Back-To-Back Jacks Power Blaze, 6-4
Published on May 21, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze rode the strong right arm of Chad Rogers for 7 innings, then the big bats of Donald Lutz and Travis Mattair to victory over the Visalia Rawhide, 6-4, on Monday afternoon in Visalia.
Bakersfield jumped out early on strikeout artist Andrew Chafin, with Billy Hamilton, Donald Lutz and Travis Mattair all doubling in the top of the 1st inning, and the Blaze led 2-0.
From there, it was all Chad Rogers. Rogers, the pitcher with the 4th best ERA in the California League, induced grounder after grounder over 7.0 dazzling innings of work. He scattered just 4 singles and a walk, struck out 5, and left with a 2-0 edge.
In the 8th, the Blaze padded their lead. Victor Capellan, the first Rawhide out of the pen, allowed a single and double to begin the inning before striking out two in a row. Then, just as it seemed Capellan might escape, Jaren Matthews blooped a 2-run double inside the left field line to give the Blaze a 4-0 lead. The game, however, was far from over.
In the bottom of the 8th, Daniel Wolford (W, 4-2) entered for Bakersfield, and the Blaze promptly misplayed a flyball for a 3-base error. Wolford, rattled just a tad, gave up a double, a triple, and a 2-run homer that just squeezed inside the rightfield foul pole, and all of a sudden, the game was tied, 4-4.
It was the Blaze who had the last laugh. After Wolford pitched out of the 8th, Jeremy Erben came on for the 9th and retired Billy Hamilton and Devin Lohman on 2 quick grounders before falling behind to Lutz, 2-1. Erben then came into the zone, and Donald slammed an opposite field homer over the wall in left. Mattair followed with a towering shot of his own, the Blaze led 6-4, and Brian Pearl (S, 7) tossed a 1-2-3 bottom half for the save.
The win moves Bakersfield back to within 3.0 games of the Giants in the North, at 25-19. The series with Visalia concludes tomorrow at 7pm, with Josh Smith opposing Anthony Meo in the rubber match. Listen to the broadcast LIVE on BakersfieldBlaze.com at 6:55pm for the pregame show, then join the Blaze back home, as the team opens a 6-game homestand on Thirsty Thursday!
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