Gomez leads Glendale Angelenos to division win

GLENDALE — At the plate and on the mound, Hector Gomez found comfort while enjoying a big outing.

Gomez, a member of the Glendale Angelenos, showed his value on Thursday night by turning in a quality effort in each department.

Gomez finished with three hits and picked up the win on the mound by tossing three scoreless innings to lift host Glendale to a 6-2 victory against the Montebello Stars in a California Collegiate Summer League North Division contest at Stengel Field.

Gomez was especially pleased with his pitching performance, the first the right-hander had made since March while playing for Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“We are a little short right now with our pitching, so I wanted to go out there and put up some zeros and help out the bullpen,” said Gomez, who struck out four between the fifth and seventh innings. “I know I have to go out there and be ready to contribute anyway I can.

“To win a division game like this gives it even more meaning.”

Glendale improved to 8-3, 4-0 in the division. Montebello dropped to 3-5-1, 2-4. Glendale registered a 2-0 home win against Montebello on Wednesday.

Montebello took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring single by Alex Campos off Angelenos starting pitcher Carl Daniels.

Glendale struck right back with a pair of runs in its half of the first. Ruben Padilla hit a run-scoring double to tie it at 1 before scoring on an error by the left fielder to make it 2-1.

The Angelenos made it 3-1 in the second on an infield run-scoring single by Bobby Stahel. A run-scoring double to right by Gomez gave the Angelenos a 4-1 advantage.

“I haven’t been getting a lot of inside pitches, so you go up there and take the approach of serving the ball the other way,” said Gomez, who finished with a two singles, a double and a run scored in four plate appearances after beginning the contest at first base before relieving Daniels.

Montebello sliced the deficit to 4-2 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right by Ben Perez.

The Angelenos, who were an independent team last season, scored twice in the sixth. Gomez scored on an error by the third baseman to make it 5-2. The Angelenos made it 6-2 on a double play.

Stahel, a center fielder from USC, reached base safely three times. He recorded two hits, a walk and stolen base.

“My biggest asset to the game is speed,” Stahel said. “It puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher.

“The pitcher has to watch you and throw strikes at the same time. It was huge to come back in the bottom of the first and get those two runs because the momentum turned in our favor.”

The game featured six double plays. Glendale turned four of them. The Angelenos recorded double plays in the first, second, third and sixth.

Glendale relievers Julian Jarrard and Ryan Barbarin pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively.

The Angelenos finished with 11 hits and limited the Stars to six.