BY MARK MAY | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
SAN JUAN – With edge-of-your-seat drama, the PSJA Bears were down a run with the bases loaded with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday night in Game 1 of a bi-district playoff.
Cesar Cantu’s long flyout to Julio Taboada in center field ended the game and the Laredo United Longhorns had a come-from-behind 4-3 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Two batters earlier, pinch hitter Noah Herrera nearly won it for the Bears with a deep ball to left center field that bounced off the wall for a double. The hit moved Jacob Sanchez to third base. The Longhorns (17-14-1) intentionally walked Juan Zambrano to load the bases, setting up Cantu’s opportunity.
Game 2 will be at 7 tonight at Laredo United’s Uni-Trade Stadium. Game 3, if necessary, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Roma High School. Right-hander Juan Zambrano will pitch for the Bears while the ‘Horns counter with left-hander Oscar Cuello tonight.
The Bears (22-6-1) came in ranked 53rd in the state but saw their 11-game win streak come to an end. They stranded 10 runners and had two runners thrown out at the plate in tight plays in the fourth and sixth innings.
“They were aggressive,” United coach Rudy Saldivar said. “(Both times) It’s a bang-bang play that goes our way.”
Bears’ coach Marco Guajardo lamented the missed opportunities.
“We left some runners on base, which we shouldn’t have done,” he said. “We had a runner on third (a lead-off triple in the third inning by Devon De Leon) which we couldn’t bring in. There’s no excuses. We just couldn’t come through with our sticks.”
PSJA senior Trey Guajardo (1 for 4, 3 RBIs) slammed a three-run double in the second inning to put the Bears in front 3-0. However, the ‘Horns scored one run in the fourth and three in the sixth to overtake PSJA, 4-3, and hold on for the dramatic win.
“When we get a three-run double, usually, we don’t lose,” coach Guajardo said.
“The key for us was staying with it,” Saldivar said. “We were making good contact and it was just a matter of time.”
Bears’ starter Ezequiel Marroquin pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits, four runs and four walks while striking out six batters. Elian Gonzalez relieved Marroquin in the sixth and pitched 1 1/3 innings of hitless ball.
United pitcher Adrian Castillo got the win by tossing six innings, giving up eight hits, three runs and four walks while fanning three.
A throwing error proved crucial for United in the sixth inning. With two runners on base, Cuello, batting in the DH spot, bunted the ball toward the pitcher but ended up at third on the error with two runners scoring to tie the game 3-3. Cuello scored the winning run two batters later on Alan Villarreal’s blooper to left field.
The Bears managed to get the potential tying run to third base in the sixth and seventh innings but could not bring him home either time.