Friday, June 29, 2018

VICTORY! 5-4


               With Pittsburg clinging to a two-run lead, Martinez catcher Wilkyns Jimenez lead off the top of the ninth inning with a screaming line drive down the left field line.  As Diamonds left fielder Patrick O’Donnell gave chase, Jimenez decided to go for two. O’Donnell reached the ball and threw a dart to second base so perfectly that the ball was waiting for Jimenez to arrive at second and get tagged out.

                How big was that play? The next Clippers batter, Alan Mocahbee, homered to left but with Jimenez thrown out, only one run was scored. Two outs later it was over. Diamonds win 5-4.

                Coming off a complete game victory, Brett Solano (3-2) went eight innings for Pittsburg, giving up just three runs (only two were earned) and claiming the victory. Nicholas Barnese survived an exciting ninth inning and got his second save.

                Brett Smith (2 for 4, two RBI’s) drove in Jose Garcia (2 for 4, two runs scored) with the winning run in the sixth inning.

                Jason Harper (1-4) took the loss for Martinez.

                The Diamonds will host the first place San Rafael Pacifics on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

VICTORY! 11-3


                The first three Martinez batters hit safely on the way to scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and things were off to a bad start for the Diamonds.  But Pittsburg answered immediately with four runs in the bottom of the first and from that point on it was all Diamonds, who came out on top   11-3.

                Corey MacDonald (2-3) recovered from the rocky start and didn’t allow another run scored in his six innings of pitching and collected the win.

                Almost the entire lineup for Pittsburg had a big night at the plate. Wes Wallace was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Morgan Blatnik was 2 for 4 with two RBI’s. Joel Carranza was 2 for 4 with one run batted in. Gabriel Bracamonte and Patrick O’Donnell were both 2 for 5 with an RBI.

                Clippers starter Joe Jones (0-6) went four innings giving up eight runs (five earned) and took the loss.

                The two teams will close their series Friday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.


Wednesday, June 27, 2018

DEFEAT 9-7


                It seemed to be a repeat of the script from Tuesday’s exciting victory – Gabriel Bracamonte homered, the Diamonds opened up a big lead, the Clippers tied it with four runs in the seventh inning – but someone flipped the ending and Pittsburg lost to Martinez 9-7, the same score they won with on Tuesday.

                It was the expansion club’s first home victory. Pedro Barrios went 3 for 4 and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth for the Clippers.  Grayson Weber (2-0) got the win in relief and Jacob Hill got his second save pitching a scoreless ninth.

                Diamonds starter Jordan Brink went 6 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs but only four were earned because of defensive lapses. Ridge Ackerman (0-2) took the loss in relief.

                The scene will now move to Pittsburg where the two teams will begin a two-game series Thursday at 6 p.m. in Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

VICTORY! 9-7


                A Martinez grand slam homerun tied it in the seventh inning, but a Diamonds rally in the ninth scored two to give Pittsburg a thrilling 9-7 victory in their first-ever game against Martinez.

                The game played on Joe DiMaggio Field had excitement worthy of the Yankee Clipper, a Martinez native. Behind a two-run homer by Gabriel Bracamonte and a three-run shot by Stephen Haviar, Pittsburg enjoyed a 7-3 lead in the seventh inning. But then Matt Richards unloaded with the bases full. Martinez' third homerun of the night was a grand slam to tie the game.

                But in the ninth, Jose Garcia singled up the middle to drive in Patrick O’Donnell and Haviar and the Diamonds held on for the win.

                Cameron Hatch (2-0) came on in relief of Dakota Freese and got his second win in as many games. Nicholas Barnese pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first save. Drue Bravo (0-1) gave up Garcia’s game winning hit and took the loss.

                The two teams will meet again at Joe DiMaggio Field in Martinez at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Pittsburg end weekend with 15-11 victory in Napa

A wild see-saw battle between Pittsburg and Napa meant the two clubs spent almost five hours collecting 27 hits, scoring 26 runs and using 11 pitchers between them.

