Ballers First to 40 Wins in the Pioneer League
Ballers Secure at Least Series Split
By Nevada Cullen
KALISPELL, Mont. -- Last year, the Ballers didn't grab their 40th win until August 9. They reached that mark on Saturday with a 6-2 triumph over the Glacier Range Riders, before any other team in the Pioneer League.
Adam Bogosian turned in a heroic performance out of the bullpen for Oakland. After Luke Short exited in the third with an injury, Bogosian tossed 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball to continue Short's shutout effort and earn his second professional victory.
Bogosian needed just 37 pitches to record 11 outs. He induced two double-play balls, including one on a line drive back to him to end the sixth.
Both teams failed to score until the fifth. With two outs in the top of the inning, Dillon Tatum crushed a run-scoring double into the gap in right center.
The Ballers added three runs in the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. Esai Santos started a one-out rally with a ground-rule double to left center.
Davis Drewek scored Santos with his second double of the evening. With Drewek running for third, Daniel Harris IV plated him on a single up the middle.
Christian Almanza tacked on insurance with a solo bomb in the eighth. His team-best 16th long ball of the year traveled 429 feet to right center.
Harris provided another RBI knock in the ninth. He clocked a double off of the left-center field wall to extend Oakland's advantage to 6-0.
Glacier broke up the shutout bid in the ninth with a two-run single by TJ Clarkson. But, the Ballers held on for a 6-2 win, taking the series lead, 3-2.
First pitch for the finale of the six-game series against the Range Riders is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. PDT Sunday. As always, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel.
