No Blues for Santa Barbara; Pintard Gets Career Win Number 1,200

On the afternoon of Father's Day, Foresters manager Bill Pintard had many reasons to celebrate. Along with picking up his 1,200th career win, he was able to celebrate the birthday of his son Eric, the beloved founder of the Hugs for Cubs charity. Beyond this, Pintard and his staff were ecstatic to down their biggest rivals 6-2 in a battle of teams atop both divisions of the CCL. 

Blues catcher Miles Mador looked like he would give SLO momentum early, throwing out Marcus Greis' attempted steal of second. However, 'Sters catcher Zane Becker matched with a cannon of his own, helping starter Trent Roach face the minimum in the second.

Santa Barbara started the scoring in this one, doing their damage on the basepaths. Chris Newstrom was handed a free pass, and Zane Becker was plunked by Texas A&M teammate Cooper Fulbright, inducing a throwing error on a double steal to break the ice. Former Aggie, Sawyer Farr, then doubled the lead with an RBI single, putting the Foresters up 2-0. 

Roach's three innings of work were stellar, keeping the Blues scoreless while adding four strikeouts and inducing a timely double play in the first. The 'Sters offense was behind Roach, doubling the lead with RBI singles from Wylan Nelson and Newstrom off the back of a leadoff double from Brady Janusek.

San Luis Obispo struck back immediately. Once Will Jordan was handed the rubber in the fourth, he was tasked with working around a two-base error, which, coupled with three base hits, cut Santa Barbara's lead back down to two.

Greis added one right back in the fifth, roping a double that flew the wall in left-center, plating Christian Turner, who led off the inning with a single. Will Jordan was unbothered by the events of the past, sitting down all three Blues in order, with two going down swinging.

Luke Cornelison was next out of the 'pen for the Foresters, and he continued to be untouchable. In his three innings, only one Blue got on, with five others going down by way of the K.

He was given insurance in the eighth, when two hit batters forced another throwing error from the Blues on a double steal, which let Farr trot home and extend the lead back to four.

Lucien Wechsberg powered his way through the ninth, downing the Blues, giving Santa Barbara their ninth consecutive victory and extending their lead atop the CCL South. 

The Foresters return home on Tuesday to face off against the MLB Academy Barons, the start of a six-game homestand. Catch all the action at Eddie Mathews Field or on the Foresters YouTube channel.