Blaze Win Third Straight, Defeat Modesto 5-3
Published on August 5, 2012 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
Despite issuing eight walks, the Bakersfield Blaze came up with another double-digit hit barrage, scoring five runs for the second straight night, and hanging on for a 5-3 win over the Modesto Nuts.
Jamie Walczak slotted back into the starting rotation tonight, and with a lower pitch limit, Jamie was able to go just 3.1 innings, allowing 2 early runs on 3 hits and 4 walks to the patient Nuts. Fortunately, for the second straight game, the bullpen was once again up to the task.
Daniel Wolford, Chris Joyce (W, 4-4), Justice French and Kyle McMyne combined to allow just 1 run over 5.2 innings of relief, and that provided enough time for the Blaze offense to go to work.
The Blaze fell behind 1-0 early, but came back to take a 2-1 lead against Nuts starter Josh Mueller with a 2-run 4th inning. Travis Mattair began the frame with a double, Dominic D'Anna followed with a single, and a Steve Selsky base hit drove in Mattair. Then, in his second game with the Blaze, Ryan Wright collected a sacrifice fly with a drive to deep left.
After the Nuts tied it at 2 in the bottom half, the Blaze responded with a 3rd run in the 5th. Devin Lohman singled, and one out later, Mattair brought him home on his second double of the night.
After a scoreless bottom half of the 5th and top of the 6th, the Nuts once again got even. Joyce retired the first two batters in the bottom of the 6th, but a Rafael Ortega infield hit, and a Delta Cleary Jr. double knotted the game at 3.
From there, the Blaze would get the only runs in the late innings. In the 7th, off Craig Bennigson (L, 0-2), Bakersfield used a Danny Vicioso single, a Lohman RBI double, and a 2-out Mattair RBI single to go ahead, 5-3, and the pen locked it down.
Justice French went 2.2 innings of relief, and Kyle McMyne came on with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, retiring Jared Clark on a drive to the wall in left, a heart-stopping shot that fell just short for the Nuts, and the Blaze came away with the second straight win in Modesto, and 3rd straight overall.
Devin Lohman was ejected in the top of the 9th for arguing a tag call at 2nd base.
The win gives the Blaze a 3-game streak, and improves the team to 19-23 in the second half and 60-52, overall.
The series in Modesto wraps up Sunday at 6:05pm, as Josh Smith will take the ball for Bakersfield and oppose Tyler Matzek, the former first rounder. That game can be heard LIVE on BakersfieldBlaze.com, as Dan Besbris calls the action 10 minutes prior to first pitch.
California League Stories from August 5, 2012
- Storm Shaken by Quakes, Fall 3-2 - Lake Elsinore Storm
- Giants Continue Surge with 10-0 Shutout Win - San Jose Giants
- Castro's Game Winner Ends Wild One - Lancaster JetHawks
- Songco Blast Sends Quakes to Third Straight Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Rally Monkey Beanies Fail, 66ers Fall 10-0 - Inland Empire 66ers
- Blaze Win Third Straight, Defeat Modesto 5-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
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