Juan Perez Does It Again, Blaze Win 7-6
Published on July 3, 2014 under California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
Two nights, two game-winners for Juan Perez; the Reseda, California product knocked in the winner in the 8th inning on Tuesday, and came back on Wednesday in Visalia and drove home the eventual game-winner in the 9th as the Bakersfield Blaze took the first two from the Visalia Rawhide, 7-6, on the road.
This contest featured a much better pitching performance, but shaky defense and a bumpy infield cost the Blaze.
Early in the contest, Aaron Blair and Mikey O'Brien traded bullets on the mound. Sean Buckley slugged his second homer as a Blaze in the 2nd inning, a solo blast for a 1-0 lead, but the Rawhide countered in the 2nd to tie the game at one apiece.
In the 3rd, Visalia took a short-lived lead on a triple and sacrifice fly, but the big inning in the game came in the Bakersfield 5th.
Three hits, two walks, a key bad-hop grounder and two errors led to five Bakersfield runs and a 6-2 lead, and they would need every bit of it, as the Rawhide slowly chipped their way back into the contest.
A key error in the bottom half led to two unearned Visalia runs, another error in the 6th led to another, and a third error in the 8th allowed the Rawhide to catch the Blaze at six runs apiece.
But in the 9th, Juan Perez struck again. Zach Vincej began the frame with a walk and was sacrificed to second, and after a flyball, Perez banged a single into rightfield, scoring Vincej, and giving Bakersfield the lead at 7-6.
Meanwhile, Ryan Kemp had worked 1.2 innings, and though Ben Klimesh (W, 3-1) allowed a hit that plated the tying run in the 8th (unearned), the big guy struck out four in a row to end it and grab the victory.
The win is the third in a row for a Blaze team that has now won 7 of 9 to move a game over 500 in the second half at 7-6 and to a season-high 21 games over 500 overall at 52-31.
The series with the Rawhide concludes on July 3rd, as Visalia puts on their big fireworks show. Braden Shipley will go for the home team, and the Blaze counter with Daniel Wright. Tune in to every moment of Blaze baseball action as Dan Besbris brings the call live online at BakersfieldBlaze.com and TuneIn Radio. First pitch is set for 7:05pm with pregame show to begin five minutes prior.
Then, Bakersfield heads home. Make sure to get tickets to the monster July 4th spectacular in Bakersfield set for Friday. The game will sell out, so get your tickets in advance and don't miss out! Go to BakersfieldBlaze.com or call 661-716-4487 for more info.
California League Stories from July 3, 2014
- San Jose Giants Fourth of July, Presented by Comcast, Sold Out - San Jose Giants
- San Jose Giants Homestand Preview: July 4 - July 10 - San Jose Giants
- Quakes Take Seventh Straight Overall - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Soar Past Ports 10-0 - Stockton Ports
- Win Streak at Five After 8-2 Victory over Nuts - San Jose Giants
- Nuts Drop Fourth Straight with 8-2 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Juan Perez Does It Again, Blaze Win 7-6 - Bakersfield Blaze
- Masterful Devenski Leads 'Hawks to 10-0 Rout - Lancaster JetHawks
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