Gallimore Leads the Blues with 14 Strikeouts to the Blues Seventh Win in a Row

San Bruno, California - With nine runs on 15 hits the Blues sweep the series against the Seagulls in dominating fashion. Every Blue reached base tonight with Kutter-Gage Webb, Mason Ashlock, and Diego Murillo having extra base hits. Diego went 3-5 scoring three of the Blues nine runs with a double, a walk, and 1 RBI. The real star of the game came from the Blues starter.

Gallimore was the player-of-the-game with a gem on the mound going seven complete innings for the Blues longest start of the season. He struck out 14 of the 25 batters faced and only allowed one run on three hits and one walk. When asked how he prepared for the game he explained how he was able to settle in as the game went on.

"I felt good the first couple innings, pitch count got up a bit, probably around 40 pitches," Gallimore said. "After that, I just started cruising, didn't allow a base runner from there"

Gallimore's 14 strikeouts set a record high number of K's for a single player in a game for the Blues. When asked what was working best for him to reach this number he credited location.

"I started throwing it everywhere I wanted to, hitting the glove with everything," Gallimore said. "So locating all 4 pitches was huge."

The Blues face the 4-2 Walnut Creek Crawdads who sit at second in the North in a highly anticipated rematch of the playoff game last year that ended the Blues season. The game will be plated at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California with a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.

Play-by-play

1 | Finn Whalen was the starting pitcher for the Seagulls. Whalen was working off of three days of rest as the Seagulls ace. CJ Moran led off for the Blues with a flyout to center. In Colorado Mesa's Joey Blank's first game for the Blues he drew a walk. Kutter-Gage Webb was able to pick up an RBI with a double hit down the left field line getting to third on a fielder's choice. Ashlock was just shy of a home run with a ground rule double going over the temporary fence in left. Becker struck out looking and Gradel struck out to end the inning. Spencer Gallimore was on the bump for the Blues in his third start of the season and fifth appearance. Armando Hurtado was the lead off man for the Seagulls. Hurtado singled into left and Jacob Gilbreath struck out for the first out. Christian Lamothe singled deep into right field. Caid Heflin struck out and Alan Ramirez ended the inning grounding out to third. 

2 | Whalen struggled in the second allowing two runs on two hits and an error from the Seagulls defense. Caleb Cassidy hit a single through the 5-6 hole followed by a single hit the same way by Diego Murillo. With two Blues on the bases Dom Najar hit a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. Moran was able to score both runners on an error by the Seagulls second baseman Ultreras. In Blank's second plate appearance he popped up to first to end the inning. Gallimore stayed on the bump for the Blues not allowing any runs to cross the plate. Graham was the first batter faced with a single hit to right. Graham was able to advance to second with a stolen base and then third with a throwing error on the throwdown attempt. Brewer was the next Seagull on base drawing a walk. Brewer then stole second and this was able to score Graham who was on third making the score 4-1. Ultreras popped up to second. Swanson and Hurtado struck out swinging and looking respectively. 

3 | The third inning was a quick one with only seven batters coming to the plate for both teams. Whalen struck out Webb and then hit Ashlock to give him first. Ashlock was picked off shortly after. Becker walked but the inning was over quickly for the Blues with Gradel popping up to second. Gallimore only faced three Seagulls in the third. Gilbreath flew out to center, Lamothe and Heflin struck out to end the inning. 

4 | The top of the fourth saw no Blues score. Whalen struck out two and walked one in his fourth inning of work. Cassidy flew out to right, Murillo struck out, Najar was able to draw a walk, Moran struck out to end the inning. Gallimore continued his day adding two more strikeouts to his final line. Going 1-2-3 he forced Ramirez to fly out to center and then struck out both Graham and Brewer.

5 | In Whalen's fifth inning of work he allowed no runners to cross the plate. Blank was hit to get on first, Webb singled with a hit shot at the third baseman who couldn't handle it. Ashlock grounded out to short, and Becker struck out. Gallimore went three up three down again in the fifth. Ultreras grounded out to Murillo at second. Swanson struck out looking. Hurtado ended the inning with a popup to short.

6 | Whalen continued his work in the sixth inning. Gradel was the first Blue to the plate and only one to make his way around the bases. Gradel got on by way of a single hit up the middle. Cassidy also joined Gradel on the bases with an error on the first baseman allowing him to reach. Murillo was able to collect an RBI with a single to third. The third baseman for the Seagulls Ramirez was able to step on third and get the force out of Cassidy. Najar struck out followed by a strikeout by Moran to end the inning. Gallimore continued to be a bright spot for the Blues striking out the side in the sixth. These three K's added up to be his 11th strikeout on the night. Gilbreath, Lamothe, and Heflin all went down in order.

7 | The seventh saw Whalen continue for the Seagulls on the mound. Blank led off the inning lining out to short. Webb collected his second hit of the evening with a single to center. His Rice Teammate Ashlock drew a walk. Webb stole third base and was able to score off a throwing error by the catcher Graham. Gradel was able to collect an RBI scoring Ashlock with a single to left. Taylor Easthope entered the game for the Seagulls. Easthope's first batter, Cassidy, ended the inning with a strikeout. Gallimore in his seventh inning of work and longest appearance this season went 1-2-3. Bryce Brooks came in to pinch hit for Ramirez, adding another strikeout to Gallimore's line. Graham flew out to left and Brewer grounded out to second. 

8 | Taylor Easthope stayed in the game for the Seagulls. The eighth saw one run come home for the Blues. Murillo led off with a walk. Najar singled to have two runners on the base paths. Moran singled to load the bases. Najar was tagged out for the first out attempting to steal home. Moran and Blank executed a double steal to have two runners in scoring position. Webb struck out but Ashlock was able to draw a walk and load the bases for the second time. Becker struck out to tend the threat for the Blues. Zach Savino entered the game to relieve for the Blues. Savino's first batter faced was pinch hitter Emillio Feliciano who grounded out to third. Derek Wadvogel pinch hit for Swanson and flew out to Najar in left in his appearance. Hurtado singled up the middle and was able to advance to second on a passed ball. Gilbreath ended the inning with a groundout to short.

9 | Kai Hanasaki entered the game to close for the Seagulls. Gradel led off for the Blues hitting a single to right for his third hit of the night. Cassidy hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Murillo doubled down the left field line for his third hit of the night. Najar singled up the middle to score Murillo and make it a 9-1 ball game. Moran ended the inning with a flyout to center. Blake Cowans came in for the Seagulls to pinch hit for Lamothe in the ninth. Cowans popped up to Moran for the first out. Heflin was the next batter for the Seagulls. Heflin struck out but was followed by a single hit by Brooks. Graham ended the game for the Seagulls with a lineout hit at Webb for the seventh win in a row for the Blues.