Burke Has Key Hit in Eighth as Vigilantes Beat Sonoma

It’s hard to think of Sunday’s Western Baseball League game as crucial for the Vigilantes, since this is only the first week of the season’s second half.

But Mission Viejo had dropped three straight to first-half winner Chico, and was facing Sonoma County, the team the Vigilantes must finish ahead of to have a shot at the playoffs.

To the satisfaction of the Vigilantes, and an announced crowd of 1,378 at Saddleback College, Mission Viejo squeezed out a 3-2 victory over the Crushers. It was Sonoma’s first loss in the second half after three victories; Mission Viejo is 2-3.

Alan Burke’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning off Tony Coscia (7-2) snapped a 1-1 tie. Sam Voita, who opened the inning with a pinch-hit single, went to third on Kendrick Davis’ single to right-center, and scored on Burke’s hit. Davis also scored on the play. He went to third on Burke’s hit and scored when center fielder Vernon Spearman’s throw bounced into the Vigilantes’ dugout.

That run proved pivotal as Vigilante reliever Bret Grebe gave up an RBI triple to Steve Deitz in the ninth. But with runners on first and third and one out, Grebe got John Casey to hit into a game-ending double play for his fifth save.

Just as important to Burke, Mission Viejo did not waste a strong effort from starter John Homan (six innings, one run) and reliever Josh Belovsky (3-1), who pitched two innings for the victory.

“There are so many aspects to baseball--pitching, defense and hitting. And we haven’t always gotten all three working in a game this season,” said Burke, who has 52 RBIs.

“We haven’t always been a confident team. But we have to be a scrappy team to win. We’re not going to go out and hit six home runs in a game.”

Considering the pounding the Mission Viejo staff took in the four-game series with Chico, Homan provided a big lift in his first start this season. He walked four, but gave up four hits and struck out two before giving way to Belovsky.

Manny Gagliano broke up the scoreless duel between Homan and Coscia in the fifth, slamming his ninth home run over the left field fence.

Sonoma tied it in the sixth. The Crushers loaded the bases on two hits and a walk, and Eric White’s sacrifice fly to center scored Johnny Casey.

Notes

Former Vigilante right-hander Mike Parisi, who was traded to Pacific, decided not to report to the Suns and was granted his release. Mission Viejo will have to give Pacific a player to be named later sometime this week. Meanwhile Parisi has joined the Crushers.