Ballers Take Series in Comeback Victory
For a third time in the series, Oakland had to rally to beat the Grand Junction Jackalopes, this time by the score of 9-6.
By Tyler Petersen
OAKLAND, Calif -- For a third time in the series, Oakland had to rally to beat the Grand Junction Jackalopes, this time by the score of 9-6.
It was an early lead for Oakland who saw a run across the board in the first, and then a trio of runs in the second on five straight singles (including three infield singles). Pat Montieth drove in two and Davis Drewek added one.
It was a smooth ride for Oakland starter Zach St. Pierre through three, and then ran into a little trouble in the fourth. Three runs came in on an RBI single, RBI walk, and sac fly.
The bats went cold for Oakland in the middle innings against starter Evan Massie, holding Oakland to only two more singles from the third inning to the sixth.
Caleb Franzen was the first reliever out of the Ballers bullpen. After retiring the first two hitters, the Jackalopes had back-to-back hits by Evan Scavotto and Mason Minzey to tie the game at 4-4.
Two more runs for Grand Junction came in the seventh inning on Franzen's line and again it was Scavotto and Minzey that supplied the damage. The Jackalopes were down 4-0 and now had scored six unanswered runs.
Everything changed after the fans got to stretch. Ayden Alger came out of the pen for Massie and allowed two singles to Pat Monteith and Davis Drewek. With runners on the corners and two outs, Danny Harris chopped a ball on the infield grass that he beat out for an infield single for a run.
With Christian Almanza coming to the plate, Jackalopes manager Frank Gonzalez turned to his left specialist Tai Atkins, who came on to pitch in his fifth game of the series. Atkins had been tough on Almanza in the series, but it was Oakland's lefty that won the battle on Sunday. A single up the middle scored Drewek from second and the game was tied 6-6.
Brody Eglite had a 1-2-3 eighth and it was turned right back over to Oakland's bats. And they got some help.
Grand Junction's Ethan Brown took over in the eighth. He hit a batter with one out and Tremayne Cobb Jr. hit a grounder that should have been a double play but instead went right through the legs of the shortstop for an error. Pat Monteith came up and hit a ball to the third baseman that was bobbled and then thrown high for another error. The bases were loaded with one out.
The unhittable Reese Miller, who got the save in yesterday's game, entered to stop the Oakland rally. Davis Drewek was his opponent. After a 7-pitch battle, Drewek flied a ball down the left field line that was good enough for a sacrifice fly to give the Ballers the lead.
Esai Santos was intentionally walked to load the bases to put a force at any base and it brought Danny Harris back to the plate. He was able to bounce a single up the middle for two more runs, pushing the Oakland lead to 9-6.
It was Connor Sullivan's ninth inning. He was going for his third save of the series and sure enough, he went right through the three GJJ hitters in the ninth to secure the series victory for Oakland.
The Ballers finish their opening two-week homestand at a record of 7-5. All things considered, with the way that some of the games developed against both Ogden and Grand Junction, it should be a record most should be satisfied with.
In what has developed into a quirk through two weeks into the season, when Oakland scores first they are 7-0, and when they don't, they are 0-5. Eventually that trend will be broken, but if the Ballers want to keep scoring first, that's also fine.
Now begins a two-week, three-city road trip that will see the Ballers face Glacier, Missoula, and Ogden once more.
The next first pitch of Ballers baseball will be Tuesday at 6:05 pm in Kalispell, Montana against the Range Riders. All games of the road trip can be heard on 860 AM The Answer and all games will feature Nevada Cullen on the mic.
