Blasters Held in Check by Lincoln Bullpen
Published on July 5, 2015 under American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Joplin, MO-The Blasters unbeaten record against the Central Division ended with a 5-3 loss to Lincoln Sunday night at Joe Becker Stadium.
Joplin (25-15) won two of three from the Saltdogs to take the series and remain in first place, three-and-a-half games in front of both Laredo and Wichita in the South Division. The Blasters once again scored first in the series finale. Maikol Gonzalez led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single up the third base line. Gonzalez then stole second. Oscar Mesa followed with an infield single. Gonzalez scored on a Yasser Gomez ground out to second. Mesa also stole second and after reaching third, came home to make it 2-0 on a Carlos Ramirez ground out.
Lincoln (15-27) would take the only lead it needed behind a three-run fourth. Matt Forgatch led off the inning with a double to the wall in left-center. After Jon Gaston walked, Curt Smith drove in the Saltdogs first run on a base hit to right. A one-out single by Brian Joynt that bounced up the middle scored two more runs to give Lincoln a 3-2 lead.
Lincoln extended its lead to 5-2 with two marks in the seventh. Matt Forgatch cracked a one-out, solo home run to deep left over the bleachers. It was his second dinger of the season. With two outs, Curt Smith tripled to the wall in right-center. Smith then scored on a line-drive single to right from Jeremy Hamilton. Joplin cut the lead to two on a bottom of the seventh solo home run by Jake Taylor. It was Taylor's sixth homer of the season. The Blasters never gained more ground after that.
Joplin was kept at bay nearly the whole game by the Lincoln bullpen. Saltdogs starter Jesse Smith only lasted one inning due to a nagging injury. The bullpen only gave up one earned run and two more hits the remainder of the game. Zac Westcott posted the win in relief. Westcott (1-1) worked three innings and had two strikeouts with two walks. Nestor Molina suffered the loss for the Blasters. Molina (3-3) went five-and-two-thirds and allowed three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Mackenzie King notched his fourth save of the season for Lincoln after he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Saltdogs outhit Joplin 10-to-4. Matt Forgatch and Mike Gilmartin both went 2-for-4. Forgatch homered and doubled with two runs scored and an RBI. Curt Smith and Jeremy Hamilton each finished 2-for-5 with an RBI. Smith scored twice. For the Blasters, Maikol Gonzalez had two of the four hits. Oscar Mesa and Jake Taylor both finished 1-for-4 with a run scored. Taylor had the home run for an RBI.
First-place Joplin heads out the highway for a four-game series against division competition. The Blasters play at Amarillo Monday through Thursday with first pitch at 7:05 each night. Joplin returns home next 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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