Blasters Strike Down AirHogs
August 28, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Joplin, MO-The Blasters pitching staff set a new single-game season-high with 18 strikeouts on their way to a 4-2 win over Grand Prairie Friday night at Joe Becker Stadium.
Joplin (49-42) has now won three straight and is 4-1 on its last home stand of the season. The Blasters climbed within one game of wild-card leading Laredo after the Lemurs lost at Amarillo. Grand Prairie (28-63) had its losing streak reach eight.
The Blasters opened the scoring with a solo home run by Jake Taylor leading off the bottom of the second. Taylor's team-leading 15th homer cleared the fence in straightaway center field. The AirHogs scored the equalizer with a solo home run over the bleachers in left-center from Ronnie Richardson leading off the fifth. It was Richardson's third of the season.
Joplin took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Mason Morioka singled to left. With two outs, Steven Tinoco lined a single to right. The next batter, Jairo Perez, doubled on a high drive into the right field corner up the hill and scored both base runners for a 3-1 lead. The Blasters made it 4-1 with a two-out solo home run to the bleachers in left by Maikol Gonzalez. It was Gonzalez's seventh dinger of the season. Grand Prairie scratched a single run across in the eighth for the final margin.
The Blasters pitching staff broke the single-game record of 17 strikeouts set against St. Paul by one. Lefty starter Frank Del Valle posted the win. Del Valle (1-0) worked six innings and allowed one earned run on just three hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks. The 11 strikeouts by an individual pitcher broke last night's mark of 10 set by Josh Evans. For the AirHogs, Bennett Whitmore suffered the loss. Whitmore (2-10) lasted eight innings and gave up four earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Winston Abreu struck out two in the ninth and earned his 19th save of the season for Joplin.
The Blasters outhit Grand Prairie 9-to-5. Maikol Gonzalez finished 3-for-4 with the homer, one RBI, and a run scored. Steven Tinoco had two hits and a run. Ridge Hoopii-Haslam went 2-for-4 for the AirHogs and had a triple. There were no errors in the game.
Joplin faces Grand Prairie in game three of its final home series of the season Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05. 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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American Association Stories from August 28, 2015
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