Game 43 Recap: Throwing Strikes Here
The Ballers Open the Homestand Beating the Roadsters 5-3 Behind Hurley’s Six Strong
By Roberto Santiago
WEST OAKLAND—Charlie Hurley spun a gem on Tuesday night when the Ballers needed it. Hurley’s running mate, pitcher C.J. Blowers, had been traded earlier in the day. Hurley responded by throwing six innings of two-hit shutout ball in a 5-3 win over Modesto.
In a season full of departures and acquisitions, the question of whether the team needs or sees an ace on their staff is an open question. As to whether that role fits him, leading the team in ERA and WHIP, Hurley said after the game, “I haven’t really thought about it a whole lot. That [Blowers] move happened pretty recently. Just when I get the ball every fifth or sixth day, I’m going to go out and try to do my best for the team.”
Hurley was charged with two runs after walking the first two batters in the seventh without recording an out. He was in good spirits despite the setback. “That last inning, after I walked the two guys, Trey [Cobb] was like, ‘Hey, what if we try and throw strikes here?’” Hurley recounted. “I was like, ‘You know what? That’s a great idea Trey, we should try that.’ Unfortunately, Skip came and took me out. But next time, Trey, I’ll try that.” Valek Cisneros replaced Hurley and both inherited runners scored in a weird inning that included an error, a passed ball and a line drive that went off the glove of second baseman Nick Leehey for a hit. By the end of the seventh, the Roadsters led 3-2.
But the Oakland offense wasn’t ready to call it a night. After scoring single runs in the third and fifth, Jaden Collura tied it in the bottom of the seventh with a single that brought home Esai Santos. The home team took the lead in the eighth thanks to a huge home run by Noah Blythe. Two batters later, Tremayne Cobb continued to be a catalyst for the Ballers, hitting a single that plated Brendan O’Sullivan. On the day, Cobb was 2-4 with a walk, an RBI, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base. In an attempt to make the rest of the world feel better, he also committed the error that opened the scoring for Modesto in the seventh. Adding injury to insult, Cobb was hit in the head with an errant throw by Jeter Ybarra after the final out of the eighth. Cobb was down for a couple of minutes before getting up and remaining in the contest. He confirmed to Dispatches that he was all right after the game.
Langston Burkett continued to solidify the back end of the bullpen, pitching the last 1.2 innings to get the win. Burkett also pitched the ninth on Saturday and is becoming a reliable late game option for manager Aaron Miles. Said Burkett after the game, “My fastball was feeling good. That was the main focus of tonight—just living in the zone. We have the lead, make them get themselves out, and attack the hitters.” Asked about how complete games like this help set the team up for the second half of the season, Burkett added, “Everything’s starting to come together. You see it on the field. Guys going longer, deeper into the games, and then the bullpen coming in and closing it out.”
Looking ahead to that second half, Hurley considered his own approach. “Just trying to control what I can. Throw the ball where it’s called when Smithy or Collura put the sign down,” he said.
“It’s been a long year so far in terms of some high scoring games,” he continued, “So trying to make adjustments from outing to outing to continue to fix those mistakes. Getting away from results. We become slaves to it. You want to see the numbers after you put in all that work, but the more you focus on that, the more you drive yourself crazy.”
Odds and Ends:
It was another busy day of transactions for the Ballers. Fan favorite C.J. Blowers was traded to the Florence Y’alls of the Frontier League for pitcher Ahmad Harajli. The team also traded for outfielder Demias Jimerson from the Billings Mustangs in exchange for a PTBNL and signed pitcher Brock Mayer. Corresponding moves were not yet available at press time.
There was some concern among fans that Burkett had also been traded when he wasn’t in the bullpen at the start of the game. He was in the clubhouse doing “some extra prep.” He made it out before the end of the first inning.
Oakland players were particularly emotive on Tuesday. Paul Winland tossed his bat beside the dugout and was furious with himself after a strikeout in the second inning. Hurley, when leaving the mound at the end of the sixth, paired an emphatic “Thank you God” with a “fuck yeah” or perhaps “fuck me,” covering all his bases.
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.
