Game 92 Recap, Sept 2: One Weird Inning
Ballers defeat Yuba-Sutter 10-7 in score and vibes reversal of previous night
By Roberto Santiago
The Ballers righted the ship on Wednesday night after a late inning collapse that saw them lose 7-10 on Tuesday. Oakland cruised through the first five innings with starter David Thomas (3-1) scattering 2 hits and 2 walks while baffling Freebird hitters. The Ballers offense welcomed back Jeter Ybarra after the slugging third baseman was limited to a pinch hitting role on Tuesday. Ybarra put the B’s on the board with an RBI groundout in the top of the third. Ybarra was on base in the fifth when Noah Blythe, who has come on as the shake to Ybarra’s bake over the last month plus, hit one over the fence. Blythe has hit 8 of his 18 home runs after August 1st. Logan Johnstone, another late season firecracker who’s hit 10 dingers since joining the team on August 5th, was also on base, pushing the Oakland lead to 4-0. Then, disaster, almost.
Brady Chavez took over for Thomas in the bottom of the sixth, which would become one of the strangest frames all season. Chavez has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen and was the quiet hero of the Game 83 comeback win over Modesto. In this one, Chavez had what Daniel Powter would call a bad day. A single and two walks loaded the bases with no outs. Yuba right fielder Andrew Kirchner hit into a fielder’s choice that saw the lead runner out at home. With the bases still loaded, 2 runs came in without a hit courtesy of a hit-by-pitch and a walk. Left fielder Josh Duarte followed those with a double that brought in 2 more. With that, Chavez was done, still responsible for the runners at second and third. Brock Mayer relieved Chavez and immediately gave up back to back RBI singles, closing the book on Chavez’s outing. An additional run scored on a fielder’s choice before the inning ended with a groundout. In that sinister sixth, a 4-0 lead had become a 7-4 deficit.
Luckily for the good guys, Oakland’s offense wasn’t done and answered immediately. In the seventh, Ybarra singled with one out. Tristan Moore singled with two outs. Joey Winter followed with a single that scored Ybarra. Esai Santos pinch hit for Brendan O’Sullivan and drew a walk to load the bases. Jaden Collura then pinch hit for Conner Smith and laced a single to right center to bring in two more runs. TJ Rogers added a single of his own to score Santos and just like that, the Ballers had regained the lead 8-7. A two-out, small-ball rally that would make Colt Rosensweig proud had the green and gold out in front to stay. Mayer recovered from his shaky seventh inning to allow just one additional hit the rest of the way. The Ballers added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth, including a home run from Johnstone, to seal the win.
Odds & Ends:
Ybarra is now tied for second place in the home run race with 33. The new leaders are both in Idaho Falls—Sam Canton and former B Justin Trimble each have 34. The most notable aspect of Trimble’s number is that he’s done it in only 79 games.
Trimble spent much of August as a Triple Crown candidate. He leads the league in batting average (.437) but is unlikely to catch Canton in RBI, where the home run co-leader has an 18 RBI advantage. Canton, who this summer has set the single season hits record for the Pioneer League, also has a shot at the Triple Crown.
Trimble was traded to the Chukars on May 30 for a player to be named later. As of this writing the trade has not been completed.
On the other end of the success spectrum, the RedPocket Mobiles have indeed set the all-time professional baseball record for consecutive losses at 39. Apparently, the ball from the final out may be going to the Hall of Fame? Here’s a deep dive into the spirit and courage that it takes to be a Mobile this season. I only wish it hadn’t taken 39 losses to get this kind of national reporting.
The Ballers’ staff softball game was Wednesday night at Raimondi Park. The Rally Geese beat the Rally Possums 8-7, with Cam Anderson and Tarik Ansari earning Player of the Game and Pitching Spotlight recognition respectively. Dispatches’ official position is that tickets should be sold to this event next season to benefit a local organization and/or #fenceman outfield perches be made available.
Photos from Ken Mitchroney.
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.
