A Dozen Innings is Just Right, Blaze Win 7-4
It took an extra third of a ballgame, but the Bakersfield Blaze scratched, clawed, and somehow found a way, as the club beat the San Jose Giants for the second straight day, this time 7-4.
The game had numerous twists and turns, though most took place from the 8th inning on. The starters, Daniel Renken for the Blaze, and Ryan Bradley for the Giants, each went 7.0 innings, and departed with the Blaze leading 2-1. In the bottom of the 8th, however, with Chris Joyce on the mound, Joe Panik and Adam Duvall went back-to-back to turn the Giants deficit into a 3-2 lead.
The game was far from over. In the 9th, with closer Seth Rosin on the mound, Theo Bowe drew a leadoff walk. Then, in perhaps the most important at-bat of the game, newly added Danny Vicioso worked a 12-pitch battle, eventually doubling inside the first base line, scoring Bowe and tying the game at 3. The Blaze went on to load the bases, and cashed in a run on a slow roller to the right side of the infield, and Bakersfield took a 4-3 lead to the bottom half.
The Giants, like the Blaze, were not ready to leave. With one out in the bottom of the 9th, Dan Burkhart slugged a solo shot to left, the Giants third solo homer in 2 innings, and the teams were on their way to extras.
After each team failed to score in the 10th and 11th -- Brooks Pinckard (W, 1-2) got the win, tossing both of those frames -- the Blaze let Edward Concepcion (L, 2-3) work himself into a mess. A leadoff walk to Niko Vasquez, a hit batter, and another walk to Bowe loaded the bases with nobody out, and in his second heroic at-bat of the day, Vicioso grounded a 2-run single into center for a 6-4 lead. A Bryson Smith sacrifice fly made it 7-4, and Jamie Walczak (S, 2) picked up his second save in as many days, working a scoreless bottom of the 12th.
The win moves Bakersfield to 30-23, and within just 1.5 games of San Jose. The huge series concludes tomorrow night at 7:05pm in a battle of aces, as Bakersfield's Chad Rogers takes aim at San Jose lefty Jack Snodgrass. That game can be heard live on both BakersfieldBlaze.com and locally on SmartTalk 1230AM as the Blaze "Game of the Week." Additionally, the Blaze head home on Saturday for Sunscreen Giveaway Night - get tickets online at BakersfieldBlaze.com!
The game had numerous twists and turns, though most took place from the 8th inning on. The starters, Daniel Renken for the Blaze, and Ryan Bradley for the Giants, each went 7.0 innings, and departed with the Blaze leading 2-1. In the bottom of the 8th, however, with Chris Joyce on the mound, Joe Panik and Adam Duvall went back-to-back to turn the Giants deficit into a 3-2 lead.
The game was far from over. In the 9th, with closer Seth Rosin on the mound, Theo Bowe drew a leadoff walk. Then, in perhaps the most important at-bat of the game, newly added Danny Vicioso worked a 12-pitch battle, eventually doubling inside the first base line, scoring Bowe and tying the game at 3. The Blaze went on to load the bases, and cashed in a run on a slow roller to the right side of the infield, and Bakersfield took a 4-3 lead to the bottom half.
The Giants, like the Blaze, were not ready to leave. With one out in the bottom of the 9th, Dan Burkhart slugged a solo shot to left, the Giants third solo homer in 2 innings, and the teams were on their way to extras.
After each team failed to score in the 10th and 11th -- Brooks Pinckard (W, 1-2) got the win, tossing both of those frames -- the Blaze let Edward Concepcion (L, 2-3) work himself into a mess. A leadoff walk to Niko Vasquez, a hit batter, and another walk to Bowe loaded the bases with nobody out, and in his second heroic at-bat of the day, Vicioso grounded a 2-run single into center for a 6-4 lead. A Bryson Smith sacrifice fly made it 7-4, and Jamie Walczak (S, 2) picked up his second save in as many days, working a scoreless bottom of the 12th.
The win moves Bakersfield to 30-23, and within just 1.5 games of San Jose. The huge series concludes tomorrow night at 7:05pm in a battle of aces, as Bakersfield's Chad Rogers takes aim at San Jose lefty Jack Snodgrass. That game can be heard live on both BakersfieldBlaze.com and locally on SmartTalk 1230AM as the Blaze "Game of the Week." Additionally, the Blaze head home on Saturday for Sunscreen Giveaway Night - get tickets online at BakersfieldBlaze.com!