Bakersfield Blows 6-Run Lead, Misses Chance to Clinch
Published on June 14, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
For four and a half innings, everything was sweet and sunny, and then the tide turned. After leading 6-0 in the 5th, the Stockton Ports scored 9 unanswered runs off the Bakersfield Blaze bullpen and beat the Blaze 9-6 on Wednesday night in Stockton.
The early stages of the game were all about the Blaze. Andrew Brackman got the start, and despite some wildness, held the Ports scoreless through the first four frames. Meanwhile, the Blaze tallied 3 runs in the 4th and 5th innings off Stockton starter Sean Murphy, with Travis Mattair's 3-run 5th-inning homer providing what appeared to be a finishing blow.
But a finishing blow it was not -- in the bottom of the 5th, Brackman lost control, walking 3 and giving up a run to put Stockton on the board. Then, with Brooks Pinckard on the mound, the Ports added 2 more in the 6th on Chad Oberacker's 4th homer of the year. The 7th inning proved to be the decisive frame. Daniel Wolford (L, 6-4) struck out the first two batters before issuing a seemingly harmless walk to Beau Taylor. Tony Thompson popped a ball into shallow rightcenter, but a miscommunication led to the ball dropping for a single. That play seemed to impact the Blaze psyche. Wolford issued back-to-back walks after a wild pitch scored a run, and Daniel was lifted for Kyle McMyne.
McMyne was greeted rudely, as, with the bases loaded, Michael Gilmartin bounced a game-tying, 2-run single into right. Oberacker then followed with another grounder into right to give the Ports the lead, and a fielding mistake allowed Stockton to go up 8-6.
The Ports added one more in the 8th on a Miles Head homer, but by that point, the air had come out of Bakersfield's balloon, and behind 2.2 innings of scoreless relief from Ryan Doolittle (W, 1-3), and 1.1 from Zach Thornton (S, 6), the Ports completed the team's second largest comeback of the year, and the Blaze suffered the team's second-largest blown lead of the season. Both have come against Stockton.
The loss, combined with San Jose's victory, means the Blaze will not clinch the North tonight. The Magic Number stays at "1" until at least tomorrow night. Bakersfield's record now sits at 39-28.
The Blaze open up a first-half-ending 3-game homestand with the Lake Elsinore storm beginning tomorrow at 7:45pm with Thirsty Thursday at Sam Lynn Ballpark; Jamie Walczak will take on Burch Smith. Tickets are still available!
Can't make it? Listen live at BakersfieldBlaze.com, as Dan Besbris calls all the action at 7:35pm with the pregame show.
California League Stories from June 14, 2012
- First-Place Quakes Teaming up with Smile Generation - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Host Modesto to Conclude First Half - San Jose Giants
- Storm Fall Back One, Travel to Face Bakersfield - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Joc Knocks JetHawks to Back of Title Race - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Cruise Past 66ers to Take Series - San Jose Giants
- Bakersfield Blows 6-Run Lead, Misses Chance to Clinch - Bakersfield Blaze
- Quakes Back Alone in First - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- 66ers Downed 7-1 in Final 1st Half Home Game - Inland Empire 66ers
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