Bomb Squad: Metro Bucs overwhelm Bombers in 9-6 win

June 14, 2018 -

LOS ANGELES - As extra hitter Andrew Wilson stepped into the box in the fifth inning Thursday at Pote field, the eerie quiet made the need for an offensive spark from the Bucs evident. They had just allowed an undermanned SoCal Bombers squad to cut the lead to 4-3, and Donovan Snipes’ routine groundout to second to begin the home half of the inning had made the shift in momentum undeniable.

Then the Bucs were granted two extra outs. Wilson reached on a throwing error from third and reached second safely in the next at bat when pitcher Chase Castor botched the throw on what could have been an inning ending 1-4-3 double play. Ventura seized the opportunity, bringing seven men to the plate and scoring three before the wind-swept dust cleared on the inning.

Bombers Black made a game of it, scoring three runs in the next two innings, but ran into a wall in the form of Matt Lungaro. He collected five strikeouts in his three-inning save allowing one run on two hits and a walk. Lungaro did not take kindly to his walk, picking him off the bases in the next at bat.

Henry Leake started the game on the mound for the Bucs, and was dominant there after receiving four runs of support in the first inning. He threw four innings while recording six strikeouts on just two hits. That marked the second day in a row that Pote field hosted an impressive outing from a non-scheduled pitcher, as Thursday’s game had been cancelled before being put back on the schedule late Wednesday night.

Bucs’ skipper Jay Cordero may have found a defensive formula for the Bombers. His team has earned wins in each of the last two games against them with Leake and Lungaro earning the win and save, respectively, in both.