Royals Stay Hot, Take 2 From Rough Riders

 

On a warm March day at Verdugo Hills HS, the Royals kept up their hot play by sweeping the Rough Riders 20-0 and 10-3 in a doubleheader.  Every player put up positive MVP stats, and the pitching staff showed their depth, even while missing 3 arms and allowing a few guys to heal up (with an off week next weekend.)

 

Game 1 was the Kyle Tanaka show on the mound.  Tanaka threw a complete game shutout, allowing only 5 hits while striking out 5.  On offense, all 13 Royals scored a run.  Eric Addis led the team with 3 hits, while Mike Miller, Daniel Gutierrez, Jake Romo and Tanaka all had 2 hits.  Gutierrez and Michael Citro both notched their first home runs of the season during an 8-run 3rd inning, and Andrew Miller launched a 2-run triple to right for his first hit of the season!  Gutierrez led the team with 5 rbis, while 7 Royals scored multiple times!  Addis, Mike Miller and Nick Perez each swiped a bag.

 

Game 2 was much more competitive, as the Rough Riders scored early and put some pressure on the Royals.  Andrew Miller took the start and worked 2 solid innings, allowing a pair of runs.  The bullpen was even better, with Jake Romo (3 innings, 1 run), Ray Estrada (3 innings, no runs while making his PCBL debut) and Eric Addis (1 inning, no runs) finishing the game.  The offense was led by first-year Royal Nick Ocepek, who got his first two hits as a Royal (notably, this was Nick's first multi-hit game in the PCBL!!!)  Oliver Lopez and Mike Miller both had 2 hits as well.  Ocepek and Eric Addis each had 2 rbis, while Gabe Sgambati, Jake Romo and Estrada each scored 2 runs.  Sgambati swiped a pair of bases, while 6 other Royals swiped a bag in the victory!

 

Next week, the Royals get a much-needed week off to recover and eat Easter candy.  Following that, they rematch against the Doinks and Dingers, at a time and location to be determined.

Royals Go Fishing, Catch Threshers 9-6

 

The Royals evened their record with a strong win against the rival Threshers. Pitching dominated (with the exception of one hiccup - the definition of single A baseball, right?) And the offense kept the pressure on all game, leading to a 9-6 victory.

 

Kyle Tanaka was dominant on the bump, going 5 innings and allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 6. Joaquin Carrasco relieved, but ran into control issues, brining in Jake Romo to finish the game, notching the save with 4 innings of 2 run relief, striking out 3.

 

Offensively, Oliver Lopez and Alex Uy each had 3 hits, while Gabe Sgambati scored 3 runs and Eric Addis scored twice. 

 

Next week, the Royals play a doubleheader against the Rough Riders. 9:45am and 1:45pm, both at Verdugo Hills High School. 

Royals Lead Into 9th, Jokers Get Last Laugh

 

The Royals were playing with 5 men missing, but pulled together to take a nailbiter into the 9th inning before the Jokers put up a crooked number and ran away with the win.

 

Closer Gabe Sgambati got a rare start for the Royals and gave them an amazing 6 innings, striking out 4 while allowing 4 runs on 5 hits.  Eric Addis relieved and threw 2 scoreless innings before the wheels came off in the 9th.  With 3/4 of the Royals vaunted bullpen out (and another member playing injured), shortstop Alex Uy got a rare relief appearance.  Unfortunately, the rust showed as he allowed 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks in his only frame.

 

At the plate, Uy did everything in his power to carry the team to victory, going 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a walk, scoring 4 times, knocking in 1 and swiping a bag.  Oliver Lopez and Gabe Sgambati also each had 3 hits, with Sgambati knocking in 3 runs.

 

On defense, the Royals turned 2 double plays on the day, with 2nd baseman Gabe Sherman being part of both.

 

Next week, the Royals look to even out their record when they take on the Threshers at 9:45am @Verdugo Hills High School.

Royals Rebound, Send Big Dawgs to the Pound

 

The Royals 2026 season evened out, and they handled the Big Dawgs 23-4 in the heat and dust of Poly High School.

 

The pitching staff continued to look impressive, with Kyle Tanaka getting his first start of the season and striking out 8 in 3 innings.  A beat-up Gabe Sherman started strong but struggled in his only inning on the bump, with Jake Romo striking out his only batter faced to escape the jam.  Gabriel Sgambati made his season debut and struck out 4 in 2 innings of relief.

