SPARKS — Carson High had a chance to put Reed away early, and when they didn’t, the Senators paid the price.
Carson breezed to a 5-0 lead after two at-bats, but the Raiders clawed back and won an 8-7 thriller courtesy of Benny Peck’s walk-off single to left in the bottom of the seventh at Lee Mitchell Field Saturday afternoon in a Northern Nevada Division I baseball game.
The loss ended Carson’s win streak at six, dropping the Senators to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in Northern Division I play.
“The big innings were the third, fourth and fifth when we didn’t extend our lead,” CHS coach Bryan Manoukian said. “I thought we got complacent on offense. Reed is tough to close out at home.”
Kyle Krebs, who went 4-for-4, tripled to the warning track in right-centerfield to give the Senators a 7-6 lead in the sixth. Unfortunately for the Senators, it didn’t last long.
Krebs came on to close it out, but was unable to get the save.
Austin Beard singled on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the seventh, moved to third on a single by Jay Guerrero and scored to make it 7-7 on a sacrifice fly to center by Brandon Kernan. Levi Sanchez followed with a single, sending Guerrero to third. Peck, who had singled in the sixth, slapped a groundball between third and short to drive home Guerrero with the winning run.
“They (Carson) came out hitting,” Reed coach John Phenix said. “When they put that four spot on the board in the first I was worried. (Bryce Moyle) is a good little pitcher.”
Carson did come out strong offensively, and the Raiders helped things along with three errors.
Connor Pradere, who went 3-for-4, singled and then stole second. He took third when Cody Azevedo’s groundball was misplayed by Vinny Fillipone. The pair combined for a double steal, Pradere scoring on the throw to second. Azevedo moved to third on a single by Krebs and scored when Terek Been’s groundball was misplayed by John Pinto. Jace Keema walked to load the bases.
Abel Carter followed with a sharp groundball back through the middle. Pitcher Lincoln Turner speared it, but his force-out throw home was dropped by catcher Jake Vantress, allowing Krebs to score. After an out, Jesse Lopez singled to left to score Been. Keema, however, was thrown out at home to end the inning. All four runs were unearned.
The Senators made it 5-0 in the second when Pradere singled and stole second and third. He scored on the play when the catcher threw wildly past the third baseman.
Reed got the momentum back with three in the fifth, a solo homer by Austin Beard and a two-run single by Guerrero to take a 6-5 lead. Taten Clabaugh singled, and after two straight outs, Turner and Beard walked to load the bases. Guerrero spoiled the move with his two-run single. The single was a tad controversial. Moyle thought he’d caught Guerrero looking at a third strike, but didn’t get the call. He was pulled from the game after Guerrero’s two-run single. John Holton came on and struck out Brandon Kernan looking.
“Bryce thought he’d struck him out, but the umpire said he just missed,” Manoukian said. “When there are over 200 pitches in a game, one pitch doesn’t make a difference.”
“Beard was 2-for-2 at that point, so I took the lefty versus lefty match-up,” Manoukian explained. “Tip your hat to Guerrero. He hurt us all day.”
Phenix wasn’t surprised by the move.
“They didn’t know much about Jay because he didn’t play last year,” said the Reed coach. “Beard is one of the best hitters in the league. I would have done the same thing.”