CalL1 Inland Empire 66ers

Streaks Snapped in 8-4 Win

August 2, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Inland Empire 66ers News Release


San Bernardino, CA- The Bakersfield Blaze snapped its four-game losing streak and in the process, Inland Empire's four-game winning streak with an 8-4 win on Saturday. The Blaze got homers from Tyler O'Neill and Nelson Ward and kept the Sixers from getting over the .500 mark for the season.

O'Neill smashed an opposite-field two-run homer in the top the first off Inland Empire starter Victor Alcantara after an error had extend the inning. It was O'Neill's seventh homer in his last ten games and gave him 23 for the season. Inland Empire (51-52, 16-17) made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first on Andrew Daniel's RBI single.

Nelson Ward tagged Alcantara (5-9) again in the third when he smashed his fourth homer of the season to make it 4-1. Ward added an RBI triple in the fifth to make it 6-1. The Blaze (38-68, 11-24) second baseman finished the game with the homer, triple, a walk, a sac fly with two runs scored and four RBI.

The Sixers did chisel into the eventual 7-1 lead that Bakersfield built. Brandon Bayardi tripled to open the sixth and came home on Daniel's ground out to make it 7-2. Mike Fish added an RBI single in the seventh making it 7-3 and then came home on Daniel's bloop double to make it 7-4. Daniel finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBI. The University of San Diego product has seven RBI in the last two games. Bayardi had two hits, two walks and in now batting .317.

The Blaze added a run in the top of the ninth off reliever Alan Busenitz when Carlton Tanabe tripled to open the frame and eventually scored on the Ward sac fly making it 8-4. Bakersfield starter Jake Zokan went 2.2 innings. Reliever Will Mathis (3-2) earned the win with 3.1 innings of one-run work. Rafael Pineda was credited with the save with two scoreless innings, it was his sixth save in eight chances.

The series concludes Sunday at 5:05 pm. The game can be heard live at 66ers.com.

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