Valencia’s Title Charge Gets That Much Stronger With Return of Ambriz

It was fitting that Hector Ambriz returned to the Valencia lineup just in time for the Tigers to move into first in the Orange League standings.

Ambriz, a two-time league player of the year, has been nothing short of critical to Valencia’s success over the last few seasons. He returned two weeks ago after missing nearly a month with a tear of his posterior cruciate ligament.

The injury was the least serious knee ligament tear Ambriz could have suffered, Valencia Coach Mike Scheetz said, but it will require surgery after the season.

Ambriz remains somewhat hobbled. The junior, who pitches and plays first base, takes his at-bats and then leaves the game for a pinch-runner if he reaches base.

“The best he can do is jog,” Scheetz said. “But a 60% Hector Ambriz is good enough for us.”

Actually, Valencia (14-8, 8-3), which leads second-place Western (12-8-1, 7-4) by one game with two weeks left in the regular season, didn’t miss Ambriz’s .412 average and 2.28 earned-run average as much as expected.

Pitchers Robert Hernandez and Jim Voorhees each threw a no-hitter in Ambriz’s absence as Valencia overtook Western.

But that only sharpened Ambriz’s resolve for a hasty return. He pitched an inning against Katella in his first game back and then pitched two innings and picked up a victory against Long Beach Wilson in his next game.

“After Easter, he turned to me and said, ‘Coach, I’m going 10 innings this week against Western,’ ” Scheetz said. “I had already thought in my mind, I don’t think we’re going to have this guy back. But I looked at him and said, ‘You probably will.’ ”

Valencia beat Western twice that week although Ambriz didn’t live up to his 10-inning prediction. But that didn’t matter. His teammates are thrilled just to have him back in the game.

LAST-INNING CHARGE

Edison, which has won nine of its last 10 games to move within two games of first-place Esperanza in the Sunset League, has pulled out four of its last six victories in its final at-bat.

The Chargers (15-6-1, 8-3) defeated Marina, 6-4, Wednesday after an errant throw in the top of the seventh. Marcus McCutcheon scored from second on a grounder by A.J. Martinez, who then circled the bases after the pitcher threw it away trying to catch McCutcheon at third.

Edison beat Marina again Friday, 3-2, after Jarod Shwam’s two-out, bases-loaded single in the seventh drove in the tying and winning runs. The Chargers scored all three of their runs in the inning.

“Instead of going into the seventh and saying, ‘Uh-oh,’ ” Edison Coach Dave Tallman said, “we’re now saying, ‘This is our time.’ ”

LOOKING AHEAD

University, the only team that has a chance to catch Corona del Mar in the Pacific Coast League standings, could pull within a half-game of the Sea Kings with two victories this week. The Trojans (13-8-1, 7-3-1) host the Sea Kings (15-6, 10-1) today and play at Corona del Mar Friday.

Costa Mesa (13-7-1, 5-5-1) and Laguna Beach (7-13, 4-7), fighting for the league’s third automatic playoff berth, play today at Laguna Beach.

San Clemente (16-6, 7-4) gets a chance to tie Trabuco Hills (17-5, 8-3) atop the South Coast League standings Wednesday, when the Mustangs host the Tritons. The teams also play Friday at San Clemente.

Two other intriguing matchups highlight Wednesday’s schedule. Irvine (14-6, 7-4) can move closer to catching Aliso Niguel (17-4, 9-3) atop the Sea View League standings when the Vaqueros host the Wolverines, and Edison hosts Fountain Valley (14-6, 6-5).

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Correspondent Mark Alai contributed to this report.

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BASEBALL TOP 10

Orange County Sportswriters’ Poll

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Pos. School League Rec Pts 1. Esperanza (1) Sunset 19-3 60 2. Mater Dei (2) Serra 18-3 53 3. La Quinta (3) Garden Grove 21-2 49 4. Sonora (5) Freeway 19-2-1 37 5. El Dorado (4) Empire 17-5 35 6. Trabuco Hills (6) South Coast 17-5 30 7. Aliso Niguel (7) Sea View 17-4 27 8. Edison (10) Sunset 15-6-1 10 9. Cypress (8) Empire 15-7 9 10. San Clemente (NR) South Coast 16-6 6

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Others: Irvine (15-6), Villa Park (15-6), Corona del Mar (15-6), Fountain Valley (14-6), Mission Viejo (13-7-1), Westminster (18-2).

Last week’s rankings in parentheses