Jung-Goldberg Walks Off Ballers in Slugfest
Boise takes the first game of the series
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
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2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 17 | 0 |
By Nevada Cullen
BOISE, Idaho -- In a chaotic, back-and-forth battle with the Boise Hawks on Tuesday, the Ballers staged a sixth-inning comeback that featured three bombs and eight runs. But, Max Jung-Goldberg clubbed a walk-off, three-run homer to spoil Oakland's effort.
Dillon Tatum launched the first of five Baller blasts with an opposite-field, three-run dinger in the second. It gave Oakland a 4-2 edge.
The Hawks immediately responded with a five-spot in the bottom of the frame. Jake Hjelle smacked a solo shot to left, Taylor Darden put Boise in front with a two-run single and Joseph Kalafut followed him with a two-run double.
Boise added a couple more in the fourth to take a 9-4 lead in the fourth, but Gabe Tanner entered and limited the damage in his second professional appearance. Tanner ended up pitching 2.2 innings and allowed just one run.
Oakland's furious sixth-inning rally started quickly, as the first six Ballers reached base. Christian Almanza demolished a three-run bomb to bring his team within two. His ninth long ball of the season went a whopping 437 feet to right.
On the next toss, Ryan Pierce sent his second hit of the night through the right side. Tatum tried to tie the game with a two-run shot to left, but it curled too far to the left of the foul pole.
He swung at the very next pitch from Cameron Dayton and straightened it out, crushing a 434-foot tater to left to knot the contest at nine. Tatum has four home runs in his last two games.
With two outs in the sixth and a runner at second, the Hawks decided to intentionally walk Davis Drewek to pitch to Daniel Harris IV. Harris took offense, hammering a go-ahead three-run round tripper 424 feet to left.
Hjelle joined Tatum in the two-homer club with a solo tank in the bottom of the sixth to get one back for Boise. Lou Helmig answered with a solo laser to right in the eighth, his second homer for Oakland.
Still, the Hawks found a way in the ninth. Jung-Goldberg, one of the Pioneer League's best hitters so far, ended a four-run ninth with his three-run, opposite-field smash to hand Boise the series-opening victory.
The Ballers hope to bounce back against the Hawks Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. PDT. As always, you can listen to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel.
