Paciorek’s Arm Saves Glendale

Glendale College center fielder Pete Paciorek won’t have an “SV” for save next to his name in the box score, but he deserved one in a big way.

Paciorek made a perfect throw from left-center field to catcher Mark Viramontes to cut down pinch-runner Jose Velazquez at the plate Thursday, ending the Western State Conference South Division game and preserving a 2-1 victory over host Valley.

“For some reason, I had a feeling the game was going to end with a bang,” Glendale right-hander Garrett Lee said.

Lee, a freshman from Crescenta Valley High, kept the Monarchs out of scoring position most of the game and went the distance to earn his third victory in five decisions. He allowed four hits and struck out five.

From the second inning, when Valley (7-11-2, 4-3-1 in division play) touched him for a two-out run on a single by infielder Javier Dorado that scored Erik Morante, Lee yielded only two hits until the ninth.

In the final inning, Chris Stell walked with two out and stole second. Velazquez was summoned to run for Stell and Dorado slapped a line drive over shortstop that Paciorek, a left-handed fielder, cut off quickly before making the strong throw home.

“We’ve got a left-handed fielder going to his right,” said Chris Johnson, Valley coach. “What are the chances of a perfect throw?”

Paciorek’s throw was one of several key plays made by Glendale (8-11-1, 2-6) in a game where neither team could generate much offense.

Glendale capitalized on two Valley blunders to score its runs.

With one out in the first inning and Jack Wickersham at third base and Paciorek at first, Valley right-hander Jorge Dorado got Paciorek caught in a rundown but Javier Dorado dropped one of the throws and Wickersham scored.

In the second, Gil Valenzuela walked on a 3-and-2 pitch with James Isenhart at second base and Mark Scorza at first, but catcher John Bullock apparently forgot the count and threw to third base and the ball sailed down the left-field line, scoring Isenhart.

It was all the damage the Vaqueros could muster against Jorge Dorado (2-3), who gave up three hits and struck out five in six innings. But it was plenty against a Valley team that went into the game with a .243 batting average in conference games.

Right-handed reliever Jason Makohon, a freshman from Kennedy High, pitched the final three innings for Valley, retiring nine of 10 batters, including four on strikeouts.

“It’s been the same kind of problem for us all year,” Johnson said.

“We’ve been pitching like crazy, but we are not hitting.”