Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

The Dodgers Fletcher Anderson slides safely into second despite the tag by Alex Rollin of the Braves in Los Gatos Pony League play. The Braves beat the Dodgers 7-4.

Marlins nail Pony upset

By Dick Sparrer

The Pirates were only spectators when the year-ending Los Gatos Pony League championship tournament got under way last weekend at Fisher Middle School.

But, then, that's what winning a regular season championship can do for a ball club.

The Bucs posted a 16-2 record to finish a solid four games ahead of the field in the regular season, so they had a chance to rest last Saturday while the remainder of the clubs in the circuit were battling it out in first-round games at Fisher.

And the results of those first-round games were fairly predictable--at least, all but one.

The second-place Braves knocked off the sixth-place Dodgers, and the fourth-place Yankees beat the fifth-place Cardinals.

But things didn't go quite as well for the third-place Giants. The Marlins, who tied the Dodgers for sixth place in the regular season, upset the Giants to knock them into the tournament's loser's bracket.

All of the clubs in the league, including the Pirates and Giants, will be in action this week as the team battle to a conclusion in the double-eliminations tournament. A champion could be crowned on June 22 at Fisher, but a second title game would be played on June 24 if necessary.

The league tournament is just the beginning of postseason action for the Los Gatos Pony teams. Gatos will host three Pony tournaments this summer at the Fisher field.

Los Gatos will host the 13-year-old is Pony Sectional Tournament on July 3-8, the 14-year-old is Pony Sectional Tournament July 16-24, and the 14-year-old, is Pony North Regional Tournament July 16-Aug. 3.

In first-round playoff action last weekend, the Marlins scored three runs in the top half of the first and never lost the lead on the road to a 7-2 win over the Giants.

Two walks and a pair of errors helped the Marlins jump out to the quick lead in the first, and they added two more runs in the third. Alex Anderson singled home a run and later scored on a wild pitch. The Marlins closed out the scoring with a couple of insurance runs in the sixth. Andrew O'Gorman ripped a double and later scored on a squeeze bunt by Luke Alioto. Ethan Greene walked and ultimately scored on a single by Patrick Murphy.

The Giants scored both of their runs in the first. Matt Cooke singled and Chris McMorrow walked, then both raced home on a double by Tyler Wilson. The Giants threatened again in the third, but Marlins center fielder Trevor Adams made an outstanding catch to end the threat.

Evan McDonald tossed the first three innings for the Marlins, striking out a pair, and Chris Eagen fired the last four frames, facing just 12 batters and striking out five.

McDonald belted a double in the win.

The Braves battled back from a 2-0 deficit to send the Dodgers to the loser's bracket with a 7-4 victory on Saturday.

The Dodgers jumped to a 2-0 lead with two runs in the third. Nick Kay was hit by a pitch, and Kris Zanotto singled. Both base runners scored on a single by Kyle Laubach.

The Braves chipped away with a run in the third when Alex Rollin singled and scored on a hit by Daniel Holtzman.

Brandon Brigham cracked a double and John Ouellet singled him home to tie the game in the fourth, but once again the Dodgers took the lead.

Nick Russell beat out an infield hit in the fifth, then later scored on a single by Bret Roberts.

But the Braves snagged the lead for good in the fifth. Cal Sturgis smacked a two-run double, then scored on a single by Kyle Schafer. Holtzman then delivered a two-run homer, and the Braves were in command.

Singles by Zanotto and Russell gave the Dodgers one more run in the seventh, but the Braves had enough to clinch the win.

Alex Rollin tossed six innings to get the mound win for the Braves, striking out 11 along the way. Trevor Brannon fanned one in an inning of relief.

In the first game of the day on Saturday, the Yankees knocked off the Cardinals 6-3.

Just as the Giants and Dodgers would later in the day, the Cards opened up an early lead.

Stephen Sweeney walked to open the game, then stole second. Jayson Furia singled up the middle to knock him home, but Furia was later gunned down attempting to steal by Yankees catcher Adam Crane. Ryan Daily followed with a walk, then scored on double by Bryan Schiefelbein.

But the Yanks came battling right back in the bottom of the frame.

Charlie Clark reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by Adam Crane. Anthony Frangadakis singled Crane to third, and Brian Cassel singled Crane home.

Frangadakis scored on fielder's choice, and Cassel scored when Brett Cavanaugh came through with a clutch single to put the Yankees on top 4-2.

Sean Baker singled, raced to third on a double by Sweeney and scored on a single by Furia to cut the lead to 4-3 in the second.

But the Yankees added to third lead in the home half of the second. Crane blasted a solo homer before Brett Cavanaugh singled. Carter Wallace ripped a double to drive in Cavanaugh to make it 6-3.

The Yanks threatened again in the third when Ben Sandigo doubled, but he was ultimately picked off third by Cards catcher Sweeney to end the threat.

James Gentry doubled in the seventh for the Cards but was left stranded.

Clark tossed five innings to pick up the win, striking out seven, and Carter finished with two innings of scoreless relief.

Los Gatos Pony League final regular season standings: Pirates 16-2, Braves 12-6, Giants 10-8, Yanks 9-9, Cardinals 8-10, Dodgers 4-14, Marlins 4-14.

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