In the end, a relentless Diamonds offense continued to score as Pittsburg relievers finally slowed down the Silverados and the Gems outlasted Napa 15-11.

Cameron Hatch (1-0) got the win in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Starter Tyler Stirewalt cruised through the first four innings, but by the time he was taken out in the fifth, he had given up nine runs (seven earned).


Morgan Blatnik lead the offensive charge going 3-for-6 with five RBI and two runs scored. Rafael Valera was 3-for-5 with two RBI, Joel Carranza went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Jose Garcia was 2-for 4-with two RBI and three runs scored.

Napa used seven pitchers in the game. Devontae Glenn (1-2) gave up four runs in 2/3 of an inning and took the loss.

The Diamonds have Monday off and start their first-ever series in Martinez on Tuesday at Joe DiMaggio Field at 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Solano, offense sparkle in 13-5 victory

The Diamonds put together a lethal combination of outstanding pitching from Brett Solano and a highly efficient offensive outburst to defeat Napa 13-5.

Solano (3-2) earned a complete game victory with six strikeouts. He didn’t give up a run until Pittsburg was ahead 11-0.

The offensive stars for the Diamonds were many, including: Wes Wallace who was 2 for 4 with a homerun and scored three runs; Patrick O’Donnell was 4 for 6 and scored two runs and Morgan Blatnik was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBI’s.

The Silverados used six pitchers. Starter Jackson Berumen (1-2) gave up 11 runs (six earned) in 4 1/3 innings and took the loss.

The teams will conclude their two-game set on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Napa Valley College.

Diamonds pitchers hammered in 12-5 loss

An uncharacteristic performance from Pittsburg starter Corey MacDonald paved the way for a one-sided victory for the visiting San Rafael Pacifics, 12-5. MacDonald (1-3) gave up ten runs on 13 hits in four innings pitched and took the loss.

The Diamonds mustered little offense beyond a three-run homer from Rafael Valera and a solo shot by Wes Wallace.

Former reliever Chris Mazza (1-1) got his first start for the Pacifics going six inning and giving up just one earned run while getting the victory. Jake Taylor homered for the visitors.

The Diamonds will start a two-game series against the Napa Silverados on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Napa Valley College.

Friday, June 22, 2018

Wild game ends with Napa winning 11-10

The now offensively potent Diamonds scored ten runs on 14 hits, but it wasn’t enough in a wild game against Napa that sometimes devolved into the bizarre. Napa scored the only run in the tenth inning and won 11-10 when Pittsburg could not score with runners at second and third and one out.

The game went 4 ½ hours. Its lowest moment came in the eighth inning when the Diamonds brought in reliever Nicholas Barnese with the bases loaded. Barnese proceeded to hit the next three batters with pitches, each time driving in a run.

In an unfair twist, it was the Diamonds' most effective pitcher, Ridge Ackerman (0-1), going the last 2 2/3 innings and giving up just one unearned run, who took the loss. The Silverados’ Deivy Mendez (1-0) pitched the last two scoreless innings for Napa getting five strikeouts and earning the win.

The Diamonds will next face the San Rafael Pacifics on Friday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Smith leads offense; Freese, Moskovits make it stand

Brett Smith lead off the game with a double and scored the first run on a Joel Carranza single. In the sixth inning his single drove in Wes Wallace for the Diamonds third run. That’s all Pittsburg would get, but also all they would need. The Diamonds captured their first victory of the year over the home team San Rafael Pacifics, 3-2.

Dakota Freese (1-2), pitching against his former team, gave up only two runs and struck out nine. Danny Moskovits pitched the last inning and a third to earn his fourth save.

Neil Lang (1-1) had a strong performance, but not enough offensive support and took the loss.

The Diamonds return home to play the Napa Silverados on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Offensive explosion leads to Pittsburg victory over Sonoma

Runs were scored early and continued often for the Pittsburg Diamonds on Sunday who wrapped up their weekend with a 13-4 victory over the visiting Sonoma Stompers.

