Pro Baseball: Valasek career strikeout leader, despite Pacifics loss
The road has been long and not always straight, but it seems to have led Alex Valasek to a place he can call home.
"You don't know where the journey is going to take you," said Valasek, who on Friday became the Pecos League's career strikeouts king. "I'm just blessed to have found this place and this team, and to be able to keep coming back year after year."
Valasek, in his fourth season with the San Rafael Pacifics registered six strikeouts during Friday's 7-4 loss to the Martinez Sturgeon to bring his career total to 285, overtaking former Roswell pitcher Jonathan Fleckenstein.
Valasek is climbing the charts in the Pecos league: Tied for fourth in complete games (7), tied for third in wins (19), tied for sixth in starts (30), fifth in innings pitched (224).
"I tell the younger players ‘Be where your feet are. Just do well and someone will notice'," said the 30-year-old San Rafael Pacifics pitching guru.
San Rafael catcher Jacob Savoy, who spent his rookie season last year with the now-defunct Vallejo Seaweed, made everyone take notice after a relatively quiet night at the plate with a two-run blast in the eighth inning to put the Pacifics right back in contention, cutting a four-deficit in half as they trailed 6-4. That was the last of the magic left in the Pacifics' bats for the night, however.
John Bicos doubled twice for the Pacifics, and Kyle Guerra was 2 for 5 with a homer.
The Sturgeon's Nick Thompson was 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs, while Andrew Curran was 2 for 4 with a homer and a double for three RBIs and two runs. Martinez starter Caughlin Shults was efficient through five innings with six strikeouts and two runs on three hits and two walks, although he did hit two batters. Shultz threw just 75 pitches, 43 for strikes.
The Pacifics (7-5 Pecos Pacific) cross the bay on Sunday for an afternoon rematch with the Sturgeon (4-6) at Martinez to start a three-game road trip that includes a pair of games in Bakersfield (9-5-1).
Valasek didn't have much time to ponder his record-setting achievement, as he was the first batter up to start the bottom of the third inning. He struck out in his only at bat.
"Everyone was pretty chill about (the record)," Valasek said, although Pacifics assistant manager Austin Fitzpatrick was still beaming about the accomplishment.
Valasek took the loss Friday as he was roughed up early during five innings as he gave up three runs. Valasek walked Martinez left-handed hitter Michael Pavelchak in all three meetings. Pavelchak scored on a double by Nick Thomson in the first inning as the Sturgeon took a 2-0 lead. Pavelchak scored again in the fifth inning when Valasek plunked Jacob Klinovsky with the bases loaded to give Martinez a 3-2 lead.
Despite a couple of tough innings, Valasek showed he still has the grit that made him the Pitcher of the Year in 2023 and 2024. He struck out the bottom of the Martinez lineup in order in the second and, after walking Pavelchak to start the third, struck out the next batter and got the next two to ground out. Valasek put one runner on first base in the fourth after hitting the batter, but he never got any farther as the Pacifics escaped without damage.
"The goal is still the same, to get the second strike and then get him out as quickly as possible," Valasek said.
John Bicos got the Pacifics on the board in the second inning with long double to the centerfield fence that Pavelchak struggled to lasso. He then advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Kyle Guerra added a solo sot in the third that narrowly missed the scoreboard to tie the game 2-2.
The Sturgeon were leading 3-2 after five innings and desperate to stave off a Pacifics rally. Curran's shot hooked just fair to clear the left-field fence for a three-run homer in the seventh to give Martinez a 6-2 lead that seemed to knock the wind out of San Rafael's sails.
Curran scored for Martinez in the ninth, and closer David Gustafson worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to put the game to bed.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.