By Jim Buckley: The Foresters were in blue and white, the Ventura Pirates in red, and the American flag was flying proudly in right field. It was the Fourth of July and baseball was back at Pershing Park after a long pause. In front of an appreciative and large crowd, the Foresters beat the Pirates 5-1.
“It was such a thrill to be back here for one of our biggest and most traditional days,” said manager Bill Pintard. “The fans should know just how much this means to our players and coaches, to have them here cheering for us on America’s birthday.”
The Foresters gave those fans plenty to cheer about, highlighted by Ryan Wrobleski’s two-run homer deep to left in the third inning. That made it 3-0 Foresters after a first-inning run came across on a Kade Higgins fielder’s choice.
Santa Barbara added a run in the fourth thanks to an Ethan Bates single that drove in Carson Wells, who had also singled. The Foresters only had five hits in the game, but they made them count. A single by Nate Rombach in the eighth drove in Wrobleski, who had doubled to reach the final score.
Ben Abram started and pitched very well, finishing four scoreless innings with only three hits and a walk. Five Foresters relievers each gave an inning apiece and gave up only three hits and the Pirates’ lone run.
After a sweep of the four-game homestead, the Foresters head north on Tuesday and Wednesday for big CCL games at San Luis Obispo. Games start both nights on AM 1290 KZSB at 6 pm.