Palmdale Throws One Alemany’s Way, 12-10

Baseball is a game of numbers--earned-run averages, batting averages and slugging percentages.

But sometimes luck enters into the equation, too.

“If you score 10 runs, you should win a ballgame,” said Palmdale High Coach Randy Lintemoot after his team lost to Alemany, 12-10, in a windy, error-filled nonleague game Saturday at Palmdale High.

The Indians scored three runs in the seventh against Palmdale reliever Brian Stien (4-1) on three hits, including a soft single by Joe Melaragno that bounced over second baseman Zeb McDaniel.

One batter later, McDaniel bobbled a grounder by Robert Torres and threw the ball away, allowing Melaragno and Kris Dominique to score, breaking a 10-10 tie.

“I got the right pitch and blooped it and got lucky,” Melaragno said.

“I have to say it was not all me. The whole team was hitting, and we’re playing together as a team. That’s the whole key to it.”

Melaragno (3-1) allowed four runs on six hits and three errors in three innings, but shut down the Falcons in the final inning.

Coming into the game, the numbers favored the Falcons (11-1), ranked fourth in the region by The Times.

Palmdale scored more than 10 runs in nine of those games, and captured the Pomona tournament despite losing Mike Arrelano and his .552 batting average to injury in a first-round game. Alex Suarez went on a tear during the four games, raising his batting average nearly 100 points to .429 and winning tournament most valuable player honors.

Alemany (6-4), on the other hand, lost key players Bill Scott and Jason Westemeir to injury and promptly dropped three consecutive games.

Suarez, who was hitless in four at-bats, led off the first with a walk and scored when Cory Briggs launched a 2-and-2 pitch by Alemany’s Clint McKay into the wind and over the left field fence.

In the second, the Indians sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs, chasing Palmdale freshman Matt Harrington.

The inning started when second baseman Manny Yanis, the Falcon starter, committed the first of his three errors on a grounder by Torres. McDaniel replaced Yanis at second in the seventh.

The Falcons tied the score, 6-6, in the fourth and the lead changed hands four times more.

Briggs hit a run-scoring double in the fourth inning, walked twice, and scored three runs, but he popped out to end the game with Yanis on first base.

Freshman Edgar Merino had a two-run double, a single and a run-scoring sacrifice fly for Alemany. Dominique had a run-scoring single and a two-run double, scoring twice.

“It was a very good high school game and a great game to watch as a coach, other than my heart stopping and the holes in my stomach,” said Alemany Coach Tim Browne.