HUNTINGTON BEACH — Senior pitcher Matt Lopez put together a strong pitching performance for 6 1/3 innings and played a role in two of Huntington Beach’s runs in a 3-1 victory over rival Edison in a Surf League game Friday at Edison High School.

The Oilers, who are ranked No. 5 in Orange County and No. 7 in Division 1 of the CIF Southern Section, improved to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in league.

The contest was the first league game for the Chargers (7-7, 0-1), who are ranked No. 20 in the county.

Huntington Beach players celebrate after their 3-1 victory over Edison in a Surf League game Friday, March 16. (Photo by Lou Ponsi, Contributor)

Adyn Lucero came in to relieve Lopez with one out in the seventh after the right-hander gave a home run to Brandon Winokur and a single to Landon Veirs.

Lucero retired the next two hitters with the tying run at the plate to earn the save.

Lopez, who allowed four hits and had six strikeouts, said he wanted to finish the game on the mound.

“Our terms were no base runners in the last inning,” Lopez said. “Obviously, I gave up a home run and a single. I wasn’t worried about it. I trust our closers.”

Throwing effective sliders was the key to the victory for Lopez, Huntington Beach coach Benji Medure said.

“They are an aggressive fastball-hitting team, so we knew he had to establish his slider,” Medure said. “There were days when he hasn’t had it and has had to battle with his changeup and his fastball, so the fact that he had it today really made it tough on them (the Chargers).”

Medure considers Lopez to be the Oilers’ “1B” pitcher.

“We have a 1A and he is going tomorrow, and that is Ben Jacobs. And he is going tomorrow (Saturday) against Los Alamitos,” Medure said.

The Oilers scratched out all three of their runs.

In the second, No. 9 hitter Cade Hart delivered a two-out single to score Lopez from second.

With one out in the fourth, Nick Dumesnil reached on an infield single, stole second and then scored on an error to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

The Oilers had the bases loaded in the sixth with one out when Lopez flied out deep to center, allowing Aiden Espinoza to tag up and score from third.

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“The last couple of years, it’s kind of been the aerial show and trying to hit the ball out of the park,” Medure said. “But this team is a little bit different. We have to grind a little bit. We have to steal bases and that type of thing and that’s what helped us win the game today.”

Edison starting pitcher Tucker Fountain went six innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs.