Monroe sophomore Frailyn Paez drove in two runs. (Philip Hall)
Jesus Brito has an interesting way to deal with insomnia. Run it off.
The junior hurler was so nervous for his start Friday afternoon he woke up at midnight, just a few hours after he went to sleep, Thursday night. Instead of tossing and turning, he threw on a pair of shorts and took a two-hour jog around his Bronx neighborhood.
He may have to make this a tradition.
Brito pitched arguably his best game of the year, picking up his fourth league win in the Eagles’ 8-3 victory over host DeWitt Clinton, coach Mike Turo’s 1,000th victory on Friday.
“Hard work pays off,” he said.
Keeping the speedy Governors off balance with a low 80s sinking fastball and sharp curveball, he struck out five, allowed five hits – all singles – and walked only one. He even retired star shortstop Melvin Mercedes all three times.
“He was sharp today,” Turo said. “His fastball was very good, his curve was tremendous. They didn’t dig in like they did yesterday.”
Monroe gave him more than enough support. One day after struggling against Clinton southpaw Joaquin DeJesus, the Eagles jumped all over right-hander Kevin Hernandez.
First baseman Frailyn Paez, who was the hero of Thursday’s 2-1 victory, drove in centerfielder Melvin Garcia and shortstop Wander Almonte with a two-run single to left. He scored on second baseman Kelvin Toribio’s run-scoring groundout. Third baseman Cruz Resto added two more runs with a rocket of a double down the left-field line.
“It was a big win, but it was a great win the way they played,” Turo said.
Clinton (9-5) didn’t get to him until the seventh, when Julian Burgos plated two runs with a ground single up the middle. Turo went to dynamic freshman Ricardo Parra from there. He recorded the final three outs by whiffing Justin Mercedes, and getting Johan Ortiz and Hansel Reinoso to ground out.
“I wanted them to see somebody they are going to see for the next four years,” the longtime coach said.
As for Clinton, the Governors have lost five of six, albeit two to Monroe and one to Bronx A West leader John F. Kennedy. Before Friday’s lopsided setback, three of the defeats were by two runs or less and two in the opposition’s final at-bat. Nothing went right against Monroe, however. Even the sure-handed Mercedes committed errors – on one play — and first-year coach Dennis D’Alessandro was tossed.
“It’s hard to say, but you never go into a series with these guys thinking you’re gonna beat them,” D’Alessandro said. “You say the right things, you go in and play hard. You want to be competitive. If you win, you’re excited. I think the guys came out a little too pumped, we played such a good game yesterday.”
“I still don’t think they are that much better,” he added. “We can face them again and we would have a good shot.”
Monroe (14-0) is now two wins shy – it plays Walton twice next week – of its first undefeated league season since 2007. That feat would also likely give the Eagles the top spot in the upcoming citywide playoffs. The Bronx powerhouse has reached the PSAL Class A final twice since 2007, but hasn’t won it all since 2006, an eternity for them.
“We’re aggressive in the field, we’re hitting the ball well, we’re making the right plays. We have a good pitching staff,” Garcia said. “It’s beautiful. I always wanted this game from the beginning of the season. We got it. Now it’s on to the championship game.”