Mavs Score 11 in Two Innings, Beat Blaze 11-3
August 10, 2012 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
During the evening on the heels of a 109 degree day in Adelanto, California, the Bakersfield Blaze and High Desert Mavericks squared off on a rare windless night, and after the Blaze left footprints early, it was the Mavs who strapped on the boots late, and ended up running away for an 11-3 victory.
The Blaze drew first blood in this one, a pleasant sight after falling behind big in 4 of the team's last 8 games, with Chris Berset smacking his 4th homer of the year, a solo blast, to leftfield in the 3rd. One inning later, the Blaze added another slash when Ryan Wright tripled into the leftfield corner, and Travis Mattair's sacrifice fly brought him home.
Meanwhile, Jamie Walczak rolled through the early parts of the game. In just his second start since returning to the rotation, Jamie scattered 4 hits over the first 5 innings, striking out 4 without a walk.
And then came the 6th inning ... Walczak (L, 3-3) retired the leadoff man on a grounder to short before back-to-back bleeders went as singles and put runners at 1st and 2nd for Leon Landry. Landry, acquired recently by the Mariners in a trade with the Dodgers organization, smashed a double to right to score one and put runners at 2nd and 3rd. It was, however, the Steven Proscia at-bat that changed the game. Walczak jumped ahead of Proscia no balls and two strikes, and induced a swing and a miss at a ball in the dirt. The ball bounced away, allowing the tying run to score, and in the fracas, the throw to the plate got away from the Blaze, allowing the go-ahead run to come across, and the Mavs led, 3-2.
The inning was far from over, however, as Blaine Howell was summoned from the pen and allowed four consecutive singles, plating 3 additional runs, and by the time the frame was done, Daniel Wolford was in the game, the Mavs had scored 6 times on 8 hits, and led, 6-2.
The momentum swing carried into High Desert's pitching staff, as well. Roenis Elias (W, 10-5), after allowing the 2 early runs, settled down to strike out 5 of the last 6 batters he faced, going 7.0 strong innings in the win.
The Mavs would add 5 more in the 7th off Wolford, with Mario Martinez slugging a 3-run homer to put the game away, and though the Blaze scratched a tally across in the 8th against the Mavs pen, they would not threaten in losing the opener.
The loss drops the Blaze to 20-27 in the second half and to 61-56, overall, and marks the first time the Blaze have fallen to just 5 games over 500 since May.
The series with High Desert continues Saturday night at 7:05pm, as Josh Smith takes the ball for the Blaze and tries to snap a short two-game skid against lefty Cameron Hobson for the Mavs.
The game will be broadcast LIVE on both radio and internet, as it is the Saturday Game of the Week on SmartTalk AM-1230 in Bakersfield, and online at BakersfieldBlaze.com. Tune in at 6:55pm for the pregame show, with Dan Besbris bringing the call from start to finish.
California League Stories from August 10, 2012
- Mavs Score 11 in Two Innings, Beat Blaze 11-3 - Bakersfield Blaze
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