Tower Buzzers Rally Late for 4-3 Win Over Inland Empire
ONTARIO, Calif. —The Ontario Tower Buzzers came from behind Saturday night at ONT Field, scoring three runs in the seventh and fending off a late Inland Empire rally to win 4-3. With this win, Ontario snagged back-to-back victories and now leads the six-game series, three games to two. The Tower
ONTARIO, Calif. —The Ontario Tower Buzzers came from behind Saturday night at ONT Field, scoring three runs in the seventh and fending off a late Inland Empire rally to win 4-3.
With this win, Ontario snagged back-to-back victories and now leads the six-game series, three games to two.
The Tower Buzzers were skating on thin ice for most of the night. Inland Empire kept the pressure on, racking up five hits and nine walks. But they just couldn’t cash in, they went 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded a whopping 12 runners.
Joel Cruz set the tone early, tossing four scoreless innings for Ontario. He gave up only two hits, walked four, and tallied four strikeouts. Inland Empire kept getting guys on, especially in the first inning and later on, but Cruz always managed to wiggle out of trouble.
The scoring finally started in the fifth. Joendry Vargas and Aidan West got things rolling with back-to-back singles, then Oswaldo Osorio brought Vargas home with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
Inland Empire came roaring back in the sixth. They didn’t get a single hit, but Estevan Moreno got plunked, eventually scoring on a fielder’s choice. Nick Becker managed to come home on Dervy Ventura’s sac fly, putting the 66ers up 2-1.
But Ontario had an answer, and then some, in the seventh. Osorio blasted his tenth homer of the season to tie things up. After that, Espinoza reached on an error, Lorenzo walked, and Lindsey joined him with another free pass. Ching-Hsien Ko sent Espinoza home with a sac fly for the go-ahead run, and Lorenzo later scored on a balk. One hit, three runs and just like that, Ontario was up 4-2.
The bullpen took over from there. Dailoui Abad threw 1.2 scoreless innings and picked up his fourth win. Jholbran Herder survived a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, getting Hayden Yost to ground into a force play to escape.
In the ninth, Inland Empire mounted one last challenge against Devin Bell. Ace Reese singled, Moreno doubled, and suddenly the tying run was at third with one out. Bautista grounded out to cut the lead to 4-3, but Bell didn’t blink. He struck out Becker to seal the win and picked up his first save of the year.
Ontario finished the game with 10 hits. Vargas, Shelton, Osorio, and Espinoza each had two hits, with Osorio driving in two runs.
This marks Ontario’s second straight win after Friday’s 6-1 victory. Their pitching has been lights-out lately, holding Inland Empire to just four runs over the last two games. The 66ers are now 2-for-28 with runners in scoring position during that stretch.
The Buzzers magic number is down to 10 with, 13 games left to play in the season. Ontario can clinch the series Sunday at ONT Field.
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Media Contacts:
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Diamond Baseball Holdings
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Play-by-Play Broadcaster