Hart-Burn Follows the Hiccups for Saugus, 9-2

Saugus High entered Tuesday’s Foothill League baseball game at Hart averaging 6.5 runs per game with a .320 team batting average and a 2.59 earned-run average.

With such statistics, the Centurions figured to be winning a lot of games and losing, if at all, because they beat themselves.

But in losing to the Indians, 9-2, the Centurions beat themselves like a drum.

Saugus (11-7, 4-3 in league play) might have knocked itself out of the league race after allowing Hart (14-4, 7-0) to score three unearned runs in the third inning, opening a 4-0 lead.

“There were turning points early in the game and we have consistently not been able to cash in runs against this team,” Saugus Coach Doug Worley said. “They made the big plays, and we don’t.”

Without getting a hit, Saugus put five runners on base in the first three innings but couldn’t score.

Saugus’ first inning ended with two Centurions on base when Hart left fielder Cody Joyce made a diving catch of Brad Fogel’s line drive.

Saugus’ second inning ended when Jeremy Mushinski grounded into a double play after he twice failed to execute a sacrifice bunt with runners on first and second.

When Saugus needed a double play to get out of a jam in the third, second baseman Jeff Hammond couldn’t handle Brian Baron’s routine grounder.

That opened the floodgates and Hart scored four runs, another in the fourth and four more in the fifth.

Hart reliever Brian Hernandez (7-0), who transferred from Saugus last fall, allowed four hits while striking out five in five innings, and the Indians played solid defense.

“We go over the little things every day in practice and it paid off,” Hernandez said. “We go over every situation.”