For a bunch of 11 and 12-year-olds, these Cardinals can be
pretty cruel.
Gilroy – For a bunch of 11 and 12-year-olds, these Cardinals can be pretty cruel.
Taking a 11-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning of the Majors Tournament of Champions semifinal game, the Cardinals closed the door on the Live Oak Giants and enacted the mercy rule when pitcher Mario Talamante put down three straight batters, the last coming by strikeout.
It was the second game in a row the team has won by umpires calling off the game due to an insurmountable lead.
Talamante showed poise on the mound, pitching three innings and striking out five batters with three different pitches – a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball and a curveball.
“I felt good,” Talamante said. “I thought they were going to score more runs.”
In actuality, the Cardinals were the team piling up points on the scoreboard with three runs in the first inning, three in the second and five in the fourth.
Jordan Jimenez got things rolling with a three run home run in the first frame, followed up by Austin Guerrero’s two-run shot in the second stanza. Other top performers included Bryant Cid who batted a perfect 3-3 and Jon Robles who was 2-3. Cid also pitched one inning with two strikeouts.
When asked what he was thinking about before hitting the first home run of the game, Jimenez deadpanned, “Nothing really. I just hit it.”
The Cardinals will need to continue this hot streak as they advance closer to taking the TOC crown. Since the tournament is double-elimination the Cardinals, who have already dropped a game, will need to win three games in a row. One just to advance to the finals, and then two over the undefeated team they could face in the championship round.
Manager Brian Chrisman is confident in his bunch, especially after the way they have been able to save their pitchers’ arms for future games.
“We planned out all our pitching and we had all of our staff (for today’s game),” Chrisman said. “And we still have all of our staff for tomorrow.”
Little League rules dictate that a pitcher can throw the next day if he hurls 20 pitches or less. 21-40 pitches requires one day of rest, 41-60 requires two days of rest and over 60 requires three days rest. The maximum pitches allowed is 85.
The Cardinals will be playing again tonight at 6pm at field A-1 of the Gilroy Sports Complex.
