By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald
MISSION — Los Fresnos has relied on solid pitching and defense all season, but it just wasn’t there in a crucial game against Mission High.
The Falcons struggled on the mound and defensively and the Eagles took advantage with an offensive outburst in a 12-2, 5-inning victory in Game 1 of a Class 6A area series Thursday at Leo Alaniz baseball field.
“I just think we weren’t focused enough and ready to go,” Los Fresnos coach Rene Morales said. “That’s part of it, but you’ve got to take your hat off, (Mission High) came out and swung the bats and did the little things right.”
Mission High took a 4-1 lead in the second inning due to a pair of Los Fresnos errors, got the bats going and posted a pair of four-run innings in the fourth and fifth to end Game 1 early and take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 is tonight at 7 p.m. at Los Fresnos.
Los Fresnos pitchers Cristian Hernandez, Victor Montemayor and Alex Salas had their troubles for the start and combined to throw five innings and allow 12 runs on nine hits, walked four, struck out five and had four hit batsmen.
“We got every break (Thursday), we had some balls that fell in right field,” Mission High coach Rick Lozano said. “Some bloopers that fell in, the first baseman dropped the ball … we took advantage of it.
“We jumped on their mistakes.”
The Falcons also had a tough day at the plate as Eagles starter Eddie Rodriguez kept them off-balanced and went the distance, allowed two runs, scattered three hits, walked one and struck out 11 and had a pair of hit batsmen to earn the win.
“Eddie did a great job on the mound,” Lozano said.
Los Fresnos played differently early on and took a 1-0 lead with a run in its first at-bat as Hugo Sanchez came through with a two-out RBI single to left field.
Mission High quickly tied the game at 1 in the bottom half of the first inning. Andy Martinez led of the inning with a single, stole second and third and came home as the throw to third was overthrown.
One inning later, the Eagles brought in three more runs on a pair of Falcons errors and took a 4-1 advantage.
In the third, Los Fresnos got one back on an RBI double by JJ Sanchez, but still trailed 4-2.
Mission High got its bats going in the fourth with RBI singles by Martinez and Yayo Cardoza and a two-run single by Eddie Rodriguez to push the lead to 8-2.
In the fifth with two outs, the Eagles had a pair of hit batsmen and a walk to load up the bases. Rodriguez brought in a run when he was hit by a pitch to push the lead to 9-2. Juan Garza followed with a two-run double to left and Cardoza brought another run home with a single to right to end it.
Lozano was happy to get the advantage in the series, but he was cautious knowing it just started and it could shift momentum just as easily.
“In this game, you never know, so it feels good to get Game 1, but (today) we have to go over there,” he said. “They’re a good ball club, a good-coached ball club and we know that. Hopefully we can convert on their mistakes like we did (Thursday) … take advantage of their mistakes.”
Morales didn’t let his guys put their heads down because anything can happen in a three-game series.
“I told them to stay confident and we have another game (today),” he said. “That’s why it’s a two-out-of-three series and if we win (today), we’ll see what Game 3 brings. (Thursday) was not our night, it didn’t matter what we did. You have to give (Mission High) credit, they swung the bat and did everything they had to do to win.”
To bounce back, the Falcons simply need to do what they’ve done all season.
“We’re going to have to play better defense and throw strikes,” Morales said. “Do the little things we’ve been doing all season long, little things we didn’t do (Thursday).”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.