Carson baseball falls against Reed

You can never have enough pitching, and Carson High's baseball team may have found another solid starter.

The Senators got an outstanding pitching performance from left-hander Wes Osmer in a tough-luck 4-2 loss to Reed in a nonleague game Tuesday night.

Carson dropped to 12-4 overall heading into a three-game series against South Tahoe. Carson plays at South Tahoe Thursday at 3:30 p.m., and hosts the Vikings Friday in an 11 a.m. double-header.

"I thought Wes did a great job," Carson coach Ron McNutt said. "He's pitched eight or so innings for us, and he's getting better every outing. He pitched against a good club tonight. He gave up three in the first and only got one run the rest of the way.

"We had some chances (to score). The opening inning we had the bases loaded and didn't score. Another inning we had runners at first and second or second and third and didn't get a run in."

Carson managed just six hits off right-hander Randy Benson and left-hander Brad Hurn, who worked a scoreless seventh inning.

"I thought their pitching was decent," said Carson's Mike Handley, who doubled off Benson. "He threw a lot of curveballs, and then would come inside with his fastball. We didn't see it (curveball) real well. They are not a bad ball club, and they've been playing well."

Osmer's only bad inning was the first when the Raiders collected four of their eight hits and three of their four runs.

After one out, Chris Garcia singled and Jake McGee doubled. Neil Saiz followed with a two-run double to left. Saiz eventually scored on a single by Zach May.

"He got the ball up (a little)," McNutt said. "They hit the ball and found some spots."

Carson threatened in the first when leadoff hitter Aaron Henry reached on an error and moved to third after walks to Logan Parsley and Willie Bowman. Cam Leck bounced out to Benson, who forced Henry at home. Eric Melendez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

The Senators cut the lead to 3-1 in the third when Henry singled, stole second, moved to third on an infield out and scored on Bowman's single. Bowman moved to second, but was stranded there when Melendez grounded out.

Reed tacked on a run in the fifth when Garcia singled home Hill, who had reached on an error to open the inning. Osmer buckled down and retired the side without further damage.

Once again, Henry was in the middle of Carson's next rally. He walked, stole second and scored on a single by Parsley to make it 4-2.

Handley hit a one-out double in the sixth, but Benson got Dave Nelsen on a pop to short and fanned Jason Alcasas.

Hurn came on in the seventh. Parsley reached second with two outs, and Hurn fanned Bowman to end the game.