Thompson, McDonald lead the Chanclas to a 5-3 victory

Kyte McDonald singles in the bottom of the fourth inning to drive in the Flying Chanclas' first run of the game against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Kyte McDonald singles in the bottom of the fourth inning to drive in the Flying Chanclas’ first run of the game against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

The Flying Chanclas de San Antonio don’t always play with precision. But they do play with heart on most nights. They did it again Sunday, rallying from an early deficit and then hanging on late to claim a 5-3 victory over the Victoria Generals at Wolff Stadium.

In the finale of six straight games between the teams, the Generals led by one run when the Chanclas exploded for four in the bottom of the fifth to take charge, 5-2. Jordan Thompson ripped a two-run double and Kyte McDonald had an RBI single in the outburst.

Flying Chanclas starter Lance Lusk from Sam Houston State pitched 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Flying Chanclas starter Lance Lusk, from Sam Houston State, earned the victory by pitching six innings and allowing two runs. He lowered his earned run average to 2.35. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The win allowed the Chanclas to take the series with the Generals, 4-2. It also lifted them into first place in the Texas Collegiate League South Division with an 11-6 record. San Antonio won two of three in Victoria and two of three in San Antonio.

It was the second straight night that the Chanclas climbed out of a deficit on the scoreboard to win, though it wasn’t quite as dramatic as Saturday night’s 7-6 victory in 11 innings. On Saturday, the Chanclas trailed by 5-1 early and by 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth.

On Sunday, Thompson and McDonald took matters into their own hands. Thompson, batting leadoff, went 2 for 4 and had 2 RBI. Batting fifth, McDonald enjoyed a 3-for-4 performance. He also had two RBI. It was McDonald’s second 3-hit game of the week.

Lance Lusk pitched six innings for the Chanclas, the longest outing by a starter for the team this season. He allowed two runs on five hits. Jaime Ramirez Jr. and Connor Schmidt finished the game.

With the bases loaded in the ninth, Schmidt got Steve Bonuz on a fly ball to left field to end the game.

Flying Chanclas right fielder Jordan Thompson races toward the warning track to catch a fly ball against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Flying Chanclas right fielder Jordan Thompson races toward the warning track to catch a fly ball Sunday night. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Runs-hits-errors

Victoria — 3-7-0
San Antonio — 5-9-0
Please click on the link for Sunday’s box score.

Records

Victoria 7-11
San Antonio 11-6

Coming up

The Chanclas have a day off on Monday before they open a series with the Brazos Valley Bombers Tuesday night at Wolff. Brazos Valley is second in the TCL South at 9-6. Acadiana won at home, defeating Brazos Valley 5-1 Sunday night.

Notable

Kyte McDonald hit for a .346 average against the Generals. In six games, he went 9 for 26, including a double, a triple and a home run. McDonald also produced five RBI and scored six runs.

Flying Chanclas catcher Tyler LaRue throws to first on a bunt against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Flying Chanclas catcher Tyler LaRue throws to first on a bunt against the Victoria Generals on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Dramatic victory: Chanclas down Generals 7-6 in 11 innings

Grant Smith (left) and Johnny Hernandez celebrate after Smith's hit drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning in the Flying Chanclas' 7-6 victory over the Victoria Generals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Grant Smith (left) and Johnny Hernandez celebrate after Smith’s infield single drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Flying Chanclas de San Antonio third baseman Grant Smith has executed several gold-star defensive plays over the last few nights during a grind-it-out series against the Victoria Generals.

On Saturday night, he produced three hits and three RBI, including a game-deciding, run-scoring infield single in the bottom of the 11th, as the Chanclas rallied past the Generals, 7-6, at Wolff Stadium.

Grant Smith ends it with a walk-off hit with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning in the Flying Chanclas' 7-6 victory over the Victoria Generals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Grant Smith ends it with a walk-off hit in the 11th inning against Victoria. Smith, from the University of the Incarnate Word, had three hits and three RBI. – Photo by Joe Alexander

It was the third straight extra-innings game between the Chanclas and the Generals in the last three nights. The Generals had won the last two, and they had a chance to make it three straight when scored four runs in the top of the third inning for a 5-1 lead.

After the Chanclas rallied to tie it 5-5 after the regulation nine innings, the Generals broke through with a run in the top of the 11th to make it 6-5.

In the bottom half, the Chanclas, by rule, started with a runner at second base. All teams in the Texas Collegiate League start extra innings with a runner on second, mirroring a rule installed in minor league baseball a few years ago.

