Baseball: Lira, Mata in pitching duel

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San Fernando, seeded No. 12, and San Pedro, seeded No. 5, are tied, 1-1, through four innings of their City Section Division I playoff opener.

San Fernando pitcher David Lira has looked better in the battle of the pitchers, striking out four. The only San Pedro run came on a fourth-inning home run by Danny Matienzo. David Armas led off the game with a home run for San Fernando off Jonathon Mata, who has hit three batters and gotten out of several jams.

One big upset brewing is that No. 11 Birmingham leads No. 6 Granada Hills Kennedy, 4-0, in the fourth. Woodland Hills El Camino Real leads South East, 5-0. Top-seeded Chatsworth leads Harbor City Narbonne, 5-0.

UPDATE: San Fernando has knocked out Mata with a five-run fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead. James An had a two-run double and David Garcia had a two-run single. Birmingham leads Kennedy, 7-0, in the fifth. El Camino Real leads South East, 9-0, in the fourth. Wilmington Banning leads Reseda Cleveland, 3-0.

-- Eric Sondheimer