Granada Hills Comes Back for 6-5 Victory

Granada Hills High right-hander Bryan Martin ripped into a juicy orange the way that San Fernando had, an hour or so earlier, ripped into him.

The transfer from Illinois tried, as he devoured the fruit, to explain how San Fernando peeled his hide in the third inning Thursday.

Judging by the response, it looks like the California life style has caught up with him. You know, sun worshiping, sleeping late. . . .

“I don’t know what it was,” Martin said. “I didn’t wake up until the sun came out.”

When the sun broke through, so did Granada Hills, which with a 6-5 victory at home moved to within a half-game of first place Kennedy in North Valley League play with four games remaining.

San Fernando hammered Martin (6-0) in the third inning, pounding out four consecutive hits, including a three-run home run by Jose Nunez, his third. Before Martin righted the ship, San Fernando (10-10, 7-6) had scored four times to take a 5-0 lead.

Which, as recent history has shown, was the kiss of death. The Tigers blew a 6-2 lead and lost to the Highlanders, 7-6, Tuesday, handing Coach Darryl Stroh his 300th career victory. Last Thursday, El Camino Real took a six-run lead, yet Granada Hills pulled out a 10-6 victory. But Martin, the Highlander ace, hadn’t been banged around this hard in some time.

“It’s great to see our pitchers come back like that and finish strong,” said first baseman Robert Fowble.

Trailing, 5-0, Granada Hills (13-7-1, 8-4-1) put together a rally in the third and chased starter Canto Franco. Darryl Stroh, the coach’s son, singled and scored on a triple by Erik Anderson (three hits).

Robert Vasquez doubled in Anderson and, one out later, Fowble singled home Vasquez. After Franco wild-pitched Fowble to second, he was yanked in favor of right-hander Rick Savala.

Heath McElwee singled home Fowble to cut the lead to 5-4 and moved to third on a double by Ari Jacobs. McElwee was tossed out at the plate on a fielder’s choice, but Jacobs scored to tie the score when Savala (6-4) balked during a pick-off attempt.

With two out in the fourth, Fowble, who has had a knack for producing in the clutch, singled home Anderson from second with what proved to be the game-winner.

From the fourth inning on, Martin retired 10 batters in a row before Ethan Rodriguez lined a one-out single in the seventh. Rodriguez stole second, but Martin retired the last two hitters. Martin allowed nine hits, struck out seven and walked none.