Coming through: Cards top Royals, cite team chemistry in improvement

Jeremy Stafford -- jstafford@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- The Cardinals are finally beginning to come together as a team.

They're becoming familiar with each other's tendencies on the field, and talking to each other about the tendencies of opposing pitchers.

And perhaps most importantly, they're becoming confident enough to know that when a few players aren't hitting well, others will step up and take control of the game.

And Tuesday night, in Front Royal's 7-5 win over Winchester, the Cardinals' chemistry was as evident as it's been all season. With cleanup hitter Greg Van Sickler batting 1-for-5, James Roche, who bats sixth for the Cardinals, had two hits, including a home run over the centerfield fence, and drove in two runs.

"Anybody can really hit on this team," Roche said. "We're starting to mold together as a team, and if our middle guys aren't getting it done, then we've got other guys picking them up.

"That's why we've been able to win three of our last four, really."

Roche said that, early Tuesday morning, he focused on his balance and foot placement during batting practice, and that the results were immediate.

And for Cardinals' coach Joe Scarano, his team's comfort extends far beyond a budding team chemistry.

"They're starting to settle into the team thing, but another thing is, they're starting to settle into playing here," Scarano said of his field at Bing Crosby Stadium. "I can tell that when we're here, we have a different energy.

"When they were first here, they were kinda wide-eyed, and it was foreign. But I think now we're starting to gain momentum at home."

Scarano also mentioned that while Roche was certainly the team's best hitter Tuesday, his home run wasn't necessarily his most important at-bat.

In the first inning, with two outs and two strikes and the bases loaded, Roche lined a double up the middle to score Jared Simon and Anthony Ottrando to take an early 2-0 lead.

"What Jim Roche did today ... the single up the middle to give us the lead, is the thing that we've been missing," Scarano said. "When we score first, our record is ridiculous ... that was a big thing, the momentum right there was big."

Starting pitcher Ross Speed, in five innings, earned his second win of the season, striking out four and giving up six hits.

For the Royals, Steven Sabins had two hits and drove in three runs.