Pirate starting pitcher Luca Staiano had a great outing Tuesday, limiting Moorpark to three hits and two runs, one earned, through seven innings of work at Pirate Park. The VC offense could not pick up the tab, however, recording just three hits in Ventura's 5-1 setback against the Raiders. Yuki Kawashima had a pair of hits, including a double and scored the only run of the game for the Pirates (15-16, 7-11).
The Raiders got on the board in the top of the first with a pair of doubles to score a run.
Staiano settled in from that point, however, giving up just one more hit and an unearned run in the fourth while striking out seven more batters.
Kawashima led off the bottom of the third with a double and moved to third on Haiden Letzing's groundout. After a walk by David King, Dylan Jackson grounded out to third to score Kawashima to tie the game at 1-1.
The Pirates threatened with a runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, including a full diamond with one out in the fifth, but could not muster the clutch hit to get the offense going.
MC plated a pair of runs in the eighth and another in the ninth off the VC bullpen to set the final 5-1 margin.
Ventura travels to Cuesta on Thursday April 18 to conclude a suspended game from March 4 in which the teams are tied 6-6 in the top of the 13th inning. The Pirates and Cougars will then play their regularly scheduled game in San Luis Obispo. VC makes its final home appearance of the season on Friday April 19 against Oxnard.