Blaze Sweep Doubleheader from Ports, 2-1 and 6-1
In a pair of 7-inning games, the Bakersfield Blaze won in dramatic fashion in the opener, and in runaway fashion in the nightcap, beating the Stockton Ports 2-1 and 6-1, respectively.
Game one was largely a game of contrast. The Stockton Ports put at least 1 runner on base in all 7 of their at-bats, getting 2 aboard in 6 of those 7 frames, but managed to plate just one. Blaze starter Daniel Renken allowed 11 base runners in his 5.0 innings of work, but surrendered only a single run on a 3rd-inning sacrifice fly. Daniel would not, however, factor into the decision, departing with the game tied at 1 run apiece.
Bakersfield got its runs in the 4th and 7th on solo homers from Bryson Smith and Juan Duran, the second of which came with 2 outs and the game teetering on the brink of heading to extra innings. Duran's homer was his 4th of the year, the team's 3rd walkoff win of the season, and Bakersfield's first walkoff home run of 2012. Jamie Walczak (W, 2-0) pitched the 6th and 7th for the win, and Jose Guzman (L, 2-2) took the loss, giving up Duran's game-ender.
The second game was, for the most part, over after 2 innings. Pat Doyle (W, 3-1), in a spot start, allowed a 2-out single the first inning before retiring the next 16 consecutive Ports and carrying a 1-hit shutout through 6 innings of work. On the other side, the Blaze got a run in the first on a Billy Hamilton triple and Devin Lohman sacrifice fly, then added 4 unearned runs in the 2nd on Hamilton's bases-clearing, 3-run double and Lohman's RBI hit immediately thereafter, all off Ports starter Ian Krol (L, 0-3). Bakersfield got its final run on Theo Bowe's first homer of the year, and only his 3rd professional dinger in 3-plus seasons of baseball.
The pair of wins moves Bakersfield to 23-15 on the year and, temporarily, to just 1.0 game back of San Jose, pending the outcome of the Giants' game against Modesto. The quick three-night, four-game series with Stockton concludes on Wednesday night at 7:30pm on Goodwill Wednesday, where any fan bringing a donation item to the ballpark gets in for half price! Come on down, or listen to Dan Besbris call the game live on BakersfieldBlaze.com, with the pregame show beginning at 7:20pm, or thereabouts!
Game one was largely a game of contrast. The Stockton Ports put at least 1 runner on base in all 7 of their at-bats, getting 2 aboard in 6 of those 7 frames, but managed to plate just one. Blaze starter Daniel Renken allowed 11 base runners in his 5.0 innings of work, but surrendered only a single run on a 3rd-inning sacrifice fly. Daniel would not, however, factor into the decision, departing with the game tied at 1 run apiece.
Bakersfield got its runs in the 4th and 7th on solo homers from Bryson Smith and Juan Duran, the second of which came with 2 outs and the game teetering on the brink of heading to extra innings. Duran's homer was his 4th of the year, the team's 3rd walkoff win of the season, and Bakersfield's first walkoff home run of 2012. Jamie Walczak (W, 2-0) pitched the 6th and 7th for the win, and Jose Guzman (L, 2-2) took the loss, giving up Duran's game-ender.
The second game was, for the most part, over after 2 innings. Pat Doyle (W, 3-1), in a spot start, allowed a 2-out single the first inning before retiring the next 16 consecutive Ports and carrying a 1-hit shutout through 6 innings of work. On the other side, the Blaze got a run in the first on a Billy Hamilton triple and Devin Lohman sacrifice fly, then added 4 unearned runs in the 2nd on Hamilton's bases-clearing, 3-run double and Lohman's RBI hit immediately thereafter, all off Ports starter Ian Krol (L, 0-3). Bakersfield got its final run on Theo Bowe's first homer of the year, and only his 3rd professional dinger in 3-plus seasons of baseball.
The pair of wins moves Bakersfield to 23-15 on the year and, temporarily, to just 1.0 game back of San Jose, pending the outcome of the Giants' game against Modesto. The quick three-night, four-game series with Stockton concludes on Wednesday night at 7:30pm on Goodwill Wednesday, where any fan bringing a donation item to the ballpark gets in for half price! Come on down, or listen to Dan Besbris call the game live on BakersfieldBlaze.com, with the pregame show beginning at 7:20pm, or thereabouts!