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By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer
LAS VEGAS, N.M. � Trinidad and Santa Fe battled to a two-run decision in the second game of Tuesday�s spring training double header at HIghlands University, with the Triggers getting the victory.
Neither manager knew exactly what the score was � Fuego manager Bill Moore only knew it was a two run difference � but both saw a lot they liked.
�I didn�t come here to keep track of the score,� said Trinidad manager J.D. Droddy. �We didn�t have a scoreboard. We came here to look at players. I�m beyond thrilled. We did great. Our pitchers were good. Our hitters, I had two, three guys I didn�t know could hit like that. And they hit well.�
That hitting included home runs by Will Leonard and Jacob Fabry, while Santa Fe�s Erik Scott matched that feat.
�I expect, all said and done, that we�ll score our share of runs, and we�ll be a very aggressive, active team,� Moore said, noting home runs are good, but not expected. �We�re not going to lay back and wait for somebody to hit a home run. We�ll do some stuff.�
Overall, he also was pleased with what he saw.
�I found out some things today that I needed to find out,� Moore said. �I think mostly we were where I thought we would be. I learned some things about my players and I think we�re where we wanted to be. Obviously, we would have liked to win. I�m disappointed we didn�t, but on the other hand, content.�
�I didn�t try to build this team as a home run team,� Droddy agreed.�I�m looking to get on base and be able to run bases. But if they happen to hit it out, that�s OK. That works.�
The big scoring difference came when the Santa Fe pitchers faltered partway through, raising the specter of last year�s FUego.
�We didn�t pitch very well in the middle of the ball game,� Moore said. �We gave up most of the runs that they scored on ball four, ball four. I think we walked four guys and I think four guys scored on walks.
�We�re not going to do that this year.�
That said, Moore noted that three of his best pitchers didn�t even take the field Tuesday.
�Of the eight guys (who threw), really only one is expected to be a starter,� he said. �The others are competing for bullpen spots and I learned things from watching them pitch today.�
Both teams had several days of practice behind them before coming into the scrimmage � Trinidad in what Droddy called �sub-freezing weather� � and both will get back to practice until opening day May 15.
�We�ve got a lot of time,� Moore said.
�I�m very pleased,� Droddy said. �From what I�ve seen here today and everything, I think it�s going to be a really tight three-way race for the two playoff spots. I think Las Vegas, Santa Fe and I think we are going to be very strong. Raton maybe not so much, but we�re going to have three really strong teams and only two of us can get into the playoffs. So it�s going to be fun.�
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