Game 58 Recap: Fast Impressions
Oakland Rolls Boise 7-1 as Smith Tosses B’s Second-Ever Complete Game
by Joe Horton
WEST OAKLAND—On a night that saw the return of a familiar face (and body outline), it was new arrivals that stole the show as the Ballers (25-33) defeated the Boise Hawks (29-29) 7-1 behind Griffin Smith’s complete game, Oakland’s second in franchise history.
A certain general manager of the team could be forgiven for looking up at the scoreboard and saying “It’s already the ninth inning?” Such was the efficiency with which Smith worked all night: of his 111 pitches, 76 were strikes, and he faced only six batters above the minimum. The game’s 2h19 duration was positively breathless by Pioneer League standards. His final line: four hits, two walks, seven strikeouts. He joins the great Gabe Tanner as the only Ballers to throw complete games and is the first B to do so at Raimondi.
At what point in the game did Smith think he could go the distance? “Honestly, I just kept going inning by inning, and the 7th came around, and I took a look at my pitch count, and saw it was low enough. So I was like, why not just go get it?” Smith said to Dispatches after the game. “The changeup was the star of the show. I threw it a lot and kind of kept hitters off balance, and it made my other pitches play off.”
This was Smith’s third career complete game. “This is the second nine-inning game, and the 7-inning doesn't really count…the other happened in my junior year of college.” In that game, for Washington State against UNLV last year, Smith didn’t issue a walk. Tonight, he had only two in a season where free passes have haunted the Ballers.
Did he feel any added pressure to go deeper into the game after two hard-fought wins in Long Beach where many bullpen arms were used? “Honestly, no. We had some tough travel last night, and I knew I just had to go out and give it all I had, and I was not expecting the results, but here we are.”
One of those few Boise hits belonged to Michael O’Hara, B’s champion last season and forever fan-favorite. Such was his impression on the team that a tape outline of the impression he left on the left field fencing from his spectacular catch in Game 4 of the championship series last season was on display. The idea was the brainchild of Darrell “Doc” Lavin, team photographer, and O’Hara got a kick out of it as well as the team’s thoughtful pregame video tribute. For Boise, O’Hara is hitting a robust .358 with 27 batted in.
Another remarkable story of the night was new signing TJ Rogers hitting his first professional home run…in his first professional at bat…on the first professional pitch he saw.
Rogers, who played across the bridge as a University of San Francisco Don, said he was excited for this new chapter of his Bay career. “It feels great to play at Raimondi,” wrote Rogers after the game. “As a kid coming from across the bridge the fans were very welcoming. It felt good to be back in the Bay where it feels like home! Glad I can be a part of this group and start my professional career here!”
Brendan O’Sullivan, who hit his first pro homer on Sunday at Raimondi, followed up with his second on Friday, a no-doubter that got not even a courtesy trot from the outfielders. Between homers, he was torrid in Long Beach, going 7-for-13, and he’s hitting nearly .400 in July. “I think we are just getting started,” O’Sullivan told Dispatches. “The team seems to be clicking and we are hoping to turn things around with this week. We have a lot of baseball in front of us and we can really make a push.”
The Ballers have put together three wins in a row against excellent competition and old friends and in spite of late night travel. Going into a frightful weekend of Night of the Living Possum and Halloween in July, that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league.
Odds & Ends
MAJOR BREAKING NEWS: There are now coverings between some of the stairs in the bleachers that once ravenously ate personal items. Rejoice, phones, keys, and airpods, rejoice!
Mark Kotsay is a B’s fan.
Competition for the giveaway Playstations was intense!
There was a hot dog eating contest in the right field bleachers during the game. Joey Chestnut’s title appears safe.
With photos from Darrell Lavin Photography.
Video recap from Ben Verhoek.
Animation by Chris Drue.
Joe Horton is the editor of Dispatches from Raimondi.
