Grant Takes Over First in East Valley League

Let it be known to all that Rodney Beck has learned his lesson.

Forget the barrage of fastballs. The Nolan Ryan routine has been shelved.

From now on Beck says he will throw curveballs that wouldn’t break an egg if that’s what it takes to win.

The new Beck made his debut Thursday as Grant beat visiting Sylmar, 5-2, in an important East Valley League game. It was an impressive showing.

He nibbled at the corners. He moved the ball in and out on the batters.

When they were looking fastball, he threw a curve. When they were looking curve, down came the fastball.

Said Grant Coach Tom Lucero: “Today Rodney was a pitcher, not just a thrower.”

Beck, who improved his record to 5-3, had a three-hit shutout into the last inning, before Sylmar rallied for two runs on a leadoff double by Isidro Rodriguez and a one-out, two-run homer to right by Greg Raskopf.

“I threw him a hanging curveball, and he got it up in the air where the wind took it,” Beck said. “I started hanging my breaking stuff during the last few innings, and when I went back to my fastball I didn’t have the same velocity.”

No matter. Beck had a five-run cushion after only three innings. He got in trouble in the sixth when Sylmar loaded the bases with one out, but he closed down the rally on an infield pop-up and a strikeout.

“I felt comfortable the whole game, even though they had me in a couple of tough spots,” Beck said. “I pitched my game. I moved the ball around and changed speeds. They couldn’t sit on anything because we kept them off balance. Before, I was fastball, fastball, fastball. Not anymore.”

All of which spelled bad news for Sylmar.

“He simply overmatched us,” said Sylmar Coach John Klitsner. “It seemed that way from the first inning on. We were tentative. We had our chances, but he was up to the challenge each time. We weren’t.”

The win moved Grant into first place. Alone. At least temporarily.

The day started with Grant, Sylmar and North Hollywood in a three-way tie for first place at 11-3. Sylmar and and North Hollywood--upset by Poly, 9-6--moved down a notch.

Grant plays at Poly on Tuesday, while Sylmar hosts winless Hollywood.

Grant, which finished sixth in league last season, has won four in a row. Its only loss at home was to Fairfax in the second game of the season.

The home crowd had barely settled into their seats Thursday before the Spartans jumped ahead, 3-0.

Jason Peterson led off with a double to left. Beck walked one out later. Jon Hauptman, the Lancers’ No. 4 batter, followed with a hard grounder that bounded off the glove of Sylmar first baseman David Nunez and rolled down the right-field line. That scored Peterson, Beck moving to third and Hauptman reaching second.

Sylmar starter Rod Ruiz got behind on a 2-0 count to Grant’s Rom Bretado, then exited in favor of reliever Biff McGahan. Bretado walked, and that set the stage for Rob Hunt, whose long fly to center scored Beck.

The Lancers’ final run of the inning came on a double steal. Bretado purposely got in a run-down between first and second, and while the Spartans tried to tag him, Hauptman scored from third.

Grant took a 5-0 lead in the third on a leadoff homer to right by Sean Pettway. Beck then doubled down the left-field line, took third on a ground out, and scored on another sacrifice fly by Hunt.