Tower Buzzers Bounce Back, Top Inland Empire 7-3
ONTARIO, Calif. — After a rough start to the series, the Ontario Tower Buzzers bounced back with a 7-3 win over the Inland Empire 66ers on Wednesday night at ONT Field. That evens the six-game set at a game apiece. Things didn’t look great early on. Ontario fell behind 3-0
ONTARIO, Calif. — After a rough start to the series, the Ontario Tower Buzzers bounced back with a 7-3 win over the Inland Empire 66ers on Wednesday night at ONT Field. That evens the six-game set at a game apiece.
Things didn’t look great early on. Ontario fell behind 3-0 in the third inning, but they caught fire after that. Over the next four frames, the Buzzers piled on seven straight runs while their bullpen managed to tightrope out of jam after jam.
Ontario’s pitching staff handed out 12 walks, far from ideal, but somehow, Inland Empire just couldn’t cash in. They went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners stranded.
Starter Charlie West made his third pro outing, going 2.1 innings and giving up three hits, two earned runs, three walks, and a strikeout. Dailoui Abad came in next, allowed one more run, and then the bullpen slammed the door. Ian May, Mason Estrada, Camden Wimbish, and Jholbran Herder combined for 5.2 shutout innings to close it out.
Estrada’s escape act in the sixth was the highlight. Inland Empire loaded up second and third with nobody out and Ontario holding a slim 4-3 lead. Estrada responded by striking out Ryan Wynn and Ace Reese, walking Hayden Yost, then fanning Henry Ford to keep the 66ers off the board.
At the plate, Easton Shelton led the way again. He went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run (his 35th this season), a walk, and three RBIs. His solo shot in the fourth finally got Ontario on the board.
The Tower Buzzers really got rolling in the fifth. Javier Herrera and Kellon Lindsey started things off with singles. Joendry Vargas doubled home Herrera, then Shelton blasted a two-run double to center, bringing in Lindsey and Vargas and putting Ontario up 4-3.
Ontario tacked on another run in the sixth. Francisco Espinoza singled, moved up on an error, and scored on a passed ball. Two more came across in the seventh, thanks to a walk, catcher interference, another free pass, and an RBI single by Ching-Hsien Ko. Vargas crossed the plate on a double play to stretch the lead to 7-3.
Vargas kept swinging a hot bat, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and two runs. Lindsey reached base twice and scored both times. Herrera and Espinoza each chipped in a hit as well.
Herder finished it off with a perfect ninth, striking out Grant Jay to end the game.
Ian May picked up the win, and Inland Empire’s Dylan Wilson took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits over 4.1 innings.
With the win, Ontario moves to 62-54 overall and 29-21 in the second half. The series continues Thursday night at ONT Field.
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Media Contacts:
Adam Serrano
Regional Marketing Director
Diamond Baseball Holdings
Jeff Woolson
Play-by-Play Broadcaster