Blaze Wage Second 9th-Inning Comeback in Three Days
Published on June 4, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The never-say-die Bakersfield Blaze did it again in High Desert against the Mavericks, trailing for most of the night before coming up with a big two-run rally in the 9th to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead, and eventually, a win.
The Blaze and Mavs elected not to wait around to get the scoring started. In the top of the 1st inning, with two down, Marquez Smith singled, and Steve Selsky drove him home with a double off Mavs starter Trevor Miller -- Selsky later coming home on a passed ball to put the Blaze up 2-0.
High Desert countered with a two-out rally of their own in the bottom half off newly signed Blaze pitcher Shane Dyer, posting three singles and a hit batter to tie the game at two.
After a scoreless 2nd, the Mavs took advantage of two Blaze errors in the 3rd, scoring on a missed exchange at first base, and later, on a RBI single for Ramon Morla to grab a mid-game 4-2 lead.
The Blaze had a key chance in the 6th inning, but came up empty. With one out, Smith was hit by a pitch, and Selsky collected his second hit of the night before Juan Duran singled to load the bases. But Miller got a key strikeout of Juan Silverio before Kyle Waldrop lined out softly to first, and the Mavs maintained their 4-2 edge.
Shane Dyer pitched well enough to win, allowing four runs (only two earned) over six innings, but the Blaze were forced into the pen trailing, and Pat Doyle (W, 4-0) came on in the 7th for the second straight game. Doyle struck out the side on Sunday, and tonight, retired all three on grounders.
In the 8th, the Blaze broke through for a run to make the contest even more interesting. With one out, Smith walked off Bobby Shore, and one out later, Juan Duran doubled off Matt Brazis (L, 2-2) to bring Smith in, cutting the Blaze deficit to 4-3.
Doyle worked his second scoreless frame in the 8th, posting two strikeouts in the process, and the Blaze came to bat in the 9th leading a run to tie - the Blaze got two. With one out, Brazis issued back-to-back walks to Chris Berset and Juan Perez, and the Mavs went to the pen for closer Stephen Shackleford.
The lights-out closer promptly struck out Ryan Wright, but his first pitch to Yorman Rodriguez caught too much of the plate, and the Bakersfield centerfielder smashed a two-run double to center to score two and put the Blaze on top, 5-4.
In the bottom of the 9th, new closer Jamie Walczak (S, 1) got his first test, holding a one-run lead in the offensive capital of the California League, and Jamie handled his business. A strikeout, a pop-up and a grounder, and the Blaze went to bed having stolen the opener of the three-game series in High Desert, 5-4.
The win was the first in four tries in High Desert for Bakersfield, and the Blaze will try to make it two in a row on Tuesday night behind James Allen. The Mavs counter with Jordan Pries. First pitch is set for 7:05pm.
Make sure to tune in to listen to the broadcast as Dan Besbris brings the call live. The pregame show begins five minutes prior to first pitch, with the game to follow.
California League Stories from June 4, 2013
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- Simmons Shines as Ports Beat JetHawks 4-2 - Stockton Ports
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- Giants Blank Nuts to Open Series - Modesto Nuts
- Giants Shutout Modesto in Series Opener, 5-0 - San Jose Giants
- Ramirez Rehabs, Sixers Steal Win on Monday - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Fontana Returns in Loss to Stockton - Lancaster JetHawks
- Blaze Wage Second 9th-Inning Comeback in Three Days - Bakersfield Blaze
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