Hialeah Moves Back Into District Race With Game Of The Week Win

Game of the Week Photo Gallery

The Hialeah Thoroughbreds and their fans have not had much to cheer about this season. After advancing to the regional semi-finals last year, Hialeah graduated over 10 seniors, leaving the 2014 squad a mixture of a few veterans and mostly underclassman.

On Thursday afternoon, the young Thoroughbreds had their coming out party in a big way. Playing their district rivals, Hialeah Gardens, and with the pressure of a featured HSBN Miami Game of the Week, Hialeah rose to the occasion and put themselves back in the 8A-14 race with a 5-3 win.

“We’ve been struggling the whole year,” said Thoroughbreds Manager Jonathan Hernandez. “It’s no secret. Today we had about four freshman in our starting lineup, and we had two or three sophomores as well. It’s a great win. With what we have gone through this season, it shows that we can still compete with the top teams in our district. I’m very pleased with the effort these guys played with and the stress on fundamentals that they showed.”

Those fundamentals were a big part of the Hialeah offense on this day. The Thoroughbreds executed six bunts on the day, three going for base hits, and two bringing runs in on squeeze plays. The small-ball approach is something that Hernandez knows his team needs to execute to be successful.

“We work hard on the bunts, and the hit-and-runs, and putting the ball in play and forcing the action,” said Hernandez. “We are not a team that has guys that can club it out with other teams, and hit balls over the fence. So we have to execute to win, and today we did.”

One of the players that was a part of the fundamental clinic by Hialeah was lead-off man Alex Miret. The senior was on base three times, and scored two of the Thoroughbreds five runs.

“We came in here motivated today,” said Miret. “We want to have a shot at the playoffs. We have been struggling, but we wanted to show everybody that they can’t count Hialeah out. What better way to show that than with a Game of the Week atmosphere?.”

Hialeah Gardens actually scored first in the game, putting up a run in the first.

Hialeah answered with three in the top of the third. The Thoroughbreds used three stolen bases, including a steal of home by Brandon Perdomo on a failed squeeze attempt, and an RBI single by Adrian Gomez to take a 3-1 lead.

In their half of the third, the Gladiators tied the score at three. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Jorge Alonso and Chris Clara keyed the inning.

Carlos Reyes’ sacrifice fly in the fifth game Hialeah the lead back at 4-3. The Thoroughbreds extended the lead in the sixth when Alex Medina, who was running for Ramid Alvarez, scored to make it 5-3.

On the mound for the Hialeah was their cae, Alexis Herrera, and the Thoroughbred horse did not disappoint. While Herrera did not have his best stuff, he was able to work out of several jams. In the seventh, after getting a 6-4-3 double play, Herrera was faced with his last jam of the afternoon. Jeremi Garcia worked a two-out walk, and Pedro Racelo was hit by a pitch.

Even though Herrera had a pitch count that was growing, Hernandez had no thoughts of pulling him out of the game.

“That was his game today, he wanted it,” said Hernandez. “Every inning he was coming up to me telling me not to take him out. That was his game to finish.”

Herrera agreed.

“I want to carry this team on my back,” said Herrera. “I want the pressure of getting that final out. There was no way I was coming out of that game.”

With the Gladiators three-hole hitter Alonzo at the plate, Miret put one final stamp on the game when Alonzo hit a sharp line drive to center that appeared headed to drop for a hit. Without hesitation, or a fear of the ball getting by him, Miret made a diving catch, ending the game and securing the win for Hilaeah.

“I had just told the left and right-fielders that on a base hit we had to throw the guy out at the plate, and anything close we have to dive for. I didn’t even think when the ball was hit, I just reacted.”

The win moved Hialeah within two games of district leading Miami Senior. Hialeah Gardens, previously undefeated in 8A-14, falls a half game behind the Stingarees. Gladiators Manager Tino Burgos knows there is still plenty of baseball to be played before the sedding is decided in this district.

“We told them after the game that we just lost focus a bit today, but that it is just one game, and that we are still in a good position to bounce back and get the top seed,” said Burgos. “Hialeah played a good game today, and for us it’s just a learning experience. The season is filled with ups and downs, and we just have to come back and get back to work tomorrow on getting better.”

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