Sailors rule Back Bay
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NEWPORT BEACH — That was no mustache RJ D’Cruz was sporting. Just blood.
At first the senior thought he needed only one Band-Aid to cover a cut above his upper lip.
So D’Cruz went back on the field for Newport Harbor High in the fifth inning because there was no way he was sitting out this one-run game against Back Bay rival Corona del Mar on Tuesday.
This time D’Cruz walked to the mound after a cleat caught him the previous inning while tagging out a runner trying to steal second base. But the blood kept dripping, forcing the home plate umpire to tell Harbor Coach Evan Chalmers that D’Cruz couldn’t leave the blood exposed while playing.
“What are you going to do?” the umpire asked Chalmers. “We can’t keep stopping the game.”
“What do you mean?” Chalmers said. “We’re going to pitch him until the game is over. Even if he has to go out there with some Band-Aids. We’ll stick them somewhere.”
It eventually took a couple of Band-Aids to stop the bleeding. And then three innings for D’Cruz to end the Sailors’ five-game losing streak to the Sea Kings.
D’Cruz pitched three scoreless innings of relief, striking out four and giving up one hit as Newport Harbor came back to win the Battle of the Bay, 7-1, at home.
When it was over, D’Cruz was numb. Not because it was the first time Newport Harbor beat CdM since 2004, but because he said the upper part of his mouth was numb.
“Sorry I can’t talk as well,” he said. “But this is a huge win. I’ve been here for three years [on varsity], been in the program for four years, and this is the first time I’ve seen varsity win.
“[It hurt] a little bit, but I had to get over it.”
The Sailors (4-1-1) finally won one for Chalmers against CdM Coach John Emme. Before the game sophomore designated hitter Blake Davey said the third-year varsity coach told the team, “it’s getting old” losing to the Sea Kings and “it’s time to take it back.”
This was all new to Davey, a junior varsity player called up with two seniors no longer on the team, leaving Newport Harbor with just 13 players.
But in his varsity debut, Davey helped Newport Harbor knock out struggling CdM (1-5). He doubled over the center fielder’s head in the fourth inning and scored to tie the game at 1-1 on senior catcher Eric Bonn’s double to right field.
“We didn’t take a great route on [Davey’s hit],” Emme said. “It’s been the story of our season.”
The Sailors capitalized on another CdM defensive lapse, taking a 2-1 lead when sophomore pinch hitter Jack Grace beat out a routine grounder to second base, allowing Bonn to score.
But Newport Harbor really made its most damage in the sixth. Davey started a five-run rally by hammering a shot to straightaway center. This time it went over the fence for his first career home run.
“What a way to start your varsity career,” said Chalmers, knowing the numbers this season might be closer to last year’s squad with the loss of outfielder Ben Frazier and designated hitter Brian Bennett.
So far Newport Harbor is a different team, more competitive than the one going 5-20, 1-14 in the Sunset League in 2007. League play starts Friday at Esperanza and Chalmers is going to rely on some young players.
Two of those were part of Tuesday’s success in which three pitchers allowed only three hits.
The plan was to use sophomore right-handed starter Ryan Albert for three innings, then give it to sophomore left-hander Dillan Freiberg for an inning, before D’Cruz, the staff’s ace, closed it out.
It worked as Newport Harbor kept it close, trailing, 1-0, going into the fourth. Freiberg, who improved to 2-0, avoided trouble after walking junior designated hitter Jesse Starnes. He got the next batter to strike out after two failed sacrifice bunt attempts.
Then Bonn fired a throw to D’Cruz at second base, throwing out Starnes trying to steal head first. But one of Starnes’ cleats caught D’Cruz near his upper lip.
The game came to a halt with D’Cruz bleeding and needing treatment near the dugout. But at the end it was CdM not being able to stop the bleeding.
“[Starter] Matt Morris has pitched great for us all year and he hasn’t gotten a whole bunch of help,” said Emme, whose team plays host to Costa Mesa Friday in a nonleague game before opening Pacific Coast League play at defending champion Laguna Hills Monday. “If I were him, I’d be a little upset.”
At least Morris (0-2) didn’t leave the field after five innings of work wearing a Band-Aid.
Nonleague
Newport Harbor 7, Corona del Mar 1
SCORE BY INNINGS
Morris, Weinberger (6), Doering (6) and Kelly; Albert, Freiberg (4), D’Cruz (5) and Bonn. W – Freiberg, 2-0. L – Morris, 0-2. 2B – Davey (NH), Bonn (NH) 2. HR – Davey (NH).
DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].
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