Burroughs High baseball holds on versus Pasadena
PASADENA — There was no lack of opportunities for either the visiting Burroughs High baseball team or Pasadena in Pacific League play Tuesday afternoon.
What both teams were short on in a three 3 hour, 13-minute game was key contributions.
Despite lacking in a few areas, though, the Indians overcame a furious Bulldogs’ five-run rally in holding on for a 7-5 victory.
“I told the guys after the game that we’re going to have one of these types games where not much goes right,” Burroughs Coach Kiel Holmes said. “The question was whether we wanted to come out with the win. Today, despite some problems, we won. We’re not satisfied with this effort, but we won and that’s what matters.”
On an afternoon in which the offense for Burroughs (8-7, 2-0 in league) batted four for 20 (.200 average) with runners in scoring position with seven strikeouts and its defense committed two errors, Indians pitchers came through in vital situations even though they also struggled at times.
Perhaps the biggest sequence came in the sixth, with surging Pasadena (8-6, 1-1) trailing, 6-5.
With one out, Bulldogs sophomore Frankie Garriola reached first on an error and then stole second.
The following batter, Alex Baer, was then intentionally walked before both batters stole a base to move into second and third against Indians reliever Luis Pereyra.
With momentum seemingly on Pasadena’s side, Pereyra bailed out his defense. The senior first induced an infield pop-up from Summer Smith before striking out Andrew Lathouwers to put down the threat.
“Honestly, I just went with my best pitch, my cutter. That’s what I felt comfortable with,” Pereyra said. “I just tried to get outs.”
An inning earlier, Pereyra helped subdue the game’s biggest uprising as Pasadena, which trailed, 6-0, entering the bottom of the fifth, scored five runs.
The Bulldogs plated three runs and placed the first six batters of the inning on base on three hits (including a two-run single from Sergio Ray), one key error, one walk and one hit batter.
Burroughs starting pitcher Daniel Barraza appeared to be tiring, but caught a brief second wind by fanning two straight Bulldogs in picking up the inning’s first two outs.
Yet, Barraza plunked Dale Urbelis to bring home a fourth run before Holmes replaced the starter with Pereyra.
“Danny’s our guy. I would have stayed with him in the inning if his pitch count wasn’t a concern,” said Holmes of Barraza, who tossed 100 pitchers in allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
While Pereyra walked Chance Cobb, which plated Pasadena’s fifth run of the inning, Burroughs kept its lead after Pereyra induced a ground out to third to end the inning.
As for Burroughs’ offense, the Indians increased a 2-0 advantage through three innings via a three-run fourth inning highlighted by a two-run single from Cameron Rodriguez that plated Chris Davies and Brian Pozos and a run-scoring double from Akira Abderrahman.
Burroughs also added some insurance in the seventh inning when Brandon Ortega singled to lead off and scored on an error.
The gaffe was one of five errors the Bulldogs committed that directly led to three runs. Overall, Pasadena also batted one of 10 with runners in scoring position, while Bulldogs pitchers walked nine batters.
“We had our chances, but just didn’t swing the bats when we needed to,” Pasadena Coach Mike Parisi said. “We walked way too many batters, we committed too many errors and didn’t take advantage of our situations.”