Blaze Lose 9th Inning Lead, Fall in Extras, 6-5

August 6, 2012 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release


For the second time on the 6-game road trip, and the 4th time in the team's last 4 road series, the Bakersfield Blaze had to suffer through a walkoff defeat, this one at the hands of the Modesto Nuts, in extra innings, 6-5.

The game was tremendously exciting right from the get-go, and never let up all the way through.

Early in the game, Tyler Matzek mastered stranding baserunners behind him, with the Blaze leaving 6 aboard through the first 4 innings, scoring just once to lead 1-0.

The Nuts did not let that lead last, plating a run in their half of the 4th to knot the game at 1 run apiece. And that was truly the story of the night - neither team led for more than half an inning all night long, with the Nuts plating 2 runs in the 7th off Kyle McMyne, and the Blaze coming right back with 2 of their own in the 8th on a Juan Duran mammoth shot to left.

Then, after Modesto failed to score in the bottom of the 8th with the game tied, 3-3, the Blaze grabbed a late lead. Theo Bowe singled off Isaiah Froneberger (W, 6-3) to begin the 9th, and after a failed sacrifice bunt try, Travis Mattair sliced a shot into right, Juan Crousset made a diving effort in rightfield but had the ball fly past him and roll to the fence. The play resulted in a run-scoring triple for Mattair, and a Steve Selsky sacrifice fly put the Blaze up 5-3 going to the bottom half.

Pat Doyle (L, 9-4) was summoned to try to lock it down, but the Nuts would not back down. A leadoff single for Crousset was followed by a slow roller in front of home plate, fielded by Doyle, and then launched into rightfield for an error, scoring a run and putting the tying man at 3rd with nobody out. One out later, the Nuts got a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and a strikeout sent the game to extras.

The Blaze went in order in the top of the 10th, and the Nuts kept attacking in the bottom half. Kyle Parker singled with 1 out, Jared Clark walked, and the winning run was in scoring position with 1 out. Doyle then struck out Juan Crousset, and for a moment it looked like the Blaze might escape the jam, but on the very next pitch, Jayson Langfels banged a single into leftcenter, scoring Parker, and sending the Nuts home with a win.

The walkoff loss was the 7th this year for the Blaze, and the extra-inning defeat moves Bako to a league-low 2-10 in bonus baseball situations.

In addition, the loss snaps a Blaze 3-game winning streak before a Monday off day, drops the team to 19-24 in the second half, and 60-53, overall.

The Blaze now head home to host the Visalia Rawhide for three games, Tuesday through Thursday, with Facebook Fan Night set for Tuesday at 7:30pm. Head on down to the game and check online for ways to get in FREE!

Can't make it? Listen live to the game through the Blaze Audio page online, as Dan Besbris brings the call, with the pregame show beginning at 7:20pm.



California League Stories from August 6, 2012


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