Game 94 Recap, Sept 4: Yo Dawg, I Hear You Like Lead Changes
After six lead changes, Ballers come out on top of Freebirds 13-11
by Roberto Santiago
September 4, 2026—This game had everything: steals, errors, home runs, that thing where hyper-caffeinated children run up and down the stairs screaming cheers right below the press box. I think it’s called ferralling. With apologies to Xzibit, Bill Hader’s Stefon, and you, dear reader, I will try to make that my last outdated pop culture reference for today. The fact is, this game did have everything, including 10 stolen bases by Yuba-Sutter to help cancel out their 4 errors, and 6 lead changes.
The sides traded single runs in the second inning with Oakland’s coming on a solo home run by Mitchell Sanford. The B’s added 3 more in the third when Joey Winters and Jeter Ybarra hit back-to-back doubles with runners on. Ybarra now has the single-season RBI record with 107, passing last season’s slugger Christian Almanza. They weren’t done. In the top of the fourth, a Logan Johnstone sac fly and another RBI from Winters brought in 2 more runs. Ballers starter Reed Butz (1-2) more or less cruised through the first three frames before running into a buzzsaw in the fourth. Yuba-Sutter’s Diego Aragon and Cam Yuran singled, sandwiched around a fly out by Jordan Donahue. Isaac Nunez doubled to bring both runners home. Three straight singles followed, plating 2 more runs. A walk to Andrew Kirchner loaded the bases and Butz was done for the night.
In came bullpen stalwart Valek Cisneros in a tight spot. After getting ahead 1-2, Cisneros induced a double play off the bat of Christian Castaneda that earned a star in the scorebook. The ball was hit to Ybarra at third who fielded it and whipped it to Esai Santos at second. Santos made the turn but was flat-footed on the throw, which angled up the right field line. Winters made a full extension teeter to make the catch while keeping a toe on the bag. Fully sprawled out on the ground, Winters raised his glove to the umpire to show he’d made the play and the Ballers were out of the inning with the lead in tact.
The lead would not hold. The Ballers had a chance to break the game open in the top of the fifth when they loaded the bases with no outs. But strikeouts from Brendan O’Sullivan and Santos with a subsequent line out by Johnstone ended the threat with nary a run scored. The Freebirds would make the most of their defensive fortitude in the bottom of the inning. The home team had a run in already when Devon Dixon doubled in 2 more. Dixon had Cisneros’s attention after the Freebirds had already stolen five bases in the first five innings, including one from Dixon. The Pioneer League allows a pitcher two disengagements per batter, meaning the pitcher can come set and then attempt a pick off of a runner only twice while the same batter is up. Dixon had Cisneros so concerned about the steal that the B’s hurler tried a third pick off with Cooper Hext at the plate, resulting in a balk which awarded Dixon third base anyway. Josh Duarte singled home Dixon and the inning ended with the game’s third lead change seeing Yuba-Sutter up 9-6.
But the Ballers would not let that be the end of it. In the top of the sixth, they came roaring back with a 3-run jack by Moore and a follow up solo shot from Mitchell “What’s my Favorite SanfWord.” That’s the fourth lead change if you’re scoring at home, with the Ballers up 10-9. Castaneda walked for the Freebirds to lead off the bottom of the sixth but was picked off and run down in a pickle for the first out. Diego Aragon homered. Jordan Donahue walked then stole second and third, scoring on a Nunez single. Fifth lead change: Birds advantage 11-10.
In the seventh, a walk to Johnstone and an intentional pass to Ybarra (he’s a scary man) preceded Noah Blythe reaching on an error to load the bases. Moore continued his hot night at the plate by cashing in 2 runs with a single to right field. That’s your sixth lead change, friends. James Pazdera and Nathan Darden kept the Birds off the board for the final three innings and Jaden Collura added a solo home run in the eighth for good measure. One of the more exciting games of the season was in the books, and those kids on the concourse were harnessed up and pulled their cars home to expend that surplus energy. (Probably.)
Odds & Ends:
Ballers players signed autographs for young local fans—the cute photo courtesy of Brandi Ricker-Cordova in the Facebook group.
B’s Assistant GM of Baseball Operations and Broadcaster Tyler Petersen took suggestions all game in the YouTube chat on what drink he should order on his flight home from Phoenix. Bloody Mary was a popular suggestion.
Broadcaster Gareth Kwok is partial to Seagram’s ginger ale and will not drink Canada Dry. He and the fans in the chat were in consensus that Reed’s ginger beer is the best high-end ginger soft drink on the market.
The chat was lively with suggestions for upgrades to Raimondi Park including calls for a party deck in left field and an all-you-can-eat special ticket promotion. As one fan wrote, “Do you have a pen? This is gold, Laura! Gold!”
Speaking of Laura, make sure to read her open letter to the players.
The RedPocket Mobiles finally won, stopping their all-time professional baseball record losing streak at 40.
The Oakland 68s gathered a lively watch party at the Oakland Athletic Club. Shots of Hennessy were consumed. At a game time of 3h39, there was plenty of time for celebration.
Photos by Maya Lee in Marysville.
Video recap by 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.
