Game 17: Waiting to Exhale
By Roberto Santiago
GREAT FALLS, MT—Once again, the Ballers gave their fans more reasons to reach for the TUMS, Lisinopril, or a stiff drink. After back-to-back games giving up leads in the ninth, the Ballers finally closed one out on the road. As they have been the last few days, the Ballers were up big entering the final innings. As they had the last couple days, the bullpen gave up the the lead late. However, this time the team was able to get the final outs to grab their first road win of the season.
Aidan Risse (1-1) turned in a second straight strong start, going 5.2 innings, giving up 5 runs (2 earned) and leaving the game with Oakland up 8-5. In a game where Oakland committed three errors, they also kept Great Falls in check with some stellar defensive plays. Second baseman Nick Leehey made a sliding grab on a pop up in the bottom of the first to end the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, with two runs already in and runners on first and third with one out, Risse induced a tapper back to the mound from Zack Blaszak. With the runner on third going on contact, Risse calmly threw to catcher Nick Poss who tagged the runner for the out. Risse helped his own cause again in the fifth when, with two out, he caught a 109 MPH comeback liner right in the gut for the final out.
On offense, the top of the lineup truly led the way plating 7 of the Ballers 14 RBI. Leadoff man Tremayne Cobb went 2-4 with 2 walks, 4 runs scored and 3 RBI. Cobb also continued to terrorize the opposing basepaths with three stolen bases. Cobb leads the league with 15 steals in just 17 games. He’s yet to be caught stealing. Batting second, Esai Santos had three hits and a walk netting 4 RBI. Santos’s day included triples in the fourth and seventh with each one scoring Cobb. It was a good day for extra base hits, with the Ballers hitting seven doubles in all.
Despite the fireworks, the bullpen again struggled in the later innings. While fans in the comments have lamented the ability of the relief corps to throw strikes, the fact is that the bullpen have thrown almost 50% of Oakland’s innings this season. That’s 10% more than what you’d expect and certainly more than the Ballers had planned. This time, it was the eighth inning that gave the Ballers fits. Liam Rocha replaced Braydon Nelson and promptly struck out the first batter. Then the wheels came off as Rocha loaded the bases on a walk, hit batter and issued another walk. Manager Aaron Miles had a short leash for Rocha, replacing him with Valek Cisneros who came in with a spotless ERA in 9.1 innings this season. Cisneros, who threw two innings on Thursday, gave up 6 runs (3 earned, 3 charged to Rocha) on three hits to tie the game. He got out of the inning on a strike out with the bases loaded.
In the ninth, Jake Allgeyer hit a two-out, bases loaded single to put the Ballers in front 14-12. The question was, who would come out to close it for Oakland. The answer was Matthew Maloney, who was charged with 5 runs without recording an out on Wednesday. Maloney fought through rain related problems with the mound to strike out Blaszak for the first out. Then finally, with two out and runners on the corners, Maloney induced a ground out to end the game.
The four game losing streak was over. The first road win was secured. Ballers fans around the country let out a collective sigh of relief. As Ballers play-by-play and do-it-all man Gareth Kwok said at the end of the game, “Ballers fans, you all can exhale.”
Odds and Ends:
-Cobb is on pace for 84 stolen bases this year, which would destroy the Pioneer League record of 64 set by Boise’s Noah Marcelo just last season.
-Ballers pitchers have hit 6 batters in the last 3 games.
-Gareth Kwok announced big news about Gabe Tanner during the broadcast. Tanner’s contract was purchased by the Chicago White Sox during the game. Dispatches will have more on Tanner later today.
Photos from Mike Chouinard on scene in Great Falls.
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.
