2017 45+ Cactus Consolation

Southern California Indians 7, Bay Area Giants 6

‘Aguila Knocks in DeJesus with Winning Run’

By Randy Vernon, special to MSBL

November 4, 2017, Maryvale Stadium, Phoenix, AZ – Southern California came out on top of a closely contested game to win the 45+ Cactus consolation game at Maryvale Stadium.

The Bay Area Giants led 4-1 after an inning and a half, when the Southern California Indians responded with four runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead, 5-4. Bay Area scored one to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the eighth. Southern Californiaresponded with a run in the bottom of the eighth to retake the lead then held Bay Area scoreless in the ninth to win the 45+ Cactus Consolation game.

With the game tied in the eighth inning, Southern California’s Wil DeJesus reached based on an error, then promptly stole second base. Raul Aguila followed with an RBI single to score DeJesus and get the game-winning RBI. Aguila said, “It was a great team effort. Everyone fought hard.” Of SoCal’s nine team hits, Aguila was the sole player with two hits. SoCal had seven stolen bases, with DeJesus getting three stolen bases. Leadoff hitter DeJesus started the game with a “Rickey Henderson triple” – getting a walk then stealing second and third base before scoring on Scott Crutchfield’s RBI single. Mike Fortunato paced SoCal with 2 RBI’s, which capped SoCal’s 4-run second inning.

SoCal’s Martin Guerro started the game, lasting 1 1/3 innings, before being replaced by Robert Scott, who threw six innings in relief. Larry Ramirez closed down the game for SoCal pitching the final 1 2/3 innings.

The Bay Area Giants were paced by Bill Naylor’s three hits, including two doubles. Bill Neale and George Lee added two hits apiece, with Neale also scoring two runs. Lee was one of five Bay Area players with an RBI in the game.

Bay Area starting pitcher Dave McCuestin went three innings. Nelson Villanueva pitched a strong five innings in relief. The Bay Area pitchers did not give up a single extra base hit to SoCal. But in the end SoCal had enough offense when they needed it to earn the victory.