PALM SPRINGS, CA – Jordan Drake went two for two and drove in two runs, as the A’s scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to secure a 7-2 victory over the Bluesox in day two of California Winter League action at Palm Springs Stadium.
Drake began the scoring in the game with a sacrifice fly that brought home Michael Cross who had walked earlier in the inning and moved to third base when Jacob Vulk, the Blue Sox starting pitcher walked the bases loaded.
The run-scoring fly ball gave the A’s the early 1-0 after two frames.
After the Blue Sox tied the game at one run apiece with an RBI ground-out by Blake Babnick, the A’s regained the lead in the top of the fifth on three straight singles and an RBI ground-out that pushed the lead to 3-1 A’s.
The Blue Sox scored their second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on another RBI ground-out, this time by Ryan Polk, which cut the A’s lead to 3-2.
Jordan Drake struck again in the top of the seventh knocking in Jason Martin with an RBI triple. Trenton Anderson followed with an RBI single and, two batters later, Bryan Bistagne knocked in Anderson with a single. A bases loaded walk issued to Chilo Escutia capped the scoring for the A’s in the inning and the game.
In the afternoon game, five Power pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout as the Power blanked the Chill, 3-0. The game’s scoreless deadlock was broken in the top of the sixth inning, as two throwing errors produced an unearned run following a one-out single and stolen base by leftfielder Trevor Willits.
Two insurance runs were added in the ninth, as the Power put together a triple by catcher Hiroshi Senda, a walk to Yuku Yasuda, and an RBI single by Ayumi Nakamura coupled with a throwing error.
The Chill threatened by loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth on a single and a pair of walks, but reliever Tyler Sloan slammed the door by striking out the side.
Power pitching lived up to its namesake by striking out 15 Chill batters on the day.
-Danny Angel
