RENO — Moments after Carson knocked off McQueen, 4-2, Saturday at Kuraisa Field, coach Bryan Manoukian talked about the remaining 10 games of the season.
“Every game from here on in is vitally important,” Manoukian said after Carson improved to 6-6 on the season. “We are still in the hunt to finish in the top four, and we’re still at the point where we might not make the playoffs. We control our own fate, and that’s a good thing.
“We better find a way to manufacture runs. We have to compete for an entire game. The first 4 1/2 innings (five at-bats) was very good. The last couple was very, very bad. We had opportunities. This game didn’t have to be this close. We are pressing with runners in scoring position. We have to take a deep breath and relax.”
Carson stranded eight baserunners and went 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position. The three hits with runners in scoring position all came in the third when the Senators scored all of their runs off losing pitcher Nelson Padilla.
Carson left runners in scoring position without scoring in the first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Carson started the third with four straight hits, including a two-run double by Bryce Moyle. Abel Carter followed with a run-scoring double, and after two straight outs and a walk to Colby Zemp, Jared Barnard hit a run-scoring single.
Padilla stiffened and retired Landon Truesdale, who had singled to start the inning, on an infield roller.
Fortunately, the Senators got a tremendous pitching effort from lefty Moyle, who fanned 12, walked two and gave up just four hits in a 104-pitch effort.
Moyle had been ill the past two days, and he admitted he wasn’t 100 percent. It certainly didn’t show in his pitching.
“I didn’t go to school Thursday,” Moyle said. “I had a sore throat.”
Other than the two-run sixth, McQueen got a runner to second in the third and fourth innings, but came up empty each time.
“I made a big mistake to Nelson (Padilla),” Moyle said. “He was sitting on the change-up. I’d gotten him to roll over on the change the last time.”
Padilla’s homer in the sixth scored Austin Majorsky, who had reached on an infield single. The round-tripper snapped Moyle’s shutout bid.
Moyle was at 71 pitches over five innings, and he threw 33 over the last two innings.
“They adjusted,” Moyle said. “I had to work harder. Balls that I got infield outs on were getting fouled off later in the game.”
Manoukian was pleased with Moyle’s effort, but not surprised.
“He’s pitched three-plus years on varsity, and he pitched today like a senior,” Manoukian said. “He was very efficient the first two times through, and they started to make some adjustments. It was a gutty effort.”
Moyle is 3-0 in league play with a 1.55 ERA.
Carson returns to action Tuesday at Ron McNutt Field against second-place Galena. Barnard is expected to start against the Grizzles.
This is another four-game week for CHS. The Senators visit Galena on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. and then host Bishop Manogue in a Saturday doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.