Perhaps a cliché, perhaps a hyperbole, but the Fremont Firebirds baseball team’s heartbreaking loss on Tuesday afternoon was emblematic of the popular sports phrase—it’s a game of inches. The Firebirds took on league rival Monta Vista in a battle for second place. Both the Firebirds and Matadors came into play on Tuesday amidst a three-way tie for second place in the El Camino League, along with Milpitas. A win would keep an outside shot alive at catching Gunn for first place. A loss would make even finishing second a tough task with just three games remaining in the season. 

Unfortunately for Firebirds fans, the game ended in a 1-0 loss.

Fremont will need more of the same pitching and defense to get back on track, as the Firebirds received an excellent start on the mound from junior Juan Hernandez. The right-hander attacked the zone all afternoon and was extremely economical with his pitches. His performance helped contribute to the incredibly short game time, just 90 minutes to get through the 6.5 innings of play.

His defense behind him was mostly solid throughout the day, but an unlucky bounce in the bottom of the fifth ended up being the difference in the game. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, it appeared as if Firebirds center fielder Kai Daron had thrown out the Matador player trying to stretch a single into a double. At the last second, after the umpire had made an out call, the ball popped loose and onto the ground. That runner would come around to score the only run of the game. 

Talk about a game of inches. Not only did the Firebirds nearly get the lone run of the game out at second, but in the second inning, the Firebirds attempted a suicide squeeze play that backfired. Instead of getting a bunt down to score the first run of the game, the bunt never happened, leaving the runner at third out to dry in a pickle. Not to mention a popped-up bunt straight to the Matadors’ catcher in the fourth with a runner at second and nobody out, also hurt the Firebirds on offense. 

“We just didn’t execute, we preach it all the time, whether early in the game or late in the game,” chimed Fremont Assistant Coach Dan Amezquita. “At this point, every team right now is executing, and we aren’t.” 

One of the key players who did execute for the Firebirds was senior outfielder Mathew Ramirez, who went three-for-three at the plate. 

“He has speed, and he just hustles,” praised coach Amezquita on Ramirez. “If he puts a ball in play, there is a good chance he is going to beat it out.”

Ramirez wasn’t alone in strong support behind Hernandez on the mound. Shortstop Kevin Kowal made numerous strong plays, including going deep into the 5.5 hole on the backhand. Third baseman Tre Dumesnil got the Firebirds out of a two-on, one-out jam with a double play by running about five yards to tag his base and then made a strong, off-balance throw to first. 

Fremont will try to bounce back with a game at Milpitas on Thursday, May 7.

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