Monroe 7 Bergtraum 3
As far as omens go, this wasn’t a good one.
During warmups before its 7-3, first-round PSAL playoff win over Bergtraum yesterday, Monroe nearly lost starting third baseman Joel Cabrera when he misjudged a ball thrown in from the outfield and broke his nose.
“We were in disarray,” coach Mike Turo said. “It was a bad sign. Not what you want to have in the playoffs.”
But Cabrera came back, and so did his team.
“Seeing him in there like that really motivated us,” said Pablo Trinidad, who earned the save for the Eagles (30-6). “It helped a lot.”
So did Trinidad.
Monroe was seemingly in command, holding a 7-2 lead in the sixth inning. Starting pitcher Randy Guzman was mowing down the Blazers (17-9), having allowed just two hits and striking out seven through five.
But he started the sixth by hitting a batter and walking another, so Turo brought in Trinidad. The first batter he faced reached on an error to load the bases. Trinidad struck out the next one before allowing a bloop RBI-single to Louis Gonzalez.
Bases loaded, one out and Bergtraum’s No. 2 and 3 hitters coming up.
“I was nervous,” Trinidad said. “I was trying to stay positive, but it was hard.”
He promptly struck out Jose Reyes and Isidro Fortuna – both looking – to end the threat.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Bergtraum coach Bill Savarese said. “Those guys are the most free-swinging guys we have. I think those were the first pitches they’ve taken all year.”
Trinidad then finished off the Blazers in the seventh, preserving the win for Monroe and Guzman.
In the third, however, it didn’t seem as if there would be much drama. Monroe started the inning with two walks and a hit batsman, loading the bases for Carlos Gutierrez.
“I was just looking for something to hit,” the centerfielder said. “I found it.”
He drove a towering shot over the leftfield fence for a grand slam that gave the Eagles a 7-2 lead.
After that, they held on, although Turo would prefer a different route in the next round.
“It didn’t look good in the beginning,” Turo said. “But I’ll take the end.”