Oakland Ballers Davis Drewek connects in the bottom of the second inning against the Ogden Raptors in Pioneer League action at Raimondi Park in West Oakland on Wed May 21, 2025 (Oakland Ballers photo)

Ogden Raptors (1-1) 620 020 200 12 14 2

Oakland Ballers (1-1) 020 021 000 5 7 4

Time: 2:55

Attendance: 2,257

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The ball rolled downhill at Ernie Raimondi Park Wednesday night after Tuesday’s heady success against the Ogden Raptors (1-1) as the Oakland Ballers (1-1) took a 12-5 loss to the Raptors. The attendance dropped from a full house of 4,100 fans to a disappointing 2,257.

The Ballers management wasn’t expecting a repeat of opening Tuesday night’s crowd, but they had been predicting a near sell-out. The Ballers used five pitchers, and only Alec Rodríguez and Esai Santos, who tossed the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, emerged unscored upon.

The most egregious hurler was the starter, Zach St. Pierre, who began the 2024 season as a denizen of the bullpen, but was chosen as the Ballers’ second starter of their second season. He lasted two innings and yielded eight runs.

It should be noted in his defence that only one was earned, but that didn’t keep him from being charged with the loss Oakland’s defense was nothing if not porous. Seven of Ogden’s tallies were unearned.

The Raptors took a commanding 6-0 lead in the initial frame and never looked back. They tacked on a pair of runs in each of the second, fifth, and seventh episodes. Left fielder Cole Jordan was their only hitless starter, while right fielder Damian Stone and second baseman True Fontenot had three hit innings.

Leadoff batter Kenneth Oyama enjoyed a two hit performance, as did first baseman Carter Mize, slammed a four bagger to right in the devastating first. The only Baller to clear the fence was third sacker Davis Drewek, who drove in both of Oakland’s runs in their meek attempt at a comeback in the second with a round trip drive to left.

Raptors southpaw starter, Chase Chapman, lasted only four innings on the bump and so was denied credit for the win, which was no injustice. It took him 86 pitches to get through so few innings, and he surrendered four runs, all of them earned in them.

Shane Gustafon, who allowed the Ballers their fifth and final tally, an unearned run that came on a two out infield single to Cliff Bufford, whose misadventures at the hot corner on Tuesday had earned him the role of DH tonight. Nick Cardinal earned the save with three innings of work in which he shut the Ballers down with but a single walk.

We’ll see what Thursday’s, third of this six game series has to offer. Game time again is 6:35, and the starters have yet to be announced.