Pittsburg picked up right where they left off on Saturday night when they defeated the expansion Napa Silverados 14-4. The Diamonds scored three times in the first inning including a Joel Carranza RBI, just his second of the season, and a two-run home run by Wes Wallace. Carranza would finish the game going 3-for-5 driving in four runs while scoring twice.

Yuki Yasuda
Seven players racked up at least one RBI in the route including Wallace (3), Gabriel Bracamonte, Austin Fraker, Patrick O'Donnell, Joe Torre and Yuki Yasuda. Morgan Blatnik went 3-for-4 and two walks while Yasuda also had three hits.

On the mound starter Brett Solano (2-2) pitched six innings giving up four runs and striking out four. Cain Lewis, Nicholas Barnese and Danny Moskovits each pitched an inning of scoreless ball.

Pittsburg (7-9) are off on Monday before traveling to face the San Rafael Pacifics (10-6) for a two-game series beginning Tuesday night. The Pacifics are presently tied for first in the Pacific Association standings with Vallejo Admirals.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Newly mined Diamonds lead Pittsburg to big win over Napa

Diamond newcomers Joel Carranza and Gabriel Bracamonte shined at the plate leading Pittsburg to a 14-5 win at Napa. Feeding off their dramatic eighth inning comeback the night before the Diamonds exploded for 16 hits and more than a dozen runs.

Carranza – the 2016 Pacific Association MVP when playing for Sonoma – went 3-for-5 and scored a run while catcher Bracamonte, playing his first game for Pittsburg, went 2-for-5, had two RBI and scored two runs.

Corey MacDonald (1-2) went 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory. Tyler Sharp (0-1) took the loss for the Silverados.

Pittsburg broke the game open in the seventh inning sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs.

The Diamonds close the weekend hosting the Sonoma Stompers at 1 p.m. Sunday at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Pittsburg rally but fall to San Rafael 7-5

Pittsburg had gone 16+ innings in two nights scoring only one run against San Rafael when the stadium lights went out. When they came back on 20 minutes later, it was like an electric current was running through the Diamonds and suddenly they were alive like Frankenstein. Down 4-1 in the eighth inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, Austin Fraker singled to left field, scoring Morgan Blatnik and Patrick O’Donnell. Then with two on, Rafael Valera tripled to drive in two runs and give Pittsburg a 5-4 lead.

Nicholas Barnese (1-1) gave up a three-run double to Ricky Gingras in the ninth to take the loss, but it appears the monster in the Diamonds offense may have been unleashed. Jose Casilla (1-1) got the win for San Rafael.

The Pacifics has 18 hits, but left 11 runners on base. The Diamonds only had one hit before the eighth inning.

The Diamonds will play the Silverados at Napa Valley College on Saturday at 5 p.m. before returning home to close out the weekend with a Sunday 1 p.m. game against Sonoma at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Pacifics shutout Diamonds


Riding the wave of two shutout victories over Vallejo, the Diamonds found themselves wiping out on the wrong side of a shutout against San Rafael. Pittsburg failed to cash in on numerous scoring opportunities and lost to the Pacifics 5-0.

The Diamonds wasted a third straight outstanding performance by a starting pitcher. Dakota Freese (0-2) pitched six innings giving up just two runs and striking out five. But the Diamonds couldn’t get any runs despite having runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings.

Neil Lang (1-0) made his professional pitching debut for San Rafael and continuously pitched out of trouble. Jose Casilla earned his first save.

Brett Smith made a number of outstanding defensive plays in right field that kept the Diamonds in the game until the Pacifics blew it open with three insurance runs in the ninth inning.

The two teams will close out their series Friday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Diamonds In the Rough – Series Notes: June 14-15

Diamonds Will Test New Found Momentum Against San Rafael
in first 2018 Meeting Between the Two Clubs

The Pittsburg Diamonds used two sterling performances from starting pitchers Brett Solano and Tyler Stirewalt to halt a losing streak and begin to build momentum. That momentum will be tested as the San Rafael Pacifics come to Winter Chevrolet Stadium for the first time in the 2018 season. Last season the Diamonds finished with a 17-10 record against the Pacifics and will look to grow their two-game winning streak. The Diamonds will send Dakota Freese to the mound for game one and Jordan Brink for game two in hopes to continue their winning ways at home.

