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Underdog Kennedy gives Lehman major scare during playoff thriller, Knights’ season ends after stranding nine in heartbreaking 3-2 loss

By Jason Eisenberg

May 31, 2011 -- The John F. Kennedy High School baseball team entered the final week of the 2011 regular season still in contention for a division title and only front-running Lehman was standing in the way. However, the Knights would lose twice to their biggest rival over a span of three days -- by a combined total of 13-1 -- and were forced to settle for the runner-up spot behind them for a second straight year.

As it turned out, though, these two Bronx baseball powers were not quite done with each other just yet. Kennedy and Lehman met for round three last Friday afternoon, this time in the second stage of the city tournament, and the ensuing do-or-die contest was as exciting as playoff ball can get.

With those recent decisive defeats surely still fresh in their minds, the Knights gave their higher-ranked opponent all they could handle and came so close to pulling out an upset win in the one game that really mattered. Unfortunately for the local team, “close” was the key word, as 13th-seeded Kennedy ultimately saw its season come to an end in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to fourth-seeded Lehman.

“Lehman is a great team, but I knew we would make it a tough battle and it was definitely a big improvement from what happened the last two times,” said JFK head coach Alex Torres. “It was tight all the way through, we were right there, and it is obviously disappointing to think that we were one big hit away from beating them. One hit can make all the difference, that’s baseball, that’s why we play this game.”

It certainly did not look like Kennedy was going to have any trouble getting hits when the first three batters of the game -- Erich Gonzalez, Hansel Rodriguez and Williams Martinez -- all singled to load the bases with nobody out. Yet, that is exactly when the problems would begin. In a sign of what was to come, JFK struggled to produce with runners in scoring position, as the team’s top-two power hitters -- Peter Taveras and Phillie Guzman -- both struck out. Luckily, Brynner Castillo smacked an RBI single to shallow leftfield and at least brought home Gonzalez, but the Knights would get just that one run during what should have been a huge inning.

One frame later, Kennedy sophomore Steve Guzman -- who had just been promoted before the game from the junior varsity -- smoked a triple over the leftfielder’s head in his very first at-bat, but he would be stranded 90 feet from home plate after three consecutive strikeouts ended the threat. The pattern continued in the third, as Williams Martinez led off with a walk and then stole second, but would not advance again due to another three strikeouts in a row. At this point, Lehman starter Steven Pinales had already whiffed nine Knights -- the maximum amount through three frames.

Meanwhile, Kennedy starter Johan Alvarez was coasting along until his defense made its first and only error of the day during a second inning that saw the momentum swing Lehman’s way. The Knights’ infield failed to convert a force at second base on a routine ground ball and this mistake gave Lehman runners at first and second with one out, rather than a man at first with two outs. Sure enough, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly later, and Lehman had erased the one-run deficit and taken a 2-1 lead.

JFK would answer back in the fourth inning when Steve Guzman singled for his second hit of the day, before ultimately coming around to score and even the game on an RBI base hit by Rodriguez. When Lehman came to bat in the bottom of the frame, Alvarez found himself in a bit of a jam, with runners at the corners and just one out, but the senior hurler snagged a ground ball and initiated a clutch double play just as a run was about to score. This beautiful defensive play temporarily kept the game tied heading to the fifth and caused the JFK bench to erupt in cheers simultaneously with the large group of Kennedy supporters on the sideline.

As it turned out, this low-scoring thriller would feature only one more run the rest of the way. In the bottom of the fifth, Lehman regained the lead on an RBI double that was almost caught by Rodriguez but instead slammed off the fence in deep right-center. This would hold up as the game-winning run in a 3-2 Lehman victory.

“We had a real opportunity to break it open in the first inning and scored only one. We had a guy in position to score with no outs in each of the next two innings and we did not get anything,” said Coach Torres. “You get one hit in those situations and you win a game. It is frustrating and I feel bad for everybody, especially the seniors. I love these guys and we prepare all year for this moment, but we just did not get any breaks today.”

Incredibly, the Knights outhit Lehman by a count of 8-4 in the game, but it was the whopping nine runners that were left on base that clearly cost Kennedy a spot in the quarterfinals. Six of the eight hits were evenly shared by Gonzalez, Rodriguez and Steve Guzman -- JFK’s first, second and eighth-place hitters in the lineup. On the other hand, Taveras and Phillie Guzman went a combined 0-for-7 from the heart of the order, with four strikeouts and just a single walk by Taveras to show for the day.

It has been a rough year in particular for Taveras, who heads a large class of seniors that are graduating from the team. The talented centerfielder’s mother passed away just a few months before opening day and the loss clearly affected his play on the field this season, at least by his high standards. Although a .378 batting average and 13 RBIs in 16 games is nothing to laugh at, it was a significant drop-off from his ridiculous numbers of a year ago when he hit .500 and knocked in 29 runs.

“My teammates look to me as a leader and the captain, so I wish I could have done something more today. I still think we definitely gave 100-percent out there, but their pitcher was good and we were way too anxious at the plate when guys were on base,” said Taveras, who will attend University of New Mexico on a full baseball scholarship. “It is hard to believe that this is all over, though, because I have only the best memories from my time here. I went from a little kid to a grown man with this team and I am going to take what I learned here to college and then hopefully on to the pros.”

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

JFK PLAYER OF THE GAME: Johan Alvarez - The senior pitcher rarely overpowers anyone -- in fact, he did not strike out a single batter -- but the Knights really could not have asked for a better performance from their starter on this day. Alvarez held the powerful Lehman offense to just four hits and two earned runs in five solid innings of work. Despite a lack of run support, it was Alvarez that put Kennedy in position to pull off the upset.

“Johan actually did not have his best stuff and after watching him all season, there were even times I would say he was struggling out there. My assistant coach even wanted to pull him early in the game,” said Coach Torres. “But he battled and battled and kept battling, he started that huge double play for us that kept the game tied and he gave the team a chance to win, no question about it.”

Honorable mention: Steve Guzman - In his first game at the varsity level, the sophomore first baseman did not take long to contribute, as he crushed a triple to deep leftfield in his first at-bat. Guzman would later add a single, steal a base and score the run that temporarily tied the game. He could be a player to watch next season.

JFK Report Card

Offense: B-

Kennedy actually had twice the amount of hits as Lehman in this game, so clearly getting guys on base was not the problem. However, the Knights’ success at the plate severely dropped off with runners in scoring position and that was the difference in the outcome. If JFK had even simply put the ball in play rather than striking out during one of these numerous crucial at-bats, they would likely still be in contention for the city title.

Defense: B

In an otherwise superb defensive performance by the Knights, it was the one mistake they did make that proved to be extremely costly. Kennedy committed a throwing error -- its only one of the day -- on what should have been a routine force in the second frame. This led to an unearned run in a game that was unfortunately decided by a single run. However, JFK did later save a run by turning a beautiful double play to end the fourth.

Pitching: B+

Knights starter Johan Alvarez might not have the type of stuff to blow batters away, but he unquestionably did his part in giving the team a chance to win this game. It was a significant improvement on the senior hurler’s last outing, just six days earlier against this same Lehman squad. Erich Gonzalez eventually relieved Alvarez and pitched a perfect sixth inning while striking out a pair.