North Hollywood Loses Grip and Poly Wins, 3-2

North Hollywood High has used solid pitching and timely hitting in its run to respectability in the Valley Pac-8 Conference.

However, the defense could use a little work. That much was apparent when the Huskies committed four errors, including two critical drops in the seventh inning, in a 3-2 loss to Poly on Wednesday.

It was the first of six games for North Hollywood against Poly and Sylmar, traditionally the best teams in the East Valley League.

North Hollywood (16-3, 7-1 in league play) has joined them at the top this season.

For six innings, it appeared the Huskies would survive behind the pitching of Cesar Soto, who allowed two hits and threw just 61 pitches while holding a 2-1 lead.

But the defense would betray him in the seventh inning. Gustavo Banuelos hit a ground ball to shortstop Jerrit Redlich but first baseman Merrill Dunn dropped Redlich’s low throw.

The Parrots managed to get Juan Flores to second base with two out but the game appeared over when pinch-hitter Jaron Brignac hit a grounder to third baseman Jose Avila.

But Dunn dropped another low throw and Flores scored from second to tie the score.

“You don’t catch the ball, you pay the consequences,” Dunn said.

After Brignac stole second, he scored on a single by Jorge Garcia.

Redlich drew a one-out walk for the Huskies in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Ismael Rangsiyawong, North Hollywood’s hottest hitter, hit a hard bouncer back to Banuelos (5-4) for a game-ending double play.

It touched off a raucous celebration by the Parrots (12-9, 7-1), who acted as if they had won a playoff game.

“This was a big win for us,” Banuelos said. “We’re still a young team and this was a playoff-type game.”

Poly, which lost its first five games, started three sophomores and a freshman against the Huskies but Poly Coach Chuck Schwal wasn’t amused by the reaction.

“I’m sure they figured they were going to lose since they were behind and we were playing a ranked team,” Schwal said. “But they need to know that we should beat North Hollywood, no matter what their record is.”

Soto (3-1) finished with a four-hitter and three strikeouts without a walk. All three runs were unearned. Poly scored on an error by Avila and a throwing error by second baseman Rangsiyawong in the third inning.

“This wasn’t his loss,” Dunn said. “This was a team loss.”

Banuelos gave up five hits and struck out six for Poly.

The Huskies took a 1-0 lead when Redlich walked, took third on a double by Rangsiyawong and scored on a sacrifice by Abraham Montiel.

North Hollywood took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Avila, stole third and scored on a wild throw by Poly catcher Gil Pelayo.