Diamonds Starting Pitchers:
Thursday, June 14th, Pittsburg, 6:00pm.: #30 Dakota Freese – Coming into his third start of the season with a record of 0-1 and a 6.00 ERA, the stat line does not look good but for starting pitcher Dakota Freese it has been a tale of two starts. In his season debut against the Sonoma Stompers Freese was sharp posting five innings of work while allowing only three runs and finishing with a no decision. His second start against the Stompers, even though racking up ten strikeouts, Freese did allow five runs and walked five as well. Knowing Freese’s ability to eat innings and total a high strike-out count, the Diamonds will be eager to play behind the 6’4 right hander.
Seasons Stats:

SeasonTeamWLERAGGSSHOSVIPSOBBHSummer 2018Pittsburg Diamonds016.0022001214910

Friday, June 15th, Pittsburg, 6:00pm.: #3 Jordan Brink – Making his debut on the second go around in the Diamonds rotation, Brink struggled with location in his 3.1 innings of work but did manage to strikeout five batters in the process. He was gifted the loss in his first start of the season but in three innings of work Brink gave up only two earned runs. Given some math, one can conclude that Brink would have walked away with a quality start. Expect the best from Brink as he makes his second start in a Diamonds uniform.
Season Stats:

SeasonTeamWLERAGGSSHOSVIPSOBBHSummer 2018Pittsburg Diamonds015.4011003.1550

From the Diamond Mine:

Surfs Up for the Pacifics! -- The Pacifics come into the two-game series with a record of 7-5 and with one of the Pacific Association’s most feared rosters. On the offensive side, the Pacifics boast the players with the highest batting average (Javion Randle) and RBI total (Brent Gillespie). For the pitching staff, starter Jared Koenig is tied for the Pacific Association lead in wins (2) and leads the league in strikeouts (23).

O’Donnell, Blatnik Latest One-Two Punch in the Lineup -- Patrick O’Donnell has been a spark plug at the top of the order with a batting average at .318 and a team leading .843 OPS. Utility man Morgan Blatnik has found a home with the Diamonds while batting .353 with 2 HR and 7 RBI’s in his last seven games.

Diamonds Dollar Days Make the Ballgame Even Cheaper! – Tickets to the Diamonds games are only $7 each, but there are myriad ways to even cut that minor cost. Kids five and under are free all year.  Those between the ages of six and 12 can get admission for just $1 Tuesday through Thursday as part of the Diamonds Dollar Days.  Plus, on Sundays, any little leaguer wearing his or her team jersey can go to the game for just $1. A Diamonds Family Four-Pack of tickets is a big savings at $20 and season tickets are still available at $100 for the whole year.

Diamonds Announce Roster Changes – The Diamonds welcomed 2016 Pacific Association Most Valuable Player Joel Carranza to the team via free agency. Carranza, who was playing baseball in Japan, made his Diamonds debut Tuesday night against the Vallejo Admirals and hopes to get his first Diamonds hit against San Rafael. Former Diamonds coach Joe Torre has also signed with the team following the release of J.J Wagner.

So Many Ways to Inspect the Diamonds – If you can’t make it out to the ballgame, don’t despair. You have all kinds of ways to catch the action.  Every game of the season will be broadcast on www.mixlr.com with the pre-game show “Runs!Hits!Aaron!” featuring Diamonds manager Aaron Miles airing ten minutes before the start of each game.  Friday and Saturday home games will be televised by Delta TV and will be shown on cable access channels throughout Central and Eastern Contra Costa County. Many other home games will be streamed live by Bay Area Sports Television which can be seen at www.bayareasports.tv.  The Voice of the Diamonds Tony Schultz and Scott Macdonald will deliver the play-by-play for all the games.  A link to each broadcast source can be found on the Diamonds website, www.DiamondsProBall.com.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Stirewalt helps Diamonds shutout Vallejo for second straight night

Diamonds pitching held the league leading Vallejo Admirals to 18 scoreless innings while sweeping the two-game series. After Brett Solano lead a 1-0 victory on Tuesday with shutout pitching, Tyler Stirewalt (2-0) went 7 2/3 innings giving up no runs and striking out five on Wednesday. Cain Spangler finished the game earning his second save.

