The Patterson Pirates turned five double plays in a 7-2 victory over the Stockton Astros at Garza Park on Sunday, Aug. 30.

Patterson starting pitcher Tyler Tresenrider turned in his second complete game of the season. The right-hander kept the ball down while his defense turned four of those double plays in the first six innings.

“That’s what (Tresenrider) is capable of doing when he lets his pitches do the work,” Patterson player-coach Jose Garza said.

Pitching with the poise of an experienced ace, Tresenrider used his buzz saw of a sinker and a perplexing curve to stop the Pirates’ slide.

Tresenrider shut down the Astros’ formidable lineup, ending Patterson’s three-game losing skid by keeping Stockton off-kilter offensively.

“Our pitching has been great for us all season long,” Garza said. “Today, we came out and gave (Tresenrider) the run support he needed, and he did the rest.”

Indeed, the Pirates took three weeks’ worth of frustration out on Stockton pitching.

Sparked by Waylon Berrios’ scorching line-drive RBI double to center, the Pirates scored four times in the first inning, seizing early control of the game.

“Everyone could finally relax after that inning,” Garza said. “When you’re struggling to score runs like we have, everyone tries to do too much. Every time someone has an at-bat with a runner on base, he tries to do too much to get the runner home. It seemed like once we got that first hit, everyone just got into a nice groove and didn’t try to do too much.”

Leadoff hitter Tino Ramirez began the bottom of the first with a walk, advancing to second on a passed ball. Berrios followed, crushing a pitch over the center fielder’s head, easily plating the speedy Ramirez. Perhaps swept up in the moment, Berrios ran through third-base coach Josh Hamm’s stop sign and was thrown out at third.

No matter.

Rafa Arroyo later tacked on an RBI single, plating Garza. And Rudy Lozano added a two-run single, driving home Tresenrider and Arroyo for the 4-0 advantage.

“When we play relaxed, we play better,” Garza said. “It shows on the field — our defense and offense were money.”

Tresenrider cruised, meanwhile, allowing just six hits in nine innings of work.

Stockton eked out a run in the top of the fifth, catching the Pirates with their guard down and executing the “butcher boy” play — in which the hitter shows bunt, then pulls back when the pitcher begins the delivery and takes a quick swing at the pitch — to perfection.

But Patterson was steadfast, answering with an Arroyo two-run single and an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Jerry Lawhorn.

Tresenrider allowed a solo homer in the top of the ninth, but settled down, inducing a fifth double play to end the game in fitting fashion.

“This is exactly what we needed right now,” Garza said. “Our bats are coming around, and the defense was steady. We have one more game before playoffs, so hopefully this can carry on to next week.”

Patterson closes out its regular season Sunday, Sept. 6, against the Stockton Tigres. The game is slated for a 1:15 p.m. start at Stribley Park in Stockton.

• Contact Marc Aceves at 892-6187 or marc@pattersonirrigator.com.