Visalia Hangs on for Tight 2-1 Win on Opening Night
Published on April 8, 2016 under California League (CalL1)
Visalia Rawhide News Release
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Opening night of the 2016 California League campaign was slow starting for the Rawhide and Blaze at a damp, overcast, Sam Lynn Ballpark on Thursday night. A bases loaded walk issued to Visalia in the top of the eighth inning broke a 1-1 tie and was the eventual game winning tally as the Rawhide opened their season on the right side of the ledger, earning a 2-1 victory over their North Division rival Bakersfield Blaze.
A pair of solo home runs for each side accounted for the games only runs until the fateful walk was issued to 2B Henry Castillo in the eighth. Bakersfield struck first when RF Austin Wilson wrapped a home run down the line that ever-so-slightly stayed fair, giving the Blaze a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
It remained a 1-0 advantage until LF Chuck Taylor went to the opposite field with a long ball knotting the game at a run apiece.
The solo home run allowed by RHP Josh Taylor was his only blemish in an otherwise stellar performance on opening night. He threw 5.2 innings and allowed four hits, the one run, he walked two and struck out five. Unfortunately for Taylor he left trailing and didn't qualify for the decision.
Righty Andrew Moore of Bakersfield pitched just a bit better, logging 6.0 innings and relinquishing six hits, no runs, one walk and he recorded six strikeouts, but ultimately his bullpen let him down.
It was LHP Ryan Horstman (0-1, 10.80) who breezed through a scoreless, one two, three seventh inning before hitting a speed bump in the eighth. After the home run by Taylor he was dinged for a single by 1B Rudy Flores, who had a three hit night, and a double by RF Stryker Trahan, putting men on second and third. That was the end of the night for Horstman and into the game was RHP Cody Kerski. Kerski issued back-to-back free passes pushing home Flores with the game winner and handing Horstman the loss.
RHP Jimmie Sherfy (SV: 1) pitched a stressful ninth inning but danced out of the two on, two out jam to preserve the opening night, 2-1 win and hand RHP Bud Jeter (1-0, 0.00) the win for his 1.1 innings of work out of the bullpen for Visalia. Jeter walked one and struck out two.
The Rawhide banged out 10 hits, led by Flores and Chuck Taylor, who along with his home run also slashed a double in the win.
Visalia (1-0) takes on Bakersfield (0-1) in game two of the four game series at Sam Lynn Ballpark tomorrow night with first pitch set for 7:15 PM. RHP Miller Diaz (0-0, 0.00) will make his season debut for Visalia against LHP Anthony Misiewicz (0-0, 0.00) of the Blaze.
The Visalia Rawhide will officially begin their 70th consecutive season of baseball in Visalia with Fan Fest on Saturday, April 9th followed by the home opener on Thursday, April 14th vs. Bakersfield at Recreation Ballpark with a 7:00 PM first pitch. Tickets and group packages are on sale now! Call the ticket office at 559-732-4433 or head to rawhidebaseball.com for tickets and more information!
California League Stories from April 8, 2016
- Friday's Giants-JetHawks Game Suspended - San Jose Giants
- Visalia Hangs on for Tight 2-1 Win on Opening Night - Visalia Rawhide
- JetHawks Edged in Season Opener - Lancaster JetHawks
- Ports Tag Nuts Early in 13-2 Loss - Modesto Nuts
- Lake Elsinore Spoils Rancho's Championship Celebration - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- 66ers Drop Season Opener at High Desert, Houchins Homers - Inland Empire 66ers
- Giants Edge JetHawks in Season Opener, 4-3 - San Jose Giants
- Ports Crush Nuts 13-2 in Opener - Stockton Ports
- Blaze Drop Tight One in Opener, 2-1 - Bakersfield Blaze
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
