6/3/2013-Trigger first baseman Frank Florio tries to keep the Taos runner close. (Photo by Emily Olguin)

By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer

TRINIDAD, Colo. -- A lot of pitchers saw time on the mound in Trinidads final home game this stand vs. Taos, and when it was all over, the four pitchers the Triggers sent to the mound did a better job than the eight the Blizzard threw, giving them a 14-9 victory as they head to the final game of the series Monday in Taos.

"We still are making too many errors, but we are doing what we need to do to win the ball game," said Trinidad manager J.D. Droddy. "We never think were going to lose. We get behind and we just keep plugging away."

And thats pretty much what happened Sunday at Central Park.

The Triggers did jump on top first, going up 4-0 in the second when the scored on two walks and four singles, with pitcher Chris Tuttle getting 2 RBI and Matt Hunt and Frank Florio one each in the stanza.

Taos came back with three runs in the fourth, scoring on back-to-back singleds by Jordan Chiero and James Martinez followed by a 2 RBI double by Russ Burroughs; then a walk and two more singles, with Khyle Dimino bringing in Burroughs.

Matt Hunt walked, stole second and third in the bottom of the stanza to make it 5-3 Trinidad, but the Blizzard had a big fifth off reliever Mike Mullen, going up 7-5.

Again, it was mostly singles that led to the scoring, with Chiero and Martinez getting one baggers, then, with two outs, Wes Moody singling in Chiero and Kyle Richardson plating two on a double. An error brought in the last runner.

But that Trinidad never-say-die attitude showed in the sixth as the Triggers put up another four spot, the big blow a 2 RBI double by Reichie Serritella after singles by Hunt, Florio and Wink Nolan.

The Blizzard loaded the bases in the top of the seventh but stranded those runners after Mullen bore down, then Trinidad put yet another four runs up, on three hits and an error.

Taos got one run in the eighth on a solo home run by Calvin Culver, but the Triggers matched that scoring with a Bryce Miler dinger (following a double in the seventh.)

Taos kept hitting to the end, getting a final run in the ninth on a two-out single by Dimino and an error, but Culver flew out off reliever Scott Elitzky for the days final out.

Noting that Tuttle -- who had no decision -- "did not have his best start," Droddy said he wasnt unhappy with the pitching. "Our pitchers did fine. Tuttle actually did fine. He was just struggling and he reached a pitch limit and I took him out."

Once again, the Taos problem was the pitching, said manager Matt Leahy.

"We played all right. We just pitched ourselves into trouble. Pitched ourselves out of some trouble. At the end of the day, weve just got to pound the right pitches in the right situation."

Combined, the eight Blizzard pitchers allowed 14 runs, all but two earned, with seven walks.

Both managers agreed their batters did their jobs -- "We always hit great. Statistically, we have one of the most potent offenses in all of baseball," Leahy said -- and Droddy was pleased with the other aspects as well.

"We hit. We ran the bases really well. We just keep hustling. Hustle, hustle, hustle," he said. "Steal the bases, putting pressure on the other team and we just find a way to win. I think we were probably out-hit and they had fewer errors but we won the ball game by a comfortable margin."

The teams now head to Taos for a game at noon Monday, and Leahy is looking forward to getting home.

"Were what? Four and 1 in games we had the last hit?" he said "So if we can bat last, and weve got a lot of those games coming up here, its just a matter of if we can get to .500 by the middle of June, I think were set up good for the stretch."