Mendez Hurls Gem to Beat Ballers
August 16, 2024 - Pioneer League (PL)
Oakland Ballers News Release
OAKLAND, Calif. -- In just his seventh professional start, Isaac Mendez set career highs with eight innings pitched and 11 strikeouts to lead the Boise Hawks past Oakland, 5-3, on Thursday. The Ballers have dropped the first three games of the series to the Hawks.
Mendez, a California native, was borderline untouchable. He allowed only four hits and one run, facing just three over the minimum in eight dominant frames.
Noah Martinez did his best to provide a spark for the Ballers. He led off two different innings with hits and jacked a late-inning homer in a three-hit performance.
The game couldn't have started any better for Oakland, as Zach St. Pierre struck out the side in the first. In the bottom of the frame, Stephen Wilmer hooked a double into right field, and Dondrei Hubbard ripped a single past short to give the Ballers a 1-0 edge.
But, momentum swung in Boise's direction in the third. Three consecutive extra-base hits resulted in a four-run frame for the Hawks. Michael O'Hara and Micah Yonamine both doubled, and Troy Viola powered a two-run shot to left, his 23rd long ball of the season.
With one out in the fourth, the Hawks drew back-to-back walks. Next, O'Hara came through with an RBI single to extend Boise's lead to 5-1.
Oakland's bullpen kept the Ballers in the game. Conner Richardson, Jake Dahle and Abraham De Leon shut out Boise from the fifth inning on.
Then in the ninth, Payton Harden earned a leadoff walk, and Martinez launched an opposite-field, two-run blast to get the Ballers within two. Hubbard walked to bring the tying run to the plate, but Cameron Dayton entered and locked down the save for the Hawks.
First pitch for the fourth game of the six-game series between the Ballers and Hawks is at 6:35 p.m. PDT on Friday. As always, you can listen on 860 AM The Answer.
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