Blasters Score Early, Often to Lasso Laredo
June 30, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Laredo, TX-The Blasters moved ten games over .500 for the first time all season with a 10-4 victory over Laredo Monday night at Uni-Trade Stadium.
First-place Joplin (22-12) has guaranteed a winning road trip with three games left against the Lemurs. The Blasters pounced on Laredo early with a four-run first inning. Maikol Gonzalez led off with a line drive single to left. Oscar Mesa smoked a liner into center. The game's first run came home on a Yasser Gomez ground out to second. Carlos Ramirez made it 2-0 on a line drive single to center. The next batter, Jake Taylor, reached on a ground ball error by the second baseman. Yenier Bello capped the opening salvo with an RBI single to left that brought in Ramirez. On the play, a throwing error also allowed Taylor to score for a 4-0 cushion.
The Blasters added a single mark in the second. Following a lead-off walk of Maikol Gonzalez, Yasser Gomez bounced a double up the left field line that made it 5-0. Laredo scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the second.
In the third, Joplin continued to put pressure on with two more tallies. Omar Luna walked leading off. Steven Tinoco was hit by a pitch. A one-out single punched to right by Maikol Gonzalez drove home Luna. Tinoco then scored on a sacrifice fly from Oscar Mesa. The Lemurs scored twice in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 7-3 before the Blasters put up a fourth-inning run on a Yenier Bello base hit for an 8-3 advantage.
After Laredo (20-17) scored a run in the eighth, Joplin finished the night with a two-run ninth. Yasser Gomez scorched a two-run single to left that drove in Oscar Mesa and Jesus Solorzano.
For the Blasters, Jorge Martinez posted the win on the mound. Martinez (4-2) lasted seven innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits with a season-high tying eight strikeouts and four walks. At one point, Martinez struck out five straight Lemurs between the third and fifth innings. Joan Montero took the loss for Laredo. Montero (1-2) went two innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits with no strikeouts and four walks.
At the plate, Joplin outhit Laredo 13-to-5. Maikol Gonzalez, Oscar Mesa, and Yenier Bello all had three hits. Gonzalez and Mesa both drove in a run with two runs scored. Bello collected two RBIs. Yasser Gomez went 2-for-6 with two RBIs. The Lemurs committed four errors in defeat.
Joplin continues its nine-game, eight-day road swing in Laredo. Game two is Tuesday night at Uni-Trade Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:30. 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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