Vigilantes Lose Player, Win Game

The season is only two games old and the Vigilantes have already taken a big loss.

Not Saturday’s game against the Chico Heat. The Vigilantes won that, 3-2, in front of 2,891 at Saddleback College, when Eric Brooks drove in pinch-runner Mike Cowell with a single in the ninth. Cowell ran for Carl Brooks, who began the winning rally with a leadoff double.

No, the loss came before Saturday’s game when Mission Viejo learned its starting shortstop, Jesse Zepeda, signed with the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization. He was replaced on the 22-man roster by Chris Ashbach, who started at short Saturday.

Zepeda, 23, who had two hits and scored the Vigilantes’ inaugural run in Friday’s 12-5 loss to the Heat, previously played in the Detroit Tigers’ organization.

Ashbach, 22, is a graduate of Capistrano Valley High and Santa Clara University. He teaches at Mission Viejo High. He started at shortstop Saturday and had two hits.

Mission Viejo has other personnel problems. Shortstop Jose Montilla cannot play until he is cleared to receive a work permit, and Japanese players Koji Tanaka and Eiichi Udagawa were released because they could not secure permits.

“I’ve lost two shortstops in three days, and it’s no secret there are a couple of other players here on the bubble,” Manager Buck Rodgers said.

If that wasn’t enough, Vigilante starting pitcher Mark Tranberg, who gave up a walk and two hits in the first inning for a run, had to leave after 22 pitches because of a right shoulder strain.

John Homan, who Rodgers originally planned to use by the sixth inning depending on the situation, was pressed into service. Homan pitched a credible five innings, giving up three hits and striking out three.

But one of those hits was an RBI double by Matt Davis in the sixth. Davis’ liner to left chased home Wes Hawkins, who walked and stole second.

Mission Viejo could not do much with Chico starter Paul Runyan, who contained the Vigilantes on two singles.

But in the seventh, Alan Burke got Mission Viejo even with a two-run homer, his first, off Heat reliever Pete Magre.

Brook’s hit made a winner of Kirt Kishita (1-0), who pitched three scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out five.