TOUGH AFTERNOON: La Quinta players look on as a teammate bats late in their game against Rancho Alamitos. La Quinta lost, 2-1, ending a 45-game Garden Grove League winning streak that tied for the longest streak in county history. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Related |
Rancho Alamitos ends La Quinta's 45-game league streak
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Baseball roundup: Two errors are costly for Aztecs, who had chance to set county record.
La Quinta's misfired on its shot at Orange County baseball history.
The Aztecs (click to see record) made two errors in the third inning that led to all of Rancho Alamitos' runs Tuesday. Rancho's 2-1 victory in a Garden Grove League game at La Quinta that ended La Quinta's league winning streak at 45. Those 45 consecutive league victories had tied the county record of 45 that La Quinta set from 2001-05.
That first 45-game league winning streak was ended by Pacifica on April 6, 2005. Since then, the Aztecs won another 45 in a row.
And it was only Rancho Alamitos' second baseball victory over La Quinta since 1977. That Vaqueros' victory over the Aztecs happened in '93.
Rancho Alamitos (11-9-1 overall, 8-2 in league) is one game behind first place La Quinta (14-7, 9-1).
Rancho Alamitos senior Brett Vertigan was not that familiar with the historical angle – he thought La Quinta had not lost a league game since 2002 – but he knew the difference between Tuesday's game and the Vaqueros' 8-3 loss to La Quinta last month.
“Last game,” Vertigan said, “we made a lot of physical mistakes. We worked hard on not doing that again.”
After watching his team strike out 11 times against La Quinta last month, Rancho coach Greg Pines stressed putting the ball in play Tuesday. That's what happened in the third inning.
Alex Cuevas reached on a fielder's choice and, with two outs, stole second base with a throwing error by La Quinta catcher Taylor Wilson on the play sending Cuevas to third. After Justin Evans walked, Angel Telles singled to drive in Cuevas and advance Evans to second.
Trevor Collier hit a ground ball to shortstop Nate Honnes, who, trying to force Evans at third base, threw wide of third. Evans took off for home and was safe when La Quinta third baseman Noel Cardoza made a wild throw to the plate. That made it 2-1.
La Quinta had scored in the first when David Alvarado walked, went to second on a wild pitch, took third on a single by Kyle Cardoza and scored when Wilson grounded into a double play.
Vertigan, a left-hander, pitched the final four innings in relief and allowed one hit and one walk to get the victory. He struck out five and improved to 6-3.
La Quinta coach Mel Baty said the Aztecs might not taken Tuesday's game as seriously as they should have.
“The guys were 9-0 in league,” Baty said, “and walking around and smiling about it. When we come back and play Rancho on Friday, we'll find out what we're made of.”
In the Academy League:
Sage Hill 14, Brethren Christian 9: Chris Griffin and Jack Heffron both went 3 for 3 for the visiting, league-leading Lightning (11-4, 9-1).
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
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