After Rocky Start, Chico Tops Vigilantes

The Vigilantes, who had won six in a row and 10 of their last 12 games, were cooled Thursday by the struggling Chico Heat, 11-3, at Saddleback College.

The victory ended the Heat’s five-game losing streak. Both teams are 1-1 in the second half of Western Division play in the Western Baseball League.

Jeff Sobkoviak, who has a 5-0 record, left the game after four batters because of a stiff shoulder.

The Vigilantes’ first three batters hit safely, including all-star Alan Burke’s two-run double, but Mission Viejo got only five hits the rest of the game.

Kirk Irvine gave the runs back in the third inning. He walked two and gave up a home run to Ken Shamburg, who has hit three of his four homers at Saddleback.

Though Irvine struggled occasionally, he also had his moments as he pitched out of trouble and probably deserved a better fate than giving up eight runs (seven earned). But Michael Moore’s cautious attempt on a line drive to center field led to two runs that gave the Heat a 6-3 lead.

“I could have come in and dived, but if it gets by me, the flood gates open,” Moore said. “Should have, could have, would have. . . .”

The flood came anyway.

Irvine departed after a single, RBI double and Moore’s error at the wall on a fly ball--all with two outs of the seventh--made it an 8-3 game. Irvine finished with eight strikeouts.

Reliever John Homan’s luck wasn’t much better. Nate Palmer reached first base after striking out on a wild pitch. After Burke’s error at first, Justin Mashore--brother of Angel right fielder Damon Mashore--homered.

The Vigilantes’ offense was no better than its defense when it counted. With Sobkoviak out of the game, reliever Josh Montgomery (3-0) retired 14 of 16, The Vigilantes also hit into two double plays, and Burke was thrown out at the plate to end the sixth inning.

Manny Gagliano had the only other RBI for the Vigilantes, a sacrifice fly that scored Burke in the first.

“It was just a bad game,” Moore said. “We’ll see how we respond [today]; we didn’t execute and weren’t on top of our game.”