Yuki Yasuda was the offensive star of the night, going 3-for-4 scoring the first two runs of the night. Morgan Blatnik was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBI’s.

Frank Valentino (1-2) pitched well but took the loss for Vallejo which has lost two in a row for the first time this season.

Pittsburg first baseman Jordan Van Atta was 1-for-3 with an RBI before injuring himself diving back into first base. He was taken to a hospital for review.

The Diamonds will take on San Rafael for the first time this season as the Pacifics come to town for two games. The first game will be Thursday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Smooth Solano squeezes Diamonds to 1-0 victory

Steady-as-she-goes Brett Solano gave the Diamonds struggling offense just what it needed: a shutout pitching performance. With help from relievers Nicholas Barnese and Danny Moskowits, Solano shut down the high-flying Vallejo Admirals and made the Diamonds one run stand up for a 1-0 victory.

Facing their 2018 nemesis Martin Cronin who had already pitched 13 scoreless innings against them, Pittsburg was well aware of the challenge the night held. But in the fifth they broke the Cronin goose egg when Patrick O’Donnell singled and Jordan Van Atta doubled to plate O’Donnell.

Solano (1-2), et al, made it stand up and the Diamonds broke a five-game losing streak. Cronin (2-1) – despite another incredible night on the mound – took the loss. Moskowits got credit for his third save.

Everyone was sending good thoughts to Admirals’ first baseman Graylin Derke who got hit in the head during batting practice and was sent to the hospital for precautionary examination.

The teams will close their two-game set Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Diamonds drop fifth straight; announce roster additions

A grand slam by Kenny Meimerstorf was the difference as Sonoma held on to a one-run victory over the Pittsburg Diamonds, 6-5. Meimerstorf’s blast came in the fifth inning with the Diamonds leading 3-2.

Watching the game was 2016 Pacific Association Most Valuable Player Joel Carranza who has been signed by the Diamonds and will join the roster on Tuesday. The heavy hitting first baseman/DH played for four seasons with Sonoma and had been playing baseball in Japan.

Pittsburg also announced that former major leaguer Travis Blakley is coming back from his native Australia to pitch for the Diamonds again this season and should arrive within the week.

In the afternoon game in Pittsburg, Stephen Haviar hit a two-run homer in the sixth to pull the Diamonds within one, but they didn’t score again. Morgan Blatnik also homered for Pittsburg in the first inning.

Corey MacDonald (0-2) went five innings and took the loss. Dominic Topoozian (2-0) got the win for Sonoma.

The Diamonds have Monday off and will open a two-game set with the first-place Vallejo Admirals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Saturday, June 9, 2018

New foe, new park, familiar face, bad result

The inaugural game against a new foe on a new field brought the Diamonds face-to-face with a very familiar pitcher, and, as they say, familiarity breeds contempt. The Diamonds lost 7-4.

The first ever game against the expansion Napa Silverados featured the new Napa starter Angel Lara – just acquired from Pittsburg in a trade days ago and tonight facing his old teammates in his first game for his new team.

Lara (1-0) got the best of it, picking up the win with more than six innings pitched, giving up only two earned runs. Kurtis Hultz got the save for Napa.

Jordan Brink (0-1) – a closer last year for the Diamonds – made his first appearance of the year in the role of the fifth starter and lasted a little more than three innings. He didn’t give up a hit, but surrendered three runs, two of them earned and took the loss.

The Silverados only got five hits but made the most of them to score seven runs. The Diamonds were lead by Brett Smith – 2 for 4, a homerun, 2 RBI’s – and Jordan Van Atta – 2 for 3, a homerun, 2 RBI’s.

