Martin’s First Shutout Start Leads Coast to 11th-Straight Victory

LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach Coast (44-11) hammered the Oakland Ballers (22-33) on Tuesday night to open the series with a 7-0 victory, the 11th-straight for the home crew. Starting pitcher Jack Martin cruised to his team-best sixth win with five shutout innings, surrendering just three hits, and striking out four batters. That effort marks the first set of back-to-back team shutouts and the fifth on the season.

At the plate, Long Beach jumped on the board early; after left fielder Eddy Pelc doubled to lead off the home half and extend his season-long on-base streak to 55 contests, shortstop Patrick Roche singled him home for the 1-0 advantage.

First baseman Cuba Bess blasted the Coast further ahead with his team-leading 17th home run, a three-run shot in the fourth inning. The former Red Sox and Rockies prospect followed up with an RBI single in the fifth, scoring center fielder Emilio Corona who had tripled home a run in the prior at-bat. The San Luis Obispo-native reappeared with an RBI single in the next frame.

Wrapping up the performance on the mound, the Coast employed just two relievers for the series-opening W. Left-hander Jake Dixon and right-hander Ryan Faulks both dealt two frames out of the bullpen. Dixon appeared first, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Faulks followed up with one fewer mark in both the H and K columns.

Oakland and Long Beach rematch at 6:35 p.m. PDT on Wednesday night with gates to Blair Field opening at 5:35 p.m. The Beach Ball Pre-Game Report kicks off its coverage at 6:15 p.m. on the Home Team Network and the Coast YouTube page.

Jesse Cook