Stockton Snaps 16-Game Skid, Beats Blaze 5-4
The Bakersfield Blaze had won the first 3 games of the series, and it seemed as though the trouble would never end for the Stockton Ports. And then, a light at the end of the tunnel. In one of the longest losing streaks in the California League in recent memory, the Stockton Ports snapped a 16-game skid with a 5-4 win over the Bakersfield Blaze, coming 6 wins shy of the all-time mark.
The game was a hard-fought contest right from the outset, and neither team ever led for more than an inning.
In the top of the first, the Ports put 4 runners on base and were able to scratch a run across to lead 1-0. In the bottom half, the Blaze came right back and tied things up on a Billy Hamilton walk, stolen base, error and Devin Lohman RBI single. After 2 scoreless frames, the Ports once again grabbed a brief lead in the 4th on a Max Stassi solo homer, but the Blaze again knotted it up on a Travis Mattair triple and Dominic D'Anna sacrifice fly.
Next, it was the Blaze to grab the short-lived leads. Bryson Smith slugged a solo homer in the bottom of the 6th to lead 3-2, but Stockton came right back to tie it 3-3 in the 7th. Theo Bowe then hit his own solo shot, his second in as many days, and the Blaze went up 4-3. But, once again, a half inning later, the Ports locked it up at 4.
And finally, the last run belonged to Stockton. In the top of the 9th, Daniel Wolford (L, 3-2) allowed 3 straight singles to the Ports 2-3-4 men, and Zach Thornton (W, 2-0) pitched the 8th and 9th for the win.
The loss snaps a Blaze 3-game winning streak, and drops the team 2.5 games back of San Jose in the hotly contested North. Bakersfield now hits the road for 3 in Lake Elsinore and 3 in Visalia. Five of those six games can be heard LIVE, with tomorrow night's (Thursday) 7pm game being broadcast on the internet at BakersfieldBlaze.com. Dan Besbris will call the action starting at 6:55pm with the pregame show.
The game was a hard-fought contest right from the outset, and neither team ever led for more than an inning.
In the top of the first, the Ports put 4 runners on base and were able to scratch a run across to lead 1-0. In the bottom half, the Blaze came right back and tied things up on a Billy Hamilton walk, stolen base, error and Devin Lohman RBI single. After 2 scoreless frames, the Ports once again grabbed a brief lead in the 4th on a Max Stassi solo homer, but the Blaze again knotted it up on a Travis Mattair triple and Dominic D'Anna sacrifice fly.
Next, it was the Blaze to grab the short-lived leads. Bryson Smith slugged a solo homer in the bottom of the 6th to lead 3-2, but Stockton came right back to tie it 3-3 in the 7th. Theo Bowe then hit his own solo shot, his second in as many days, and the Blaze went up 4-3. But, once again, a half inning later, the Ports locked it up at 4.
And finally, the last run belonged to Stockton. In the top of the 9th, Daniel Wolford (L, 3-2) allowed 3 straight singles to the Ports 2-3-4 men, and Zach Thornton (W, 2-0) pitched the 8th and 9th for the win.
The loss snaps a Blaze 3-game winning streak, and drops the team 2.5 games back of San Jose in the hotly contested North. Bakersfield now hits the road for 3 in Lake Elsinore and 3 in Visalia. Five of those six games can be heard LIVE, with tomorrow night's (Thursday) 7pm game being broadcast on the internet at BakersfieldBlaze.com. Dan Besbris will call the action starting at 6:55pm with the pregame show.