The Blues Make it Four Wins as They Take Down Menlo Park, 5-2

By: Julianne Shivers/SLO Blues

PALO ALTO, Ca. - The Blues traveled to Palo Alto to play a five game road series in Northern California. The first road game was played at the Baylands Athletic Center where the Blues collected five runs on seven hits to defeat the Legends and extend their winning streak to five. 

The Blues pitching staff continues to impress, not allowing more than two runs to cross the plate in any of their last six games. Bryce Padilla was tagged as the winning pitcher for the night tossing three complete innings allowing one run on one hit with two walks and four strikeouts in his second appearance on the mound. The Blues managed to tally 13 strikeouts on the day making their total number of strikeouts against the Legends 56 in their four games played. The Blues lead the California Collegiate League in strikeouts with a whopping 104 K's with the team in second, The Orange County Riptide, tallying 55. 

When asked about the success of the pitching staff this season Head Coach Dean Treanor credited their ability to attack the zone.

"I think it's traditional attacking the hitters, letting our stuff play in the strike zone expanding when we have to," Treanor said. "But I think we've been very aggressive, and that's what happens when you put the defense on the hitters"

Cesar Chavez was the shining light for the Blues offensively on the night. Chavez went 2-5, scoring Brady Alves and Kyle Becker in the top of the ninth. Becker also had 2 RBI's off one hit in the fifth.

For the next game of the road series the Blues travel to San Bruno Park in San Bruno, California to play the San Francisco Seagulls in a two game series. First pitch will be at 6:05 with Justin Cuellar getting the nod to start.

Play-by-play

1 | Becker led off for the Blues in the first facing Legends righty Connor Murphy. Becker grounded out to short but was followed by a double up the right field line off the bat of Chavez. Brendan Comerford was the next Blue to face Murphy battling into a full count. Murphy got the best of the battle, striking out Comerford and forcing CJ Moran, the next batter, into a popup caught by Joaquin Stuart, Legends third baseman. Winkler was the starting pitcher for the Blues. Jordan Medina was the first batter Winkler faced, forcing a pop up to Blues catcher Miles Mador. Carlos Cruz Mar was the next Legend to the plate drawing a walk and stealing a base. Casey Leavitt-McGee drew a walk in his appearance. Oliver Hogan was the last Legend, lining out to short for Kutter Gage Webb to flip to Diego Murillo at second for the force out double play. The Blues remained scoreless with no runs on one hit in the first.

2 | Murphy made quick work of the Blues lineup in the second. Mason Ashlock grounded out to third and both Miles Mador and Sean Rivas struck out swinging. Winkler stayed on the mound for the Blues starting off the inning strong with Paul Wagner grounding out to third. Winkler struck out the following batter, Joaquin Stuart. Ryder Kelly was the first Legend to earn a hit. Kelly hit a double almost caught by Becker sprinting in from center. Kelly proceeded to steal second but the inning was soon over after a strike out to Tyler O'Toole.

3 | The third saw the Blues go three up three down with Webb grounding out to second, Murillo striking out, and Becker flying out to right. Robbins led off for the Legends with Winkler striking him out. Medina was able to draw a walk and steal a base in his appearance. Winkler finished the inning with two strike outs to Cruz Mar and Levitt-McGee. 

4 | Murphy stayed in for the Legends, only facing four in the Blues lineup. Chavez was the first batter faced, who popped up to the first baseman. Comerford was the next Blue to the plate, hitting a double into center field. Moran was able to advance Comerford to third grounding out into second. Ashlock ended the inning for the Blues with a flyout to left. The bottom of the fourth was a test for the Blues defense with two outs coming from the field. Winkler was the pitcher for the Blues facing Hogan as lead off. Hogan hit a single through the 4-3 hole past a diving Comerford. Hogan advanced on an errant pickoff throw over Moran's head by Winkler. Wagner got on first by way of a walk and executed a double steal with Hogan to have two runners in scoring position. Stuart was the next Legend to get on base by way of a fielder's choice. An attempted rundown in between second and third allowed the Legends to score off an obstruction call on Comerford making all runners safe. Kelly struck out in his appearance. O'Toole reached first on a fielder's choice with Comerford tossing to Mador to get the tag out on Wagner at home. Robbins was the final out of the inning with a flyout to center. This inning saw the Legends lead the game 2-0.

