Crabbe Loses No-Hit Bid in 7th, Blaze Hang on 5-4
Published on August 9, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze got a much-needed home victory over the Visalia Rawhide on Wednesday night in Bakersfield, but this game was all about Tim Crabbe, the young hurler out of Tucson, Arizona, who dominated Visalia en route to the Blaze win, 5-4.
Indeed, the Blaze got out to an early lead, and that likely helped settle Crabbe (W, 3-0). After Tim worked a 1-2-3 top of the 1st inning, the Blaze scored twice in the bottom half to lead 2-0, with both runs scoring on Ryan Wright's first homer in the California League.
From there, the fans were privy to the Crabbe show. Tim fanned 2 batters in each the 2nd, 3rd and 6th inning, and tacked on 1 strikeout in the 4th and 5th to give the hard-throwing righthander 9 whiffs in the game. Meanwhile, and perhaps most impressively, Crabbe allowed just one baserunner through 6.0 innings - a 2-out walk to Mike Freeman in the 4th.
Crabbe's no-hit bid was broken up to begin the 7th by Ryan LaPensee, who smashed a shot up the middle, tipped by Crabbe, barehanded by Devin Lohman, but a near-impossible play resulted in LaPensee reaching.
At that point, the Blaze had added 2 additional runs (each scoring in the 3rd inning), and led 4-0, but the game would grow interesting in the late frames.
An embattled Blaze bullpen ran into mild trouble again tonight. Justice French relieved Crabbe with 2 outs in the 7th, and allowed a single to plate a run (charged to Crabbe) before getting out of the jam. The Blaze added one more insurance run in the bottom half on 2 singles and a high chopper to lead, 5-1, and that would prove to be crucial. In the 8th, French walked the leadoff man, who moved to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a grounder. With 2 outs in the frame, the Rawhide got a single from LaPensee and a Gerson Montilla homer suddenly brought Visalia to within 5-4. Chris Joyce was then summoned to end the inning, and the lefty did so.
The Blaze went in order in the bottom half, and Joyce came back out to start the 9th. A bloop single by Yazy Arbelo put the tying run on for Visalia, and the Blaze went to the pen for Kyle McMyne (S, 6). The Rawhide sacrificed pinch-runner Ender Inciarte to second, but McMyne retired the next two batters on grounders to third, and the Blaze preserved the lead.
The win moves the Blaze to 20-25 in the 2nd half and 61-54 overall, and the Blaze will wrap up the quick 3-game homestand with the Rawhide on Thirsty Thursday, with Tanner Robles of the Blaze taking on Willy Paredes of the Rawhide at 7:30pm.
Dollar beverages will be available from 6:30 to 8:30pm in the picnic tent. Can't make it? Listen to the broadcast LIVE online at BakersfieldBlaze.com, as Dan Besbris brings the play by play 10 minutes prior to first pitch.
California League Stories from August 9, 2012
- Quakes Finish Road Trip at 3-3 - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- All-Star Third Baseman Pablo Sandoval to Join San Jose Giants - San Jose Giants
- San Jose Giants Action Packed Homestand Preview: August 10-August 16 - San Jose Giants
- Giants Drop 14-12 Slugfest to Ports - San Jose Giants
- Late Homer Sinks Lancaster - Lancaster JetHawks
- 66ers Can't Storm Back - Inland Empire 66ers
- Nuts Score Walk-Off Win over Quakes on Wednesday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Crabbe Loses No-Hit Bid in 7th, Blaze Hang on 5-4 - Bakersfield Blaze
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