Breland Almadova scored from second base on a would-be double-play grounder in the bottom of the ninth to give the Visalia Rawhide a 3-2 win over the Lancaster Jethawks in Game 1 of the California League Championship Series Friday night. George Roberts went 3-for-4 with a double and a homer and five Rawhide pitchers held the Jethawks to five hits and two earned runs in front of a crowd of 1,478 at Recreation Park.
Almadova was having a big night already, having thrown out a runner at 3B from CF to end a Lancaster threat in the fifth inning to go with a sac fly to get the Rawhide on the board and tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning.
He led off the ninth with a double and, one out later, pinch-hitter Raul Navarro was intentionally walked. Kevin Medrano then hit a ground ball to second baseman Austin Elkins who went to SS Chan Moon for the second out of the inning. With Medrano running, the out at first was not assured, so Moon pivoted and threw behind Almadova, who had rounded third aggressively. 3B Rio Ruiz received the throw, but Almadova wasn’t heading back to the base, he was headed home. And he beat Ruiz’ throw to the plate, scoring the winning run.
Visalia’s Enrique Burgos got the win by pitching a scoreless ninth inning, striking out three. Rawhide starter Blayne Weller went 5 2/3 innings, allowing all five Lancaster hits and both runs, striking out five without walking a batter. Visalia’s Keith Hessler, Will Locante, Joey Krehbiel and Burgos all held the Jethawks hitless the rest of the way and combined for seven strikeouts.
Game 2 of the Championship Series is tonight at 7PM before the best-of-five-series shifts to Lancaster for the remaining games. Joe Charboneau, a member of the last Visalia team to win the California League title, will be on hand as will a live alligator as the Rawhide attempt to Reverse The Curse. Charboneau was a member of that 1978 championship team and went on to be named American League Rookie of the Year in 1980 with the Cleveland Indians.
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