Offense Propels Westland Hialeah Past Hialeah-Miami Lakes

If the bottom half of Westland Hialeah’s line-up produces like it did on Tuesday, then the Wildcats are bound to have plenty of explosive games at the plate this season.

Westland’s five through nine hitters accounted for eight of the team’s 14 hits as the Wildcats topped a young Hialeah-Miami Lakes squad 9-2, in a 7A-16 afternoon tilt at Walker Park in Hialeah.

“That’s huge. They’re there to help us,” Westland’s No. 2 batter Frankie Morejon said about the bottom chunk of the line-up.

After two-and-a-half scoreless innings, Westland (1-2) received the spark it needed as George Gonzalez led off the third with a bunt single out of the nine spot.

“We were telling him the whole game that the third baseman was staying back. He did it, and it worked,” said Westland Manager Jose Alvarez.

Gonzalez’s bunt ignited a four-run outburst and was part of a balanced attack that Alvarez would like to see continue. Eight of his nine starters notched at least one hit, including Carlos Ruiz (3-for-4) out of the No. 5 spot, starting pitcher Giovanni Arriera (2-for-3, double, 3 RBIs) from the No. 6 spot, and Luis Jose (2-for-3, 2 RBIs) from the No. 7 spot.

“We’re looking for consistency. We’re trying to get the guys on the field that are the most consistent. Hopefully that was reassuring today,” said Alvarez, whose team tacked on four more runs in the fourth for an 8-2 lead.

Westland’s top half fared well, too, including lead-off man Yandy Blanco (single, walk, sacrifice bunt), Morejon (2-for-3, RBI double, one walk) and Carlos Carmona, whose production included an opposite field sacrifice fly and two singles. Clean-up batter Kevin Novoa was a thorn in Lakes’ side all game with two walks and two RBIs via a single and sacrifice fly.

Arriera, a sophomore right-hander who fanned five in a row during one stretch, was forced to go deep in several counts throughout the day. He allowed just one hit, fanned seven and walked four in three-and-one-third innings, before relievers Yaniel Ramos and Jorge Perez finished up.

“(Arriera) is our ace,” Alvarez said. “He did okay. He ran out of gas a little bit, but he’s going to be our workhorse.”

The regular season opener for Lakes (0-1) was a bit of an eye-opener for a team that returns only four regulars from a year ago.

“We have some inexperienced players,” said Lakes Manager Mario Morffy. “We had sophomores and freshmen in the infield. We are a very, very young, inexperienced team.”

Although Lakes was not able to provide starting pitcher Brandon Morffy with much support, as the Trojans mustered just three hits, there were some encouraging signs. Left-fielder Marcus Smith delivered the defensive gem of the game when he threw out a runner at the plate in the first inning. Gil Rivera had an RBI single and a walk in three trips.

Hindered by 13 strikeouts, Lakes’ comeback hopes were dashed in the middle innings.

“I thought the game could have been closer, “Morffy said. “Westland is a solid team and I thought we were right there.”

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