Gerrard Provides Punch in Return

Grant Gerrard hit a grand slam during a five-run fifth for the Blaze and Kasey Kiker went seven strong against the Mavs for the second time this year in Bakersfield's 8-2 win Tuesday night.

Greg Halman provided the only offense for the Mavs. His solo home runs in the second and fourth were the only two hits of the game. It was the first time this year a Maverick hit multiple home runs in a game.

The Mavs took a 2-0 lead heading to the fourth when the Blaze managed to score a run without a hit. After two errors put Jose Vallejo with none out, Gerrard drove him home on a groundout to make it 2-1.

Gerrard came up one inning later in a 2-2 tie with the bases loaded and two outs. He hammered a Keith Renaud pitch off the batter's eye in center field for the Blaze's first grand slam of the year. Gerrard had missed the past four games with a bruised thumb, but came back strong, going 1-for-3 with five RBI's.

Marcus Lemon added two RBI's later in the game. He hit a solo home run in the seventh and provided an RBI single in the eighth.

Kiker (2-0) defeated the Mavs for the second time this year. He retired 20 of the 24 batters he faced. Besides Halman's homers, he also walked one and hit another.

Renaud (0-6) tied a season high with seven walks. He walked the first three batters he faced and also walked three in the Blaze's big fifth.

By going 0-for-3, Blaze outfielder Julio Borbon snapped his 17-game hitting streak, the second-longest by a player in the Cal League this season. Matt Magini, who had the longest current hitting streak for the Mavs, saw his seven-game streak end although he reached base twice.

The Mavs will try to relocate their missing offense Wednesday morning when they face the Blaze at 10:30 a.m. Live coverage will start approximately 10 minutes before the first pitch on the High Desert's TALK 960 and www.talk960.com.