With six games remaining, the Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) teams began their final regular-season series Tuesday. The appropriately named Long Beach Coast have been coasting to the postseason, ensuring a playoff spot 48 games ago after finishing first in the first-half standings. High stakes will return to the Coast (64-27) games soon, but a series with a potential playoff opponent stands in their way.
The PBL season is split into two halves to determine the four playoff teams — the teams with the top two records of each half gain entry.
Even the Modesto Roadsters’ 26-1 start to the second half wasn’t enough to clinch a playoff berth before the final regular-season series. The Roadsters (56-35) entered the series with unfinished business after dropping 12 of their last 15 contests.
Primarily used in relief appearances, Coast right-hander Gary Grosjean made his fourth start of the season Tuesday. Grosjean hurled five shutout innings and allowed only two hits and two walks.
“Truly just attacking with my best stuff,” Grosjean said. “I absolutely love when Johnny Pappas is back there, so [I] just listen to what he throws down and throw it as hard as I can.”
Pappas, the starting catcher, played with Grosjean in Idaho Falls last year and the two have developed great chemistry since then, Grosjean said.
His four strikeouts and five innings pitched matched season highs. Grosjean’s other five-inning outing came in the May 19 season opener.
“Arm feels great,” Grosjean said. “Honestly, it’s probably the healthiest I’ve been towards the end of the season so I feel really good right now. Hopefully, I can be implemented into the staff for the playoffs.”
The Coast opened the game by loading the bases and scoring a run despite racking up zero hits. Roadsters starting pitcher Ethan Roark issued three walks and surrendered a sacrifice fly to third baseman Benjamin Rosengard. Roark escaped the jam, limiting the first inning damage to one run.
In the second inning, the Coast continued to put runners on base without hits. Pappas drew a walk and left fielder Eddy Pelc reached first after the shortstop failed to rein in a routine fly ball that should’ve ended the inning.
Gifted an at-bat, center fielder Emilio Corona showed his gratitude by delivering the team’s first base hit, a three-run, opposite-field homer to right field in the second inning.
“I always want to capitalize on the other team’s mistakes and luckily I got a pitch that I could drive and handle,” Corona said.
In addition to the three runs batted in, Corona drew a walk and stole his league-leading 47th base of the season. Corona has only been caught stealing four times this season, boasting an efficiency unrivaled by the PBL’s other baserunning threats.
In 69 appearances for the Great Falls Voyagers last year, Corona stole 33 bases on 39 attempts. Although his percentage has improved, he attributes the uptick to receiving more opportunities than any change in his game.
“It’s definitely something I take pride in, being able to steal bases,” Corona said. “I just trusted my speed and trusted my eyes and what I saw out of the pitcher and catcher.”
Corona leads the league in stolen bases with five games to go and admits he’s kept tabs on the other contenders. After Aug. 19, he was tied with Chase Valentine of the Ogden Raptors at 42 apiece but Valentine has only gone 1-for-2 in his thievery since then.
“I’m definitely peeking this last week,” Corona said with a smile. “I would love to have that title so as long as the game allows, I’m going to keep running as long as I can.”
Modesto finally scored in the seventh, cutting the four-run deficit in half with a trio of hits and one error. After Grosjean’s steady performance, three different pitchers had a turn in the inning.
Per usual, closer Zach Voelker entered the game in the ninth inning to secure a Coast victory. Voelker allowed only one walk and struck out one for his 22nd save, but not without disruption.
Roadsters manager J.T. Snow jawed just enough at the first-base umpire to warrant an ejection, a beef that had been stewing all game. The ejection and ensuing argument ended after nearly three minutes, capped off by Snow chucking a helmet onto the field.
The delay failed to affect Voelker, who took care of the next two batters to win the game for the Coast.
“I just used [the delay] to my advantage, let it get me mad in a good way, still staying under control,” Voelker said.
Voelker broke the PBL single-season record for most saves last Friday, and has continued to extend his total. No other PBL reliever has more than 12 saves, compared to Voelker’s commanding lead of 22.
“I love coming in to close, my favorite thing to do in pitching and I just have a ton of support from Percy [Coast manager Troy Percival] and everyone,” Voelker said. “Obviously, he’s one of the best closers to ever do it, and that’s been a huge help for me. I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better throughout the season because of him, just learning from him and everything.”
Following the series against Modesto, Long Beach will host a best-of-three playoff series at Blair Field starting Sept. 10. A team has yet to clinch a playoff spot from the second-half standings. Fighting for two spots, the Missoula PaddleHeads, Modesto Roadsters, Idaho Falls Chukars and Boise Hawks are the only teams that haven’t been mathematically eliminated and each squad has varying probabilities at first place.
“I know we feel great in this clubhouse about our chances, making it all the way,” Grosjean said. “We’ve had a few little slumps here and there, but we can get firing on all cylinders, offense, pitching and defense. I think we’re the best team in this league.”
