By JUSTON BRAATON

Special to The Eagle

The Brazos Valley Bombers got a gutsy outing from starting pitcher Damian Rivera and late, timely hitting yet again, surviving the suddenly struggling Acadiana Cane Cutters and claiming their second straight home sweep with a 5-4 victory Saturday night.

The win, Brazos Valley’s fourth straight, coupled with Acadiana’s loss, their fifth in a row, lifted the Bombers ahead of the visitors in the overall TCL standings by half a game, and narrowed the Bombers’ deficit in the second-half standings by one game.

The winners of each the first half and second half of league play are guaranteed playoff births.

The East Texas Pump Jacks, who won the first half, also lead the second half, essentially leaving three spots up for grabs.

In the eighth inning, with the score tied 4-4, Cam Sherrer came up big as the shortstop lined a two-out, bases-loaded single to left field to give the Bombers (27-28) their first lead since the third inning.

Matt Milligan had a chance to break the lead one batter earlier with the bases loaded after an intentional walk to Christian Sobranes, but Milligan hit a ball into the ground just a few feet from the plate and Acadiana pitcher Paul Anderson was able to make the scoop and get the go-ahead runner at home.

Rivera started off strong for BV, retiring the first six batters he saw, but his control became an issue in the third inning, where the Cane Cutters (24-26) scored all four of their runs.

After giving up a walk and single to start the inning, a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. Leadoff man Mike Barba and Grant Dozar then hit a pair of RBI singles before DH Brett Thornell scored Barba on a double. A sacrifice fly scoring Dozar was the last of the damage before an inning-ending flyout.

Rivera recovered, however, giving up just one hit and two base runners until the ninth inning, when Garrett Anderson came in to earn the save on a 1-2-3 inning, including a strikeout on three pitches to Acadiana catcher Jacob Derouen.

Rivera gave up four runs in eight innings, allowing five hits and striking out two while walking four.

Anderson had the most trouble with control, however. The Acadiana reliever had multiple pitches zing over the heads of batters, a couple of them even out of the reach of his catcher.

Brazos Valley got off to a fast start in the first inning. Texas A&M’s Scott Arthur reached on a fielder’s choice, then moved to second on a Trey Porras single.

Arthur, who’s jump was so great that he was already sliding head first into third by the time Derouen came up throwing, and Porras then pulled off a double-steal. Derouen’s throw was rushed and soared over the head of third baseman Thomas Simoneaux, allowing Arthur to calmly stand up and trot home for the 1-0 lead.

The Bombers would answer the big third from the Cane Cutters. Herb Romero struck out swinging on three pitches to start the bottom half of the frame, but the third strike bounced off the plate and over the catcher’s head, allowing Romero to reached first.

Arthur then delivered a single. Porras grounded out to second, but moved the runners to second and third base. A Brennyn Smith walk loaded the bases for Sobranes, who hit an RBI single to left field, cutting the deficit in half.

The Bombers erased Acadiana’s lead in the fourth on a two-out, bases loaded single from Smith that scored catcher John Cannon and Romero. Cannon led off the inning with a double and Romero walked before Porras also walked.

Brazos Valley looks to continue its hot streak as the Bombers travel to face league-leading East Texas at 7 p.m. on Monday for a two-game series before closing their regular season with a two-game homestand against another playoff hopeful, the Victoria Generals.