It’s All Pain and Gain for Palmdale

Palmdale High didn’t take one for the team.

Instead, the Falcons took several for the team, getting plunked six times by Highland pitchers in a Golden League baseball game Wednesday at Highland.

Palmdale wasn’t hurting when the final out was recorded, brushing away bumps and bruises to defeat Highland, 9-6.

Palmdale (11-4, 5-1 in league play) vaulted ahead of Highland (9-4, 5-2) and into a first-place tie with Lancaster (11-5, 5-1).

Highland’s pitching was erratic.

In addition to the half-dozen beaned batters, the Bulldogs surrendered seven walks, 10 hits, three wild pitches, a throwing error on a pick-off play and a balk.

Starter Tommy Gonzales entered with a 4-1 record but exited after only 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs, hitting three batters and walking five.

It took all of two minutes for the bad omens to surface for Highland. Gonzales drilled the first batter he faced, Tyrone Culver.

The Falcons didn’t seem to mind. There were a few grim-faced stares as they hobbled one after the other to first base, but that was all.

“I would have really been upset if I thought [Highland] was doing it on purpose,” Palmdale Coach Lance Pierson said. “They just had trouble finding the zone. Our players were getting a little frustrated, but I thought they handled it well.”

Said Highland Coach Mike Van Cheri: “We played horrible baseball today, no doubt about it. We handed them the game on a silver platter with all the baserunners we gave them.”

Palmdale scored three times in the first inning on a walk, an error, three wild pitches, a passed ball and another error.

The Falcons took a 5-0 lead in the second inning in similar fashion, taking advantage of an error, a hit batter, a walk and a two-run single by Matt Harrington.

It could have been worse--the Falcons stranded 15 runners.

“I’m very aware of that,” Pierson said. “We’re trying to look at it as a positive. It takes a good team to get all those runners.”

Highland threatened only once, closing to within 6-4 in the fifth.

Palmdale answered with a run in the sixth and put the game out of reach in the seventh on a two-run home run by Drew Kennedy.

Kennedy transferred from Highland to Palmdale last summer.

“It feels good that this team actually gives me a shot to prove myself,” said Kennedy, a senior. “I feel like I’m at home now.”

Kennedy pitched two scoreless innings for Palmdale but was bothered by a sore shoulder. He did not pitch after the second inning, but continued to bat for the Falcons.

It wasn’t all ugly for Highland. Daniel Champieux, sidelined nearly a month with a strained ligament in his right knee, homered to left in his first at-bat.

And John Santor hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, his ninth of the year.

But the Bulldogs have lost twice to Palmdale, giving the Falcons the tiebreaker if they finish tied.

The teams play for the final time Friday at Palmdale, with Matt Parris (4-1) facing Harrington (6-0).