Too Much Tyler; O'Neill Drives in Four in 7-4 Win
July 26, 2015 - California League (CalL1)
Bakersfield Blaze News Release
Tyler O'Neill continued his assault on San Jose Giants pitching on Colby Lewis Bobblehead Night at Sam Lynn Ballpark on Saturday, driving in four runs while hitting his 19th homer of the year, and the Bakersfield Blaze improved to 2-1 on the seven-game homestand with a 7-4 victory over San Jose.
The game had two stories: O'Neill was one, and the Blaze bullpen was the other. After Tyler Pike worked two quick innings, the lefty ran into trouble in the 3rd and 4th, and was lifted with the bases loaded and three runs across, going 3.2 innings. The bullpen took over, and after a minor road bump (a wild pitch scored a run), dominated.
Carlos Misell (W, 3-6) was the first man out of the pen, and after allowing three baserunners to reach to begin the 5th inning, Carlos retired the next nine in a row. Misell ended up going 3.1 innings of scoreless relief for the second outing in a row, and picked up the win.
Not to be outdone, Rafael Pineda worked the 8th and 9th with minimal trouble, and collected his team-leading 6th save on the year.
Meanwhile, the Blaze offense woke up after a slow Friday, led once again by Tyler O'Neill. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Tim Lopes doubled with one out and O'Neill followed with a bullet into the catwalk for a two-run homer and a 2-0 lead.
His blitz continued in the 3rd, when, with runners at second and third, O'Neill doubled to the gap in leftcenter to score two more. Estarlyn Morales followed with a high-hop single to plate a third run in the inning, and following a pitching change to chase Jason Forjet (L, 3-3), Rayder Ascanio singled in the team's sixth run of the night.
At the time, the Blaze led 6-1, though the Giants would wiggle back to within 6-4. The Blaze got an insurance run in the 4th on an Aaron Barbosa walk, a Lopes double and a wild pitch, taking the game to its final mark of 7-4.. Barbosa's effort is also worth mentioning, as the Blaze leadoff man reached base three times, and five of his last nine plate appearances.
The win gives the Blaze two W's in the first three games on the homestand, which continues through Wednesday. Next task: one more with San Jose on Sunday night at 7:45pm on K-12 Kids Run the Bases Sunday. Chase Johnson and Brett Ash will duel, with gates opening at 6:45pm and the radio broadcast beginning at 7:40pm. Dan Besbris has the call at BakersfieldBlaze.com and TuneIn Radio. *Dan Besbris
California League Stories from July 26, 2015
- Giants Suffer 7-4 Loss to Blaze - San Jose Giants
- Nuts Spring into First with 6-5 Win - Modesto Nuts
- Too Much Tyler; O'Neill Drives in Four in 7-4 Win - Bakersfield Blaze
- Richy, Quakes Outduel Inland Empire - Inland Empire 66ers
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