Four-Run 5th Propels Blaze to Fourth Straight Win
Published on May 21, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze continued their recent strong play, using smart baseball and a big homer to overtake the High Desert Mavericks fo a 5-3 win on Monday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield.
Carlos Contreras (W, 2-4) got the start for the Blaze, and though the stout righthander was without his best stuff, Contreras battled hard to avoid big damage. High Desert put two runners on base in three of the first four innings, but Contreras limited the damage to just two runs over that span. His work proved important.
Stephen Landazuri (L 1-1) had the mound for the Mavs, and the sinkerballer had his arsenal working for four innings, allowing just a 1st-inning run to Bakersfield on a Marquez Smith grounder with Ryan Wright at third ... before a game-changing 5th.
In the bottom of the 5th inning, the Blaze batted around. Kyle Waldrop led off the inning with a top-spin single to right, and Juan Duran followed with a seeing eye roller of his own. Duran was thrown out trying to take second, but Waldrop advanced to 3rd, and a Juan Silverio groundout plated Waldrop, which, at the time, tied the game at two.
The Blaze were far from done. Dominic D'Anna reached on an error by Mavs first baseman Ji-Man Choi, Chris Berset walked, and Ryan Wright, the offensive hero of the night, launched a three-run blast to left to put the Blaze up 5-2, a lead they would not relinquish.
Pat Doyle worked two scoreless innings of relief, and Jimmy Moran followed with an uneventful 8th, and though the Mavs did plate a run in the 9th off El'Hajj Muhammad (revealing that the righty is human), Muhammad retired the side for his 5th save, and preserving a 5-3 Blaze win.
The win marks the first time in 2013 the Blaze have put together four straight victories, and improves the team to 15-29 overall on the year, and 2-0 on the homestand.
The series with High Desert concludes on Tuesday night at 7:30pm with a fantastic Subway $23 Tuesday promotion, where family four-packs of tickets and hot dogs are just 23 dollars!
Can't make it out? Never fear - listen to Dan Besbris call the action via the Gameday Audio link through the Blaze homepage at BakersfieldBlaze.com. Dan will go on air at 7:25pm with the Blaze pregame show, with baseball action to follow.
California League Stories from May 21, 2013
- Tucker's Game-Winner Ends Wild Game - Lancaster JetHawks
- Thompson, Ports Pound Storm 16-4 - Stockton Ports
- Giants' Pitching Shines in 5-1 Victory over 66ers - San Jose Giants
- Epps Thrives as JetHawks Drop Third Straight - Lancaster JetHawks
- Rawhide Shuts Out Modesto to Open Series - Modesto Nuts
- Modesto Falls Short of Sweep After 4-3 Defeat - Modesto Nuts
- Quakes Win Fourth Straight Road Game - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Four-Run 5th Propels Blaze to Fourth Straight Win - Bakersfield Blaze
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