Mack Delivers Late with Blaze Thinking Sweep
May 1, 2016 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
For the second time in two nights, Chantz Mack (2-5, 2B, RBI) delivered in the clutch. Mack's sacrifice fly in the 14th inning allowed Austin Wilson to break a 3-3 tie by scoring and the Bakersfield Blaze (9-12) beat the Inland Empire 66ers (5-18) 4-3 on Saturday night.
Mack finished what Tyler Herb (ND) started for the visitors.
Herb tried his absolute best to duplicate Anthony Misiewicz's Friday night performance against the 66ers by striking out a career-high 11 batters in front of 2,780 people at Sam Manuel Stadium.
After Herb gave up a leadoff single in the first inning to Tim Arakawa (2-5, 2R, BB), he proceeded to strike out the next six batters he faced. Herb ran through the majority of Inland Empire hitters except Caleb Adams.
Adams finished the evening 3-5 with a triple, double, and 3 RBI in a losing cause. For all the good Adams accomplished, there was plenty of bad that shadowed his efforts. Four 66ers players went a combined 0-24 and Bakersfield pitching chalked up 18 strikeouts in the victory.
In a game that lasted 4 hours and 7 minutes, Herb was picked up by his bullpen to make sure the Blaze would not waste his performance. Thyago Vieira, Aaron Brooks, Kody Kerski, and Kyle Schepel (3-0) limited Inland Empire to just five hits in eight innings of relief until Mack's heroics in the 14th gave them the lead for good.
Jay Baum lined out to start the inning before Austin Wilson drilled a pitch into the left field corner for a standup double. Pitching to Chantz Mack, Brian Lonconsole (0-1) threw a wild pitch that he couldn't recover from. Wilson moved to third base with Mack still at the plate and with only one out. Getting a pitch to drive, Mack was able to drive a ball to deep enough to center field with Wilson scoring to make it 4-3.
Schepel lowered his ERA to a miniscule 0.69 by working a scoreless 13th and 14th inning to end the sixth extra-inning game for the Blaze this year.
With the win, Bakersfield logged their second series victory of the season and now they have their eyes set on a three-game sweep. The finale on Sunday will commence at 2:05pm and David Gascon will provide the call on TuneIn Radio along with BakersfieldBlaze.com.
California League Stories from May 1, 2016
- San Jose Giants on Deck: Giants Continue Road Trip with Four-Game Series in Stockton - San Jose Giants
- Blaze Keep Momentum Going in Sweep - Bakersfield Blaze
- Blaze Overcome Late Rally, Sweep 66ers - Inland Empire 66ers
- 66ers Drop Extra Inning Affair 4-3 - Inland Empire 66ers
- Marincov's Blast Lifts Ports to Series Sweep - Stockton Ports
- Nuts Lose Pitcher's Duel 3-2 - Modesto Nuts
- Quakes Blanked Despite Bergjans' Gem - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Comeback Falls Short In Rubber Game At Diamond - Lancaster JetHawks
- Late Rally Falls Short, Giants Swept in Visalia - San Jose Giants
- Ports Spin Two-Hitter in 7-2 Victory - Stockton Ports
- Quakes Rally in 9th for Win over Mavs - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Rawhide Make It Six Straight with 3-1 Win over San Jose - Visalia Rawhide
- Mack Delivers Late with Blaze Thinking Sweep - Bakersfield Blaze
- Pitcher Zac Curtis Makes MLB Debut for Arizona - Visalia Rawhide
- Rawhide Make It Six Straight with 3-1 Win over San Jose - Visalia Rawhide
- Late Rally Dooms Nuts in Sixth Straight Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Giants Drop Second Straight to Rawhide, 3-1 - San Jose Giants
- Late Homer, Seventh Inning Rally Sink Jethawks - Lancaster JetHawks
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