Bakersfield Wins 4-3
July 7, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze had innumerable opportunities to put away the High Desert Mavericks, stranding 12, but it did not matter; a pair of key sacrifice flies and some key execution proved to be enough, and the Blaze were able to hang on for a tight 4-3 win on Wednesday night in Bakersfield.
Tyler Pike (W, 5-5) worked 6.0 innings for the Blaze, allowing three solo homers while striking out six and walking just two. Pike continued his recent trend of attacking the strike zone, never shying away from the High Desert hitters even after allowing home runs.
Offensively, the Blaze put runners on in each of their eight innings, and the Tyler Marlette show continued. Marlette picked up his third straight three-hit game, collecting three RBI on the night and providing the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the home half of the 5th inning.
Kelvin Vasquez (L, 0-1), added to the Mavs roster just an hour before the game, pitched two innings of relief and took the defeat.
Vinny Nittoli worked two scoreless innings in relief of Pike, and Thyago Vieira hit 99mph on the radar gun while collecting his second save of the season.
The win moves the Blaze to 2-1 in the series and to a league-best 11-3 in the second half. The team also sits at their season-high mark of 12 games over 500, overall.
Jordan Cowan also had three hits for the victorious Blaze.
The series wraps up on Thursday in a 7:45pm start. Dan Besbris has the call at BakersfieldBlaze.com and TuneIn Radio.
California League Stories from July 7, 2016
- Bakersfield Wins 4-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Storm Surge Early for 7-1 Win over Ports - Stockton Ports
- Giants Shutout Nuts for Third Straight Win - San Jose Giants
- Lancaster 10, Visalia 7 - Lancaster JetHawks
- Shutout Sends Nuts to Seventh Straight Loss - Modesto Nuts
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