Chiefs open league play with a win at home

Drew Loera beats out a throw to first base in the bottom of the third inning.

Trino Rubio catches a break when the home plate umpire calls him safe while sliding into second during the game against Davis at Larson Field Tuesday. The Chiefs came back to beat the Pirates 12-2.

by Bob Kirkpatrick & Herald Sports Editor
| March 21, 2013 6:05 AM

Trino Rubio catches a break when the home plate umpire calls him safe while sliding into second during the game against Davis at Larson Field Tuesday. The Chiefs came back to beat the Pirates 12-2.

MOSES LAKE - It was a cold overcast spring afternoon when the Chiefs and Pirates took the field to open Big 9 league play Tuesday.

But it didn't take long for the action to heat up as Davis brought 2 runs across the plate in the top of the first inning.

Moses Lake was held off the board in the teams' first at bat, but scored 4 runs in the bottom of the second and 6 in the bottom of the fourth to blow the game wide open, 10-2.

Trino Rubio got things started for the Chiefs in the big inning as he reached base on a misjudged fly to short right field and advanced to second base on the play.

A walk by Erick Huberdeau and a single by Brett Moser loaded the bases. A walk to Brad Fox brought Rubio home to make the score 5-2.

With the bags still full, Colton Kelly singled to center to bring in two more runs and the rout was on.

A sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field by Elliott Sage made it 8-2. Drew Loera's single to left brought Kelly home to push the score to 9-2. Spencer Street was beaned by the Pirate pitcher to put runners at first and second. A one-out single by Jacob Price scored Loera for the sixth run of the inning.

Davis failed to score in the top of the fifth and the lead held up, 10-2 in favor of Moses Lake.

A leadoff walk by Moser put a Chief runner at first base to start the bottom of the inning.

Fox reached base on a fielding error by the Davis third baseman, putting Chiefs on first and second with no outs. Kelly received a base-on-balls to load the bags. A sacrifice fly by Sage scored Moser to make it 11-2.

Hector Zavala's single up the middle scored Fox from second to end the ball game as the 10-run mercy rule went into effect.

Price threw a three-hitter, struck out three batters, and walked one in five innings and was the winning pitcher of record for Moses Lake.

The win puts the Chiefs at 1-0 in league play. Moses Lake is back on the diamond Friday when the team travels to Yakima for doubleheader action against Davis.