McKenzie’s Three HRs Power Oakland to First Win
Oakland Outlasts Missoula in Near Four-Hour Game
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 0 |
|
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1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | X | 13 | 11 | 1 |
By Tyler Petersen
Oakland, Calif. –
A career best three-homer night for T.J. McKenzie led the way for Oakland in a high-scoring 13-8 victory over Missoula.
It was a messy game for the second straight night, a sign that a hint of spring training rust still is flaking off in the first week.
The Ballers scored first on an RBI groundout by Jeter Ybarra but Oakland starter Aidan Risse was only able to throw three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, including two two-run home runs by Enzo Apodaca.
But unlike Opening Day when the Ballers fell behind early and weren't able to mount a comeback, the bats came alive Wednesday night.
In the third Ybarra scored another on an RBI single and the very next batter Noah Blythe blasted a three-run home run. His first professional hit made it a 6-5 game.
After giving up a pair of runs in the fourth, to trail by three runs again, Oakland got one back on T.J. McKenzie's first bomb of the day, one of the solo variety.
The next inning, they tied it up.
A run in on a groundout and a wild pitch brought the game to 8-8. With two on and two out, McKenzie did it again. A three-run shot down the left field line made it 11-8, a lead the Ballers wouldn't give up.
But of all three he hit tonight, it is probably the last one that was most impressive. A two-run opposite field homer that went into the netting. Hard to do at night at Raimondi for a righty swinger.
The bullpen came up huge for Oakland. Liam Rocha, Langston Burkett, and Braydon Nelson combined for six innings, allowing only two hits and one earned run while striking out 11 Paddleheads.
Oakland will go for the series victory tomorrow in the rubber match, with Nick Bautista making his first Oakland start. The game can be watched on the HomeTeam Network and listened to on the Ballers YouTube channel. Pregame coverage starts at 6:15 pm.
