Barons 7–Foresters 4
By Jim Buckley with reporting by David Soto
How can you call a loss in which you commit nine errors a “win”? Well, you can stretch a point and claim that when you come back from five runs down to lose by three plus leave the winning runs on base in the ninth inning . . . it’s sort of a win. But only perhaps a moral victory; in the standings that count, it’s Santa Barbara’s first loss in the California Collegiate League, 7–4 to the MLB Academy Barons.
Though manager Bill Pintard might try to pull out those positives from the game, it was not pretty at all. The Foresters committed three errors in the first and sixth innings. Every position except centerfield committed at least one error. It was surprising that only two of the Barons’ runs were unearned. And the Foresters also allowed five stolen bases.
Starting pitcher Casey Rodriguez gave up three runs in the first, with his own error helping the Barons score their first run. Walking three and giving up four hits, he lasted until the fourth, when he was relieved trailing 4–1 by newly-arrived T.J. McGreevy. The Wichita State pitcher and returning 2011 ’Ster gave up three more runs on six hits and a walk.
As for the Foresters’ bats, center fielder Rich Sanguinetti had a season-high four hits. Nick Melino clubbed the Foresters’ second homer of the season as one of his own three hits. Robert Vickers added a pair of hits and two RBI. In the late innings, the team regrouped a bit. Santa Barbara scored twice in the eighth to close to within three, and then loaded the bases with only one out in the ninth. However, a flyout and a strikeout ended the game.
The Foresters will regroup and give their gloves a talking-to before returning to the field at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The game will once again be at Compton and the Coastal Copy Pregame Show will begin at 5:50 p.m. on KZSB AM 1290.