singled, but Valley North (7-2) ended the game with a double play, from third baseman Tony Montiel to second baseman Rod Daryabigi to first baseman Brandon Murphy.

Onsaga (3-1) gave up two only two runs, both in the bottom of the third. As it turned out, it was was one run too many. He gave up a leadoff home run to Fred Farzaneh. Danny Martin then walked and scored after back-to-back singles by twin brothers Rod and Ray Daryabigi.

Onsaga lasted 6 1/3 innings before tiring, but he gave up only five hits and struck out eight.

“I was really proud of Phil,” said Verdugo Hills assistant Marcel Martinez. “He threw too well to lose, but someone had to.”

Martinez was filling in for Verdugo Hills Coach Spiro Psaltis, who was out of town Saturday, and he cost his team an out with a lineup mixup.

Martinez listed Vinnie Sinatra as the designated hitter in the No. 9 spot. Martinez had Sinatra batting for left fielder Ben Malen, which is permitted in high school baseball.

But Legion rules allow the designated hitter to bat only for the pitcher.

When Sinatra stepped to the plate in the third inning, Redfern called the error to the umpires’ attention. The umpires ruled an out in the No. 9 spot and Malen went into the batting order for the rest of the game.

Ironically, it was in that inning that Verdugo Hills (9-2) had its only offense. With two out and the bases empty, Davey Garley doubled down the left-field line and scored on Loren Geller’s infield single, giving Verdugo Hills a 1-0 lead.