Behind a gutsy outing from Darin Gillies, strong relief work
from Jacob Eichhorn and clutch hitting from Trevor Fabing and Kyle
Zozaya, the ‘Balers took a commanding lead in the TCAL Saturday
with a 6-4 victory over Palma, and now have a three-game cushion
with just five games to go
SALINAS
Much has changed since the last time San Benito and Palma met up.
The two Tri-County Athletic League rivals split their previous two contests earlier this season and seemed destined to meet in Saturday’s rubber match without much difference in the loss column.
But with the Chieftains previously dropping games to Gilroy and Salinas, the Haybalers were in an enviable position: Win, and push your biggest rival back to a near-insurmountable deficit in the TCAL.
“There was a sense of urgency on our part,” manager Michael Luna said. “We put a two-spot up in the first, but when they put up a three-spot in the bottom of the first, we didn’t panic. They had been there before and with six innings left in the game, my guys believed …”
Much has changed, but San Benito’s dominance of Palma on the road – the ‘Balers haven’t lost to the Chieftains in Salinas since April 12, 2005 – well, that much has stayed the same.
Behind a gutsy outing from Darin Gillies, strong relief work from Jacob Eichhorn and clutch hitting from Trevor Fabing and Kyle Zozaya, the ‘Balers took a commanding lead in the TCAL Saturday with a 6-4 victory over Palma, and now have a three-game cushion with just five games to go.
“It’s big,” said Eichhorn, who threw two shutout innings of relief and allowed two hits. “We have the hammer on everyone.”
Palma, Gilroy and Salinas all sit tied for second in league with matching 9-4 records, while San Benito’s 12-1 mark stands high and mighty atop the TCAL, which now moves to its single-game schedule for the remainder of the season.
“It looks pretty good for us,” Luna said.
And the last three innings of Saturday’s game showcased just how the ‘Balers built a three-game lead. With the game knotted at 4-all heading to the top half of the fifth, San Benito displayed timely hitting and superior pitching.
Case in point, following Steve Cabral’s theft of second base, Fabing ripped the first pitch he saw off reliever Tucker Minor, a two-out fastball into left field that plated Cabral all the way from second and broke the 4-4 tie.
“I was looking for a fastball,” Fabing said. “I knew he was going to throw a fastball, so I went after it.”
The hit was especially satisfying for Fabing, who said his two previous at-bats were rather frustrating despite the fact that each produced runs for the ‘Balers.
In the first, following a Zozaya RBI single up the middle, Fabing beat out a bases-loaded double-play attempt at first that scored Ramiro Chapa from third base. Later in the third, Fabing came up with the bases loaded for a second time and reached first base via error, scoring Chapa once again.
But there was no denying Fabing’s laser into left in the fifth, which provided San Benito with the go-ahead run, and the eventual game-winner.
“I just wanted to get that run in,” Fabing said.
San Benito wasn’t done with the heroics just yet, though. In the home half of the fifth, Palma threatened to tie the game at 5-all when it loaded the bases with two outs. But the starter Gillies (5IP, 3H, 4R, 6BB, 1HBP, 4K) delivered a fist-pumping strikeout of Garrett Schwartz with a high 3-2 fastball.
“It’s a playoff atmosphere and you always want to be in those situations,” Gillies said afterward, thwarting Palma’s best and last chance to take the lead.
“I just wanted to get him swinging. The guys behind me, they were making plays behind me all game. I wanted to get the guy swinging and let the guys behind me do what they do.”
Schwartz swung all right, but missed. When asked if he thought Schwartz swung at ball four, Gillies responded, “If he wouldn’t have swung.”
The ‘Balers added insurance in the sixth when Zozaya golfed a low fastball off his laces and into center field, scoring Ricky Garcia from third and giving San Benito a much-needed two-run lead going into the final frame.
“That was big. It’s one thing going into the seventh inning with a run lead, but it’s even bigger with a two-run lead,” said Eichhorn (2IP, 2H, 0R, 1K), who threw the sixth and seventh innings. “You know you have that big of a lead, so you pitch to contact and make them hit it.”
Despite dealing with the meat of Palma’s order, including Tyler Kofman who belted a game-tying two-out homer in the seventh inning the last time against San Benito, Eichhorn threw inside on each Chieftain hitter and closed out the victory with three ground balls.
The final inning saw a 10-minute delay when the home plate umpire took a foul ball off his chin (the umpire later said he was all right), but Eichhorn said he felt no effects from the stoppage in play.
“I just knew I had to come back, get another strike and get the out,” he said.
San Benito (20-4-1) will look to keep its comfortable three-game lead when it hosts Alisal (2-11 TCAL, 3-19) Tuesday at 4 p.m. Steve Cabral is expected to start.
“Three games with five games left,” Gillies said. “We’re in a good spot.”
The ‘Balers in a good spot late in the season? Maybe much hasn’t changed.
Notes:
San Benito defeated Everett Alvarez 10-0 Friday behind starting pitcher Kyle Vallejo (4IP, 1H, 0R, 7K) and an eight-run fourth inning. Tyler Provost was 2-for-3 and Steve Cabral added two hits.
“Kyle Vallejo threw really well,” manager Michael Luna said. “He was competing with all three of his pitches, especially his breaking ball.”
Bret Furtado (1IP, 0H, 2BB, 2K), who made his 2009 debut on the mound since returning from both knee and elbow injuries from earlier this season, was strong in his return and supplies San Benito with a lefty arm in the rotation.
SANB – 202 011 0 – 6 5 1
PALM – 300 100 0 – 4 5 2
WP: D. Gillies
LP: C. De la Santos