 

Offensively, all 13 Royals either knocked in a run or scored one.  Michael Cittro went 3 for 3 with a walk, Alex Uy went 3 for 4 with a double and a sac fly, and Tanaka went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles to lead the sluggers.  Eric Addis walked all 4 plate appearances, and leadoff hitter Oliver Lopez scored 4 of the 5 times he went up to bat.

 

Next week, the Royals are back at Poly High School again, this time at 10am vs. the Jokers.

Doinks Avenge 2025 Finale, Dominate 2026 Opener

 

The Royals started the 2026 spring season with a whimper, barely showing up in a 26-1 beating at the hands of the Doinks and Dingers.

 

Not much positive to talk about in this one for the Royals.  Andrew Miller pitched well in his first action in half a year, allowing 0 earned runs (11 total runs) on 5 hits, 4 walks and 3 errors.  A quartet of relievers (Joaquin Carrasco, Gabe Sherman, Jake Romo and Eric Addis) didn't fare much better against a hot Doinks lineup (and a cold Royals defense.)

 

At the plate, Aley Uy, Michael Citro and Daniel Gutierrez had the only hits, with Citro scoring the Royals' only run on a Gutierrez ground-turned-error.  Oliver Lopez walked, for the only other Royal baserunner on the day.

 

Uy and Sherman turned a pretty double play late in the game, giving the Royals something to finally cheer about.

 

Putting this one behind them, next week the Royals take on the Big Dawgs at Poly High School at 2pm.

Completing a Cinderella 2025, the worst-to-first Royals surprised everyone by winning the fall 2025 championship after finishing 1-16-1 in the spring.  

 

Daniel Gutierrez and Mike Miller tied for the team MVP, while Kyle Tanaka won the team Cy Young (finishing 2nd in the division) and Alex Uy won the team batting title (.416.)  Uy also led the team in hits (17, 2nd in the AA), Miller led in runs (18, 2nd in AA) and walks (14, led the AA), Nick Perez and Uy led in rbis (10) and Andrew Miller led the team in steals (18, 2nd in the AA.)  Most impressively, in our championship game, every single player reached base and either scored a run or knocked one in - a "team victory" in every sense of the phrase!

 

Thank you all for a great season - let's run it back in 2026!

 

2025 PCBL AA-Division Fall Championship

December 14th @ Conejo Creek
Royals (4-6) -vs- Doinks and Dingers (6-4)
Photos (courtesy of @david_manigault)

 

Underdogs reigned supreme in the big game this fall, as the 3-seeded Doinks and Dingers took on the 4-seeded Royals for the 2025 AA Fall Championship.  These 2 teams met 3 times in the regular season, with the Doinks taking 2 of 3.  But the suddenly-hot Royals had won 5 of their last 6 games, so the stage was set for an exciting match-up!

 

Leading off the first, Royals manager Mike Miller hit a single to right.  Designated runner Andrew Miller went first-to-third when Alex Uy followed up with a single, and scored on a Gabe Sgambati ground out, giving the Royals a quick 1-0 lead.  Oliver Lopez singled home Uy, and after Sergio Renteria walked, Michael Citro and Jake Romo hit back-to-back doubles to extend the lead to 5-0.  Daniel Gutierrez reached on an error to bring home one more, giving the Royals a comfortable 6-0 lead.

 

 

The Doinks came to the plate hungry.  With 1 out (on a Sportcenter-calipher play by Oliver Lopez and Kyle Tanaka), speedster Nick Rogers reached on an error and quickly swiped second.  Billy Crothers singled him home, and Rohit Manimaran singled him to third.  Spencer Laine knocked in Crothers on a fielder's choice, and with 1 inning in the books, the Royals led 6-2.

 

Both starting pitchers settled down after that.  The Doinks' Nick Peterson put up 3 zeroes, and the Royals' Kyle Tanaka put up 2 zeroes.  The score was still 6-2 heading into the bottom of the 4th, when Billy Crothers led off and reached 2nd on an error.  Peterson helped his own cause and doubled him home, cutting the lead to 6-3.

