Early exit in playoff opener for Angelenos baseball team
GLENDALE — All season long, no deficit seemed too daunting for the Glendale Angelenos baseball team to overcome.
There was no reason for that to change in the Angelenos first-ever playoff game in the first round of the California Collegiate Summer League playoffs Thursday night with the East L.A. Dodgers at Stengel Field.
It seemed the Angelenos were on the cusp of proving that, as they heated up and got leadoff runners on in each of the final three innings. Some base running miscues cooled it right back off in a 3-1 loss that ended its season in the single elimination opener.
“I just think guys were asleep,” Glendale Coach Tony Riviera said. “I think we took things for granted... There were huge mental mistakes.”
The Angelenos (26-9) struggled at the plate all game after a delayed start when the previous game between the Long Beach Legends and Ventura Pirates was suspended headed into the 14th inning at about 7:30 p.m. Glendale, which didn’t get underway until about an hour after its originally scheduled time of 7, was one for 13 at the dish with runners on base.
The loss came three days after they defeated the Dodgers, 9-2, on Monday.
In the seventh, Glendale chased the East L.A. starting pitcher with two leadoff singles from John Schwer (two for four) and Alec Strain.
Without even the ball being put in play, Dodgers reliever Anthony Chavez recorded an out with a pickoff of the lead runner at second base. A few pitches later, Strain was gunned down in an attempt to steal second and a strikeout on a debated foul-tip call ended the inning.
After a leadoff single from Julian Jarrard and two fielder’s choice grounders, another Glendale runner was picked off at first base to end the eighth inning.
Sergio Plasencia drew a full-count walk to begin the Angelenos final at-bats. He stole second with one out and then scored on a single to shortstop from Schwer, who moved to second on a throwing error. A foul out near the first base fence ended the contest.
Perhaps an interruption to Glendale’s warm-up routine is what cost the Angelenos. Their game was scheduled to start at 7 p.m., but didn’t get underway until about 7:50 when the previous game went into the 14th inning before being suspended in favor of getting the home-team bout underway, as lights at Stengel shut off around 10:15.
“The late start has a huge impact,” Riviera said. “They’re here at 4 p.m. for a 7 o’clock game and they don’t start until 7:50. Even so, (the Dodgers) had the same disadvantage.”
Pitching wise, it took the Angelenos an inning to settle down after being rushed into action. East L.A. adjusted on the fly well, its first two batters reached on a leadoff Devon Schermerhorn single, hit by pitch and then scored on a Paul Aldape chop single over third base.
Aaron Correa drove in the Dodgers other run with a run-scoring, two-out single in the top of the fifth. East L.A. (24-13) left a total of nine runners on base in the game.
Glendale struggled at the plate all night, as it went one for 12 with runners on base. Kevin Lopez dazzled on the mound for East L.A. He allowed just four hits, one walk and struck out eight through the first six innings.