Rally Time in Bako, Blaze Double-Up Sixers 10-5
August 23, 2012 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
On a pleasant Goodwill Wednesday in Bakersfield, the Blaze went on an offensive barrage late, overcoming a three run deficit and beating the Inland Empire 66ers for the second straight night, 10-5.
Daniel Renken (W, 5-9) got the start for Bakersfield tonight, and dominated for five innings. Renken allowed just a solo homer to C.J. Cron (his 26th of the year) over that stretch, striking out six batters while putting together the type of rebound effort that the Blaze and Renken both needed.
Meanwhile, his opponent, Andrew Smith, was pounding the strike zone. Smith only fanned two over those first five frames, but the Blaze were consistently off balance at the plate, and could only muster one run of their own on a 3rd inning double, and the team's fourth sacrifice fly in the last two nights.
Into the 6th the contest zoomed tied at one run apiece, and then the contest turned on its head. In the top of the 6th, Renken issued his only walk of the inning leading off the frame, and after a single and a sacrifice bunt, Kaleb Cowart slugged a 1-0 fastball over the fence in rightfield for a three run blast, putting the Sixers up 4-1. Renken settled down to finish off the inning, and the Blaze made his persistence pay.
In the bottom of the frame, the Blaze batted around, scoring five runs on five hits, a walk and an error, turning the 4-1 hole into a 6-4 lead, and the team would not trail from there.
The Sixers got one back in the 7th off reliever Kyle McMyne, but the Blaze countered with two of their own off Eric Cendejas in the bottom half, stretching the lead to 8-5. After McMyne punched his way through the 8th, the Blaze added the two final runs of the night, going up 10-5 in the 8th, and Brooks Pinckard recorded the final three outs to lock down the team's second straight win.
The victory moves the team back to two games over the 500-mark on the season, and to 24-34 in the second half, with the seven game homestand coming to an end on Thirsty Thursday at 7:15pm.
The season series with the Sixers also wraps up on Thursday, and the Blaze will look for win number three in a row. Head on down for dollar beer from 6:15 to 8:15pm in the picnic tent.
Can't make it? Listen to the broadcast LIVE at BakersfieldBlaze.com, with Dan Besbris bringing the call ten minutes before first pitch.
California League Stories from August 23, 2012
- Mavericks Sign 3-Year Lease with City of Adelanto - High Desert Mavericks
- Single Game Blaze Playoff Tickets on Sale Now - Bakersfield Blaze
- First Responder's Night with the Quakes - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- JetHawks Struggle in Ninth, Fall to Quakes - Lancaster JetHawks
- Quakes Rally for Ninth-Inning Win - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- 10th Inning Sacrifice Fly Lifts Giants to Victory - San Jose Giants
- 66ers Drop Game Despite Crushes by Cron and Cowart - Inland Empire 66ers
- Rally Time in Bako, Blaze Double-Up Sixers 10-5 - Bakersfield Blaze
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