Sidewinders tie it in seventh, beat Kings in 10 innings

San Luis beats Kofa in extra-inning thriller

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - The San Luis Sidewinders outlasted the Kofa Kings in a tense, extra-inning battle Thursday, securing a 3-1 victory in 10 innings in a rematch played just days after their previous meeting.

San Luis, which defeated Kofa 2-1 earlier in the week Tuesday, leaned on strong pitching and timely offense to complete the sweep in a game that felt more like a playoff matchup than a regular-season contest.

Both teams traded zeros early behind dominant starting pitching performances. Sidewinders sophomore Kevin Aguirre set the tone on the mound, striking out five over six innings while keeping Kofa's lineup in check.

Not to be outdone, Kofa's Ernesto Hernandez matched him pitch for pitch, recording four strikeouts across six innings and consistently shutting down San Luis hitters.

The deadlock finally broke in the bottom of the sixth inning in unusual fashion. With a runner on third, Aguirre was called for a balk while attempting a pickoff move, allowing the runner to score and giving Kofa a 1-0 lead.

San Luis responded in the top of the seventh. With a runner in scoring position, Harry De La Cruz delivered a clutch single up the middle to tie the game at 1-1, sparking energy in the Sidewinders dugout.

San Luis threatened to gain control later in the inning with the bases loaded, but San Luis reliever Ivan Bonillas induced a ground ball that was turned into a force out at third by Ozzie Ortiz, preserving the tie and highlighting a night filled with strong defensive plays from both sides.

The game remained locked until the 10th inning. With the bases loaded, Ivan Bonillas walked a batter that brought in the go-ahead run for San Luis. Moments later after a pitching change, Ryan Rosas hit Rodolfo Acosta with a pitch, forcing in another run and extending the Sidewinders’ lead to 3-1.

San Luis' pitching staff held firm the rest of the way to secure the win in a game that featured 14 total strikeouts.

With the victory, the Sidewinders improved to 14-6-1, while the Kings fell to 12-9.