Offense Goes off in Comeback Win
July 8, 2024 - Pioneer League (PL)
Oakland Ballers News Release
OAKLAND, Calif. - For the third time in three days at Raimondi Park, the Ballers surrendered four runs in the second inning against the Yolo High Wheelers. But on Sunday, Oakland answered quickly with four in the third and six in the fourth, and went on to win 14-9 in the series finale.
JP Gates and Noah Martinez shone the brightest on an afternoon full of stellar performances for the Ballers. Gates garnered a career-best five hits and four runs batted in, doubling twice and scoring thrice. Meanwhile, Martinez went 3-4 with a double, a home run and a season-high five RBI.
The High Wheelers raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second. Justin Kirby belted his third bomb in two days, and Braylin Marine sent a two-run single through the left side.
Payton Harden singled and Austin Davis doubled to deep left to begin the third. Trevor Halsema plated Harden with a sacrifice fly, Gates golfed an RBI single to left and Dondrei Hubbard destroyed a two-run long ball to left to knot the contest at four.
The Ballers took the lead in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Halsema. Then, Gates delivered a two-run single to extend the advantage to 7-4. Oakland loaded the bases again, and Martinez cleared them with a double to center which almost cleared the wall for a grand slam.
Immediately, the High Wheelers responded with a five-spot in the fifth. Kirkland Banks crushed a grand slam to cut their deficit to 10-9. Zach St. Pierre entered to put an end to the fifth, and continued to throw two hitless frames and earn his first win of the year.
Oakland added insurance runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh. Gates hit an RBI double, Jaylen Smith swatted his seventh dinger of the season and Martinez bashed an opposite-field, two-run shot to build the lead to 14-9 by game's end.
Carson Lambert pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the victory, which improves Oakland's record to 24-18 heading into the final series of the first half. Next, the Ballers host the Great Falls Voyagers for six, with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. PDT on Tuesday. As always, you can listen on 860 AM The Answer.
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Pioneer League Stories from July 8, 2024
- Offense Goes off in Comeback Win - Oakland Ballers
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