Ballers Hold on for 8-6 Victory
PL Oakland Ballers

Ballers Hold on for 8-6 Victory

Published on June 13, 2025 under Pioneer League (PL)
Oakland Ballers News Release


OGDEN, Utah - Oakland gave up four runs in the ninth to Ogden but held on for a series-opening 8-6 victory.

It was a game that played with your expectations. It was quick pitchers' duel and it was a game with hits all over the ballpark. It was a comfortable lead and it was a nail-biting finish. These things can happen in the Pioneer League.

Ok, from the top -

Zach St. Pierre toed the rubber for his fourth start of the season. Oakland had won each of his last two starts and St. Pierre only allowed three runs in each of those games.

He retired the Raptors quickly in the first and second and gave up a run in the third on a couple of singles.

It was 1-0 after three innings because Ogden starter Rolando Gutierrez matched St. Pierre's efficiency to that point.

But two batters into the fourth, Cam Bufford sent a long deep drive to right-center that made it over the tall outfield wall for a 409 ft solo shot to tie the game. So at 1-1 the duel continued.

St. Pierre went three up, three down in the fourth, and did so again in the fifth. Gutierrez matched stride for stride.

Then things changed in the sixth.

Davis Drewek led things off with a double down the right field line. Promptly Cam Bufford singled Drewek in to give Oakland a 2-1 lead. After Bufford advanced to second on a wild pitch, Daniel Harris IV fought off a tough pitch to flare a single to right to score Bufford and Oakland led by two runs.

St. Pierre gave up a few singles in the bottom of the inning, but got out of a jam with a few well-placed ground balls. He came out for the seventh, retired the first man, then was replaced by Caleb Franzen after allowing a single to the next Raptor. It was a season-high 6.1 innings for St. Pierre who had his second Quality Start of the season. Franzen retired the next two hitters.

Insurance is always good, especially in the high altitude of the mountain states. (And I will tell you personally I have seen many a lead disappear in Ogden.)

In the eighth, Drewek again led off with a double. After back-to-back outs the hot swinging Christian Almanza came to the plate and doubled in Drewek to push the lead to 4-1. On the very next pitch Tyler Lozano doubled in Almanza to make it 5-1.

In the bottom of the eighth Carson Lambert allowed two singles. With two outs and two men on, Carmine Lane batted for Ogden. He shot a third single through the infield to nab a run back and make it a 5-2 game. It was the first run Lambert had given up all year. Then the next batter Evan Blum shot a fourth single to left and Cole Jordan got the wave in to try to score from second but was gunned down at the plate by Michael O'Hara who made a great throw from left field.

How big that momentum shift was cannot be overstated. Instead of a 5-3 game with a rally continuing, it was a 5-2 game going to the ninth.

What did I say earlier? Insurance is always good.

Darryl Buggs and Davis Drewek started out the ninth with a pair of walks. With one out, Harris came up and smashed a long drive to left-center for his second home run of the year, making it an 8-2 game.

Sounds like that aforementioned comfortable lead.

With three outs to go James Colyer came on to finish the game. Let's just say it didn't work out for Colyer tonight who gave up three hits and a walk.

Oakland had to call on Connor Sullivan to save the game. It was an 8-4 game and Sullivan had runners on second and third with two outs, facing the powerful Chris Sargent. Sargent laced a hit up the middle, plating both runners.

Here's the nail-biting finish.

It was an 8-6 ballgame and the tying run was coming to the plate.

Sullivan faced Lane and got him to harmlessly chop the ball back to him and Sully threw over to first to register his fifth save of the year.

The victory secures a winning record for the road trip for Oakland. They are 7-3 with two more games remaining. They only have to win one of the final two to take the series over Ogden and have the season head-to-head tiebreaker.

Tonight was also Oakland's first-ever win wearing black jerseys, which is not a great statistic but seems fun so I'm adding it here in the article.

For the last seven nights running, the Ballers have stayed at 2.5 games back of a playoff spot. With a win by Rocky Mountain and a loss by Idaho Falls tonight, they still stay at 2.5 games back of a playoff spot almost halfway through this first half.

Make sure you tune in to the action tomorrow for game two at 5:30 PM PDT on 860 AM The Answer and the Ballers YouTube channel to hear the call with Nevada Cullen.

Check out the Oakland Ballers Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from June 13, 2025


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