Ballers drop rubber match to Voyagers in Sunday slugfest
Santos falls a single shy of the cycle in defeat
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | X | 18 | 18 | 1 |
By Gareth Kwok
GREAT FALLS, MT – In a game delayed three hours and five minutes by rain, which featured 34 total runs and 34 total hits, the Oakland Ballers dropped the rubber match to the Great Falls Voyagers on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 18-16 at Voyagers Stadium.
After leading by four through two innings, Oakland (7-11) allowed nine runs in the third. Great Falls (6-12) sent 13 men to the plate and scored nine runs on seven hits. The Voyagers hit three homers in the inning, including back-to-back jacks from Zack Blaszak and Kyle Schmack.
Starting right-hander Michael Riley lasted just 2.1 innings and gave up nine runs on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout in his first start as a Baller.
Tommy Specht's two-run double in the fifth put the Voyagers up 12-6 after five innings, the biggest lead of the game.
The Ballers offense fought back and reeled off six runs in the sixth and seventh innings. An RBI single from Damian Stone, a two-run homer from Esai Santos, an RBI single from Noah Blythe, an RBI double from Nick Leehey and an RBI single from Jeter Ybarra tied the game at 12.
Santos collected three more extra base hits and four RBI and fell a single short of completing the cycle. His last six hits have gone for extra bases. Blythe and Collura both collected three hits and two RBI on the day.
The Voyagers retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single from Specht and an RBI single from Will Rogers off Jake Tirk (L, 0-2) to make it 14-12 Voyagers.
Specht tallied his fourth hit and fourth RBI of the game in the eighth inning, capping off a four-run frame and giving the Voyagers an 18-12 lead.
In the ninth inning, an error by Rogers at second base and a three-run homer by Jake Allgeyer pulled the Ballers within two runs. After a two-out walk drawn by Collura, Blythe hit a deep fly ball to center but Anthony Manisero made a leaping catch at the wall to end the game and secure the series victory for the Voyagers.
Eumir Sepulveda (W, 2-0) earned the win for Great Falls after dealing 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
The Ballers will continue their 12-game road trip with a six-game series on Tuesday night against the Missoula Paddleheads. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m from Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. Fans can tune in beginning at 5:15 p.m on the Oakland Ballers YouTube Channel and HomeTeam Network.
