Oakland Stymies NoCo, 5-1
Mix in some potent pitching, seven stolen bases and a couple of two-run bombs, and you have the recipe for the Ballers’ 5-1 victory over the Northern Colorado Owlz on Wednesday.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
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0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 1 |
By Nevada Cullen
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mix in some potent pitching, seven stolen bases and a couple of two-run bombs, and you have the recipe for the Ballers' 5-1 victory over the Northern Colorado Owlz on Wednesday. Oakland's arms allowed just one unearned run and three hits, matching the fewest given up in each category in a game this season.
Christian Cosby made his sixth start of the year and struck out a pair of Northern Colorado batters in a 1-2-3 first. Trevor Halsema helped out his pitcher in the second inning. He tracked down a fly ball to left field and robbed Kevin Jimenez of extra bases, leaping into the wall to make the snag.
Then in the bottom of the frame, Tyler Lozano cranked his first professional homer. He deposited a two-run shot over the left-center field wall to put the Ballers out in front.
Oakland added another in the third. On a 3-2 pitch, Halsema lined a run-scoring single to center for his team-leading 37th RBI of the season.
One day removed from his 27th birthday, Jaylen Smith got in on the action with a two-run dinger of his own. He smashed a no-doubter to left center to extend the lead to 5-0 in the fourth.
The Ballers also ran wild on the bases with seven steals through the first four innings. Austin Davis, Payton Harden and Myles Jefferson all stole two bases, and Davis stole second and third in the same trip around the bases in the fourth.
Cosby carved up the Owlz over his six innings of work. He struck out five and fired five no-hit innings before finally surrendering two hits and a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The trio of Jake Dahle, Conner Richardson and Chandler David took care of the rest. They combined for three scoreless frames, with only one hit allowed between them.
As a result of the win and another Glacier loss, the Ballers are back to being just two games out of second place in the Pioneer League. Oakland hopes to gain more ground in the playoff race on Thursday, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. If you can't make it out to Raimondi Park, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer.
