Graphic Arts11Wash. Irving6
For the first few innings yesterday, Washington Irving was playing better than usual. In fact, it seemed like a different team.
And maybe it was. On the front of the Horsemen’s uniforms, the name of the school was spelled, “Washington Irvin.”
“The guy missed the ‘G’,” Washington Irving coach Will Rodriguez said about the uniform maker.
As for the Horsemen yesterday, they made plenty of mistakes as well. Despite keeping close early, they fell eventually fell apart and lost to first-place Graphic Arts, 11-6, in a PSAL Division B-I matchup at Clinton Park on Manhattan’s West Side.
Washington Irving dropped to 0-4. Graphic improved to 6-0-1.
Facing the Horsemen’s junior right-handed pitcher Davis Abreu (0-2), the Devils only were leading 1-0 before batting in the bottom of the fourth inning. But Graphic finally took off, scoring seven runs in the fourth to take an 8-0 advantage.
Abreu (nine strikeouts, seven hits allowed), though, should not be held fully accountable as four of the runs scored on Irving errors. The key hit was a two-run double by Jose Cabrera, the junior third baseman.
“I’m hitting the ball well,” said Cabrera, who is hitting close to .700. Cabrera went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, two doubles and two runs scored.
Graphic coach Mike Muth said he’s thrilled by Cabrera’s strong showing.
“He’s made the biggest improvement from last year,” Muth said. “He’s one of our hardest workers. He’s having a phenomenal year.”
Devil right-handed starting pitcher Jose Torres improved to 2-0 by allowing just three hits and striking out 11 over six and two-thirds innings.
However, Torres was upset when Muth removed him from the game with two outs in the seventh. Muth said Torres had thrown 110 pitches and decided that was enough, so he brought in righty Ray Sanchez, who ended the game without allowing a run.
“I was mad,” said Torres. “I thought I could finish the game. Why start the game if you’re not going to finish it? I thought I was doing good.”
Also contributing for the Devils was second baseman Juan Abreu, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored.
After trailing 9-2 after five innings, Irving scored two in the sixth (both on errors) to make it 9-4. Graphic, though came back with two runs in the sixth, including one on a sacrifice fly by William Garcia to pull ahead 11-4.
The Horsemen scored two in the seventh, but they weren’t enough. For Irving, Jorge Made, a freshman, went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases and a run scored, and freshman Oliver Lora was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.