It was the usual weather conditions at Valencia. Cold and Windy. You wouldn't believe it from looking at the the final score, but Hart was in this game until that Valencia at bat in the 6th inning. In fact in the top of the 6th, Hart had tied the game 4-4 and was threatening to take the lead. In that 6th: Matt Sreden opened with a double. Jake Supowit ran for Sreden. Donny Williams squibbed a single to 1st. Ryan Petersen singled in Supowit tying up the game at 4-4, 2 on with no one out. Then Nick Ferndino who pitched so well against Hart on Tuesday came in to relieve Caleb DeVille. Suddenly Hart was stopped dead in its tracks, as Ferndino got a pop up on a bunt, and then a double play ball.

Donny Williams pitched a very good game, but when he gave up a hard line single to open the 6th by Garret Pascola, he was relieved for Steve Burton. After a sacrifice, Nick Margis singled putting runners on 1st and 3rd. With the infield in a sharp grounder was fielded by Matt Valaika at short and they had Pascolla's pinch runner in a rundown between 3rd and home and he was tagged by Shane Carlson, as the plate umpire with a good view called him out. But the Base Umpire with a poor view called the runner safe. The umpires confired with each other and the runner was ruled safe at 3rd. With the bases loaded Burton proceeded to walk the batter and walked the run in. From that point on the roof completely fell in. Lots of singles, walks, a 3 run homer by Michael Hur, and before you knew it Valencia had sent 21 men to the plate and scored 15 runs.

Again Hart missed some chances early. In the 1st singles by Matt Valaika and Shane Carlson, Tyler Fick was hit by pitch to load the bases. Matt Sreden scalded a ball but right at the left fielder for a sacrifice fly, but the inning ended with Hart leading only 1-0. Valencia picked up a run in the 2nd with singles by Casey Mulligan and Michael Hur putting men on 1st and 3rd with 1 out, they failed to convert a taylor made double play, and Hur scored on the fielders choice.

Hart took the lead back in the 3rd when Valaika reached on an error, then took 3rd on a bad pickoff throw. Shane Carlson singled in Valaika for a 2-1 Hart lead. Valencia scored 3 in the bottom of the 3rd on 4 hits. Then Williams settled down and got the side 1-2-3 ion the 4th and 5th. In the 4th, Brian Charnock hit a home run over the left field wall (his 2nd of the season) bringing the score to 4-3 at the time. As I said earlier, Hart tied it at 4-4 in the top of the 6th.

After the deflating 6th, Hart came to bat in the 7th, down 15. Ryan Gagnon singled then was picked off. After 2 out, Shane Carlson belted a homer over the center field wall (his 3rd), and Tyler Fick immediately followed with another homer to center (his 2nd). But a fly out ended the game.

Shane Carlson was four for four with a solo home run and two RBIs to lead Hart (14-8-1, 7-5). Hart plays a double header at Burbank on Tuesday May 10. The 2nd game under the lights. Hart closes the regular season the following Friday at Hart May 16.

Narrative courtesy of Mike Gaber.