With five Patterson players scoring in the fifth inning Saturday, Manteca’s Nate Slikker did his job after taking the mound with two outs, inducing a groundout to end the frame.
The fireworks were just beginning.
In the top of the seventh, with Slikker facing his first batter, the visiting Tigers fans went a bit over the top, and one was ejected after suggesting the umpire go back to umpiring school, leading to a standing ovation from her fellow fans and the Patterson bench.
The Tigers could not convert that spectacle into success, as Slikker struck out the side in order, securing at 10-6 win that gives the Buffaloes the edge in the best-of-three series.
“It was a high-energy game with a lot of lot of chirping from both teams,” Slikker said. “I had faith that my defense would have my back, so I just wanted to pound the zone and get batters out early in the count as much as I could. The rest is history.
“When that fan got ejected, I was kind of sad for her, because I wanted her to see me strike out the next three batters. I was kind of sad she missed it.”
Jeremy Cross started on the hill for Manteca (2-1 VOL, 8-2 overall) and sprinkled five hits over five innings, not giving up a run until the fifth when he left the game with an 8-1 lead.
“When I woke up this morning, I knew we were going to come out and have a good game,” Cross said. “The defense was going to be good and have my back, and I knew we were going to finish the game off strong.”
Part of that stalwart defense behind Cross was third baseman Cameron Jiminez, who made two highlight-reel plays. In the first inning, with two down and a runner on second, Guy Allard lined a shot that Cross somehow stabbed out of the air to end the threat. In the second inning, with runners on first and second, Cross fielded a grounder, stepped on third and fired to first for the double play.
“On that double play, I just wanted to stay composed,” Jiminez said. “We needed an out, and we had just had an error before that play, so that fired me up to make that play even more.
“That line drive was hard off the bat and I didn’t quite know where it was coming. I just put my glove out and the ball went right in it.”
The Buffaloes scored three runs in both the first and third innings, with just two hits total. In those two frames the Tigers committed three errors, walked five and hit one. No. 9 batter Nick Garcia was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run. Slikker reached base three times, scored twice and posted an RBI. Jimenez reached base four times, scored once and knocked in a run and Chris Chavez scored twice.
Patterson (1-2, 4-4) strung three hits together in the sixth inning highlighted by Jimmy Chagoya’s two-RBI single to come within 9-6.
“We let up a little bit,” Manteca coach Mark Ruiz said. “The team lost a little bit of focus, because we obviously wanted to see us continue to play and put them away.
“Our defense just didn’t back us up for that one inning.”
The Buffaloes travel to Modesto to face Downey on Monday afternoon at 3:30.
