Blasters Drop See-Saw Series Opener
July 9, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Amarillo, TX-After two straight days of rainouts, the Blasters finally took the field at Potter County Memorial Stadium only to watch Amarillo come from behind to take game one 8-6 in a seven-inning contest Wednesday night.
Joplin (25-16) has lost two straight but still remains in first place in the super-tight South Division. The Blasters opened the scoring with a bang in the top of the first. With one out, Mitch Glasser reached on an infield single to third. A ground ball error on the shortstop placed Yasser Gomez at first. Carlos Ramirez then clubbed a three-run home run to deep left-center for a 3-0 lead. It was Ramirez's seventh round-tripper of the season.
Amarillo (21-23) scratched its first run across in the bottom of the first. Logan Vick led off the inning with a walk. With one out, Jason Martin doubled to the wall in left-center. Juan Martinez brought in Vick from third with a ground out to third and it was 3-1. The Thunderheads scored another run in the third to cut the Joplin lead to 3-2.
In the fifth, the Blasters made it 4-2 as Mitch Glasser drove in Steven Tinoco on a fielder's choice. Amarillo continued its comeback in the bottom of the inning. Taylor Smart doubled to left leading off. Logan Vick punched a one-out single to right for a one-run game. Corey Bass followed with a walk. With two outs, Juan Martinez tripled up the right field side and scored both Vick and Bass for a 5-4 Amarillo advantage.
Joplin quickly responded in the top of the sixth. Yasser Gomez led off with a walk. Carlos Ramirez singled to left. Attempting to bunt the runners up, Jake Taylor reached on an infield single as the ball lined off the glove of the third baseman. Following a pitching change, Omar Luna singled to right for a 5-5 tie. Yenier Bello then scored Ramirez from third on a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 Blasters lead.
Amarillo made it back-to-back, three-run innings with another crooked number in the bottom of the sixth. After a fly out, Geraldo Valentin tied the game on a solo home run to deep left. It was Valentin's second homer of the season. Taylor Smart then singled to left. Tyler Urps singled to right. Logan Vick gave the Thunderheads the lead on a single to center that scored Smart. With two outs, Jason Martin made it 8-6 with a sacrifice fly to left that brought home Urps.
On the mound, Randy Hamrick posted the win in relief for Amarillo. Hamrick (2-1) went two innings and gave up two hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Jesus Colome suffered the loss for Joplin. In relief, Colome (0-1) pitched two-thirds and allowed three earned runs on three hits (one HR) with one strikeout. At the plate, Maikol Gonzalez, Mitch Glasser, and Carlos Ramirez all had two hits in defeat for the Blasters. Glasser drove in a run and scored once. Ramirez homered and singled with three RBIs and two runs scored. For Amarillo, Logan Vick was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs. Taylor Smart finished 2-for-2 with two runs. Juan Martinez had a triple with three RBIs.
The Blasters had game two of the doubleheader Wednesday night canceled due to inclement weather. The two teams are set to close out the series in Amarillo with a doubleheader Thursday starting at 4 p.m. Joplin returns home this weekend for three games against Sioux City Friday through Sunday. For 2015 ticket information and promotion specials at Joe Becker Stadium, call 417-622-4838 or visit the Blasters website at www.joplinblasters.com.
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