St. Raymond’s Adam De La Cruz pitched a complete-game shutout. (Denis Gostev)
The opposing team is secondary to Adam De La Cruz. The St. Raymond sophomore is more concerned with topping the performances of the fellow pitchers on the Ravens staff.
“Here we try to be better than the other guy,” De La Cruz said. “It’s competitive for us. We’re all a family. But at the end of the day, we do have to compete. We do have to do better than what the other guy does.”
The young righthander might have put forth the best outing yet Thursday – and that’s saying something considering how red-hot St. Ray’s is.
De La Cruz pitched a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits and striking out eight in an impressive, 8-0 win over host Cardinal Spellman in CHSAA Class AA baseball in The Bronx. In a light rain that continued throughout, the wily hurler actually seemed to get stronger as the game went on, finding his breaking stuff in the latter innings.
“He pitched awesome,” St. Raymond coach Marc DeLuca said. “Since we’ve gone on this streak, the pitching every day has been unbelievable. It always starts on the mound.”
The lineup has been just as outstanding for St.Ray’s (6-2), which has now won six straight after starting 0-2. The Ravens have averaged 9.5 runs per game during the current streak and Dave Sanchez provided the big blast against Spellman (5-3), a monster home run just left of dead center field in the second inning that gave his team a 4-0 cushion.
“Dave’s home run, that set the tone,” De La Cruz said. “That got us motivated. That helped us win the game.”
DeLuca said Sanchez started off the season hot when St. Ray’s was down in Florida, but his bat cooled down back in New York. The junior first baseman admitted to scuffling a bit the last few weeks. He’s concentrating on hitting the ball to the opposite field and he took a high fastball up the middle against Spellman starter Malik Dixon.
“I’m waiting back more on the ball now,” Sanchez said. “I’m hitting the ball better, trying to take it the other way.”
Cheyenne Reyes had an RBI single later in that inning to give De La Cruz a 5-0 lead to work with. St. Ray’s scored three times in the sixth with Josh Vargas, Orlando Collado and Leo Bravo all picking up RBI singles.
“Everything is clicking,” DeLuca said.
Spellman has now lost two games in two days to top teams – Fordham Prep on Wednesday – after starting the league season 5-1.
St. Raymond meets Mount St. Michael on Saturday before a huge showdown with undefeated Fordham Prep at 7 p.m. Sunday night at Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Staten Island. DeLuca could go with Anthony Colon, Brian Paulino or Julian Monserrate. All have pitched gems in their last game.
De La Cruz, though, might have them all beat after Thursday.
“I think I set the standard,” he said with a smile. “They’re going to get me later.”