Millikan Cements Case for Pitcher of the Year in Win over Voyagers
Oakland now 71-22 with Three Games Remaining
By Nevada Cullen
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Add another win to the Pioneer League (modern era) record. The Ballers improved to 71-22 with their 7-2 triumph over the Great Falls Voyagers on Thursday.
Noah Millikan gave his closing statement as to why he should be the PBL Pitcher of the Year. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 22 with six more scoreless stanzas, limiting the Voyagers to just four hits and striking out six in his fifth shutout performance of the year.
The Milkman made 14 starts in his rookie season, and 10 of them were quality starts. Millikan finishes the regular season 7-1 with a league-best 2.12 ERA among starting pitchers and 96 strikeouts.
Also, Cam Bufford became the first Baller to homer 20 times and steal 20 bases in a single season. He drilled a line-drive, two-run round tripper into left center in the seventh to accomplish the feat.
For the third straight game to start the series, the Ballers put up a crooked number in the game's first frame. Dillon Tatum flared an RBI single into center, and Tyler Lozano roped a bases-loaded, two-run single to the left-field wall.
Now, the Ballers did not score a run outside of the first inning in the initial two contests of the series. That changed in the sixth on Thursday, when Daniel Harris IV lofted a solo shot to left to begin the inning.
After an infield single by Tatum, Oakland took a 5-0 when Lozano looped an RBI single into left for his third RBI of the night. In the seventh, Bufford's two-run blast gave the Ballers a 7-0 advantage.
Zach St. Pierre earned his first professional save by pitching the final three frames of the contest. He allowed just two runs and fanned four Voyagers, punching out the side in the seventh.
First pitch for game four against the Voyagers is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. PDT Friday. As always, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel.
