Chris Cec turned in a masterclass on the mound and Marcos Vidal led the charge at the plate as the Redbirds (50+) shut out Laguneros 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at McInnish Sports Complex. In a crisp and efficient outing, Cec dominated from the first pitch, allowing just three hits and one walk over seven innings. He struck out six and kept Laguneros off balance throughout, earning the complete-game shutout and the win.
The Redbirds jumped on the board early, plating a run in the bottom of the first when Jerry Gamez grounded out to bring home Kevin Fought, who had reached with a single. The Redbirds added another run in the second on an RBI single by Vidal, who later collected another hit and finished with two on the day.
After a couple of quiet frames, the Redbirds created separation in the fifth. A string of well-placed hits and aggressive baserunning led to two more runs. Daron Wilkinson singled home a run, and Mark Tierney followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0. That would be more than enough for Cec, who showed command and poise, retiring the final seven batters he faced in order.
Aaron Nowels and Rich Beller joined Vidal with multi-hit games, while Fought, who scored twice and stole a base, ignited the offense from the leadoff spot. Gamez, Wilkinson, and Tierney each drove in a run as the Redbirds used a balanced attack to notch their latest win.
The defense was sharp behind Cec, committing just one error and turning several clean plays to keep Laguneros from ever mounting a serious threat.
The Redbirds (50+) will look to carry the momentum into their next matchup as they host the Cubs this Saturday. Player of the Game honors go to Chris Cec for his seven-inning, three-hit shutout that anchored the Redbirds’ complete performance.
