Blasters Win Suspended Game, Lose Finale
August 24, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
The Joplin Blasters claimed a victory in a suspended contest with the Texas AirHogs, but fell short in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon at Potter County Memorial Stadium. Joplin held serve in the opener with a 5-1 win before falling 9-6 in eleven innings later in the afternoon. The initial win secured the season series for the Blasters despite Texas taking the three-game set.
Tuesday night's suspended game was completed first, with neither team scoring in the final two innings. Roby Romero retired three straight hitters in the bottom of the seventh to earn his first Association save, and Mario Morales picked up his second professional victory.
In the finale, the Blasters took the initial lead in the top of the second inning. KC Huth drilled a leadoff triple to center field, one of three hits on the day for the rookie outfielder. After the next two hitters struck out, Alex Polston blooped a double down the right field line.
Texas immediately answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. Cody Lenahan clubbed a double to start the inning, and scored on a subsequent single and error off the bat of Juan Sanchez. Kenny Peoples-Walls and Brian Bistagne hit back-to-back singles to give the AirHogs the lead, and Cory Morales drove in the third run of the frame with a sacrifice lead.
The 3-1 lead lasted until the top of the fourth, when Polston struck again to tie the game. Conor Sullivan hit a fielder's choice to account for the second out of the inning, and Axel Johnson continued the frame with a single. In his second plate appearance, Polston hit his second double, which drove in both runners to even the score at three.
Joplin took the lead in the top of the sixth inning without recording a hit. Huth was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and a bunt from Sullivan was tossed into center field, putting runners on the corners. Johnson brought Huth across the plate via a double play, which gave the Blasters a 4-3 lead.
That lead again disappeared in the bottom half of the inning, where the AirHogs scored twice to retake the lead. Lenahan and Sanchez hit consecutive singles, which pushed Lenahan across the plate for the tying run. An error off the bat of Michael Miller then allowed Sanchez to score, giving the lead to the hosts in Amarillo.
Mitch Glasser scored in the top of the seventh frame to again tie the game. Glasser reached on an error, stole second, and advanced to third on another error. With one out, Edwin Gomez drove in Glasser via a single, evening the contest at five.
The final Blaster lead came in the top of the eighth inning, when Polston again came through. Sullivan recorded his first hit of the game with a double, and he stood on second with two outs. On his 23rd birthday, Polston singled through the right side, and Sullivan slid in safely at the plate for the go-ahead run. Polston went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in the losing effort.
Texas sent the game into extra innings in the bottom of the ninth inning. Bistagne led off the inning with a single, and stole second base. Bistagne was called safe on a very close play at second, which sparked protest to no avail from the Blasters. Bistagne scored the game-tying run with two outs on a single from Devon Rodriguez.
The AirHogs claimed victory in the bottom of the eleventh. Michael Hur was hit by a pitch, and Nick Akins hit a one-out single. With those two runners on base, Lenahan recorded his fifth hit of the day with a three-run homer to center.
After an off day on Thursday, the Blasters return home to Joe Becker Stadium for four games in three days with the Laredo Lemurs. Walk-up tickets at The Joe will be free in appreciation of Blaster fans during the final homestand of the season.
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