Butz, Leehey Lead Ballers to 12th Straight Win
Oakland's Magic Number Drops to One
By Nevada Cullen
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Ballers are rolling – they've won their last dozen games, a franchise record. Reed Butz fired six frames of one-run baseball and Nick Leehey crushed a go-ahead, three-run homer to guide Oakland to a 5-2 win over the Rocky Mountain Vibes on Tuesday.
As a result of the Grand Junction Jackalopes' 3-2 victory over the Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers Tuesday, the Ballers' magic number is just one. All Oakland needs Wednesday is a win or a Yuba-Sutter loss to secure a spot in the 2025 Pioneer League Playoffs.
The first pressure point of the contest came with no score in the fourth. Using a couple of bunt singles, the Vibes loaded the bases with nobody out.
But, Butz bore down with a clutch strikeout of Will Butcher for the first out. Then, former Baller Stephen Wilmer hit a comebacker to Butz, who stayed calm and started a 1-2-3 double play to escape the jam.
The Vibes finally got on the board in the fifth with a two-out rally. Sam Linscott slapped an RBI single into center to give Rocky Mountain the lead.
Butz finished his day with a perfect sixth inning. He wiped out Wilmer by burying an off-speed pitch to complete his day with a strikeout.
Evan Kowalski threw a gem for the Vibes. He threw five scoreless innings, allowed just four hits and exited with his team up 1-0.
The Ballers didn't put multiple runners on base until the sixth. As soon as they did, Lou Helmig tied the game with a line-drive, RBI single over short.
Two batters later, Nick Leehey untied the game with a three-run blast to left-center field. His fourth homer in two games gave the Ballers a 4-1 advantage.
Rocky Mountain got one back with a Dane Tofteland solo shot to left in the top of the eighth. Oakland got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a good bunt by Darryl Buggs II.
Connor Sullivan entered in the ninth and struck out a pair in a clean inning for his 10th save. Oakland's closer is the first to double-digit saves in the PBL.
Butz ended up grabbing his sixth win of the year with his six strong innings. He's now second in the league in pitching victories.
Game two of the series against Rocky Mountain features an early start time, with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. PDT Wednesday. Remember, a Ballers' win and they're in, so make sure to come to Raimondi Park to cheer on Oakland to a playoff-clinching victory. As always, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel.
