Tanner Smith Powers Wheelers over Northern Colorado

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Yolo High Wheelers

Tanner Smith Powers Wheelers over Northern Colorado

August 11, 2024 - Pioneer League (PL)
Yolo High Wheelers News Release


Windsor, Co. - Yolo High Wheelers (35-35; 12-12) right fielder Tanner Smith (5,6) had a career day with a pair of three-run homers, an RBI double, and seven runs batted in as he helped lead his club to a 13-9 win on Sunday afternoon over the Northern Colorado Owlz (42-29; 14-10) at 4Rivers Equipment Stadium.

"It was a good team day," said Smith who never recalled ever having seven RBI's in one game at any level. "It was nice to put those losses (earlier in this series) behind us."

The seven RBI's match Bobby Lada and Brayland Skinner for most in a game by a High Wheeler.

The first of Smith's homers came in a seven-run fifth inning which put the High Wheelers ahead for good. Yolo was trailing 3-2 and of all things the rally started on a strikeout/wild pitch to center fielder Brayland Skinner with one out. Shortstop Travis Holt followed with an infield single and second baseman Bobby Lada singled to left. Left fielder Jose Gonzalez (15--team high) who homered the inning before, came through with a two-run single to left making it 4-3 Yolo. First baseman Braedon Blackford laid down a bunt single to the third base side of the mound which scored Lada making it 5-2 and moving Gonzalez to second. Designated hitter Alejandro Figueredo chipped in with an RBI single to left which made it 6-2 High Wheelers. Then it was Smith who homered just inside the foul pole in left giving the High Wheelers a 9-2 advantage.

Yolo added a homer in seventh by Blackford (11) who broke a 4-33 drought with three hits, two RBI's and four runs scored. Smith's other homer came in the ninth after a Blackford single and Figueredo walk. That hiked the lead from what was 10-8 to 13-8.

High Wheelers manager Bill Horton spoke about Smith, Gonzalez, and Blackford combining for four homers, "Smith was unbelievable, he had two clutch hits. It was good to see Blackford breakout of that slump and Gonzo with another homer, this team continues to fight back."

Northern Colorado would not go away despite being down 9-3 in the fifth. The Owlz scored twice in the bottom of that inning, and two more in the sixth on a homer by left fielder Henry George (10). First baseman Daniel Perez (6) hit a solo homer in the seventh and the Owlz concluded their scoring in the ninth on a solo clout by designated hitter Dave Matthews (14).

Brandon Mitchell started for the second time in the series for Yolo. It was his fifth straight no-decision. He lasted four innings, gave up five hits, three runs (all earned), walked four and struck out two.

Jack Zalasky (6-1) was credited the win by scorer's discretion. He allowed a run in 1 2/3. His streak of 11 straight outings without issuing an earned run came to an end. The six wins match Ben Ferrer for tops on the club.

Mark Tindall started for Northern Colorado (4-5) and gave up five runs (all earned) in 4 1/3 innings and got the loss.

Yolo has Monday off before starting a series on Tuesday night at 5:35 PST at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction. Ferrer is the scheduled starter for the High Wheelers.

HIGH TALES

One of the craziest (if not the craziest play of the season) occured in the bottom of the fifth. The Owlz with the bases loaded and one out got a double from Perez. After the first run scored, the trailing runners--Kevin Santiago, and Evan Scavatto were neck-and-neck heading toward the plate. Gonzalez the left fielder threw to the shortstop Holt who relayed the ball to catcher Angel Mendoza who tagged out Santiago and Scavatto one immediately after the other for the "double play"

Gonzalez has six-of-his-15 homers at Northern Colorado (three in each series). His hitting streak is at eight games (12-30, .400). He leads the team with 61 RBI's

Prior to Smith, the last two-homer game for Yolo was Justin Kirby on July 6th at Oakland

Connor Langrell pitched the eighth inning. It's nine straight times he and Zalasky have pitched in the same game as they co-lead the club with 29 appearances. In his last ten games, Langrell has 11 straight shutout innings with 13 strikeouts in that span. "Zalasky, Langrell, and Ty Buckner are so valuable to our team," added Horton. "What they do at the back end of our bullpen is impressive."

Shortstop Braylin Marine left the game before the bottom of the second with a finger injury on his left hand. He was 0-1 which snapped his eight-game hit streak (15-30, .500)

Eight High Wheelers scored at least a run

The season series was split 6-6 between the High Wheelers and Owlz. Yolo is 6-9 through the first 15 games of this 21-game trip

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