Vigilantes Shut Out Pacific Suns

After losing five of six games last week to Reno and Bend, the Vigilantes got a much needed breather on Tuesday.

Before an announced crowd of 1,831 at Saddleback College, the Vigilantes breezed to a 7-0 victory over the Pacific Suns.

The Suns (11-23) played poorly on defense and were overmatched against Vigilante starter Mike Smith (3-2), who struck out a season-high 10 and gave up four hits in pitching his first complete game of the year.

“I felt real comfortable tonight,” said Smith, who struck out six consecutive batters in the first three innings. “I felt good warming up in the bullpen, but sometimes when I have a good warmup I don’t always take it out to the mound.”

Alan Burke had two hits, including a two-run homer off starter Alex Sanchez (1-1) in the Vigilantes’ three-run third. It was the first baseman’s 11th home run of the season. He has 44 RBIs. He also got hit twice, once in the helmet. Mike Moore was also hit by a pitch.

“I don’t think they were intentionally throwing at us,” Manager Buck Rodgers said. “After Alan got two hits to right field it looked like they changed their strategy and tried to throw inside more. But not many guys in this league are capable of throwing inside without being wild.”

Burke, who said he was all right, said pitchers have a right to throw inside. “But there’s a fine line between going in and going way in, and they might have gone over that line.”

Mission Viejo (16-19) chased Sanchez in the sixth, increasing the lead to 5-0 on a run-scoring single by Tim McDonnell, and a sacrifice fly by Brad Gennaro.

Before the game the Vigilantes signed outfielder Aaron Mitchell. A 1997 graduate of Trenton (N.J.) State, Mitchell signed with Sioux City in the independent Northern League but was released two weeks ago.

To make room on the 22-man roster, the Vigilantes released outfielder Dwain Bostic.