Bako Splits Doubleheader in Stockton, Drops Magic Number to 1
Published on June 12, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze and Stockton Ports traded jabs on Tuesday morning and afternoon, and each team prevailed in one game of an early-day doubleheader.
The Ports won the opener, 9-5 behind a relentless offensive attack. Stockton scored in 5 of their 6 innings, and, by the midway point, had mostly overwhelmed the Blaze. Justice French (L, 0-2) got the spot-start for Bakersfield, and French was hit hard. Justice lasted just 2.2 innings, giving up 6 runs on 9 hits, including Miles Head's 14th homer of the season. Unfortunately, despite a valiant Blaze comeback effort to tie the game 5-5 early, new reliever Porfirio Martinez provided minimal relief. Martinez surrendered 2 solo homers, and Mike Griffin allowed one final run as Stockton scored the final 4 to prevail, 9-5.
Blake Treinen (W, 6-5) pitched all 7.0 innings for a complete game victory, settling down after the Blaze batted around in the 3rd inning to strike out 10 in the win.
Bakersfield countered in game two, and it was the starting pitcher who led the charge. Josh Smith (W, 5-4), a winner in 4 of his last 5 starts, continued his surge into the break with a complete game of his own. Smith allowed just a solo homer to former Bakersfield standout Dusty Robinson (Robinson's 2nd homer of the day) while striking out 9 without a walk. It was the longest outing of Smith's season, and the first complete game for a Blaze pitcher this year (though it was of the 7-inning variety).
On the offensive side, it was Jaren Matthews doing the bulk of the damage. Matthews hit his first homer of the year in the 2nd inning of Ports spot-starter Deyvi Jimenez (L, 0-1), then drove in the second and, ultimately, the winning run on a single in the 4th. Bakersfield would go on to add a pair of additional runs, but the two knocked in by Matthews early would be more than enough for Smith and the Blaze.
The doubleheader split moves the Blaze to 39-27 and guarantees at least a tie in the California League North first half race. The magic number drops to "1," and with a Giants loss tonight or any Blaze victory the rest of the first half, the Blaze could clinch the team's first opening-half title since 1991.
The series with Stockton concludes Wednesday night at 7:05pm, with Bakersfield's Andrew Brackman going up against Stockton's ace, Sean Murphy. Catch all the action live on BakersfieldBlaze.com, with Dan Besbris calling the play by play. The pregame show is scheduled for 6:55pm.
California League Stories from June 12, 2012
- Angels Cather Scheduled with 66ers Wednesday - Inland Empire 66ers
- Bako Splits Doubleheader in Stockton, Drops Magic Number to 1 - Bakersfield Blaze
- San Jose Giants Homestand Preview: June 14-June 16 - San Jose Giants
- Big Innings Doom Giants in 12-8 Defeat - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Alone in First After Ninth-Inning Rally - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- 66ers Match Season High 12 Runs in Win - Inland Empire 66ers
- JetHawks Lost Heartbreaker in Rancho - Lancaster JetHawks
- Blaze Score 4 in Ninth, Come Back to Beat Stockton 6-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Storm Fall 7-4, Game Behind Quakes for First - Lake Elsinore Storm
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