The Chanclas had been unsuccessful in capitalizing on the opportunity the past few nights. But, they finally broke through in the bottom of the 11th against the Generals. With Ryan Flores opening at second base, he came around to score to tie it 6-6 when Tyler LaRue led off with an RBI single.

After the Chanclas loaded the bases, Smith stepped up to face Victoria left-hander Dylan Turner.

Smith hit a sharp grounder up the middle. The ball was knocked down by Generals shortstop Jonathan Tapia. But Tapia couldn’t control it to make a force play at second, allowing Kyte McDonald to race home from third with the winning run.

With the victory, the Chanclas improved to 3-2 in a hotly-contested series against the Generals. In Victoria, the Chanclas won the first two and lost the finale. In San Antonio, they dropped the opener at home, before they pulled out the second game in dramatic fashion.

The series finale is Sunday night at Wolff.

The Generals won 8-7 in 11 innings on Thursday night at Riverside Stadium in Victoria. As the series shifted to San Antonio on Friday, the Generals won again, claiming a 4-3 victory in 10 innings.

Runs-hits-errors

Victoria — 6 8 2
San Antonio — 7 12 2
(11 innings)

Please click on the link for Saturday’s official box score.

Records

Victoria 7-10
San Antonio 10-6

Coming up

Victoria at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m. Sunday, at Wolff Stadium.

Notable

The Brazos Valley Bombers (9-5) and the Chanclas (10-6) are in a virtual tie for first in the TCL South division, with the Bombers holding an edge by percentage points. After a league-wide day off on Monday, the Bombers and Chanclas will open a three-game series Tuesday night at Wolff Stadium.

Kyte McDonald jumps on home plate to score the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning in the Flying Chanclas' 7-6 victory over the Victoria Generals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Kyte McDonald jumps on home plate to score the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning in the Flying Chanclas’ 7-6 victory over the Victoria Generals on Saturday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Generals edge Chanclas by one run in extra innings — again

Victoria Generals relief pitcher Jose Torres from Our Lady of the Lake pitched the final three innings and got the win against the Flying Chanclas on Friday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Victoria Generals relief pitcher Jose Diaz from Our Lady of the Lake University pitched the final three innings and got the win against the Flying Chanclas on Friday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

For the second straight night, the Victoria Generals defeated the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio by one run in extra innings.

They downed the Chanclas 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday night at Wolff Stadium, with Steven Bonuz and relief pitcher Jose Diaz producing in the clutch for the Generals.

Batting against Chanclas relief ace Tyler Flores, Bonuz delivered a one-out, RBI single to put the Generals in front in the top of the 10th.

In the bottom half, Diaz completed three innings of scoreless relief in dramatic fashion.

After he threw a wild pitch that allowed the potential tying run to reach third base, Diaz got Lee Thomas on a pop up to end the game.

It was the fourth game in four nights between the two teams. Opening a three-game set at Victoria, the Chanclas won the first two to extend a season-high winning streak to five.

But on Thursday night at Victoria’s Riverside Stadium, the Generals scored three runs in their last at-bat for an 8-7 victory in 11 innings.

On Friday, with the series shifting to San Antonio, the Chanclas jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, then gave up one in the third and two in the fifth to fall behind.

The Chanclas scored twice in the eighth to tie it, 3-3, but couldn’t sustain the momentum.

Runs-hits-errors

Victoria — 4 5 0
San Antonio — 3 7 1
(10 innings)

Please click on the link for Friday night’s box score.

Records

Victoria 7-9
San Antonio 9-6

Coming up

Victoria at San Antonio, Saturday and Sunday. Both games, 7:05 p.m., at Wolff Stadium.

Notable

Diaz is from Pinar del Rio, Cuba. Two other local college ball players from San Antonio — Jonathan Tapia and Hobbs Price — also aided in the Generals’ victory.

Tapia, from O’Connor High School and UTSA, executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move up a runner to third base in the 10th inning. The run eventually scored on a single by Bonuz for the game-winner.

Price, also from UTSA, made a running catch on a drive into the right field corner that likely saved two runs. His play, on a ball hit hard by Chanclas newcomer Anthony Forte, ended the fifth inning.

Victoria Generals center fielder Jonathan Tapia (left) and right fielder Hobbs Price are both from UTSA. - photo by Joe Alexander

Victoria Generals center fielder Jonathan Tapia (left) and right fielder Hobbs Price are both from UTSA. Tapia produced the game-winning hit in the Generals’ victory Thursday in Victoria – photo by Joe Alexander

Generals rally to knock off the Flying Chanclas, 8-7, in 11

Jonathan Tapia slapped a game-winning, RBI single Thursday night as the Victoria Generals rallied to defeat the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio, 8-7, in 11 innings.

