After five frustrating games at the plate, all resulting in losses, the Carson Blue Jays finally got untracked.
Carson collected nine hits, four coming from lead-off man Kahle Good, and it was enough to outlast the McQueen Outlaws, 14-8, Tuesday night at Ron McNutt Field.
The win evened the Blue Jays’ record at 8-8 heading into the annual Reno Aces tournament at Bishop Manogue. The Blue Jays will meet Dayton on Thursday at noon.
Good, who has inherited the lead-off spot from the graduated Abel Carter, went 4-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored.
“It’s definitely an adjustment,” Good said after his best hitting performance of the summer season. “The last two years I’ve been batting in the middle of the order. I’ve been trying to see a lot of pitches to help my teammates. It’s been fun. I’m seeing the ball really well right now.”
Good’s second hit of the game, a two-run single to left field in the second inning, gave Carson a 5-3 lead. After McQueen tied the game at 5 on Kenny Allen’s infield out and Dom Stallworth’s triple to right-centerfield, Good came up big again.
Casey Martensen singled and moved to second when Garritt Benavidez was hit by a pitch. After both runners moved up on a wild pitch, Vernon Painter singled to make it 6-5 and Kobe Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-5.
Good hammered a ball to deep left that should have been a double or triple. It turned out to be a three-run single when Good landed in a heap beyond first base. The blow gave Carson a 10-5 advantage. Good got around to third, but his teammates were unable to drive him in.
McQueen trimmed the lead to 10-8 with three in the fourth, as Logan Pensotti and Landon Schroder delivered run-scoring hits off Quinn Overland, who went 3.2 innings. An error allowed the third run of the inning to score.
Jade Stotts threw 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, and was by far the most effective Carson hurler.
Carson made it 13-8 with three in the bottom of the fourth thanks to two errors, a walk and hit batter. Good completed the scoring in the fifth when he doubled, stole third and scored when the McQueen catcher threw the ball into left field.
