After dropping an error-prone, doubleheader opener to visiting Sierra 5-2 on Friday afternoon, Manteca rode the rocket arm of Jeremy Cross to a 6-0 Valley Oak League baseball win, taking the best-of-three series from the Timberwolves, 2-1.
“A lot of credit goes to (Jeremy) Cross,” Sierra coach Travis Thomson said. “He threw three pitches for strikes the whole game. He threw his change-up on command – on 1-0 counts, 0-1 counts, whenever he wanted – he had us off-balance the whole game. He just beat us. He pitched better than we could hit.
“We just could not get anything going. We played good defense except for an inning, and we pitched OK, but we didn’t score runs.”
The Buffaloes (4-2 VOL, 11-3 overall) played error-free ball in the finale.
“We were able to play good defense in the second game,” Manteca coach Mark Ruiz said. “You want to every single league series. It’s huge when it comes down to the league record, playoffs and positioning.
“A series win – we’ll take it.”
Cross struck out seven and walked none, allowing just one hit with a two-out double by No. 9 batter Cameron Diego in the third inning, breaking up the perfect game. A hit batter accounted for the only other base runner for the Timberwolves (2-3, 4-6).
“We had two games today and I knew it was going to be a long day,” Cross said. “I was locked in the whole first game thinking about pitching the second game, so I came out the second game and threw the whole seven innings and had a good day.”
Cameron Jimenez (2 for 2, RBI, run) launched a triple to right-center in the second inning, eventually scoring the first run of a three-run frame for the Buffaloes.
“I was just trying to stick to my approach,” Jimenez said. “I was a little under the weather today, so I just wanted to be here for my guys.
“I was hustling. The guy before me got an out, and I wanted to get things started.”
Manteca’s Jace Quitasol went 3 for 3 with two RBI and a run, and made a circus catch at first on a line drive to end the Sierra sixth.
“My first game today wasn’t the best, but I tried to flush it down the toilet,” Quitasol said. “I just went into the second game open-minded and did my thing.
“On that line drive I couldn’t see it in the sun so I just reached for it and got it in my glove.”
The Buffaloes committed five errors in the opener to temper a strong outing on the mound by Jimenez.
“We struggled defensively in the first game,” Ruiz said. “Again, we had a great pitching performance from Cam (Jimenez).”
The Timberwolves posted three runs in the top of the sixth behind a Rudy Barney two-RBI double. Riley Kane added an RBI single in the frame. Jayden Pimental was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Wyatt Bauer sprinkled six hits over the seven innings for Sierra, striking out two while walking three and yielding one earned run.
“In the first game, we did a really good job of getting the ball in play,” Thomson said. “We only had four strikeouts and by the second inning of the second game we already had three.
“We got bat on ball, we had some big hits and insurance runs.”
Chris Chavez went 2 for 4 with a run for Manteca and Nate Slikker was 2 for 3. Jimenez came in to pitch with one out in the second inning, allowing just one earned run, striking out three and walking three.
On Monday at 4 p.m. Sierra travels to Oakdale and the Buffaloes travel to Mountain House.