The Diamonds close out the week at home on Sunday with a game against Sonoma at 1 p.m. in Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Friday, June 8, 2018

Freese, Diamonds lose pitchers duel with Gibbons

                In an odd pitchers duel that featured one bad inning for each starter, Pittsburg’s Dakota Freese had a strong seven-inning performance but Sonoma’s Ethan Gibbons had a better bad inning and got the win for the Stompers 5-2.

                Both teams scored in only one inning. The Diamonds got singles from Morgan Blatnik, Patrick O’Donnell and Brett Smith and a sacrifice fly from Rafael Valera to score two runs in the third.  

The Stompers got two singles, a triple from Rob DeAngelis and a home run from Kenny Meimerstorf to score five runs in the fourth and that was the difference.

Freese (0-1) struck out ten in taking the loss.  Gibbons (1-1) had seven strikeouts in getting the win. Jacob Cox earned his second save for Sonoma.

The Diamonds travel to Napa for their first game against the expansion Silverados on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Silverado Field at Napa Valley College.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Diamonds blow seven run lead, lose 11-10

Having lead Sonoma 8-1 earlier, the Diamonds couldn’t hold a 9-6 eighth inning lead and eventually lost in ten innings 11-10.

With the score tied at nine, the Diamonds scored a run in the tenth, but left the bases loaded. With extra inning rules, the Stompers started the tenth with two runners on who advanced on a wild pitch. Daniel Comstock’s single scored both runners and gave Sonoma the win.

Tyler Stirewalt started for the Diamonds and gave up five runs but only one was earned. Danny Moskowits (0-1) pitching the ninth and tenth innings took the loss for Pittsburg. D. J. Sharabi (1-0) got the win for the Stompers.

Morgan Blatnik went 3 for 4 with four RBI’s including a three-run homer for the Diamonds. Wes Wallace hit his third homerun of the year for Pittsburg.
The two teams will meet again Friday night at 6:05 p.m. at Arnold Field in Sonoma.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Cronin shuts down Pittsburg for second time

Vallejo’s Martin Cronin (2-0) showed his opening night performance against the Diamonds was no fluke, as he pitched eight shutout innings to lead the Admirals to a 6-0 win over Pittsburg.

Cronin had five shutout innings opening night and his season ERA stands at 0.00

Rider Miconi had two of the Diamonds’ three hits. Brett Solano (0-2) took the loss.

Offensively for Vallejo, David Kiriakos had a homerun and Tillman Pugh went 2-for-4.

The Diamonds closed their homestand with a 3-1 record. They will open a two-game series against the Stompers in Sonoma Thursday night at 6:05 p.m.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Pittsburg win third straight!

In a significant early season victory, Pittsburg (3-2) defeated Vallejo 7-4 to move above .500, give the Admirals (4-1) their first loss of the year and pull the Diamonds to within one game of first place.

On offense, Brett Smith continued to shine going 2 for 3 with four RBI’s. Austin Fraker was 2 for 2 with an RBI and Jordan Van Atta and Wes Wallace hit homeruns.

On the mound, Corey MacDonald got off to a rough start giving up three runs in the first inning, but he settled down and completed six innings. Cain Spangler (1-0) came on in relief and earned the victory. Danny Moskowits pitched a scoreless ninth inning and earned his second save.

For the Admirals, Ryan Kiniry hit the first pitch of the game off the right field scoreboard and Vallejo scored two more in that inning. But the offense sputtered after that. Jaylen Miller (0-1), pitching in relief, took the loss.

The two teams will meet again on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Diamonds in the Rough – series notes: June 5


Diamonds in the Rough – Series Notes: June 5th – June 6th
Diamonds – On A Hot Streak -- Get Important Rematch Against Defending Champs Who Are Even Hotter
Overview
The Pittsburg Diamonds will try to ride the hot streak after sweeping the Sonoma Stompers in a two-game series. The offense came alive in the first home series of the season by outscoring the Stompers 26-13. Wes Wallace (7) and Rafael Valera (4) led the way offensively with 11 RBI’s between the two of them while Skylar Shaw-Fuss and Nick Barnese picked up their first wins of the season. The Diamonds will have their hands full though as the Vallejo Admirals come in scorching hot with four consecutive wins to begin the season.

