Blaze Homers Thrice in Blowout "W"
Published on July 14, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
After a bit of a power outage in the month of June and early July, the Blaze muscled up on Friday the 13th in Stockton, clubbing three homers en route to a 9-0 win over the Stockton Ports, and a three-game sweep on the road.
The game began a bit dubiously, with Chad Rogers (W, 5-3) fighting his control in the first two innings. In a rare turn, Rogers issued 4 walks in those frames, but stranded the bases loaded in the second inning, and from there, the ballgame was all Blaze.
In the top of the third, a one-out single from Niko Vasquez was followed one out later by a Kurtis Muller base hit and a Travis Mattair 3-run shot, and that would be all the Blaze would need ... but not all they would get.
Three innings later, Steve Selsky added a bomb of his own, a 2-run shot to dead center, and the Blaze were up comfortably, 5-0. That would be the final inning for Ports starter Sean Murphy (L, 4-4), as well.
Meanwhile, Rogers settled down and retired the final 7 batters he faced before exiting after 5.0 frames. Justice French was called upon, and the righty delivered 3.0 shutout innings of relief, taking the game into the 9th.
The Blaze then put the game away. In the top of the ninth, off Connor Hoehn, Danny Vicioso hit his first homer with the Blaze, and his teammates followed with 3 hits and a walk in a 4-run inning, and the Blaze went up by 9.
Daniel Wolford worked a 1-2-3 bottom half, completing the road sweep of Stockton.
The victory was the fourth in a row for Bakersfield after the 7-game losing skid, and was a revenge sweep after the Ports took all 3 from Bakersfield at Sam Lynn last week. The win moves the Blaze to 10-12 in the second half, and 51-41 overall.
The team now heads home for a 3-game series with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, the Dodgers affiliate! Get your tickets to Billy Hamilton Bobblehead night soon, or you'll miss it!
Can't make it out tomorrow for the 7:45pm game? Listen live on internet and radio at BakersfieldBlaze.com or SmartTalk AM-1230, as Dan Besbris calls all the action on the Blaze Game of the Week. Pregame show will begin at 7:35pm.
California League Stories from July 14, 2012
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- Bandy Back Behind the Plate for 66ers - Inland Empire 66ers
- San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Return Home for Three-Game Series against Visalia - San Jose Giants
- Giants Hold off Modesto to Win Series - San Jose Giants
- Storm "Tebow" Their Way to a 4-1 Victory - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Epps Slams Door on Rawhide for Split - Lancaster JetHawks
- Blaze Homers Thrice in Blowout "W" - Bakersfield Blaze
- 66ers Sweep Rival Rancho - Inland Empire 66ers
- Quakes Swept by Sixers - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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