Tapia is from O’Connor High School and UTSA.

In the game played at Victoria’s Riverside Stadium, the Generals trailed 5-2 in the middle inning and 7-5 after the top of the 11th.

But they did not quit, rallying with three runs in the bottom half to snap the Chanclas’ five-game winning streak.

Runs-hits-errors

San Antonio — 7 13 1
Victoria — 8 12 2
(11 innings)

Please click on the link for Thursday’s box score.

Records

San Antonio 9-5
Victoria 6-9

Coming up

Victoria at San Antonio, Friday through Sunday. All games at 7:05 p.m., at Wolff Stadium.

Flying Chanclas rally to post their fifth straight victory

Jordan Thompson’s leadoff homer sparked a five-run seventh inning Wednesday night as the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio rallied for a 6-2 victory over the Victoria Generals in the Texas Collegiate League.

Flying Chanclas manager John McLaren discusses a call with the home play umpire late in the game Sunday night at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

The Flying Chanclas have won five in a row overall and three in a row on the road for manager John McLaren. – File photo by Joe Alexander

It was the fifth win in a row for the Chanclas, who lead the TCL South division with a 9-4 record.

Trailing 2-0 after four innings, the Chanclas scored once in the sixth inning to get back into the game. In the seventh, they exploded against the Generals’ bullpen for five runs on six hits.

At one point, they scored on three consecutive at bats to silence the home crowd at Victoria’s Riverside Park. Tyler LaRue ripped an RBI single, and then Johnny Hernandez and Anthony Forte followed with back-to-back RBI doubles.

Forte, in his Flying Chanclas debut, finished with three hits, a run scored and an RBI.

Starting pitcher Austin Krob earned the victory, but the bullpen had a major say in the outcome with 5 and 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Reliever Johnny Panatex highlighted the effort with 2 and 2/3 innings of work and four strikeouts.

A big moment for Panatex came when he entered in the fourth inning with one out, the bases loaded and the Chanclas trailing 2-0. He escaped the jam when he struck out Jose Diaz and Josh Elvir.

Runs-hits-errors

San Antonio 6 – 13 – 1
Victoria 2 – 9 – 0
Please click on the link for Wednesday’s official box score.

Records

San Antonio 9-4
Victoria 5-9

Coming up

San Antonio at Victoria, 7:05 p.m., Thursday. Victoria at San Antonio, Friday through Sunday, at Wolff Stadium. All at 7:05 p.m.

Notable

Forte, from the University of Richmond, started in right field He joined the team Tuesday, a spokesman said.

Chanclas move into first place in Texas Collegiate League South

When the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio take the field tonight, they’ll be playing to protect their lead in Texas Collegiate League’s South Division.

A four-game winning streak has lifted the Chanclas (8-4) into first place ahead of the Brazos Valley Bombers (6-4).

The Chanclas opened a three-game road series in Victoria Tuesday night with a 2-1 victory over the Victoria Generals.

The Generals (5-8 in the TCL South) will host the Chanclas again tonight and Thursday before the two teams move to San Antonio to play another three-game set at Wolff Stadium starting Friday.

Riggs Threadgill threw five shutout innings Tuesday night as the Chanclas won their fourth straight to match a season-high winning streak.

Continuing a string of solid pitching performances for the Chanclas, Threadgill combined with Matthew Sesler and Connor Schmidt in limiting the Generals to five hits.

The Chanclas’ earned run average, as a result, fell to a league-best 2.42.

Chanclas leadoff batter Jordan Thompson delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. In the seventh, Lee Thomas made it 2-0 with a run-scoring base hit.

The Generals pulled to within 2-1 in the eighth against Sesler when Josh Elvir singled to drive in the only run for the home team.

Victoria put the tying run on base with two out in the ninth against Schmidt when Hobbs Price reached on catcher’s interference.

But Chanclas shortstop Jalen Battles ended it with a nice play, as he ran down a pop fly in foul territory off the bat of Sam Haley.

Runs-hit-errors

San Antonio 2 – 7 – 1
Victoria 1 – 5 – 2
Please click on the link for Tuesday night’s box score.

Records

San Antonio 8-4
Victoria 5-8

Coming up

San Antonio at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Notable

The Chanclas have won two straight games on the road after losing four of their first five. They’ll play at Victoria on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to San Antonio to host the Generals for three more starting Friday at Wolff Stadium.