Batters set the tone for big Yolo win
15-3 in past 18 games for High Wheelers
Yuba-Sutter Freebirds
26-15, 49-38
9
Boise Hawks
23-18, 48-41
1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 2 |
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
Sometimes the first batter of the game sets the tone, sometimes it's the starting pitcher in the first inning. On Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Boise, it was a combination of both in the Yolo High Wheelers (49-38, 26-15) 9-1 win over the Boise Hawks (48-41; 23-18). Yolo has a three-game lead over Boise for the second playoff spot with seven games left for both and the High Wheelers are one game back of the first place Oakland Ballers. Yolo is 15-3 in their last 18 games.
High Wheelers starter Ben Ferrer (10-3) won his fifth straight start and became the first ten-game winner in the Pioneer League this season. He struck out six in seven innings, gave up three hits, a walk, and one run, specifically he's 3-0 against Boise. In addition to his wins, his 4.24 ERA is tops in the league, has 103 strikeouts--only five other pitchers in the league have reached the century mark.
Pitching coach Jerome Williams spoke about Ferrer of late, "Ben has been outstanding. He's hitting his stride and has had this great run by being in and out of the strike zone when he wants to. He has a plan every time he's out there and puts away guys when it's time."
Ferrer gave praise to the club, "it was another great team performance with everything clicking." "It's always nice to get early run support from our guys and then can just settle in working to get quick outs and keep the momentum and game moving."
The starting staff in this series through five games has allowed six runs (five earned) in 35 innings equating to a 1.35 ERA.
Ferrer got plenty of run support early as the first batter of the game, center fielder Brayland Skinner jump-started a two-run first with a double. The next hitter was shortstop Braylin Marine and he singled home Skinner with the game's first score. Two batters after Marine, left fielder Jose Gonzalez extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a single to left, moving Marine to third. Second baseman Bobby Lada followed Gonzalez with an RBI groundout for the inning's second run.
The High Wheelers opened things up in the second plating three. Again, it was Skinner and Marine setting the table with singles which allowed designated hitter Braedon Blackford to come through with a two-run double making it 4-0. Gonzalez capped the frame with an RBI single.
Every High Wheeler in the starting lineup reached base safely (eight-out-of-the-nine had hits) for the third time in the last four games. Skinner and Marine each had four hits while the team totalled 17. It was Skinner's second four-hit contest and Marine's fifth this year. Gonzalez finished three-for-three (three singles), a walk, two RBI's, and a sacrifice fly. Marine's average jumped from .380 to .388 while Gonzalez lept from .369.
"Both Skinner and Marine our 1-2 hitters had four hits apiece with the team totalling 17. The team is playing on all cylinders right now," said bench coach Gary Davenport. "The pitchers have been lights out and hitters are having some really good quality at-bats."
Boise's run came on a homer in the sixth by third baseman Troy Viola (26). Luke Malone (6-7) lost for the third straight outing against Yolo. In none of those outings has he lasted more than three (plus) innings.
Yolo leads the season series 9-2 and will attempt to take five-of-six from Boise for the second straight week. The first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PST. It'll be the final regular season road game for the High Wheelers as they will send to the mound right-hander Brendan Knoll and he will oppose Boise righty Isaac Mendez.
HIGH NOTES
Not only would a win on Sunday be five-out-of-six wins against Boise for the second time in as many weeks, but it would be the third straight series the High Wheelers would win in that fashion going back to two weeks ago at Grand Junction
Kris Anglin and Connor Langrell each worked a scoreless eighth and ninth inning respectively. In five games against Boise, Anglin has 12 strikeouts over seven shutout innings. It was Langrell's first appearance of this series, he hadn't work since the final game against the Hawks at home last Sunday