The 2017 Champion Admirals already got a taste of the Diamonds for Opening Weekend which saw the Admirals steam role over the Diamonds. Vallejo swept that two-game series. This time the Admirals will again face Pittsburg starters, Corey MacDonald (Tuesday) and Brett Solano (Wednesday).

Diamonds Starting Pitchers:
Tuesday, June 5th, Pittsburg, 6:00pm.: Corey MacDonald – After a tough loss on Opening Day vs. Admirals, MacDonald will look to bounce back and so will the defense that let him down (two errors). McDonald only worked four innings in his last outing.
Last Start:
DATEOPPONENTRESDECIPRERHSVBBSOBFOOBPOSLGOAVGERAWHP
May 31@AdmiralsL 3-15L4.085502222.364.421.31311.251.75
Wednesday, June 6th, Pittsburg, 6:00pm.: Bret Solano – Solano pitched good enough for the win and even worked deep into the second game of the season vs. Admirals but the outcome was not in his favor. Solano’s performance was the highlight among Diamonds starters in week one of the season.
Last Start:

DATEOPPONENTRESDECIPRERHSVBBSOBFOOBPOSLGOAVGERAWHP
Jun 1@AdmiralsL 3-5L6.054702631.323.286.2506.001.50

Diamonds Offense:
·         Come into the series with a 2-2 record (two wins at home, two losses away)
·         Two game win streak (swept Sonoma Stompers)
·         Last series before they head on the road for four games (three vs. Stompers, one vs. Silverados)
·         Offense came alive (outscored Sonoma 26-13 in a series sweep)

From the Diamond Mine:

            Newcomers Leading the Way – Two new members of the Diamonds are putting up outrageous offensive numbers. Rafael Valera has played outstanding shortstop but it’s at the plate they he has really performed. Valera is hitting .462 a double, a homerun and a team-leading eight RBI’s.  Right fielder Brett Smith is hitting .500 but also has five walks and n On Base Percentage of .700. Smith is also premier defensive player and showed it in centerfield when he cut down a runner trying to advance from second to third on a fly ball. Smith’s one hop throw was perfectly placed.

A Little Birdie (tweet!) Told Me to Take BART to The Game – The new Pittsburg Center BART station that is part of the Antioch extension that opened last week means Diamonds fans who take BART are delivered just one block from Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park. To show how easy it is to get to the game via BART, Diamonds play-by-play announcer Scott Macdonald will be taking public transit to Tuesday’s game and tweeting about it from his Twitter handle @ScottDmndsBall. The Diamonds are entering a co-marketing agreement with BART and will become a part of the BARTables program that will include exciting giveaways for fans.
If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be TacosTacos are probably sold as a special on Tuesdays because they both start with “T.” But if you want alliteration, the Diamonds are offering two tacos for $4 on Taco Tuesday from Pittsburg’s own Twin Tacos which means the deal is terrific! And with six tacos going for just $10 you might as well bring the whole gang.

 Diamonds Dollar Days Make the Ballgame Even Cheaper! – Tickets to the Diamonds games are only $7 each, but there are myriad ways to even cut that minor cost. Kids five and under are free all year.  Those between the ages of six and 12 can get admission for just $1 Tuesday through Thursday as part of the Diamonds Dollar Days.  Plus, on Sundays, any little leaguer wearing his or her team jersey can go to the game for just $1. A Diamonds Family Four-Pack of tickets is a big savings at $20 and season tickets are still available at $100 for the whole year.

