Hialeah Gardens Edges Miami For 8A-14 Top Seed

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With the district playoffs just a few short weeks away, Hialeah Gardens and Miami High treated fans at Flamingo Park in Miami Beach with a small taste of what they can expect from District 8A-14. For the second time this season, it was the Gladiators who came away with a close 4-3 victory in a tightly-contested battle that is quickly becoming the norm between these two clubs.

Armando Rodriguez scored the winning run in the top of the sixth, after Damien Escandell reached on an error with the bases loaded. For the second time this season the Gladiators (12-8) came back for the victory over the Stingarees, and this time the victory also locked up the top seed in the district in the process. Hialeah Gardens is now 6-1 in the district, and also owns the tie-breaker should the two clubs finish with the same district record.

“I believe it’s always a point to win the number one seed, and it’s the first time that we have done it,” said Gladiators Manager Tino Burgos. “It’s just a great victory for our team. It is a testament to the hard work they have put in, the belief that they’ve bought into the system. We’ve had some hard-fought games but we’ve been able to pull them out. That’s a good ball club, let me tell you. Miami High is scrappy and they get after it. They fight for each other. I embrace the competition because they play the game right. These two times it has fallen in our favor, and hopefully come playoff time we can continue to build on what we are doing.”

After both Gary Garcia and Alejandro Castro were both hit by a pitch, Arthur Cordovez laid down a nice bunt to load the bases and bring the winning run within ninety feet of touching home plate. Two batters later Escandell put the ball in play to scratch that run across and put his club back on top for good.

“They came ready to play and we made a few mistakes here and there,” said Miami Manager Frank Suarez. “We are not a hitting team, so we have to play good ball and play good defense. That’s the game and that is how it goes. Now we are going to have to play Hialeah in the district playoffs.”

With two clubs that mirror one another so well, it came as little surprise that the contest played out as closely as their first meeting earlier in the season. As the game neared it’s conclusion it became clear that whichever club could generate some sort of spark would likely be the one to pull out this important victory. For Hialeah Gardens, that jolt was provided by reliever Eddy Nodarse.

The right-hander came on in relief of starter Chris Suarez in a tie ball game, and his performance helped to electrify his club at just the right time. After watching the Stingarees (12-6) rally back to even the score, Nodarse brought a passionate demeanor to the mound with him beginning in the bottom of the sixth. This emotion had a ripple affect throughout the roster.

“Eddy came with confidence from the get-go, from the bullpen to the dugout to the field,” said Gladiators catcher Gary Garcia. “He dominated and it was great. It motivated all of us and encouraged us all to play as a team to back him up.”

Gardens had faltered on defense to surrender three unearned runs against their starter Suarez, but with the confidence exhibited from Nodarse the defense settled in and made the plays when it mattered most to shut the final seven batters down in order. Nodarse allowed just one base runner on a single from Argenis Hernandez, needing just 30 pitches to go the final three frames for the victory that improved his season record to 3-0.

“They gave me this day today and I guess it was my day,” Nodarse said. “I was just going out there helping my team get a victory. It was a big district game and it was very important getting that first spot. It was just great finishing the game and knowing we won.”

While it was Nodarse lifting his teammates up late, it was the catcher Garcia who gave them a similar jolt early on. Garcia just recently returned from several minor injuries that had sidelined him for much of the season, and he wasted little time in making his presence felt. After Chris Clara blooper a leadoff single over the shortstop in the second, Garcia jumped on the first pitch he saw and sent it soaring high and deep over the left field fence for a two-run home run.

“It felt great and I’m just happy to be back, that is the main thing,” said Garcia. “I am happy to be back and helping my team out; and it is just great to be here.”

Clara continued to help his team as well, as the left fielder cracked a shot deep to center field to drive home Jorge Alonso on an RBI double in the top of the third that increased the Gladiators’ lead to 3-0.

When these two teams met the first time earlier this season, the Stingarees came back from three runs down to tie things up late. On Tuesday night they carried that same confidence with them to battle back once again. It has been a resurgent year for the Miami program, and although Tuesday’s comeback bid ultimately fell short it did work to showcase the type of grit this year’s club has come to embody.

“We just have the chemistry this year. We have a good chemistry here,” said Coach Suarez. “They want to win, they want to play together and they want to help each other. That’s what you can always expect from a good team.”

Abraham Rivas ended the shutout when he reached on an error, raced from first to third on a passed ball and then came home after Victor Herrera sent a chopper over the shortstop for the RBI hit. Two batters later, Hernandez sent a liner to left field for an RBI single that scored Victor. Gustavo Miranda completed the comeback when he drew a bases-loaded walk an inning later. Edgar Aparicio reached on an error and Christopher Herrera was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Dayron Mallea then loaded the bags when he dropped down a perfect bunt along the third baseline to leave the defense with no play anywhere.

After going just 3-17 in district play the past two seasons, the Stingarees have emerged as a worthy district contender this season. The club was playing its most meaningful contest in several years Tuesday night, and even in defeat they left the field knowing they have the ability to hold their own in 8A-14. Even though Miami was unable to mount another rally in the end, their approach and their style of play drew plenty of praise and recognition from the visiting Gladiators.

“They play good ball. They put the ball in play and they’ll do anything to win, just like us,” said Garcia.

The Stingarees have relied heavily on their pitching this season. With a team ERA under 2.00 on the season, Miami has seen several capable hurlers grow to become invaluable pieces to their puzzle. On Tuesday night that trend continued with another solid start from the right-hander Aparicio, who went the distance for the second time this season. The junior recorded nine strikeouts and only one walk, while scattering six hits and hitting three batters.

“I thought he did a really good job today,” Coach Suarez said of his starter. “He didn’t have his fastball, but he gave us all he had and that is all you can ask for.”

For the Gladiators, the return of Gary Garcia could not have come at a better time. The team’s catcher is a crucial piece of their ball club, and the entire roster was energized just to see him back on the field again. That excitement only magnified after they all watched him connect for a home run on the first pitch he saw.

“To see him be successful in his first game back it was kind of an empty but great feeling, knowing if I’d had him all year how much better we could have been and how much better he could have been,” admitted Burgos. “But baseball is funny; the Baseball Gods have a plan for him, and maybe this was the plan. The good thing was we did not see any rust with him. He’s a switch-hitting catcher, a draft guy, and he makes us deeper. Guys rally around a guy like that and hopefully he continues to keep his health there and helps us make a good run in the playoffs.”

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