Coast Party in Parrot Introduction

LONG BEACH, CA – Introducing the new mascot, Derrick the Parrot, the Long Beach Coast (19-4) partied to an 8-3 victory over the Modesto Roadsters (12-11) on Saturday evening. Home runs from designated hitter Matthew Bardowell and center fielder Emilio Corona helped the Coast soar into the win column to maintain their hold on first place in the Pioneer League.

Down a run in the fourth inning, Bardowell’s second blast of the series leapfrogged the Roadsters with the L.B.C. ahead 2-1. After a seventh-inning barrage of Modesto hits, a tied ballgame set the stage for first baseman Cooper Vest’s two-run single. The B.Y.U.-product nabbed another run-producing knock in the eighth after Corona’s third homer of the week.

On the hill, Long Beach starter Brett Wozniak breezed through 6.2 innings of work. The left-hander surrendered just a pair of runs on eight hits, striking out two batters. After he left the game with men on the corners and ahead 2-1, submariner Steven Ordorica allowed a game-tying double, still qualifying for the win.

Behind that, relievers Julien Hernandez and Zach Voelker blistered through the eighth and ninth frames, with the closer, Voelker, allowing the only other run on two hits. That setup-and-finisher pair combined for three strikeouts.

That victory advances the winning streak to four games for the L.B.C., winning the first series in the Battle of I-5 against Modesto.

The finale for the homestand kicks off at 1:05 p.m. P.D.T. with gates opening at 11:35 a.m. Coverage on the Beach Ball Pre-Game Report begins at 12:45 p.m. on the Home Team Network.

Jesse Cook