 

Each hurler put up another zero, bringing us to the top of the 6th.  After 2 quick outs, Taj Stansberry reached on a sun-aided single to shallow left.  Giovanni Smith worked a 7-pitch walk, bringing the top of the order back up.  Mike Miller quickly fell behind 0-2, before lining an rbi-single into left field, chasing Peterson from the game.  The Royals weren't any easier on reliever Justin Jimenez.  Alex Uy and Gabe Scambati both walked, plating another run, before Oliver Lopez and Sergio Renteria reached on back-to-back errors to extend the Royals' lead to 11-3.

 

With the Doinks' big lefty bats coming up, the Royals turned to a lefty arm themselves - closer Gabe Sgambati.  After a quick strikeout, an error and stolen base put a runner in scoring position for the Doinks with Billy Crothers coming up again in a big spot.  He didn't disappoint, lining a double to right center.  The runner on second had to hold up until the ball dropped, and it cost the Doinks big.  Centerfielder Andrew Miller hit cutoff man Alex Uy, who threw a strike to catcher Daniel Gutierrez, nailing the runner at the plate for the second out.  Rohit Manimaran singled home Crothers, but was erased at first on a nasty pick-off by Sgambati.  After 6, the Royals led 11-4.

 

 

Jimenez worked around a few baserunners in the 7th before the Doinks threatened again.  Spencer Laine tripled to right, and after an Eddie Lopez walk, scored on a Joseph Mora single.  With men on the corners, Gabe Sgambati dug deep and struck out the next 2 hitters to escape the jam, swinging the momentum back to the Royals.

 

Alex Uy doubled and Gabe Sgambati walked to lead off the 8th.  After a 5-3 double play, Sergio Renteria came through with a clutch hit, extending the Royals' lead to 12-4.  The Doinks made some noise in the bottom of the frame, but after  Justin Jimenez was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball, Royals catcher Daniel Gutierrez caught him trying to swipe 3rd.  Alex Evans and Nick Peterson both walked (with Evans swiping a pair of bags on a bad ankle), putting runners on the corners for Billy Crothers yet again.  But the Royals were finally able to get the slugger out on a jam shot to second baseman Gabe Sherman, bending but not breaking yet again.

 

In the top of the 9th, the Royals responded one more time.  Jake Romo led off with a hit by pitch, and one out later, back-to-back singles by Taj Stansberry and Giovanni Smith gave the Royals a 13-5 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th.

 

 

Rohit Manimaran led off with a single, and one out later scored on a Spencer Laine double.  After swiping third, Laine tried to score on a ball in the dirt, but a close play at home went the Royals' way and Laine was called out.  Eddie Lopez reached on an error with 2 outs, but was caught stealing 3rd on another close play, ending the Doinks' comeback and earning the Royals their 3rd championship!

 

Congratulations on the Doinks on a great season, and a hard fought championship game.  But this ended up being a day for the boys in Columbia blue - the Royals are your 2025 Fall AA Champions!

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to your Fall 2025 AA-Division Champion Royals!

 

 

Royals   6   0   0   0   0   5   0   1   1   13  14  5
Doinks   2   0   0   1   0   1   1   0   1    6  13  4

 

 

Pitching Stats
WP Kyle Tanaka (Royals)   5IP, 0ER (3R), 7H, 4K, BB (co-MVP)
LP Nick Peterson (Doinks) 5.2IP, 7ER (9R), 7H, 6K, 4BB, HBP
S  Gabe Sgambati (Royals) 4IP, 2ER (3R), 6H, 6K, 3BB, HBP, PO (co-MVP)
Justin Jimenez (Doinks) 3.1IP, 2ER (3R), 5H, 2K, 4BB, HBP

 

Royals
Alex Uy - 4-4, 2 2B, 2R, 2BB
Jake Romo - 2-4, 2B, 2R, 2RBI, HBP, SB
Mike Miller - 2-6, 2R, RBI
Taj Stansberry - 2-4, R, BB, SB
Daniel Gutierrez (catcher) - 4 runners caught stealing

Doinks and Dingers
Billy Crothers - 2-4, 2B, 3R, RBI
Rohit Manimaran - 3-4, R, RBI, SB
Joseph Mora - 3-4, RBI
 

Since the Royals returned to the PCBL in 2024, they knew it would take some time to rebuild a competitive squad.  Over the past 2 summers, they've put up a 1-23-1 record.  But the legacy was there, as skipper Mike Miller has taken his team to the championship game 8 times (winning 2 of their last 3.)  After Sunday's pair of victories, the Royals will be returning for the first time since 2016 - marking their 9th trip to the big game!

