Johnson Goes Seven, Blaze Hold off Nuts, 6-3
Published on May 11, 2013 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
The Bakersfield Blaze, in the midst of an eight game skid, needed a big shut-down start against the Modesto Nuts, and they got just that, as Jacob Johnson turned in a team-high seven innings, and the Blaze held off the Nuts, 6-3 on Friday night at Sam Lynn Ballpark.
Johnson (W, 3-1) was close to untouchable for most of the game. In the 1st and 2nd innings, the big righthander allowed singles to the Nuts, but his defense turned double plays in each frame to end them. And Johnson just got tougher from there.
The Floridian worked the next three innings on just 27 pitches, and induced eight of the next ten Modesto batters to hit the ball on the ground in a pitching clinic.
Meanwhile, the Blaze bats came to life. In the 3rd inning, Kyle Waldrop led off with a double, and Yovan Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. Juan Perez attempted to sacrifice, but bunted the ball even better than he hoped, reaching on a bunt single to load the bases for the surging Ryan Wright. Wright doubled off the rightfield wall to score two, and Marquez Smith followed with a grounder to plate a run, and the Blaze went up 3-0.
In the 4th, Yorman Rodriguez added a tally with a homer off the top of the centerfield wall, and in the 5th, the Blaze put one more on the board on a Perez triple and Wright RBI single, part of a three-RBI night for the Blaze second baseman.
Modesto got on the board in the 6th, plating two runs on a double, walk, and two bloop singles, then added one more in the 8th off reliever Pat Doyle on a pair of singles and an RBI grounder.
With the Blaze leading 5-3 in the 8th, Bakersfield stopped the Modesto momentum. Juan Silverio doubled off Kraig Sitton, and one out later, Yorman Rodriguez singled him home to put Bakersfield back up by three, and to the 9th the game went.
El'Hajj Muhammad (S, 1) entered, questing for his first save of the year, and though the hard-thrower plunked the leadoff man and walked the next, he bounced back to strike out the next two, before Modesto inexplicably sent the runners, and Gonzalez gunned down Harold Riggins at third to end the game.
The win snaps Bakersfield's 8-game skid, and moves the team to nine wins on the year. The win is also the team's first against Modesto in five tries.
The series with the Nuts continues Saturday at 7:30pm, when the first 1,000 fans through the gates will take home a one-time-only Billy Hamilton Commemorative Base Giveaway! Gates open at 6:30pm -- arrive early to secure your prize.
California League Stories from May 11, 2013
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- Defense Struggles in Caughel Debut, Quakes Fall - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Giants Defeat Mavericks, Extend Win Streak to Six - San Jose Giants
- Workman Drops Rawhide in 11th - Visalia Rawhide
- Winkler Leads Nuts to First Shutout Win - Modesto Nuts
- JetHawks Offense Soars as Ports Fall 19-13 - Stockton Ports
- Songco's Blast Gives Quakes Come-Back Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Put up 19 to Blast Ports - Lancaster JetHawks
- Sellout Crowd Watches Giants Win Fifth in a Row - San Jose Giants
- Johnson Goes Seven, Blaze Hold off Nuts, 6-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
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