LIMA – Enough is enough.
That’s what the Lima Locos figured after going 0-3 against Grand Lake in the first half of the season.
Locos pitchers Connor Curlis and Nick Spear dominated the Mariners and the Locos got some big hits in the sixth inning in a 3-1 victory over Grand Lake Monday at Simmons Field.
The victory gives the first-place Locos (15-6) a 1 ½ game lead over second-place Grand Lake (13-7) in the North Division on the Great Lakes Collegiate League.
The Locos are now 1-3 against Grand Lake in the season series.
“They had beaten us three times and we wanted to take it to them tonight,” Locos right fielder Jared Nixon said. “I think it’s like a personal thing. Some things were said and we took it kind of personal and we wanted to get the win tonight.”
Locos coach Chad Ehrnsberger said, “We were 0-3 against those guys this summer and it’s a big win.”
Locos left-hander Curlis (Ohio State/Findlay High School) was masterful in throwing his fastball, breaking ball and slider for strikes. He tossed seven shutout innings and gave up two hits. He struck out six and walked one. Curlis threw 97 pitches, 66 for strikes.
“I was trying to spot up my fastball and let my defense play behind me,” Curlis said. “I wasn’t trying to overpower them, but I thought I spotted it well. … And the intensity level was really high tonight and I think it made me pitch better.”
Curlis is now 4-0 with a 0.65 ERA.
“He can throw strikes with three pitches,” Ehrnsberger said. “As long as you can throw strikes with three pitches, you’re going to have success. And he has good pitches he’s throwing for strikes. It makes it really tough on the hitters.”
Most of the Grand Lake hitters tried to get Curlis off his game of working quickly by continually backing out of the batter’s box and adjusting their batting gloves after nearly every pitch.
It didn’t work.
Curlis kept staring in and firing strikes.
“I can’t control what they do,” Curlis said. “You just can control what you do. I just wanted to throw the fastball and get ahead. I didn’t let it bother me.”
Both starting pitchers cruised through the first half, including Grand Lake starter Matt Hudson. The game was 0-0 entering the home sixth.
Nixon led off the bottom of the sixth off Hudson with a solo home run to right to give the Locos a 1-0 lead.
“I took a batting tip from our coach (Chad Ehrnsberger),” Nixon said. “I felt we were a little more aggressive tonight and didn’t take as many pitches.”
Later in the sixth, Locos shortstop David Chabut singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Jeremy Johnson’s RBI double to right-center field gave the Locos a 2-0 lead.
Lima made it 3-0 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Jason Sullivan.
Locos reliever Brad Croy started the eighth and gave up three hits and a run to make it 3-1. But closer Nick Spear (Mercer) got out the jam by retiring both batters he faced in the eighth.
Spear earned his league-leading sixth save with a 1-2-3 ninth. He threw 1 2/3 no-hit innings with two strikeouts.
“Nick is pretty special,” Ehrnsberger said.
Locos notes: Locos outfielder Jeremy Johnson returned to action in center field Sunday at Southern Ohio. He had been out for 11 days with a hamstring injury.
The Locos are third in the GLCL in hitting at .290. Hamilton leads the league at .308. … The Locos lead the league in pitching with a 2.90 ERA.
Among pitchers who have pitched the minimum innings, the Locos’ Connor Curlis leads the league in ERA at 0.65, while his teammate Nick Ernst is second at 1.06.
Next up: The Locos will play Hamilton at 7 p.m. today and at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, both at Simmons Field.
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