MidValleySports.Com

Baldwin Park's Ryan Dominguez picked up the save

By Corey Kwok

(Baldwin Park) – Freshmen Timothy Wells and Jordan Palacio came through in the clutch in the fourth and sixth innings, combining to deliver all three Baldwin Park runs to lead the Braves to a 3-2 win over Wilson Thursday in Valle Vista League action.

The Braves, mixed in a strong six innings from pitcher Eddie Gutierrez (4 hits, 2 runs-unearned) with two pickoffs and support from a gritty defense that wheeled three consecutive double plays to pick up the victory.

Baldwin Park improved to 5-5 in league and kept its playoff hopes alive.

Wilson’s Steven Baltierra put on a gritty performance on the mound to keep the Wildcats in the game but it wasn’t enough.

Wilson safely landed 4 of their first 5 batters in the first inning but squeezed out only one run. Shane Miller took the game’s first pitch for a double to right-center before moving to third and scoring as a double play throw to third base from first flew off the mark.

Baldwin Park went ahead the first time around in its half of the fourth. Fernando Gonzalez singled to left and arrived at second on a sacrifice bunt by Alejandro Natividad before being picked up as Wells bounced a double over the left fielder to tie the score 1-1. Wells in turn was delivered with a sun-aided long RBI single to right by Palacio, and the Braves led 2-1 into the fifth.

Patrick Higashi led off the sixth for Wilson and reached safely as his slow roller to first was misplayed before a Brandon Chung bunt and passed ball set him up to score and tie it up 2-2 on Adam Vasquez’s gapper to shallow center.

Natividad led off with a single in the sixth and was pinch-ran by Ryan Cruz, who moved on Eric Sanchez’ sacrifice before scoring the eventual game winner on a long base hit to left by Wells.

Ryan Dominguez arrived in the seventh to close for the Braves and allowed a walk and single with two outs before earning his second save of the season when a runner going to third was fooled by an apparent wild pitch that catcher Andrew Valles recovered and threw to Palacio for the last out of the game.

W    1    0    0    0    1    0    0    –    2    5    1

BP   0    0    0    2    0    1    x    –    3    8    3

W: Baltierra – Adam Ramos

BP: Gutierrez, Dominguez (7) – Valles

Doubles-BP (1): Wells

Doubles-Wilson (2): Miller and Baltierra

W – Gutierrez (6-2); Save — Dominguez (2)

L – Baltierra (3-6)

Baldwin Park 12-11 / 5-5 league

Wilson 5-11 / 3-7 league