By Corey Kwok
(San Gabriel) – Vince Albelo threw six strong innings issuing one run on four hits as Gabrielino beat Mt. View 3-1 Wednesday. Angel Acosta sealed it shut during the seventh by striking out all three batters to record his second save. Albelo improved to 4-0.
The win shuttled GHS (11-9, 7-3) into a first place tie in the Mission Valley with South El Monte (8-6, 7-3), also 7-3 in league. This will set up a monstrous showdown between Gabrielino and the Southmen at the Swamp on Friday for sole possession of first place to begin the final round of MVL play.
The Eagles left the corners stranded in the first before taking a 2-0 lead in the second. Johnny Moreno singled up the middle, then sprinted around to third on a long Nathaniel Sarkar single to left. He then scored on a fielding blunder. Sarkar took second and advanced to third on a 4-3 groundout before being picked up on Andrew Valdez’s RBI single to the wall to make it 2-0.
In the third, Mountain View’s Hector Guzman singled to right and advanced to second on an outfield error. He moved to third when Angel Moroyoqui’s pinch to shortstop was underthrown. Randy Hernandez rolled a solid sacrifice bunt up the first base line before Felix Hernandez flew one directly into the waiting glove of right fielder Matt Lok for out number two.
Guzman took off for home but was thrown out a foot and a half from the plate as Lok fired it to first baseman Sarkar who in turn fired it to catcher Keith Clapp for an inning ending double play.
‘View scored in the fourth on a two walk, two out and one hit rally as Christian Duarte delivered Jerry Ponce from second to cut into the Eagle lead.
Gabrielino was thwarted by a force out that ended a two out rally of their own with the bases loaded but redeemed itself in the sixth for a lone insurance run. The first two batters grounded and flew out before Joey Sloane hit one off of the right field fence for a towering double. Valdez then made it 2 for 3 on the day with 2 RBIs by ripping a base hit to left.
For Gabrielino it was its second strikeout free game of the last three. The Eagles have only struck out twice in a total of 90 plate appearances within the last 19 innings.
MV 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 1 4 1
G 0 2 0 0 0 1 X – 3 8 2
MV: Felix Hernandez / Ponce
G: Albelo, A.Acosta (7th) / Clapp
HR: –
3B: –
2B: Clapp (G) solo 2 outs btm 5th; Sloane (G) solo 2 outs btm 6th
MV Ks: none; G Ks: Albelo/A. Acosta 3
MV RBIs: 1 – Duarte; G RBIs: 2 – Valdez
Win – Albelo (4-0)
Loss – F.Hernandez (NR)
Save – A. Acosta (2)
Mountain View 6-13/4-6; Gabrielino 11-9/7-3
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