Fifth inning home run by Washington sinks Oakland Tech in TransBay Series opener

By Jimmy Durkin
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 05/11/2012 09:34:10 PM PDT
Updated: 05/11/2012 10:46:55 PM PDT

Javon Phillips hit a go-ahead two-run opposite field home run in the fifth inning to propel Washington High-San Francisco to a 5-3 win over Oakland Tech in Game 1 of the TransBay Series on Friday at Rickey Henderson Field in Oakland.

The Eagles (22-9) can close out the series Tuesday when the teams meet at San Francisco State at 4 p.m. Washington is seeking its first TransBay title since 2006.

Phillips’ blast, which cleared the 20-foot fence that protects the short 265-foot power alley in right center field, gave Washington a 4-3 lead. The Eagles added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by Zach Dair.

“When it came off the bat, I knew I had it,” Phillips said. “I knew it had the height and the distance to go. It felt pretty good knowing that swing of the bat gave my team the lead.”

Dane Vande Guchte earned the win, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings of work. Alex Skevos pitched a scoreless seventh for the save.

Oakland Tech, the two-time defending TransBay champion, hopes it can repeat history. This is the third straight season the Bulldogs have dropped the first game of the series, but they rallied to win the final two games the past two years. Last year’s title came against Washington.

Tech (13-10) took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Christopher Castillo. After Washington tied it, Evan Williams stole home in the second to make it 2-1. An RBI double by Alejandro Wlassowsky in the third made it 3-1.

The Eagles pushed across a run in the fourth, and Phillips put them ahead in the fifth.