Venice pulls out 9-8 win over Sylmar on walk-off single in eighth inning

“Unreal.”

That was Canon King’s reaction as he crossed home plate in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday night to score the winning run on a walk-off single from Jesse Dominguez to give Venice a 9-8 comeback win over Sylmar and a spot in Saturday’s City Section Open Division championship game against El Camino Real at Dodger Stadium.

King went five for five on the night at Cal State Northridge and tied the score with an RBI double. The Gondoliers then loaded the bases with none out before Dominguez ended it with a single to left.

“It felt amazing,” King said after running out to congratulate Dominguez for his walk-off hit.

Three times, top-seeded Venice had to launch rallies, down 4-0, tying it 4-4, down 7-4, tying it 7-7, then down 8-7 in the eighth before winning it.

Players in the dugout afterward were overjoyed. Venice hasn’t won a City Section upper division title since 1973 and to get to play at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. is particularly satisfying for a team that has 16 seniors on its roster. El Camino Real is a nine-time champion.

The Gondoliers repeatedly showed their grit. Even after Sylmar took an 8-7 lead in the top of the eighth on a wild pitch, the top of the order delivered, starting with a double from Eli Altamirano.