First-place Angelenos best Montebello Stars
GLENDALE — Sam Frakes is all for showing his versatility on the mound for the Glendale Angelenos.
The right-hander spent the first half of the season as a relief pitcher before making the switch to starter.
Frakes provided a quality start Friday night, as he struck out seven and scattered three hits over six innings to spark host Glendale to a 13-2 victory against the Montebello Stars in a California Collegiate Summer League contest at Stengel Field.
“I was looking to get one more quality start before heading into the playoffs,” said Frakes, who helped the Angelenos recently win the league’s North Division championship and wrap up a berth in the league’s postseason. “I went out there wanting to go six innings and that’s exactly what I did.
“I feel good having made the transition to starter. It took about two starts before things settled in.”
Frakes encountered some difficulty in the first inning, loading the bases with no outs. However, he limited the damage by allowing a sacrifice fly to left by Nathaniel Acosta to make it 1-0.
The Angelenos (23-8) tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the first on a run-scoring double to left by John Schwer to score Scott Hong with two outs. Julian Jarrard then singled to left to score Schwer and give Glendale a 2-1 lead.
“I was able to get out of that and then the guys picked me up with those two runs,” Frakes said. “That helped set the tone the rest of the game.”
Glendale Manager Tony Riviera said Frakes settled down as the game progressed.
“He brings some confidence to his game,” Riviera said. “He’s got that ability to make adjustments.”
Glendale scored a pair of runs in the second to extend its lead to 4-1. A bunt single by Sergio Placentia scored Alek Strain to make it 3-1 before Dylan Trimarchi scored on a passed ball to pad the lead to 4-1.
A sacrifice fly to center by Sako Chapjian scored Hong to extend Glendale’s advantage to 5-1.
Placentia collected a run-scoring infield single to shortstop to score Hong to make it 6-1 in the sixth. Schwer followed with a run-scoring single to left to bring home Placentia to pad the advantage at 7-1.
Glendale also added a run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly to left by Max Fescke to make it 8-1.
Tony Iezza scored on a wild pitch in the seventh for the Angelenos to extend the lead to 9-1.
Montebello (9-18-2) closed to within 9-2 in the eighth. Glendale scored then three runs on a pair of errors to take a 13-2 lead in the eighth.
Scott Hong had three of Glendale’s nine stolen bases. The Angelenos finished with 15 hits.
The league playoffs will be held Thursday through Aug. 3 at Stengel Field. The participants will be the Angelenos and Ventura Pirates from the North Division and the East L.A. Dodgers and Long Beach Legends from the South Division.
Riviera said playoff matchups will be determined Tuesday.
