BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — There are unexpected heroes, and then there is what Valley View had on Tuesday: two players hitting their first career home runs on the same night, one a walk-off grand slam.
The Valley View Tigers got that walk-off blast from senior catcher Felipe Chavez, giving them a 7-3 victory over the Sharyland High Rattlers in District 31-5A action at Valley View.
“This is a very important win for us,” Chavez said in Spanish. “This win helps us in district, and Sharyland is a very tough team that always gives us a good fight.”
After Sharyland tied the game at three in the top of the seventh, Valley View knew what was needed.
“We had to win it at that point,” said senior shortstop Ricardo Sanchez, who led off the seventh with a single. “Especially because that pitcher (Omar Martinez), he is our friend. He used to play with us. So in my head, it was me against him. We just went at it, and I had a good feeling going into it.”
Sharyland senior reliever Martinez was already in trouble after one batter. Senior left fielder Jared Ornelas was up next, and he showed bunt on the first pitch. But once he saw a curveball up in the zone, he belted it over the shortstop’s head for a single. Senior third baseman Edilberto Reyes followed with another first-pitch single to load the bases.
“It was the first time in my career that I was in that position,” Chavez said. “I wasn’t even thinking home run. I had never hit one in my career. I was just thinking about having a good at-bat and helping my team.”
Chavez deposited the ball over the wall in left-center field to give the Tigers the win.
“It was the best feeling in my life,” Chavez said. “It was the best feeling I have ever had. I was so happy, because we won.”
“Felipe is great at hitting the ball to the gaps,” Valley View coach Mario Gonzalez said in Spanish. “He has been working hard, but even with all of that, it was a great surprise to see him hit that home run.”
The Rattlers are much improved in their second year under coach Barton Bickerton.
“Playing Sharyland has a special meaning, because they are team with a lot of tradition and success,” Gonzalez said. “We knew coming in that they are one of the best teams in our district. They are a team that has improved a lot from last year to this year. We have a lot of respect for that team. But our guys did the things they needed to do to get the win.”
The Rattlers looked to be in control early on, as they got on the board first in the second inning.
Junior third baseman Juan Lopez came up with the bases empty and two outs. He drove the second pitch of the at-bat for a single, and then stole second. Martinez, who was playing in left at the time, hit a single just deep enough to score Lopez.
The game settled down from there, as Sharyland pitcher Lalo Salinas found his groove.
“He was controlling the batters with that curveball,” Sanchez said. “We were just hitting pop-ups. We weren’t connecting. He is a good pitcher.”
Salinas went 5 2/3, finishing with six strike outs, four hits, three walks and three runs.
Things picked back up in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Orenlas led off the inning and worked the count to 3-1 before getting a fastball right down the middle.
“Right off the bat, I thought it was a triple,” Ornelas said. “I didn’t even see it go over the wall until I was coming into second.”
Ornelas hit the first home run he has ever hit for the Tigers, or at any level. He hasn’t even hit one in batting practice before.
“I just wanted to help the team get back into the game,” Ornelas said.
“He is a great hitter, and he is very consistent,” Gonzalez said. “He had good balance, and he had a good at-bat. He hit the ball really well.”
“Not even in a dream could I imagine that,” Sanchez added. “It just happens. It’s baseball.”
“We were playing a little cautiously because we didn’t want to lose,” Chavez said. “But, once Jared hit that home run, it lifted up the team, and we just stated playing.”
But the work wasn’t done just yet. Chavez was next, hitting a double off the wall in right-center. Second baseman Fernando Rodriguez followed with a triple, scoring Chavez. Senior first baseman Esteban Palomo reached on a hit-by-pitch, putting runners at the corners. Salinas balked, advancing both runners and allowing a third run to score.
Salinas struggled after the third run came home, loading the bases, but sophomore Chase Gerlach came in and got the Rattlers out of the inning.
Lopez led off the top of the seventh with a double for Sharyland. Martinez followed and hit a ball to first that Palomo couldn’t handle, allowing Martinez to reach. Lopez watched and made the decision to head for home while Palomo struggled with the loose ball. Palomo delivered the throw to Chavez, but the Tigers couldn’t record the out at home. Junior designated hitter Abiel Garcia hit a double next, putting Rattlers at second and third. Sophomore center fielder Pepe Contreras came up a few batters later and hit a pop fly just foul near first base. Palomo caught the ball, but his momentum was carrying him away from the plate, and by the time he spun and threw home, Martinez had already scored the tying run.