 

To get there, they would have to take down the Threshers (who'd beaten them twice this season) and the Bats (the top seed, who the Royals haven't bested since returning to the league.)

 

Game 1

The Royals got on the board early against the Threshers.  With a ghost runner on 2nd, Mike Miller took a pitch to the gut.  One out later, Gabe Sgambati walked, and Oliver Lopez looped a single to center to take a 1-0 lead.  Ace Kyle Tanaka gave up 4 in the bottom of the frame, but the Royals were just getting started on offense.  Ghost runner Daniel Gutierrez scored on a Sergio Renteria single, and after Mike Miller singled him to 3rd (and designated runner Gabe Sherman swiped second), Alex Uy singled home the pair to tie the game up.

 

Tanaka worked a quiet bottom of the 2nd, and the Royals came up big in the 3rd.  With one out and ghost runner Sgambati on third, Lopez walked (runner Andrew Miller quickly swiped second), Gutierrez walked and Taj Stansberry was hit by a pitch to score 1.  Renteria walked to plate 1, and with 2 outs, Mike Miller was hit by another pitch, plating another.  Uy finished the scoring with another 2-run single, giving the Royals a 5-run lead.  But the Threshers refused to go quietly into the night.  Their first 6 hitters reached base in the bottom of the 3rd, accounting for 4 runs and loading the bags.  However, Tanaka threw the team on his back and struck out the next 3 batters, ending the threat and sending the Royals into the semi-finals.

 

Game 2

In the top of the first against the Bats, Alex Uy walked.  After Oliver Lopez reached on a fielder's choice and Jake Romo got hit by a pitch, Sergio Renteria walked to bring in the first run, taking a 1-0 lead.  Tanaka worked around a hit and an error in the first inning, courtesy of Andrew Miller running down a sinking line drive in the gap to end the frame.  That was the inspiration the Royals needed.  Daniel Gutierrez singled and designated runner Andrew Miller took second on a wild pitch. Taj Stansberry moved him to third on a ground out and Mike Miller singled him home.  Uy doubled designated runner Gabe Sherman to 3rd, and Gabe Sgambati grounded out to stretch the lead to 3-0.

 

After a quiet 2nd for Tanaka, the Royals broke things open.  Sergio Renteria led off with a single, but was quickly erased by a fielder's choice.  After Gutierrez was hit by a pitch, 3 straight walks to Stansberry, Miller and Uy brought home 2.  Sgambati singled home 1, and Oliver Lopez singled home a pair to take a 9-0 lead.

 

Tanaka gave up a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd, but the Royals got that one back quickly.  Guiterrez led off with a double, and designated runner Andrew Miller swiped 3rd.  One out later, Mike Miller grounded out to bring home his son. 

 

A pair of doubles and a home run plated 3 for the Bats in the bottom of the frame to give them a little life, and after a quiet inning for the Royals, the Bats looked to get back into the game.  After a 1-out single and a stolen base, the Bats' leadoff hitter launched a deep drive to center field.  Andrew Miller ran it down and caught it against the wall (with his back to the infield) for the second out, nearly doubling the runner off second with a laser to second baseman Gabe Sherman.  It wouldn't matter, as Tanaka picked the runner off 2 pitches later to end the threat.

 

With the momentum back on the side of the boys in columbia blue (and time running low), the 6th inning would end up being the final inning.  Gutierrez led off with a walk, and runner Andrew Miller swiped second.  One out later, Mike Miller walked, and Uy singled home 1.  Sgambati walked to load the bases, and Lopez got hit by a pitch to bring another in.  Jake Romo took another one for the team, bringing home another, and Renteria walked to bring home yet another.  Nick Perez grounded out to round out the scoring, giving the Royals a 15-4 lead.

 

Tanaka, doing his best Yoshinobu Yamamoto impression, worked around a leadoff double in the bottom of the frame to collect his second complete game victory of the day, sending the exhausted Royals to their first championship in 9 years.

