Wednesday, April 6, 2005 | 9:08 a.m.
They didn't want to call it a statement game, but any 10-5 win against a ranked opponent near the end of league play is bound to bring some attention.
Durango, led by a great pitching performance by Mike McClaren, cruised against preseason favorite Cimarron on Tuesday, earning another important win in what's been a surprising baseball season for the Trailblazers.
In six innings, McClaren gave up eight hits but just three earned runs while striking out three as the Trailblazers rolled.
But it was the offense that really set Durango apart, particularly a two-out rally in the third inning that brought home four runs against Spartans starter Jordan Muir.
"We were swinging the bats really well," Durango coach Sam Knapp said. "This all is getting ready for league. What matters is we beat a quality team ... they'll be there at the end."
Chris Rosen, an unassuming utility man batting eighth for Durango, had a clutch full-count single to left that drove in two runs in that third inning. He then scored on a double J.P. DaLuz that put Durango up 6-2.
"That was the best at-bat of the game," Knapp said of Rosen's work. "He did a good job. He's worked very hard and he deserves to play."
Rosen finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and a strikeout.
"I got a bad start in the beginning" of the at-bat, Rosen said. "I was just throwing the bat out to protect myself."
For Cimarron, meanwhile, the loss left coach Mike Hubel scratching his head.
"When we're good, we're really good," he said. "And when we're bad, we're really bad. Offense, defense and pitching. Today, we were bad with all three.
"I wish I knew what it was, I would stop it from happening."
Cimarron opens league play on Friday at Palo Verde. Durango plays at Shadow Ridge this evening and opens league play hosting Sierra Vista on Friday.
Once Around Town
The Skyhawks had all the preseason stock, but now Green Valley's captured the momentum with the Gators' 13-3 start.
"Obviously you want to win them all, but we've played some pretty good baseball," Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said. "Hopefully we can put it all together. It's a put-up-or-shut-up time. Hopefully we'll be ready."
At 10-7, the Skyhawks seem to be limping along. That's halfway true. Pitcher Chad Robinson is still recovering from an injury, as is freshman outfielder Jordan Keegan. Kyle Rath is "pretty much back," Whitaker said, but he's still "just a little away from being 100 percent."
So what does Whitaker think about the rest of his league with the preseason done?
"This league is very solid," he said. "It's hard to worry about anybody else. You just play the best you can play."
"Of the 11 games we've lost, we had a lead in seven of them," he said. "We're just trying to get the right mix and get all three things working."
Those three things are offense, defense and pitching, and so far, Centennial's still working to figure out how to get the three clicking without missing a beat.
"It's just one or two bad innings," Cerrone said.
But, he added, Centennial's schedule has been taxing on his players.
"We tried to play a real tough non-league schedule," he said. "Tomorrow will only be our third practice in a month. We keep throwing in games."
And every time, he keeps looking for that magic recipe for success.
"With the right mix, we'll be competitive," he said. "These kids can play."
Centennial opens league play Friday when its hosts Cheyenne. The Bulldogs face two of the state's toughest teams -- Reno and Durango -- on Saturday.
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