Game 68 Recap: 18 Again
Rousing debut for Johnstone plus Moore of Jeter & Jake in 18-5 drubbing of Mobiles
By Roberto Santiago
WEST OAKLAND—It happens to many of us, I assume, this longing to be young again. For me, it’s on my mind because I am taking my middle child to Berkeley High orientation today where my oldest just graduated, as did I and my mom. So I’m feeling a bit nostalgic for my youth. The Ballers have contributed to this feeling by scoring 18 runs on back-to-back takedowns of the visiting RedPocket Mobiles. Unlike the now famous and unforgettable Fenceman Game, the B’s led from start to finish, and by the end, the fans were weary of so much scoring. “Can we save some of these for tomorrow?” they asked each other in right field. On several occasions the Oakland 68s hadn’t gotten to the end of the We Love You, Oakland chant they do after every score before another run crossed.
Christian Diaz (2-0) got the win, turning in his second straight strong start. Diaz, who made two appearances out of the bullpen before starting his last two games, sprinkled four hits and two runs over his five innings. “Just competing and having fun,” said Diaz of his outing after the game. The key to that fun? “Trusting my teammates, trusting the defense, trusting the offense and everything’s clicking.” Diaz was released by Ogden on July 17th, where he had a 12.38 ERA over eight innings pitched. Since coming to Oakland, his ERA sits at 2.84. “The vibes are good here. We’re playing good ball. Can’t ask for much more than that,” Diaz opined.
Tyler Bates replaced Diaz in the top of the sixth and nearly let the Mobiles back in the game. Kishon Frett led off with a home run, followed by a walk to Jeremiah Cabuyaban. Bates almost got out of the inning with a possible double play grounder from Maxim Fullerton, but B’s first baseman Jeter Ybarra lost the ball on the transfer when he tried throwing to second base. Bates saved the play as he was hustling to cover first and was there for the ball as it landed behind Ybarra. Bates scooped the ball up on the bounce and sprinted to beat Fullerton to the bag by a hair. It’s been a tough few games for Ybarra in the field as he had a few balls eat him up over the weekend as well, though he didn’t seem to remember them. Ybarra agreed that he takes the goldfish short memory approach to errors: “It happens, you move on. It’s baseball.”
Valek Cisneros and Langston Burkett were perfect over the last three innings to close things out.
The B’s offense may have also been feeling nostalgic for times of yore, as they again put up a performance that harkened back to 2025. The worldly Hungarian born, UK-lived, son of Los Gatos Logan Johnstone made his pro debut in the leadoff spot and turned in an otherworldly performance. Johnstone reached on an error to start the game and scored the B’s first run of the night on a Noah Blythe double. Mitchell Sanford and Tristan Moore also collected RBI in a four-run inning. The Ballers never looked back, scoring in every inning except the fifth. Johnstone ended up 4-6 with two runs batted in.
It was a cavalcade of stars for Oakland, as Proposition Chicken Player of the Game Tristan Moore finished 3-5 with four ribbies and a homer. Yesterday’s Prop Chicken Player Jake Allgeyer had two dingers out of his three hits. “Just trying to keep it simple,” said Allgeyer of his torrid stretch at the plate. “Be relaxed up there and just wait for my pitch.” Allgeyer just missed a third home run bottom of the eighth while also just missing making an out. The B’s third baseman hit a missile on a frozen rope to left field that looked like it would get just over the wall. It didn’t look like RedPocket left fielder Jordan Hamburg would be able to get to it at all until he did. Hamburg made a leaping attempt, hitting the wall at speed, which dislodged the ball from his glove. Not one for FOMO, Ybarra hit his still-league-leading 30th home run as one of his three hits. Like most hitters I’ve talked to, Ybarra says he’s not trying to hit home runs, “just trying to hit the ball hard. I’m just trying to get through the baseball and just honestly smash it.”
The Ballers entered the bottom of the eighth up 12-5 and the crowd was ready to go home. The B’s decided to give everyone more of a show by scoring six more runs. The first six batters of the inning reached base while recording one out. After Brendan O’Sullivan popped out, the boys hit three consecutive doubles with the last being the rocket by Allgeyer.
The exhausted drummers were finally able to start packing. If only they had the energy of their youth.
Odds and Ends:
The win puts Oakland at 10-10 in the second half and five games out of second place and a playoff game.
The Ballers announced on Facebook that Tremayne Cobb has been placed on the 10 day IL for a second time.
Last night’s home run was the first in a pro game for Tristan Moore. He hit one to win a game in the knockout round on July 22.
Another Jeter Ybarra home run means it’s Slamwich, Slamdinger, Sandwichomer time once again. Tonight, "It’s gonna be a breakfast sandwich. Sausage, cheddar and egg from Starbucks. I usually go there.”
Jake Allgeyer had the most Bull Durham quote of the season so far, “I know I keep saying this over and over, but hitting is really super hard, but it’s also very simple.”
Photos from Maximum Effort Photos.
Video recap from Ben Verhoek.
Roberto Santiago is a third generation Berkeley boy currently raising the fourth generation. Roberto’s writing has appeared in Latina, Parents, and various online outlets. A lifelong baseball fan, Roberto worked briefly with the Boston Red Sox and once hit an RBI single off Spaceman Lee on a 2-2 changeup. It was his only at bat ever in a real baseball game. Find him on Instagram.
