Patient Skyhawks outlast Gators in 13

Three walks, wet ground play role in winning rally

Rain poured, thunder struck and lightning flashed to a sporadic tune Saturday at Green Valley’s Fairless Field.

After a 3-hour, 22-minute marathon, Silverado’s baseball team finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Dax Fellows scored from third base on a one-out fielder’s choice by Justin DeLeon in the 13th inning as the Skyhawks outlasted ninthranked Green Valley 4-3.

With the win, Silverado (11-7, 7-2) moved into a first-place tie with Liberty and Coronado in the Division I Sunrise League, while Green Valley (11-8, 6-3) fell to second.

“That may have been the longest game I have had to coach,” said Silverado coach Brian Whitaker, in his 22nd season.

The Skyhawks drew three walks in the 13th inning, including one by Fellows, and sent six batters to the plate — who collectively saw 28 pitches.

“We’re not a take-to-get-a-strike type of team,” Whitaker said. “But with the mound as wet as it was, and a new guy coming in and having to deal with it, you’ve got to make him throw it over the plate.”

After drawing an eight-pitch walk from Green Valley’s Jimmy Montiel, Fellows reached second base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on a walk to Michael Janosik. With the bases loaded and just one out, DeLeon sent a grounder to Gators third baseman Matt Gilbertson, who recovered from a slip and stepped on his bag. The ensuing throw to first base, however, came up short.

“The wet ground might have had something to do with that,” Whitaker said. “That probably would have been a double play ball if the kid didn’t slip and fall. … We were lucky. They had us. They were one batter, one hit, one something numerous times. This was a tough game for either team to lose after being here all day.”

Green Valley, which left nine runners on base, had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the 13th with one out and runners on the corners. But Frankie Fitzgerald was caught trying to steal second base, and Brad Jetter grounded to the pitcher to end the game.

“We took a chance there. They’re aggressive and like to run,” Whitaker said. “We knew (Fitzgerald) was going to go. He’s a great athlete. But with this footing, we knew he wouldn’t get a great start. And I said, ‘Let’s take a chance.’ It was only the tying run at third.”

Green Valley had the bases loaded with one out in the 12th inning, but failed to execute a suicide squeeze before flying out.

Alex Grafiada pitched three innings of relief to earn the win for Silverado, and teammate James Skelly went 3-for-6.

A.J. Amelburu was 2-for-5 with three stolen bases for Green Valley, which got doubles from James Leonard and Gavin Morley.

Capitals 5, Blues 1 — At St. Louis, Alex Ovechkin scored three goals to reach 50 for the seventh time, and Braden Holtby won his 48th game to tie the NHL single-season record as Washington dashed St. Louis’ division-title hopes. Ovechkin is the third NHL player with seven 50-goal seasons, joining Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky.

Jets 4, Kings 3, SO — At Los Angeles, Blake Wheeler scored the tying goal for Winnipeg, which rallied from a three-goal deficit to prevent Los Angeles from clinching the Pacific Division title. Jonathan Quick

Devils 5, Maple Leafs 1 — At Newark, N.J., Adam Henrique scored twice and Kyle Palmieri once to become New Jersey’s first 30goal scorers in four years and back Cory Schneider, who had 19 saves.

Canucks 4, Oilers 3, SO — At Vancouver, British Columbia, Emerson Etem scored in regulation and tallied the decisive seventh-round shootout goal to back Jacob Markstrom, who had 35 saves.

Sharks 1, Coyotes 0 — At San Jose, Calif., Joe Pavelski scored on a power play 7:29 into the third period to back Martin Jones, who had 20 saves in his fifth shutout of the season.

Canadiens 5, Lightning 1 — At Montreal, Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty each scored twice to reach the 30-goal mark and back Mike Condon, who had 21 saves.

Sabres 4, Islanders 3, OT — At New York, Brian Gionta scored his second goal of the game with 2:14 left in overtime to back Linus Ullmark, who had 21 saves.