Blasters Drop Series Opener in Grand Prairie
July 24, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Grand Prairie, TX-The Blasters fell behind early and could never recover in an 11-1 defeat to the AirHogs Thursday night at The Ballpark at Grand Prairie.
With the loss, Joplin (30-26) has dropped four straight games and nine consecutive road contests. Grand Prairie (21-38) stretched its winning streak to three and is now 2-3 against the Blasters this season. The AirHogs opened the scoring with four straight, two-out base hits in the first inning. With one out, Ridge Hoopii-Haslam walked and later stole second. With two outs, Willie Cabrera drove in the game's first run with a line drive single to left. After Victor Diaz singled, Michael Pair doubled to the gap in left-center and scored both Cabrera and Diaz. Robi Estrada made it 4-0 with a single lined into right.
Grand Prairie posted another four-run inning in the third. Willie Cabrera's one-out single was followed by two walks. With the bases loaded, Robi Estrada laced a three-run double to right for a 7-0 cushion. Josh Eatherly made it 8-0 on a ground ball base hit to left. The AirHogs built the lead to 10-0 with two more tallies in the fifth. Each side plated a run in the seventh, including a solo home run to deep left-center off the bat of Joplin's Jake Taylor. Taylor's dinger was his eighth of the season, and it ended the Blasters scoreless drought of 25 consecutive innings.
AirHogs starter Blake Oliver took a no-hitter into the fourth as he picked up the win. Oliver (5-5) worked six innings and gave up just two hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Matt Parish took the loss for the Blasters. Parish (2-2) lasted just two-and-a-third and allowed eight earned runs on seven hits with three walks.
Grand Prairie outhit Joplin 15-to-5. Robi Estrada went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Willie Cabrera finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs. Zane Chavez, Michael Pair, and Josh Eatherly all had two hits. Chavez drove in three. Pair had two RBIs and two runs. For the Blasters, Jake Taylor homered and walked. Mitch Glasser walked twice.
Joplin faces Grand Prairie in game two Friday night at 7:05. The series runs through Sunday before the Blasters have two days off on Monday and Tuesday. The next home stand starts Wednesday, July 29th against Laredo. 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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