Cobb’s three-run blast lifts Ballers to walk-off win
Shortstop’s late game heroics complete Friday night victory
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
By Gareth Kwok
OAKLAND, CA – For the second time on this homestand, Tremayne Cobb played the hero for the Oakland Ballers.
The shortstop hit two homers and his three-run ninth-inning walk-off blast propelled Oakland (13-15) to a 7-5 victory over the Modesto Roadsters Friday night at Raimondi Park in the first regular season meeting between the two teams.
Modesto (16-12) raced out to a four-run lead through the first two innings on a pair of homers. Bryce Cannon hit a three-run shot in the first and Kingston Liniak hit a solo shot in the second to put the Roadsters up 4-0.
Starting right-hander Charlie Hurley overcame the pair of early homers to throw six innings of four-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in a no decision. The Sacramento native has now gone six innings in back-to-back starts. At one point, he retired 10 Roadsters in a row.
Nick Leehey started the scoring for Oakland in the fifth with a two-run dinger off Modesto starting right-hander Omar Serrano to cut the Roadsters' lead in half. The second baseman has homered in three straight games and extended his hit streak to nine games.
Serrano delivered his third consecutive quality start, neutralizing the Ballers' offense. He pitched into the eighth, throwing seven innings, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with a season-high 10 strikeouts in a no decision.
After Modesto scored a run in the top of the eighth, Cobb hit the first of his two homers in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run missile to left to pull the Ballers within a run. The homer extended his hit streak to nine games.
Matthew Maloney (W, 1-0) struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth to keep the Ballers within a run entering the bottom of the ninth.
The first two Ballers batters in the frame reached base when Cam Bufford walked and Leehey singled. With one out, Cobb stepped up to the plate against Modesto closer Nik Cardinal (L, 1-2) and crushed a hanging slider over the left-field wall for his second homer of the game, winning it for the Ballers. He won the game for Oakland on Tuesday in the knockout round home run derby against Long Beach.
The Ballers will go for the series win Saturday afternoon as they continue their three-game home series against the Modesto Roadsters. Right-hander Griffin Smith is scheduled to start for Oakland. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35 p.m from Raimondi Park. Fans can tune in beginning at 4:15 p.m on the Oakland Ballers YouTube Channel and HomeTeam Network.
