CHINO — Don Lugo’s league title streak is not dead yet.

Jasim Malik scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning as the host Conquistadores moved within percentage points of first place in the Mt. Baldy League standings following a 4-3 victory Wednesday over Chino.

“We have a 12-year streak of winning league,” said Don Lugo right fielder Bryan Scott, who had a two-run double in the game. “So we had to win today. We had a talk yesterday.”

It is the final game between the teams this season. Chino, which won the first two games against the Conquistadores, dropped to 13-3 overall and 8-1 in league with six games remaining. Don Lugo improved to 10-7, 9-2 and has four games left.

The Conquistadores started their league title streak in 2012 and won a league title outright every year since except for shared titles in 2013 and 2017. The Mt. Baldy League did not have a champion in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Joseph Valencia led off with a single against Chino starter Grant Kuhns-Vasquez. Malik reached base on a fielder’s choice as Valencia was forced out at second.

Malik then stole second and went to third on a line single to left by Jayden Ruiz.

“Him stealing second base is also something that won us the game,” Don Lugo coach Micah Beyer said.

Even after the win, Beyer second-guessed himself for not sending Malik home on Ruiz’s single.

“Looking back, I absolutely should’ve sent him,” Beyer said. “It was hard hit and at second base he had to freeze, and he went back on a line drive. He didn’t take off right away. … I wanted to send him, honestly all the guys on our bench were like, ‘hold him, hold him, hold him, coach.’ We held him. Looking back, next time I’m sending him.”

Kuhns-Vasquez struck out the next batter, and Chino coach Michael St. Esteben replaced Kuhns-Vasquez with Xiovany Ochoa. Kuhns-Vasquez was not at his pitch limit, but St. Esteben wanted to bring in Ochoa because leadoff hitter Jaden Burillo was due up next.

Burillo wasn’t up for long as Ochoa’s first pitch bounced away, allowing Malik to score and Don Lugo to celebrate.

Despite the loss, St. Esteben saw some positives. After Don Lugo scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning to take the lead, Chino battled back to force extra innings with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.

“With this team this year, even when we’re down, we’re not worried,” St. Esteben said. “It’s good to see that when we are down, we can come back from it.”

Although he didn’t get the win, Don Lugo starter Trevor Young was solid. He pitched out of multiple jams as Chino was only 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position in seven innings against Young. Young allowed seven hits and two earned runs while walking three, hitting one and striking out six. He came out after seven innings by rule because he had thrown 111 pitches.

“I felt confident in my stuff. I knew I could get these guys out with weak contact,” Young said. “I think I just perform better in stressful situations.”