Royals overcome sloppy play in win

By Ben Brooks - sports@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- It wasn't pretty, but the way the first quarter of the Valley Baseball League season has gone, the Winchester Royals will gladly take a victory -- no matter how ugly.

In a game full of defensive lapses, the Royals pulled themselves together long enough for a 7-4 victory over Harrisonburg on Tuesday night at Bridgeforth Field. The two teams combined for as many errors as runs (11).

"Maybe high school," Royals manager John Lowery Jr. said when asked if he remembered winning a game with his team committing five errors. "We fought through adversity, though, and that's a good sign. We got behind and then we came right back. That's definitely a positive sign.

"In this league, you put the ball in play and you never know what might happen. The ball may take a weird hop or someone might not be focused."

As good of a relief effort as Winchester's Matt Brazis gave, even he temporarily lost focus in what resulted in one of the most bizarre plays of the season that left players and coaches scratching their heads.

Brazis came in with one out and runners on first and second in the sixth. He appeared to have Harrisonburg's Shaun Cooper picked off second base. Brazis ran at Cooper, but his throw to shortstop Gabriel Ortiz was high and went into the outfield. The throw in from the outfield was also wild, allowing Cooper to race home for a run that tied the game at 3-3. Royals third baseman Steven Sabins picked up the loose ball and fired home to try to get Cooper, but his throw sailed wide and allowed designated hitter Mike Schwartz to reach third.

Evan Stehle followed with an RBI single to put Harrisonburg (6-6) up 4-3.

Winchester (5-8) answered back in its half of the sixth, getting a pair of runs on RBI singles from Kevin Ortiz and Brad Zapenas to go back on top 5-4. The Royals put the game away in the seventh with help from the Turks.

Pinch hitter Dave Fallon singled sharply to center. A bobble by Harrisonburg's Ryan Eden allowed Brad Wehrmeyer to score Winchester's sixth run. The Turks then booted what appeared to be Kevin Garcia's perfect double-play ball that could have gotten them out of the inning. Later, a ball got past Stehle behind the plate. Fallon, unsure of whether to break for third base, got caught in no man's land, but Stehle's throw to third base sailed into left field, allowing the second run of the inning.

Through it all, Brazis settled down and gave the Royals a strong 3 1/3 innings of relief to get the win. He struck out seven and allowed two hits and two walks before handing it over to lefty Nate Bayuk, who retired one batter for his second save of the season.

Tuesday was the longest outing of the season for Brazis, who was used more at Boston College to face one or two batters.

"In high school I was a starter and closer, so I was kind of used to the feeling," Brazis said referring to the mental aspect of throwing multiple innings. "But my body wasn't. It's taken me awhile."

As for the strange sixth-inning play, Brazis said he just tried to put it behind him.

"You just have to bear down," he said. "I was responsible. I held the ball way too long and then threw too high to Gabe. I figured it was up to me to make up for it and get the next one."

While much too early in the season to consider any game a must-win, Lowery knew that dropping five games below .500 could make things tough for his team down the road.

"Our goal is to get back to .500 as soon as possible," Lowery said. "If we can battle back and get to .500 by the halfway point, I think that will put us in position to make a playoff run."

Winchester took an early lead by scoring twice in the first and once in the second. With the Royals trailing 1-0, Bobby Rauh led off the bottom of the first with a walk and stole second and third. Rauh, who is a perfect 19-for-19 in stolen base attempts this season, eventually scored on Michael Vargas' high chopper to third. Vargas reached second on the errant throw to first and scored on Garcia's RBI single up the middle. Garcia stole the Royals' third base of the inning, but the running game came back to bite Winchester when he tried to steal third and was doubled up on Sabins' liner to short.

Rauh, the VBL's reigning Player of the Week in the North Division, doubled in Zapenas in the second to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.

The Turks, who entered the game next to last in the VBL in team batting with a .227 average, didn't help themselves with 14 strikeouts to go along with their six errors.

Royals starting pitcher Brandon Sinnery, who didn't figure in the decision, scattered five hits and struck out seven through five innings of work. Joey Munoz took the loss. He gave up three hits and walked two, but only one of the four runs he surrendered was earned.