Blowers, bullpen help Ballers snap skid in Friday night win
Blowers delivers quality start while bullpen throws three scoreless
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
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0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 5 | 0 |
OAKLAND, CA – Behind a splendid start from CJ Blowers, a sharp performance from the bullpen and timely hitting, the Oakland Ballers bounced back to defeat the RedPocket Mobiles 3-2 on Friday night from Raimondi Park which snapped a three-game losing streak.
The starting left-hander Blowers (W, 1-0) delivered his first quality start of the season with six strong innings, allowing just two runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts to earn the win.
RedPocket (1-9) took the first lead of the game on a one-out solo home run by Kishon Frett in the second.
Oakland (4-6) responded in the second and third with solo home runs by Jaden Collura and Tremayne Cobb Jr. to put the Ballers ahead 2-1. The Ballers are second in the Pioneer League this season in home runs with 25.
A solo homer from RedPocket's Marco Martinez in the fourth tied the score at two. However, Blowers punched out Frett with two outs and the go-ahead run at third in the sixth to keep the game even.
The Ballers retook the lead in the seventh with a run in on one hit and two errors. After reaching on an infield single against Billy Rozakis (L, 0-1) and advancing to second on a fielding error, Cam Bufford stole third to set up Noah Blythe's go-ahead sacrifice fly to right to bring the Ballers in front 3-2.
Langston Burkett (W, 1-0) threw a shutdown seventh with two strikeouts and Valek Cisneros struck out the side in a scoreless eighth to set up Braydon Nelson (S, 1) for the ninth.
Nelson did not do himself any favors initially. He walked the leadoff man, induced a fielder's choice grounder, and walked two more to load the bases. However, he got Raul Guillermo to ground into a 4-6-3 double play, the third turned by the Ballers infield, to end the game and secure the win.
The Ballers continue their three-game home series on Saturday afternoon against the RedPocket Mobiles. RHP Gabe Tanner will get the start for Oakland. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. Fans can tune in beginning at 4:15 pm on HomeTeam Network and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube Channel.