5 | College of San Mateo pitcher, Tyler Toribio, entered the game for the Legends. Mador was the first batter faced and he hit a single into left. Rivas was the next Blue to the plate and struck out. Webb collected a hit for the Blues in his appearance, hitting a single into shallow center field. Both Mador and Webb advanced on a passed ball. Murillo popped up behind the second baseman. Becker ended the inning for the Blues but was still able to collect two RBI's with a hit to left. Becker was tagged out at second trying to stretch a double but plenty prior to Mador and Webb crossing home. Bryce Padilla came into the game for the Blues and was able to keep the inning scoreless for the Legends. Medina was the first batter for the Legends, popping up down the left field line where Comerford sat under it but wasn't able to field it and dropped just fair. Medina was able to slide into second to have a runner in scoring position for the Legends. Cruz Mar was the next batter grounding out to second. Levitt-McGee walked in his appearance. Levitt-McGee then got into a pickoff at second. Hogan was the last batter for the Legends with a strikeout to end the inning. 

6 | The sixth inning was the first 1-2-3 inning from both teams. Chavez, Comerford, and Moran came to the plate for the Blues and went down in order. Aaron Louis entered the game as a pinch hitter for the Legends who led off the inning and grounded out to short.  Stuart and Kelly were the next Legend players to the plate and both went down with a groundout to third and strikeout respectively. 

7 | The seventh saw Christian Duarte enter the game for the Legends. The Santa Clara University pitcher struggled with the Blues but was able to escape the inning with no damage. Ashlock was the leadoff batter and struck out. Mador drew a walk followed by a Rivas hit-by-pitch and Webb drawing a walk to load the bases. Murillo got on base by fielder's choice at home to tag Mador and keep the bases loaded. Becker was the last Blue to the plate and struck out. Padilla stayed in the game for the Blues and proved to be effective. O'Toole was the first batter faced and the first one gone on a strikeout. Nick Madrigal entered the game as a pinch hitter for Will Robbins. Madrigal flew out to Ashlock in right. Medina drew a walk and stole a base. The inning was over shortly after with Cruz Mar striking out. 

8 | Chavez was the lead off batter for the Blues in the eighth. Chavez grounded out to first but Comerford was able to follow getting on base by way of an error on the shortstop. Moran struck out and Ashlock was the next Blue on base with a walk. Mador was able to tack on a run with an RBI single that scored Comerford. Ashlock tried to score as well but was thrown out at home with Madrigal blocking the plate and Ashlock having nowhere to go causing a collision. The collision ended the inning and caused a stir between both teams. The ball was put into the hands of Brent Gallegos for the eighth. In Gallego's second appearance on the mound for the Blues he faced only three batters. He struck out lead off hitter Levitt-McGee. Hogan was hit by a pitch but was picked off by a throw from Mador to Webb at short. Louis was the last batter faced and grounded out to Moran at first who flipped over to Gallegos on first. 

9 | Rivas led off the ninth with a walk followed by a walk by Webb to have two runners on. Brady Alves entered the game to pinch run for Rivas. Murillo lined out to short and Becker got on base by way of an error on the third baseman to load the bases. Chavez had a 2 RBI single to put the Blues up by three runs. Comerford and Moran struck out to end the inning but the damage was done. Chance Jasso entered as the closer for the Blues. Jasso struck out the first batter he faced in  Stuart. Kelly drew a walk, but Jasso shut down the Legends, striking out the next two O'Toole and Madrigal to end the game.