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VALLEY GLEN – The Pirates were on their home turf batting first as the designated away team again, but this time they were the victors, narrowly beating the Long Beach Legends 8-5 on a hot Wednesday afternoon.
Ventura County benefited from some early runs, scoring in four of the first five innings, including a fourth-inning leadoff home run by Jason Ajamian, for his second homer of the summer. In the fifth, the Pirates capitalized on two hit batsmen and a walk, with Darren Taylor scoring on a wild pitch and Johnny Pacheco and Trenton Pallas running home on an Andrew Tovar 2-RBI double.
Taylor would score twice more, after singling in the seventh and reaching on an error in the ninth on the way to a helpful insurance run. He additionally stole four bases in the game.
Kyle Soberano's leadoff single led to an important first-inning run, and he scored again after leading off the third inning. Trenton Pallas and Grant Schoen are each credited with batting one of Soberano's runs in.
Despite leaving fourteen runners on base, and going 2 for 19 with runners in scoring position, the Pirates' eight runs would prove to be enough, thanks to an effective day from the bullpen. Starter Trevor Garcia pitched six innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four Legends batters. Josh Howitt recorded three strikeouts in his scoreless effort, and closer Derek Potts pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to preserve the Garcia's win and earn the save.
The Pirates hit the road Thursday for a 3pm tilt against the Inland Valley Pirates at Cypress College.
