Blasters Lose Third Straight, Second Game Suspended by Rain
August 19, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Gary, IN-The Blasters losing streak reached three with a 4-3 loss to Gary SouthShore at the U.S. Steel Yard Tuesday night.
Joplin (42-37) had its lead in the wild-card race shrink to just a half-game after Kansas City and Laredo were both washed out by rain Tuesday. With the win, Gary (38-42) climbed within four-and-a-half games in the wild card chase. Game two between the Blasters and RailCats was suspended due to rain with Gary leading 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. There was one out with the bases loaded when play was halted.
SouthShore made it five straight wins with the game one victory. The RailCats had a 2-0 lead in the game that started in Joplin August 4th and resumed in Gary in the bottom of the fifth. The Blasters, though, managed to tie it with a two-run sixth. Jake Taylor led off the inning with an infield single in the hole at short. Oscar Mesa followed with a line drive single to right. Maikol Gonzalez loaded the bases with a bunt single to third. Joplin scored its first run on a double play groundout. Jairo Perez then leveled the game with a base hit to center that scored Mesa.
Gary surged ahead again in the seventh with a two-out, tie-breaking triple to the gap in left-center from Elbert Devarie. The triple scored Jaime Del Valle, who had led off the inning with a double to right-center. The RailCats made it 4-2 in the eighth with an RBI single by Del Valle that scored Jose Sermo. Sermo had led off with a walk.
The Blasters cut the lead to one with a single mark in the bottom of the eighth. Omar Luna doubled up the left field line to drive in Maikol Gonzalez. Gonzalez had walked earlier. Joplin stranded the tying run at second in the ninth.
Travis McGee picked up the win for Gary. McGee (2-0) worked seven innings and gave up two earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout and one walk. Sam Agnew-Wieland took the loss for Joplin. Agnew-Wieland (3-3) pitched one-and-a-third in relief and allowed one earned run on two hits with one walk. Andy Loomis earned his 16th save of the season with one strikeout and one hit in the ninth. Gary outhit Joplin 11-to-9. Jaime Del Valle, Elbert Devarie, and Adam Taylor all had two hits for the RailCats. Maikol Gonzalez and Omar Luna both collected two hits for the Blasters.
Joplin continues its road series at Gary SouthShore Wednesday night. The suspended seven-inning game starts at 6 p.m., with the regularly scheduled game to follow. Game two will also be a seven-inning contest. The final Blasters home stand of the season runs from August 24th through August 30th against Lincoln and Grand Prairie. 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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- Mother Nature Aids RedHawks in Rain Shortened 4-2 Win - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- 'Cats Win Suspended Game, Lead as Game Two Is Postponed - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Blasters Lose Third Straight, Second Game Suspended by Rain - Joplin Blasters
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