So Many Ways to Inspect the Diamonds – If you can’t make it out to the ballgame, don’t despair. You have all kinds of ways to catch the action.  Every game of the season will be broadcast on www.mixlr.com with the pre-game show “Runs!Hits!Aaron!” featuring Diamonds manager Aaron Miles airing ten minutes before the start of each game.  Friday and Saturday home games will be televised by Delta TV and will be shown on cable access channels throughout Central and Eastern Contra Costa County. Many other home games will be streamed live by Bay Area Sports Television which can be seen at www.bayareasports.tv.  The Voice of the Diamonds Tony Schultz and Scott Macdonald will deliver the play-by-play for all the games.  A link to each broadcast source can be found on the Diamonds website, www.DiamondsProBall.com.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Sunday afternoon thriller is Diamonds second win in-a-row



                Wes Wallace’ RBI single in the eighth inning drove in the winning run and the Pittsburg Diamonds used some sterling defense in the ninth to hold off Sonoma and beat the Stompers 8-6 for their second win in a row.

                After the first batter singled to open the ninth, the Diamonds turned a double play to wipe the bases clean. Then Daniel Baptista hit a line drive down the left field line that third baseman Austin Fraker hustled after. Fraker came up throwing to second and cut down Baptista to end the ball game.

                Fraker went 2 for 3 at the plate and had three RBI’s. New addition Stephen Javiar started at catcher and went 3 for 4 and scored two runs. First baseman Jordan Van Atta had three runs batted in.

                Nick Barnese (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning and got the victory.  Danny Moskovitz pitched the ninth inning and got the save.

                Robert Maislin took the loss in relief for Sonoma.  Miles Williams and Mitchell Ho homered for the Stompers.

                The Diamonds have Monday off and then will welcome the Vallejo Admirals to town for two games beginning with Taco Tuesday, June 5th at 6 p.m. at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg.

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Home sweet home: Diamonds dominate Sonoma in opener

                Brett Smith continued his impossible on base streak, Wes Wallace’ bat came alive with half a dozen RBI’s and the Pittsburg Diamonds enjoyed the comforts of home in their first game in Pittsburg by beating Sonoma 18-7.

                Tyler Stirewalt (1-0) started and got the win but it was Skyler Shaw-Fuss who brought order to a chaotic game and settled down the Diamonds pitching.

                The Diamonds – who performed poorly on offense in the first two games – came alive at the plate.  Wes Wallace went 4 for 5 including a three-run homer and had six RBI’s. Rafael Valera went 4 for 4 with four RBI’s and Brett Smith moved his batting average to .714 and his On Base Percentage to .867. 

                Ethan Gibbons started and took the loss for the Stompers.

                The two teams will meet again Sunday at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park in Pittsburg at 1 p.m.


Friday, June 1, 2018

Diamonds come up short in 5-3 loss to Vallejo

                Rafael Valera put the Diamonds ahead with his two-run first inning home, but the Diamonds couldn’t hold the lead or regain it and lost to Vallejo 5-3. Brett Smith scored on the homer and continued to shine in the lead-off spot. Smith has been on base eight times in nine plate appearances.

                Brett Solano (0-1) pitched well giving up five runs in six innings but the Diamonds offense sputtered, and he took the loss. Angel Lara was strong in relief. Danny Moskovitz was called in with two on and two outs in the eighth to face Nick Akins, Sr. He struck out the Admirals hitting coach to end the threat.

                The incumbent Most Valuable Player in the Pacific Association Tillman Pugh drove in two runs with a towering double that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. Frank Valentino (1-0) started and got the win for Vallejo.

                The Diamonds now come back to Pittsburg for their home opener.  They will meet Sonoma at 5 p.m. Saturday at Winter Chevrolet Stadium in City Park.



Diamonds Promotional Schedule

Pittsburg Diamonds are pleased to announce the early season promotional schedule.

June 3  Pittsburg Baseball Softball Association Day
June 13  Bay Point Ambrose Youth Day
June 15  High School Home Run Derby
July 4  Armed Forces Day at the Park
July 14  Italian Heritage Night
August 3  Chicks in Crisis
August 18  Food Bank Night
August 19  Rotacare Clinic Fundraiser
August 29  Back to School Night

Stay tuned for additional special events announcements during the season.