Blaze Set Season Hits Mark in 9-5 Victory
Published on August 4, 2015 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze offense enjoyed the spacious elevation of the Hangar in Lancaster, pounding out 16 hits en route to a new season high, and the team won its third straight game on the road 9-5 on Monday night over the Lancaster Jethawks.
A lot of pieces came together at the right time to get what was a fairly easy win. Dan Altavilla (W, 5-9) was excellent for five innings before running into trouble in the 6th, but did enough to get the win. Aaron Brooks pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to hold the Jethawks at bay, and Kyle Schepel worked the 9th.
Meanwhile, the offense was bonkers for three innings early, and then added a pair of runs late, as well.
In the 1st, Tyler O'Neill continued his home run barrage with a solo shot to left off Christian Powell (L, 0-1), whose California League debut went anything but well. The homer is number 25 on the year for O'Neill and the young Canadian-born phenom has now homered in four straight games and has hit nine homers in his last 12 games, overall.
The scoring continued in the 2nd when Rayder Ascanio's groundout scored Kyle Petty, and Tim Lopes' groundball single plated Jay Baum for a 3-1 lead.
But the crucial inning, the one that changed the game, was the 3rd. Austin Wilson led off the frame with a double, one of four hits on the night for the Stanford product, and Chantz Mack followed with his first home run as a Blaze, a two-run shot for a 5-0 lead. The Blaze weren't done. With one out, Ascanio and Baum each singled, forcing a Lancaster pitching change, and Carlton Tanabe followed with a hot shot up the third base line. The hit scored a run, and the resultant rundown of Tanabe between first and second base scored Baum for a 7-1 lead.
The Jethawks slowly whittled away at their hole, at one point getting as close as 7-5, but a single from Lopes to begin the 7th was followed by back-to-back triples from Mack and Petty and the Blaze moved back in front by four, a lead they would not relinquish.
The suddenly surging Blaze have raised their team batting average 4 points to .229 thanks to the current hot spell, and the club will look for a fourth straight win on Tuesday night in Lancaster in anoter 6:30pm start. Tyler Pike takes the hill for the Blaze.
Fans are encouraged to tune in at BakersfieldBlaze.com and TuneIn Radio. Dan Besbris has the call.
California League Stories from August 4, 2015
- Promotions-packed weekend includes Superstar Series, Princess in the Park - Lancaster JetHawks
- Jered Weaver to Pitch for 66ers Tonight - Inland Empire 66ers
- Nine-Run Fourth Sinks Ports 11-6 - Stockton Ports
- Aguilera Amazes with Perfect Six-Hit Night - Inland Empire 66ers
- Blaze Set Season Hits Mark in 9-5 Victory - Bakersfield Blaze
- Giants Open Road Trip with 5-1 Victory - San Jose Giants
- Fifth Straight Loss Drops JetHawks Under .500 - Lancaster JetHawks
- Giants Quiet Nuts Bats in 5-1 Loss - Modesto Nuts
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