Martin Gutierrez threw a complete game victory
(South El Monte) – Martin Gutierrez went the distance and struck out 8 to lead South El Monte to a 7-2 win over El Monte Friday in Mission Valley League action.
Gutierrez wasn’t dominant but he got the job done. He walked six but allowed just two hits. Both El Monte runs were unearned.
South scored a run in the first on a triple by Manny Pantoja and a wild pitch. After El Monte scored two in the third South came back to take command with four in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the third, A.J. Jaramillo led off for the Lions and drew a walk before advancing on a wild pitch. With one out, Casey Lopez hit a sharp ground ball to second. The ball was fielded cleanly but then threw wildly by the first baseman and Jaramillo scored, with Lopez taking third. He then scored on an infield hit by Antonio Ruiz.
The Lion lead was short lived however as the Eagles responded in the bottom half. Brian Villa singled and Gutierrez walked. Eduardo “Lalo” Acevedo reached on a fielder’s choice and Ramon Benavidez singled to left for a run. After Mark Acosta hit a sacrifice fly, Matt Nguyen’s grounder to short was booted and another run scored. Eric Villa rapped one into center to plate the fourth run of the inning.
South added two more in the fifth when Robert Llamas was hit by a pitch and Eric Villa walked. Both runners advanced and then scored on a base hit by Brian Villa.
Gutierrez did the rest and finished it off. El Monte had runners on in the fifth and the sixth and two on in the seventh but couldn’t capitalize.
Manual Santa Cruz started and went four and one-third for the Lions before Lopez came on and went the rest of the way.
Villa (Brian) was three for three for the Eagles with a run scored and 2 RBIs. Llamas had two hits and scored a run.
South El Monte improved to 5-2 in the MVL with the victory to remain tied for first. El Monte dropped to 3-4 in league.
EM 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
SEM 1 0 4 0 2 0 7
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