 

Every single Royal reached base and had an impact in these games, so we could hand out accolades to every player.  Here are a few notable performances:

  - Kyle Tanaka - 9 IP, 10 ER, 15 H, 12 K, 2 BB

  - Mike Miller - 2 for 4, 2 BB, 2 HBP, 6 R, 3 RBI

  - Alex Uy - 4 for 6, 2 BB, 3 R, 6 RBI

  - Sergio Renteria - 3 for 3, 4 BB, 2 R, 4 RBI

  - Daniel Gutierrez - 2 for 4, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 R

  - Andrew Miller/Gabe Sherman - designated runners 14 times for 12 R and 5 SB

 

Next Sunday, the Royals face off with the Doinks and Dingers at 1:30pm at Conejo Creek.  The weather looks like it'll cooperate, and these 2 teams are sure to put up a great game!

 

***

Championship History

Fall 2006 - loss vs SCV Raiders
Fall 2009 - loss vs Hammers
Fall 2013 - loss vs Dodgers
Spring 2014 - loss vs Wailers
Fall 2014 - loss vs Warriors
Fall 2015 - WIN vs Lookouts
Spring 2016 - loss vs Pirates
Fall 2016 - WIN vs Lookouts
Fall 2025 - ??? vs Doinks and Dingers

The Royals needed a win or a tie to clinch a playoff spot, but the Threshers came up with 4 runs in the 9th to win, forcing a play-in game next week to see who is the 4-seed in the playoffs.

 

The Royals' pitchers were on fire for the first 8 innings.  Kyle Tanaka was light's out for 6 innings, allowing 3 runs (all unearned) on 6 hits and 3 errors, notching 4 strikeouts.  Gabe Sgambati relieved and put up zeroes in the 7th and 8th, but the 9th inning was unlucky for him.  A borderline walk, a ground ball to right field and a seeing-eye single in the Bermuda Triangle between first/second/pitcher loaded the bases with no outs.  A single and a double brought home 4, and the Threshers were on to celebrate.

 

Offensively, most of the Royals struggled, but the bottom of the lineup was solid.  They broke through in the 5th - Nick Perez doubled, and one out later, Sergio Renteria doubled him home.  In the 6th, Jake Romo reached on a hit batsman and Daniel Guiterrez walked.  Taj Stansberry lined an rbi-single to left, and some weird defense on a Renteria ground out allowed designated runner Andrew Miller to score.  WIth 2 outs, Alex Uy brought home another on an error, giving the Royals a 4-3 lead.  Unfortunately, that would be all the offense they could muster, as they struck out a season high 17 times in the loss.

 

Defensively, both Alex Uy and Jake Romo showed off their arms from the left side of the infield, while a pair of second baseman (Andrew Miller and Gabe Sherman) both hosed runners at 3rd on relay throws from shallow right field.

 

Next weekend, the Royals and Threshers meet up again, this time in a 3-inning California tiebreaker play-in game.  The winner will immediately face the Bats, while the loser will pack their gear for the remainder of 2025.  Play-in game will be at El Cariso Park at 8:30am, with the Bats game following immediately after.

The Royals moved into 4th place with a big sweep over the weekend against the Orioles.

 

Game 1 started in the bottom of the 5th inning with the Royals trailing 8-7, picking up from their week 1 suspended game.  The Royals' bats came out hot, including a pair of 2-run doubles by Eric Addis and Daniel Gutierrez.  The team batted around while plating 6 runs.  Andrew Miller swiped 2 bags for 2 different runners in the inning.  Alex Uy got the win with a scoreless 6th inning before time expired (the 3rd vultured win of the season for the Royals improved bullpen!)

 

The Royals' offense picked up in game 2 where it left off in game 1, scoring in all 6 frames and running away with a 16-2 victory.  Kyle Tanaka got the complete game victory, allowing those 2 runs on 9 hits and no walks while striking out 5.  Offensively, Alex Uy (2 hits, 3 walks) and Mike Miller (3 hits, 1 walk, 1 error) reached all 10 times they came to the plate.  Uy and Michael Citro each scored 4 runs, Miller knocked in 3, and Citro and Nick Perez each doubled in the victory.  Every Royal in the starting lineup reached at least once.

 

Next week, the Royals end the regular season against the Threshers at 7pm at Dunsmore Park in La Crescenta.  With a postseason berth on the line, you can expect a playoff atmosphere under the lights!