By Jim Buckley: It could have been worse. The Foresters lost to the San Luis Blues 5-1 on Tuesday night in San Luis Obispo, but they also avoided the ignominy of being no-hit for the first time in their history. Andrew Kachel’s slow-roller single leading off the ninth was the first (and only) hit of the game for Santa Barbara.
The Blues scored two in the third and one in the fourth. Unfortunately for Santa Barbara starter Cole Reeves, the Foresters defense did not hold up and all three runs were unearned thanks to a pair of errors. This, too, also could have been worse, but Foresters left fielder Tyler Casagrande pegged a San Luis runner at the plate for the final out of that fourth inning. The Blues padded their lead with three extra-base hits in the seventh to score a pair of runs.
Against a trio of Blues pitchers, the Santa Barbara offense never got untracked. The first baserunner did not come until the fourth when Kendall Pettis walked, but was then thrown out trying to steal.
Santa Barbara did score one run late. The Sters loaded the bases in the eighth inning with nobody out after an error and a pair of walks. With one out, Ethan Bates hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Tanner O’Tremba. But the threat died there with a strikeout.
Kachel’s hit showed a sign of life, but he was erased by a double play. Then it was time for the long bus ride home. It was a ride the team will repeat on Wednesday, when they return to Sinsheimer Park for another 6 pm game against the Blues. Listen to all the action on AM 1290 KZSB.
