First-place Cardinals cruise past Senators

By Greg Brill -- sports@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- Haymarket did not follow the scouting report on Front Royal slugger Dan Evatt very well.

Evatt continued to put a hurt on the Senators, blasting a three-run homer in the first inning and a run-scoring double in the sixth to help the Cardinals pick up an 11-3 Valley Baseball League win on Sunday night.

Battling an 0-for-17 slump, Evatt broke out against the team he has battered the most this season. Evatt had his first hits since slamming a pair of long balls on July 14 in a 10-2 romp past the Senators at home.

"I guess I just got some good pitches to hit and took advantage of them," said Evatt, who has collected four of his six homers against Haymarket. "It's what you try and do every night, and I guess it's just a coincidence it's come against them."

The Cardinals (24-14, 11-8) even added a half-game to their North Division lead over idle Winchester, which had its game with Fauquier Sunday rained out. The Royals (22-16, 11-7) are two games back and will play the Cardinals twice this week, including Tuesday in Front Royal.

Winning at home has helped the Cardinals stay in front. Front Royal's 14 home wins lead the league and the team has won 13 of its last 15 at Bing Crosby Stadium.

"We've got to keep piling it on -- especially with these home games," Evatt said. "It's always a little easier playing at home because you're a bit more comfortable with everything and with your home crowd. You've definitely got to take advantage with these home games."

Though he gave up a first-inning run, right-hander Matt Bowling had another quality start in picking up his second-straight winning decision since joining the rotation on July 18.

In his six innings, Bowling (4-1) allowed seven hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out eight.

"He's going to be big for us down the stretch," Front Royal manager Joe Scarano said. "He's got good velocity."

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, the Cardinals jumped all over Haymarket starter Kris Mengle, who entered with a 3.12 ERA and a 4-1 record in six starts.

With one out, Anthony Ottrando homered for the second time in as many games against the Senators (18-21, 7-12), driving a shot to left-center field to tie the game. Singles by Steve McQuail and Jared Simon followed before Evatt sent a blast far over the wall in left-center field for a 4-1 lead.

Jim Jacquot's hit-and-run single through the left side drove in James Roche with Front Royal's fifth run of the inning and ended Mengle's stint after just a third of an inning.

"Again, we had different guys do big things," Scarano said. "Steve McQuail's very hot right now, but he's dealing with a nagging injury. Dan Evatt swung the bat well today like he can. He hits well against [Haymarket] and he hits well at home. Anthony hits a home run in the first inning and that kind of gets everybody going, so it was a nice start."

Entering the game, Mengle had allowed just two homers in more than 30 innings pitched.

In the second, McQuail added to his VBL-best total with his 14th homer, a two-run drive down the left-field line for a 7-1 lead. The Cardinals have led the league in homers throughout the season, and their three blasts Sunday gave them 44 total and was the fourth time they have collected three in a single game.

"It's definitely a hitter's park," Evatt said. "But all three of the homers were definitely no-doubters."

Seeing his team keep the focus in what has become a tight pennant race was pleasing to Scarano.

"Teams are running into [bad] weather right now and that's kind of pushing everything back," Scarano said. "We're just trying to keep our guys positive and keep them wanting to be here, having fun and playing hard.

"A win like this is good because it gives momentum and gives the guys a good feeling."

The Cardinals got a lot of good out of the win, collecting 11 hits and drawing 12 walks. Jesse Henry added two hits and an RBI for Front Royal.