A sell out crowd of 3,277 took in the action at Raimondi Park in Oakland in game 2 of the Pioneer League Playoff between the Yolo High Wheelers and the Oakland Ballers on Thu Sep 12, 2024 (Oakland Ballers photo)
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Time: 2:13
Attendance: 3,277
Thursday, September 12, 2024
By Lewis Rubman
OAKLAND–This Thursday evening, before an enthusiastic near sellout crowd of 3,277, the Oakland Ballers forced a third and final game to the opening round of the 2024 Pioneer Baseball League playoffs by defeating the Yolo High Wheelers in a thrilling, well played, and tight pitchers’ duel, fending off their rivals, 1-0, in a contest that featured consistently elegant fielding by Yolo’s second baseman, Bobby Lada; brilliant mound work by Yolo’s four and Oakland’s three hurlers; a leaping over the wall first inning catch of Brett Barrrera’s drive to left by Yolo’s David Glancy; Oakland’s Brett Carson’s powerful, game deciding homer over the left centerfield fence in the fifth; and some clutch pitching in the ninth by Braydon Nelson, who, after a leadoff single to the speedy Brayland Skinner, who took second on a passed ball, retired Yolo’s second, third, and fourth batters to preserve Oakland’s win and gain the save.
Carson was the only player on either team to have a multiple hit night; his leadoff single to center in the third preceded his game winning shot. Yolo’s Braylin Marine got the only other extra base hit of the evening, a double off the centerfield wall to open the visitors’ fourth. That should give you an idea of how good the pitching was.
Chandler David went six innings for the Ballers to earn the win, allowing but one hit. It was Marine’s two bagger. David showed good control; although he hit one batter, he didn’t walk any. He notched nine strikeouts, and his ratio of fly outs to ground outs was 3-6.
He threw 68 pitches to the 20 High Wheelers he faced. Conner Sullivan allowed two hits and struck out four in his two inning relief stint. It took Nelson 15 pitches to earn the save I described in the first paragraph of this dispatch.
Brandon Mitchell pitched 5-1/3 strong innings, during which he allowed five hits, including Carson’s decisive blow,and a walk. He was charged with the tough loss. Ethan Bates faced three batters in his inning on the mound.
He retired all of them, one on a called third strike, but threw a wild pitch with an inherited runner on base. Andrew LaCour walked one and struck out one in his 2/3 of an inning. And Connor Langrell fanned one batter in the eighth. His brief mound tenure would have been perfected if the third strike hadn’t been a wild pitch that allowed Barrera to reach first, where he was stranded.
The Ballers’ victory forced a third, elimination game between the two California entries in the Pioneer League, both of which have the same principal owners. That game will be played Friday the 13th, at Raimondi Park in West Oakland. The scheduled starting time is 6:35. A few tickets still are available and can be purchased at oaklandballers.com.
The league championship series that awaits the survivor of Friday’s all or nothing set-to will be against the winner of the Glacier Range Riders-Missoula PaddleHeads series. On Tuesday, the Range Riders won the first game between them, and Thursday’s match was rained out.
That contest has been rescheduled for Friday. A third game, if necessary, is set for Saturday. The championship round schedule depends on who does what to whom in the coming days.
For the Ballers right now, the day that matters is Friday the 13th.
Sports Radio Service 