Rivera's gem keeps streak alive as Royals inch closer

By Greg Brill -- sports@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- The game before, Winchester manager John Lowery, Jr. had used a bevy of left-handers to handcuff Fauquier's batters.

But with the biggest game to date for the Royals coming up on Wednesday night against first-place Front Royal, all Lowery requested from starter Stephen Rivera was to go the distance.

No problem.

"I actually said to him before the game 'How about a complete game tonight?'" Lowery, Jr. said. "'The first one of the summer.' And he kind of smiled. It turned out well, and I'm glad it did."

In control the whole way, Rivera kept the Cardinals spellbound throughout and tossed a three-hit shutout in Winchester's 4-0 Valley Baseball League win. The Royals (21-15) won their 11th straight and moved to within one game of Front Royal (22-14) in the North Division.

"He was spotting all three of his pitches and just did a great job," said Front Royal infielder Jesse Henry, who had two of the hits (including a double) off Rivera. "We could have got some separation there, but we're still in first. We know that and we're still the team to beat. What, have they won, 11 in a row? I mean, they're the hottest team right now. We're just going to have to come back Friday [against Haymarket] ready to play."

A right-hander with a good arsenal of pitches, Rivera (3-0) never allowed a runner past second and faced only three batters over the minimum in producing the first complete game for the Royals pitching staff.

"I had a lot of first-pitch strikes," said Rivera, who just finished up his freshman season at St. John's. "Everything was working. I had good command of the fastball. They were making a lot of first-pitch swings, which definitely helped me get through the game."

Front Royal's Ross Speed (4-3) had beaten Winchester at home on June 30 and had won his last three starts coming in, but he got in trouble right away.

Aaron Dudley and Dave Fallon each drew walks to lead the game off before Jordan Steranka (3-for-4) bounced a single up the middle to plate Dudley for a 1-0 lead.

In the third, Winchester had plenty of good at-bats, collecting five hits and three runs to knock out Speed. After singles by Brad Zapenas, Ben Hammer and Tyler Jones (RBI) led things off, Dudley singled through the left-side to drive in a run and Fallon ripped a run-scoring double to the alley in right-center to make it 4-0 and end Speed's outing after 3 2/3 innings, the right-hander's shortest stint in seven starts.

"Yeah, I mean, we put together some good at-bats and we've been putting good at-bats together all summer long," Lowery, Jr. said. "We have some guys that are capable. [Speed] wasn't as good tonight as he has been. He has a dominating arm and an electric fastball, so we were fortunate enough to get a couple runs."

With Fallon still in scoring position, Dan Rossignol came in and induced VBL batting leader Steve Sabins to fly out to center to end the inning.

Front Royal got just what it needed from Rossignol out of the bullpen, who allowed no runs, two hits and struck out six in a season-best 4 1/3 innings.

In four relief appearances against the Royals, Rossignol is 1-0 with a save and has struck out 12 in 10 innings pitched.

"That guy is pretty good," Lowery, Jr. said. "Every time he's been in the game, he's definitely been authentic. He throws three pitches for strikes, has good command of his fastball. I think it was very fortunate to get those runs in the fourth inning and get the starter out of the game."

The story on this night, however, was the shut-down innings Rivera threw. Besides Henry, the only other Cardinal to hit safely was Anthony Ottrando, who singled with one out in the second.

Just as strong at the end, Rivera retired 12 of the last 13 he faced. Henry ripped a grounder just by a diving Gabriel Ortiz with one out in the ninth for a single -- Front Royal's first hit since the third -- and went to second on a balk. Jared Simon then sent a liner down the right-field line that just missed fair and would have plated Henry easily. Simon ended his at-bat with a fly out to left and Rivera wrapped up his gem by getting Steve McQuail on a fly to center.

The Cardinals had a season-best six-game win streak snapped and lost for only the second time in their last 14 home games.

"It happens in baseball," Front Royal manager Joe Scarano said. "Nobody cruises through a season without running into a arm that's on like [Rivera's] was. He's really smart and picked away at our hitters. Sometimes in baseball, you have to tip your cap to the other team. You can't always look inward and drive yourself crazy."

The teams will play twice more -- Saturday at Bridgeforth Field and Tuesday in Front Royal's final regular season home game.