Seven Run Fifth Sends Legends Past Caps 10-4
Redwood City, Calif. – The way things have been going lately for the Menlo Park Legends, one big inning is all it takes for them to seal the deal in a ballgame. That was the case on Thursday against the Pacific Union Financial Capitalists, as the Legends scored seven times in the bottom of the fifth en route to a 10-4 victory. They sent thirteen hitters up to the plate in the decisive frame and had plenty of offensive contributors up and down the lineup. With the win, the Legends improve their record to 9-2 while the Caps fall to 2-3.
The scoring for Menlo Park actually got going in the bottom of the fourth, when Nick Brooks demolished a baseball to left center field for his second homerun in as many days. A no-doubt shot off the crack of the bat, the longball trimmed the existing deficit to 2-1. Then the bottom of the fifth rolled around, and the Legends opened the frame with three consecutive singles. With the bases loaded, the command of Caps’ pitchers flew North for the summer, as the next four hitters went walk, hit batter, walk, hit batter. Four runs in without putting a ball in play. Brooks came up again and drove one to centerfield that ultimately went as a sacrifice fly. His teammate and fellow Gonzaga Bulldog Justin Jacobs reached on an infield single that scored a run, and Sean Watkins scored from third on a wild pitch. When the dust settled, the Legends scored seven times on four hits and had an 8-2 lead.
Justin Jacobs would drive home the final two runs of the game for Menlo Park in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run triple to the gap in left-center. Jacobs finished the day 3-4 and just a homerun away from the cycle, while driving in three runs. The Legends only needed eight hits in the game, but they were able to make them count while taking advantage of the ten free passes they received on the bases.
Jonathan Hernandez got the start for the Legends and aside from the two runs he allowed in the top of the second, he was sharp all day. He lasted five innings and picked up the win, allowed four hits, two runs, walked one, and struck out seven. His feel for the strikeout was on display in the first inning after he allowed a leadoff triple. The next three hitters? All strikeouts. To put the icing on the cake, he retired ten of the final eleven hitters he faced before giving way to Sheldon McClelland, who pitched the next three innings. Jonathan’s younger brother and fellow Legend, Alexander Hernandez, got the call for the first time this summer and pitched the final inning of the win.
The Legends will be on the road for the next week, and the first three games are down in Santa Barbara against the Foresters. The three-game series will begin on Friday at 5:00 PM, and all three games will be broadcasted live on the Legends Radio Network.
