Krueger Leads 19-Hit Outburst in Win at Wichita
July 23, 2016 - American Association (AA)
Joplin Blasters News Release
Early Friday morning, a number of Blasters players assisted in fighting a blaze north of Topeka, Kansas, unrolling a fire hose and attaching it to a hydrant before more firefighters arrived on the scene.
Later in the day, the Blasters rallied for a 10-6 victory in Wichita, topping the first place Wingnuts for the third time in the last five tries at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Blasters were led by rookie outfielder Mark Krueger, who went 5-for-5.
Joplin fell behind early to the host Wingnuts, giving up three runs in the bottom of the first. TJ Mittelstaedt clubbed a three-run home run, scoring Zack Cox and Brent Clevlen. Mittelstaedt's homer was his ninth of the season, and was part of a first inning where six Wingnuts reached base.
Wichita extended the lead in the bottom of the second. Leo Vargas led off the inning with a double. After Stringer was retired for the first out, Cox singled in Vargas for Wichita's fourth run of the game. Cox was stranded on first when Joplin starter Isaac Hess struck out Clevlen and Mittelstaedt to end the inning.
The Blasters started their half of the scoring in the top of the third, cutting Wichita's lead in half. Mitch Glasser and Geraldo Valentin each hit singles, putting runners on second and third with one out. Edwin Gomez drove in Joplin's first run on a groundout, and Charlie Valerio made the game 4-2 on a single. Valerio was thrown out at second to end the inning.
A single from Brennen Salgado started the bottom of the fourth for the Wingnuts. He moved to second on a walk to Vargas, and scored on an RBI single from Christian Stringer. Hess again avoided major damage, striking out the final three hitters of the inning to keep the deficit at three runs.
Joplin's offense came to life in the top of the sixth inning, taking a lead that would not be relinquished. To start the inning, Sean Smith clubbed a double. Krueger followed with an RBI single, trimming Wichita's lead to 5-3. An error allowed Brandon Tierney to reach second, and moved Krueger to third. Glasser got the Blasters within one run on a RBI groundout, which brought Valentin to the plate. The veteran outfielder belted a two-run home run, scoring Tierney and giving the Blasters a 6-5 lead.
Two hits in the eighth inning provided the Blasters with an insurance run. Krueger hit the fourth of his five hits to start the inning, blasting a double. Tierney moved Krueger to third on a flyout, and fellow rookie KC Huth drove him in on a single.
The Blasters proceeded to put the game away in the top of the ninth inning. Gomez, Valerio, and newcomer Greyson Bogden each singled, with Bogden's single driving in pinch runner Alex Polston. Fittingly, it was Krueger that finished the Blaster scoring with a two-run single. Each Joplin starter had a hit in the victory.
A run in the bottom of the ninth snapped a streak of eight consecutive runs for the Blasters. Raul Rivera took the win for the Blasters, while Jon Link was dealt his fourth loss, and his third at the hands of the Blasters. Between Rivera, Alberto Castillo, and Jose Ortega, the Joplin bullpen tossed four scoreless inning during the Blaster comeback.
Through ten games between the two teams, each club has claimed five victories. The middle game of three between Joplin and Wichita is Saturday at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
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- Krueger Leads 19-Hit Outburst in Win at Wichita - Joplin Blasters
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