Gates Guides Ballers to Wild 8-5 Win
July 3, 2024 - Pioneer League (PL)
Oakland Ballers News Release
DAVIS, Calif. -- Not only did JP Gates go yard for the first time in his career on Tuesday against the Yolo High Wheelers, but he also came up clutch with the game-winning hit. The Ballers led for much of the contest, fell behind late and rallied with four runs in the ninth to beat the High Wheelers 8-5.
Gates got the scoring started in the second. He led off the inning with an opposite-field solo bomb for his first professional big fly and RBI.
Two innings later, Gates led off the fourth with his second hit of the day, and Dondrei Hubbard singled him to third. Then, Myles Jefferson plated Gates on a fielder's choice, pushing Oakland's lead to 2-0.
Payton Harden beat out an infield single and advanced to second on a balk in the fifth. Trevor Halsema lined a single over short to drive him in, extending the advantage to 3-0 with his 41st RBI of the year.
Christian Cosby struck out 10 hitters in five innings in his start. When the High Wheelers finally scored in the bottom of the fifth, the run fittingly came home on a dropped third strike. Cosby punched out two more hitters to end the inning.
Noah Martinez provided a response for the Ballers in the sixth. He flared an RBI single to left center to re-establish the three-run cushion and knock Yolo starter Cameron Repetti out of the game.
The High Wheelers picked up three straight hits to kick off the bottom of the sixth, including an RBI single to decrease their deficit to 4-2. But Tyler Lozano caught his second runner stealing of the game, and Conner Richardson entered and fanned the final two batters to escape the jam.
Yolo tied the game in the seventh. Following a Brayland Skinner infield hit, Braylin Marine crushed a ball to center field that bounded off of the wall and turned into an inside-the-park home run.
Jose Gonzalez sent one off the scoreboard in right field for a solo shot to lead off the eighth. He gave the High Wheelers their first lead of the day with his team-leading ninth long ball of the season.
Down 5-4 in the ninth, Jaylen Smith delivered a pinch-hit double to put the tying run in scoring position with none out. After a pop-up single by Austin Davis put two one with one out, Payton Harden laced a game-tying single to left center, scoring Smith.
Then, Gates lined a go-ahead, two-run single to left, the fourth straight hit for the Ballers, to put his team back in front. He set career highs with three hits and three RBI on the day. Hubbard lifted a sacrifice fly to extend Oakland's edge to 8-5.
Chandler David threw a perfect ninth to earn his fourth save. Another early start is on deck, with first pitch from Davis scheduled for 10 a.m. PDT on Wednesday. As always, you can listen on 860 AM The Answer.
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